Phil Roberts 
With Dave Filoni guiding the ship, a breathtaking upgrade from Lucasfilm Animation, some brilliant vocal performances, and some of the most eye-catching visuals ever committed to animation, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is the real deal.
Since his Saga debut in 1999, Darth Maul has become a staple of the Star Wars galaxy. Even death couldn’t keep the fans from adoring this vengeful Sith Lord. So, it was inevitable that George Lucas and his protege, Dave Filoni, would resurrect the character during The Clone Wars. Since then, the sinister Sith has become a major threat throughout Rebels and even Solo: A Star Wars Story. But now, with Dave Filoni returning to sprinkle his magic touch over another animated project, Maul is back with a vengeance for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
Following Maul’s exploits post-Clone Wars, the series promises to be a landmark piece of animated brilliance. Featuring Maul rebuilding his criminal empire in the aftermath of the fall of Mandalore, the series offers a darker, more character-driven take on the character. But is the fanbase ready for 8 episodes with the Sinister Sith? Or is Shadow Lord one comeback too many?
REVIEW
Fear not, Star Wars fans, because Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is a phenomenal deep-dive into Maul’s quest to regain his criminal empire. It’s an intense slice of Star Wars brilliance. Maul has never been so intense. With its breathtaking, crisp animation, a dark, intense soundtrack, and a sumptuous character study, the series is a rare gem that will delight fans everywhere. As always, Sam Witwer embodies this character and delivers a wonderfully weighted, layered performance that adds new dimensions to our beloved former Sith. In the end, with its cast of fresh characters, wonderfully rendered animation, intense storyline, and eye-wateringly violent action, this first season is a treasure trove of Force-fuelled brilliance.
DARKNESS REIGNS
Dave Filoni has made a career out of crafting Star Wars in animation, and you can detect his telltale fingerprints all over this series. Although it begins in The Bad Batch era, the series feels like a continuation of The Clone Wars in all its glory. However, with its enhanced palette and glorious animation style, Clone Wars never looked this good. Even with its dark tone, the series glows with its vibrancy. Every time a new animated project comes down the pipeline, Lucasfilm Animation continually raises the bar with its quality, and here, the team has defied expectations again. Maul – Shadow Lord is arguably the most vibrant and rich animation style ever applied to the galaxy far, far away.
Although the stylization feels familiar (thanks to Clone Wars/Rebels/The Bad Batch), the visuals are so crisp and realistic that you’ll often be forced to remind yourself that you’re watching animation. Even the water sequences look incredibly photorealistic. That, coupled with the enhanced backgrounds, costume design, visual effects, and improved body mechanics, makes the series the closest animation has ever been to live-action, and that is the highest compliment I can pay!
VENGEANCE
For the most part, Shadow Lord reunites us with Maul in the wake of his daring escape in the finale of The Clone Wars. The Empire now rules the galaxy, and the timeline has jumped forward to The Bad Batch era. Taking place primarily on the planet Janix, the story offers a blank canvas of new landscapes for Maul to explore, and his narrative will take him from the depths of the city to the heights of its skyscrapers.
We reunite with Maul as his quest for vengeance against the crime syndicates that abandoned him during the siege of Mandalore takes shape – and his vengeance is brutal. Any fan expecting a lighthearted series should look away now – this is Maul unleashed like never before, and he channels his anger into a steady flow of Rogue One Vader-esque brutality.
The advantage of centering the show on Maul is that we get to indulge his anger at the height of his brutality. If you thought he was cold and calculated during The Clone Wars, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Here he is committing cold-blooded murder with a gleefully evil smile on his face. We also get to see more of his cunning side as he remains one step ahead of his competition with the execution of his well-conceived plans. It’s schintilating stuff, and every Star Wars fan will be eating well with this series.
NEW CHARACTERS
Helping to keep things fresh, however, is a treasure trove of new characters for Maul to toy with. First up, we are introduced to Jedi Master Eeko-Dio-Daki and his apprentice Devon Izara, and in this era, where the Inquisitors routinely hunt the Jedi, life is tough. We are used to seeing the Jedi as peacekeepers, defenders of the Republic, but here, our fallen heroes are forced to live in the shadows, surviving on scraps of food and the kindness of others. But in the newly minted Imperial era, kindness is in short supply. This is a bold swing from Filoni and his team, but it pays off brilliantly.
Witnessing the Jedi during these harsh times makes for compelling viewing and encapsulates their fall from grace. Gone are the lavish temples at the pinnacle of society, replaced by sewers, dirty streets, and meager scraps of food, and it highlights that even some members of the mighty Jedi aren’t afraid to abandon their principles when hunger sets in.
