Thomas Storai 
“Maul – Shadow Lord offers a captivating exploration of Maul as a criminal while also introducing and following compelling new characters. Fast-paced and action-packed, it’s a thrilling ride that actually feels like a film.”
The new Star Wars animated series is finally here! After The Bad Batch, this one also remains in the post-Revenge of the Sith era with the rise of the Empire. Maul: Shadow Lord focuses on the fan-favorite dark side user. The series premieres today with two episodes on Disney+. Two episodes will premiere each week, with the final two airing on May 4th – Star Wars Day.
MAUL – THE CRIMINAL
Chronologically, the last time we saw Maul before this series was in the final season of The Clone Wars, with him losing control of Mandalore and thus marking the end of the Shadow Collective. While in Solo: A Star Wars Story, he appears as the leader of Crimson Dawn, a criminal syndicate. This leaves an important gap in showing how he succeeds in rebuilding a criminal empire. Maul – Shadow Lord follows him on his quest to rebuild a criminal empire and exact revenge. Maul, by definition, is a character driven by hatred because of his desire for revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi, who cut him in half in The Phantom Menace, but also against his former master, Darth Sidious. This is what allowed him to survive in the first place. The Clone Wars spent several episodes with him exploring how he returned.
But this new series really delves into Maul’s psyche. It’s a captivating exploration of this character. Honestly, it was about time we got a series about him. He’s a complex character with so many layers; there are a lot of stories to tell with him. There’s duality within him. We see a Maul who tries to regain power in the criminal world while also struggling against the looming threat of the Empire. Danger is everywhere for him, but he knows his way into manipulating people and using them to get what he wants. Plotting, killing, and forging alliances are essential elements of Maul’s plan.
A STORY THAT PLAYS LIKE A FILM
Unlike previous Star Wars animated series, this one has no filler episodes; it’s all one continuous story. In fact, it really feels like a film. It has a fast pace, and there’s always something going on. This series is many things at once—a story of the criminal underworld, a narrative of survival, with a hint of crime drama. Undoubtedly, it’s a thrilling ride. It delivers on the action. There are several lightsaber fights and big action scenes with Maul showcasing his brute force. He’s a real threat. Right from the opening sequence, you know you are going to watch an action-packed series.
Whether you are a diehard fan of Star Wars who has watched everything, a Star Wars fan who has seen some of it, a casual Star Wars fan, or even someone who has never seen Star Wars, you can watch this series. It tells you everything you need to know about Maul for this story without forcing you to watch something before to understand it. It starts at the right point for Maul; it’s a new beginning for him in a way. As the story unfolds, it provides the answers you need to understand Maul’s motivations. Obviously, if you have watched The Clone Wars, you will know elements of Maul’s story that other viewers don’t know at first. However, the series provides the necessary background on past events that influence the current story. This is important, as each story must stand on its own, even within the context of a larger universe.
NEW AND RETURNING FACES
Furthermore, this series isn’t just about Maul. It introduces a new set of characters, following their stories as they become intertwined with Maul’s journey. These are compelling new characters that fans will love. We meet new Jedi survivors from Order 66 – Padawan Devon Izara and Master Eeko-Dio-Daki. Their dynamic is engaging, presenting a master-apprentice relationship unlike anything we have seen before. Set not long after Order 66, the story sheds new light on how survivors like them endure and adapt during such perilous times.
Among the new additions, my favorite is definitely Captain Brander Lawson. He’s a detective with a moral compass, think of him like Commissioner Gordon, but in Star Wars. Plus, he wears a cool jacket. Jackets and Star Wars, that’s a long fashion history. His duo with Two-Boots is unusual, as they don’t always see eye to eye. There’s more to him than just a detective. He’s also a father, which is an important part of his story.
Beyond that, there are also returning faces, not just Maul. Indeed, Marrok, who first appeared in Ahsoka, and the Eleventh Brother, who first appeared in Tales of the Jedi, make their return. These Inquisitors definitely have menacing designs, and this series showcases the real threat they pose.
