Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Review: Darth Maul leads a stellar, action-packed series with complexity and stunning visuals
PLOT: After the Clone Wars, Maul plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.
REVIEW: I’m going to be straight with you. I’ve never liked Darth Maul. I’m a casual Star Wars fan at best, engaging only in select titles that pique my interest, and until yesterday, Darth Maul always struck me as lame. In my limited experience with the character, he shows up in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, looks cool, then gets cut down by Obi-Wan Kenobi, his potential squandered. When the opportunity to review Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord came across my desk, I was intrigued. I saw the opportunity as a way to learn more about the character and to see what he could offer beyond the limited scope of my experience. The truth? I’ve never been more pleased and excited to be wrong about something Star Wars-related, because the first eight episodes of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord have completely changed my outlook on the character!
Produced by Lucasfilm Animation in collaboration with Taiwanese studio CGCG, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is a compelling, action-packed animated series set one year after Revenge of the Sith and the end of the Clone Wars. The series focuses on Darth Maul’s mission to reclaim control over his criminal syndicates (Crimson Dawn, Pyke Syndicate, Black Sun) while also searching for a new apprentice, which he finds in a young Twi’lek Jedi Padawan named Devon Izara.
Created by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord reminds me of the best parts of Massive Entertainment’s 2024 video game Star Wars Outlaws, with a dedicated focus on the criminal underbelly of the Star Wars Universe. While Maul takes inspiration from the overall design and look of Clone Wars, the visuals for Maul are far more aesthetically pleasing and dynamic. The character models don’t do anything radical to set them apart from the animated Star Wars series we’ve seen before. Still, Maul adds a painterly overlay, giving the world a bit more flair. There’s a smeary, greasy, almost crosshatch look to each character’s clothing and skin, adding detail and depth to an otherwise familiar presentation.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord also features a stellar cast of characters. Before watching Maul, Darth Maul was little more to me than the menacing-looking villain who got cut in half before having a time to shine. It’s a narrow view of an iconic character. I agree. Thankfully, Maul changes that by presenting Darth Maul (voiced to perfection by Sam Witwer) as a smooth, complex villain whose rage against the machine is entirely relatable and in many cases, warranted. He’s silver-tongued, seductive, and, for the most part, fair. He doesn’t kill unless it serves his mission, and at the end of the day, he’s trying to dismantle a part of the universe that’s clearly broken, leaving him disillusioned with the Empire. I felt sympathy for him toward the end of the season, and I understand his motivations more than ever. He’s no longer the chump who fell to Obi-Wan Kenobi; he’s a rebel, and I dig his style.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord offers more than a restorative take on a classic villain; the show introduces Devon Izara (Gideon Adlon), a Twi’lek Jedi Padawan under the instruction of Masker Eeko-Dio Daki (Dennis Haysbert), who Darth Maul wishes to have at his side. Adlon’s performance as Devon is fantastic, as she plays the engaging character with boundless energy, suspicion, and determination. Devon walks a fine line between remaining true to her Jedi roots and becoming consumed by Darth Maul’s honeyed words about rebellion and resistance. And although she’s still learning, Devon holds her own in a fight, resulting in some of the best action and quick-thinking I’ve seen in the Star Wars universe. She’s an exciting addition to the lore, and fans should look forward to following her complex journey.
Other standout characters include Captain Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura), a lawman who’s grown suspicious of the Empire, operating in a moral grey zone while working alongside heroes and villains alike to achieve some semblance of justice in an unjust world. He’ll work with anyone as long as the Empire pays for its corruption and abuse of power. We like Brander Lawson. He’s a good dude. Another fun performance comes from Lawson’s droid partner, Two Boots (Richard Ayoade), a steadfast supporter of the Empire and rule-follower whose faith in the system steadily erodes with each questionable directive. Two Boots is the goody-goody who eventually comes around, realizing the error of his ways once those he cares about become targets of a corrupt Empire. Lawson and Two Boots’ partnership harkens back to ’80s buddy cop movies we love to see, and I’m here for it.
Rounding out the cast are Looti Vario (Chris Diamantopoulos), a shifty smuggler who adds a good bit of humor to the oppressive circumstances. It’s not a one-to-one comparison, but he reminds me of Joe Pesci’s Leo Getz from Lethal Weapon 3, regarding his snark, shifty morals, and opportunist tendencies. He’s a fun character whose dialogue and actions often break the tension as Darth Maul and his cohorts strive to position pieces on a constantly shifting chessboard. Meanwhile, Rook Kast (Vanessa Marshall) adds balance to Darth Maul’s group, serving as the villain’s right-hand and voice of reason and strategy. She’s both the devil and angel on Maul’s shoulders, offering advice while still giving Maul room to draw his own conclusions. She’s a badass and an essential addition to Maul’s crew. Finally, I want to double back to Master Eeko-Dio Daki, a reptilian-looking master of the Jedi Order, whose sage-like demeanor makes him the calm center amidst so much chaos as the story unfolds. I can’t imagine a better voice actor for Daki than Haysbert, whose deep, soulful, thunderous vocals give the character his enigmatic edge and an overwhelming sense of sincerity.
If Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord can inspire a casual Star Wars fan like me to do a complete 180 on a character I felt was a bit of a chump just last week, I can only assume real-deal fans of the horned villain will love this new animated series. Maul revels in the seedy underbelly of the Star Wars Universe and goes to great lengths to offer fans an action-packed experience with well-rounded characters, political intrigue, and worthwhile additions to the overarching lore. If you like fast-paced, explosive dog fights, thrilling hover car chases, and flashy lightsaber battles, Maul is your ticket to a wild ride. I genuinely can’t wait to check out the final two episodes alongside the rest of the Star Wars fandom, and I’m thrilled to hear that Maul is already getting a second season. If more Star Wars shows were this good, I could become a super fan.
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