JANIX SECURITY
On the other side of fortune, we are introduced to Captain Brander Lawson, a detective in Janix’s security force. Lawson is a straight shooter and an old-school detective, determined to keep his streets safe for the citizens of Janix. Together with his partner, Two-Boots, a rebellious security droid, the duo makes for a great buddy-cop dynamic. They don’t always see eye to eye, allowing for some great moments, but their relationship makes for wonderful viewing. Bringing Lawson to life is Wagner Moura. Fresh from his Oscar-nominated performance in The Secret Agent, Moura brings wonderful energy to the role.
Moura brings his seasoned talent to the forefront to create a character of depth and conviction, especially in his strained relationship with his son Rylee, played by Charlie Bushnell. Their relationship quickly becomes a central focus of the series, highlighting the bond between father and son, a stark contrast to Maul and his quest for vengeance against those who wronged him – including his former master and father figure, Darth Sidious.
ENTER THE INQUISITORS
Thankfully, the series brings back some familiar faces to lead the Empire’s hunt for Maul, maintaining its familiar feel. Fans of Ahsoka will be excited to see Marrok make his triumphant return alongside the sinister Eleventh Brother, who first appeared in Tales of the Jedi. It is fantastic to see these lesser-known, but equally brilliant Inquisitors match wits with Maul. It makes for some fantastic action sequences that will have fans punching the air with glee once the lightsabers are ignited.
Needless to say, the action is furious and relentless, captured in glorious vibrancy. The action leans into the glare of the lightsabers, bringing us closer to the action with every strike. It makes the action all the more intense, putting the audience at the very heart of the duel, allowing us to feel the aggression behind every strike. This is the intensity Star Wars fans have been waiting for, and the payoff is well worth it.
VOICE CAST
Aside from Sam Witwer and Wagner Moura, the series is littered with fantastic voice actors, all of whom bring their characters to life with infectious energy. Dennis Haysbert is phenomenal as Master Eeko-Dio-Daki. The actor’s seasoned brilliance injects the Jedi with a wise, calming persona on par with Jedi Master Yoda. Richard Ayode’s spell as Two-Boots is both brilliant and vexing in equal quantities. There’s no doubting the actor’s caliber, but there is just something about his voice that takes me out of the story. For me, his voice just doesn’t fit the galaxy far, far away, and here, it denies Two-Boots any chance of being a memorable character.
On the other hand, Vanessa Marshall once again returns to Star Wars as she voices Mandalorian warrior Rook Kast, who first appeared in The Clone Wars. Marshall is part of the furniture at Lucasfilm Animation, and it is wonderful to hear her iconic tones bringing Kast to life again. The actor brings a safe pair of hands at the wheel and works well with Witwer as Kast and Maul thrash out strategies and cunning plans to bring down their enemies.
A SCORE TO SETTLE?
And finally, once again, the Kiner family has reunited to deliver a phenomenal score for this series. Kevin, Sean, and Deana Kiner have collaborated on a brilliant addition to the Star Wars soundscape. The soundtrack is hauntingly familiar, brimming with the hallmarks of a classic Star Wars score, yet infused with a sweeping freshness that adds a new edge to the material. Maul’s story demanded a dark, foreboding score, and the Kiner’s have delivered in spades. By the time we arrive at the season finale, we have a greater understanding of Maul’s pain and suffering, and we add more meat to the bones of his insatiable need for revenge. Thanks to Kiner’s hard work, his pain, anger, and obsession become tangible, and the audience connects with him on a grander level.
Fans have admired Maul since his debut in 1999, but thanks to Shadow Lord, they will develop a deeper appreciation for him and sympathize not only with his pursuit of vengeance but also with the suffering he faced, forging him into the instrument of chaos we know and love.
VERDICT
Overall, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is a fantastic slice of Star Wars brilliance. It is rare for a series to be renewed before airing a single episode, but that is a testament to its quality. With Dave Filoni guiding the ship, a breathtaking upgrade from Lucasfilm Animation, some brilliant vocal performances, and some of the most eye-catching visuals ever committed to animation, Maul – Shadow Lord is the real deal.
With its glorious visuals, deep and intoxicating narrative, brutally choreographed fight sequences, and raw magnetism, this is Clone Wars coming of age. At last, Maul is out for revenge…bring on Season 2!
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord unleashes the Dark Side on Disney+ on April 6th.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
