Asajj Ventress Makes a Killer Comeback in the Final Season of 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'

Clone Force 99 is rolling out for one last mission in Star Wars: The Bad Batch. The animated series on Disney Plus first premiered in 2021 and follows a group of elite clone troopers with genetic mutations that allow them to resist the influence of Emperor Palpatine during Order 66, in which the Clone Army is genetically predisposed to eliminate the Jedi. They have since been on the run from the Galactic Empire and have taken on various jobs as mercenaries amidst the rise of the Galactic Empire.

In the third and final season, the titular Bad Batch (all voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) tries to reunite with their fellow clone-like companion Omega (Michelle Ang) as they officially try to escape from the clutches of the Empire. Along the way, however, they encounter all sorts of obstacles. Among them is Asajj Ventress, a fan-favorite character thought to have been killed in previous installments of the Star Wars franchise. What happened to her and is her death still canon?

Asajj Ventress is a fan-favorite Star Wars character who was originally introduced in the acclaimed 2003 animated micro-series, Star Wars: Clone Wars. She has subsequently made several appearances in several other canonical productions and spin-offs in the franchise, including animated films and television series as well as books and comics.

In Star Wars lore, she was born into a cult of witches known as the Nightsisters and sold into slavery.

Though she was discovered to be Force-sensitive and initially trained in the ways of the Jedi, she joins the Dark Side after the death of her master and even becomes Count Dooku's unofficial Sith apprentice. Asajj presents a formidable threat to the Galactic Republic, but she is betrayed by Dooku. She subsequently defects from him and becomes a bounty hunter.

Her story continues in a 2015 novel called Dark Disciple, which originally takes place several months before the events of Revenge of the Sith and Order 66. During this time, Asajj seemingly sacrifices herself during a secret mission to assassinate her former Sith master. This final act would have ultimately redeemed her of her past actions as a Sith apprentice.

However, Dark Disciple and Asajj's death may no longer be canon. In the trailer for Season 3 of The Bad Batch, which takes place in the early days of the Galactic Empire but after Revenge of the Sith when Asajj would have been long dead. Instead, Asajj is shown to be alive, albeit at odds with the members of the Bad Batch.

The events of the upcoming season will no doubt explain her presence in the show, whether it seeks to work in the events of Dark Disciple or completely erase it from canon altogether. That said, her reappearance comes as a shock to Star Wars fans who have thought her to be dead since 2015.

Season 3 of The Bad Batch will premiere on Feb. 21, 2024, streaming exclusively on Disney Plus.