VOICE CAST
Moreover, Sam Witwer delivers a chilling and strong voice performance as Maul. After all these years, he knows the character better than anyone. Vanessa Marshall once again returns to Star Wars as she voices Rook Kast, who first appeared in The Clone Wars. It’s always great to hear Vanessa’s voice; she’s an integral part of the Star Wars animation family.
On top of that, there are several new cast members. This includes Oscar-nominated actor Wagner Moura, and this is an absolute joy to have him part of the Star Wars universe. He’s a talented actor with a recognizable voice who brings a certain sense of respect and presence. So, bringing him into Star Wars animation feels like a good choice. He is the right man for Lawson. When you look at the character, he actually does look a bit like Wagner, which is pretty cool. Charlie Bushnell (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) plays his son, Rylee Lawson; he’s also a good addition to the Star Wars family.
VOICE TALENTS
Moreover, Dennis Haysbert as Master Eeko-Dio-Daki is amazing—his deep voice perfectly suits the character. Richard Ayode, meanwhile, brings a natural sense of fun to Two-Boots while maintaining a serious undertone. Finally, Gideon Adlon delivers through her voice work a certain innocence to the character while highlighting her internal conflict.
VISUALS
It is common knowledge that with every new animated project, Lucasfilm Animation pushes the boundaries of what it can achieve. Undoubtedly, it is one of the few animation studios that has consistently done so over the years. When you compare the animation in The Clone Wars film (2008) to how that same style looks today, the difference is striking—18 years of progress. The animation team behind these Star Wars series always finds something to improve in the visuals. But, Maul – Shadow Lord takes it to a whole new level. Indeed, it’s a visual feast. The scenery looks like paintings mixing CG with hand-crafted techniques. It gives it a textured feel. Even the way the lightsabers move during the action scenes, there’s a paintbrush vibe. It’s a pleasure for the eyes to watch.
Speaking of the lightsaber fights, they’re fluid and intense. It delivers on the epicness you want from fights with Maul. Indeed, it sends you back to what we had with the Prequels. The lightsaber fights are not the only influence from the Prequels. The planet Janix is another. It’s a big city planet like Coruscant. Cities like these are also part of Star Wars DNA. We haven’t had a new planet like this in a while, so it’s refreshing to see this. It’s a visually rich environment; there are so many layers to this planet, similar to Coruscant, yet still its own distinct world. There are plenty of new designs, including ships, costumes, and buildings. It continues this long tradition of Star Wars designs.
THE EMPIRE’S IRON GRIPÂ
From the Empire’s point of view, this series positions itself as the continuation of The Bad Batch. Indeed, now the Empire uses the classic and menacing Star Destroyers, but they’re still using the first version of the stormtroopers introduced in that series – the TK-troopers. That design is a callback to Ralph McQuarrie’s original stormtrooper concept. It’s a nice design that serves as a bridge between clone trooper armor and stormtrooper armor. This series is the right opportunity to continue using them. Obviously, I am also eager to see the classic Stormtroopers in this series.
VERDICT
Maul – Shadow Lord offers a captivating exploration of Maul as a criminal while also introducing and following compelling new characters. Fast-paced and action-packed, it’s a thrilling ride that actually feels like a film. It’s a different kind of Star Wars series, this one really plays into the criminal world, it’s a tense story of survival and revenge with a dash of crime drama. This series is a visual feast that takes Star Wars animation to a whole new level.
Undoubtedly, it is Lucasfilm Animation’s best work to date, proving once again that this studio always keeps pushing the boundaries of what they can achieve. Sam Witwer delivers a chilling and strong performance as Maul. Oscar-nominated actor Wagner Moura leads a great cast of new additions to the Star Wars family.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord premieres on Disney+ today.
Collectables and Anime Editor for Future Of The Force.
Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
