The third installment of the Star Wars: Tales series, Tales of the Underworld, was released on May 4, 2025. Like past seasons, it is comprised of six episodes. The first three follow Dooku’s former Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress in the period following Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith. The other three look at the early part of notorious bounty hunter Cad Bane’s life before his appearance during The Clone Wars. Let’s look at when the Tales of the Underworld takes place and where the series fits with the rest of the Star Wars timeline.
What Is Tales of the Underworld?
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld is the name of the third season of the Tales anthology series. It is considered part of the canon Star Wars timeline.
This new season of the series was announced in a StarWars.com article on April 2, 2025. It was released on Disney+ a month later on Star Wars Day, May 4, 2025.
While Tales of the Underworld remains a separate title from the first two installments, Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire, Disney+ created a Star Wars Tales collection containing the episodes from all three.
Set during the rise of the Empire, it expands the stories of bounty hunters Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane.
Veteran voice actors from The Clone Wars, Nika Futterman and Corey Burton, return to voice Ventress and Bane, respectively. AJ LoCascio voices a young Duro named Colby.
Clare Grant returns to voice Latts Razzi, a bounty hunter who occasionally worked with the Krayt’s Claw syndicate along with Ventress. Eric Lopez voices Bane’s childhood friend Niro, with prolific voice actor Artt Butler portraying the character as an adult.
Series creator Dave Filoni returns as supervising director and executive producer. Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck also serve as executive producers, with Josh Rimes credited as co-executive producer.
Matt Michnovetz wrote all six episodes from stories by Dave Filoni. Michnovetz previously wrote two episodes of Tales of the Empire as well as episodes of Rebels, The Clone Wars, and The Bad Batch.
Steward Lee, Saul Ruiz, and Nathaniel Villanueva each direct two episodes. The three are long-time members of Lucasfilm Animation, working on several other Star Wars animated series.
Kevin Kiner returns with his children, Sean and Deana Kiner, to provide the music for this season. Within the Star Wars community, Kiner is best known for his work on The Clone Wars.
As Kiner Music, Sean and Deana have worked with their dad on Rebels, The Bad Batch, Tales, and Ahsoka. Together, they are expected to provide the music for the forthcoming Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord series.
When Does Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld Take Place?
Season Three of Star Wars: Tales takes place between approximately 58 BBY and 16 BBY, with episodes spread throughout that period.
The exact placement of the timeline has not been confirmed, so these are only approximations based on references to other Star Wars stories.
As best as we can tell, here is when each episode of Tales of the Underworld takes place:
- Episode 1: “A Way Forward” – Sometime between 19 and 16 BBY
- Episode 2 “Friends” – Sometime between 19 and 16 BBY
- Episode 3: “One Warrior to Another” – Sometime between 19 and 16 BBY
- Episode 4 “The Good Life” – Sometime between 58 and 48 BBY
- Episode 5: “A Good Turn” – Approximately 40 BBY
- Episode 6: “One Good Deed” – Approximately 33 BBY
The first three episodes tell a story about Asajj Ventress. The prologue of the first episode, “A Way Forward,” is set in 19 BBY before Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith.
The rest of the episode and episodes two and three, “Friends” and “One Warrior to Another,” are likely set between 18 and 16 BBY following the conclusion of The Bad Batch.
However, it’s harder to place the three episodes about Cad Bane. Presumably, Episode 4, “The Good Life,” is set between 58 and 48 BBY. This is approximately 15 to 25 years before the Prequel Trilogy.
“A Good Turn,” Episode 5, is set in approximately 40 BBY – about eight years before the events of The Phantom Menace. The final episode, “One Good Deed,” is set about one year before Episode I in approximately 33 BBY.
When Does the Asajj Ventress Arc Take Place? (Episodes 1, 2, & 3)
The first arc is a single story about Asajj Ventress, one of the Nightsisters of Dathomir, witches who use powerful dark magic.
First introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, she was once Dooku’s apprentice. After being betrayed by Dooku, she eventually became a bounty hunter and, in time, a more complex antihero.
Her story is one of survival and, ultimately, redemption. All three Ventress episodes are presented chronologically, taking place only a short time apart.
The prologue of “A Way Forward” is set in approximately 19 BBY, following the events of the Star Wars: Dark Disciple novel by Christie Golden and shortly before Revenge of the Sith.
Ventress had sacrificed herself in Dark Disciple, saving Quinlan Vos from the dark side in the process.
In the Tales season premiere, Vos and Obi-Wan Kenobi return Ventress’ body to her clan’s village on Dathomir.
As she enters the spirit realm, Mother Talzin offers the chance to return to the real world. However, she must forsake her love for Quinlan. Seeking to start her life again, Ventress reluctantly agrees.
The rest of Ventress’ arc takes place sometime during the Imperial era. While it could take place any time from 19 to 16 BBY, it seems likely that they take place shortly after her encounters with Clone Force 99 and Omega.
With The Bad Batch taking place approximately between 19 and 17 BBY, it seems likely that Ventress’ arc in Tales is set sometime between 18 and 16 BBY.
In her three-episode arc, Ventress encounters a young Padawan, Lyco Strata, searching for “The Path.”
She is initially uninterested, but changes her mind when she learns that Quinlan Vos is involved with the group that is helping former Jedi escape the Empire and Palpatine’s Inquisitors.
After killing an unknown Inquisitor, raising the total number of Inquisitors to 15, Asajj and Lyco escape together.
In the second episode, Asajj then teams up with another bounty hunter, Latts Razzi, in the hopes of learning more about the Path.
Razzi turns against them, attempting to turn Lyco over to the Empire.
In Episode Three, Ventress and Lyco encounter a former Separatist leader. Together, they must work together to stop a conflict over water. Lyco eventually reaches the path, before making a difficult decision about his future.
When Does the Cad Bane Arc Take Place? (Episodes 4, 5, & 6)
Cad Bane is a ruthless Duros bounty hunter known for his iconic wide-brimmed hat and cold professionalism.
Also introduced in The Clone Wars, Bane is known for working for the highest bidder, even the Sith. One of many Star Wars recasts, Dorian Kingi performed the character in The Book of Boba Fett.
The fourth episode of Star Wars Tales, “The Good Life,” centers on two orphans on the core world of Duro, Colby and Niro. Colby eventually grows up to become Cad Bane.
With Bane born around 62 BBY, this episode likely takes place between 50 and 48 BBY when both are in their early adolescence.
Working on the streets as petty thieves and scavengers, they catch the attention of local gangsters, Lazlo.
He recruits them to cause a distraction at a casino so his crew can pull a heist. While Niro is reluctant, they eventually agree to help. While Lazlo and Colby get away, Niro is captured by the police.
Roughly a decade later, Cad is working in Lazlo’s crew. Niro is now working as a deputy for the local marshal.
The two appear to be in their early twenties, which likely sets the fifth episode around 40 BBY.
When Lazlo is killed by the marshal during an operation, Cad takes his distinctive hat and sets out to take revenge. Cad’s girlfriend Arin tries to convince him to let it go, hinting there is more at stake.
However, Bane initiates a duel with the marshal, only to have Niro and Arin intervene. Bane shoots the marshal, while the marshal’s shot misses his target and hits Arin instead.
Niro takes the marshal’s gun, hoping to get Cad to surrender. When Bane goes to draw his gun, he is stunned to find that Arin tosses it to Niro.
The final episode takes place around 33 BBY, wth Cad Bane in prison and Niro now serving as the marshal.
Cad is released from prison, seeking revenge against Niro. He arrives for a duel to learn that Arin has passed on and that Niro is raising Arin and Cad’s son, Isaac.
In a duel, Bane kills Niro in front of Isaac. While he tries to comfort his child, he realizes that he doesn’t understand how to show empathy or compassion.
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