Star Wars is my favorite thing of all time, so whenever I get to cover Star Wars, it is literally a dream come true. Maul is also a character I have loved since I was a really young kid. I was six years old when The Phantom Menace came out, and he immediately just took over my mind. I bought every toy I could get, every piece of clothing I could find, and I’m currently working on a Star Wars tattoo sleeve with Maul tattooed on my forearm. So, I think it goes without saying, I love the character.
Beyond The Phantom Menace, I’ve loved Maul in books, comics, The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and that cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story. There have always been gaps in his story that I wanted to see explored, so getting a show centered on him once again, with Sam Witwer returning as the character, was something I was immediately excited for. He has done such a great job taking what Ray Park and Peter Serafinowicz did in that original film and bringing him to life in the animated world.
Set after the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the series follows Maul as he attempts to rebuild his criminal syndicate during the early days of the Galactic Empire. Operating from a crime-heavy planet outside Imperial control known as Janix, Maul searches for a new apprentice while navigating the galaxy’s underworld and clashing with both law enforcement and Imperial forces. Along the way, he encounters a surviving Jedi Padawan who could become key to his plans.
I really enjoyed Maul – Shadow Lord. I think this is easily some of the best modern-day Star Wars that we’ve gotten, and as far as a first season of modern-day Star Wars, I think it absolutely nailed it. If you’re a longtime fan of Star Wars and you like that seedy underworld side of Star Wars that has been explored through animated projects, video games, books, and comics, I think you’re going to enjoy a lot about this show.
Right out of the gate, I was pulled in immediately. Not only because I already love Star Wars, the animated projects, and the world in general, but because I love Maul and wanted to finally see a story centered on him. Like any project, there are some gripes, but overall, I thought the show was tons of fun.
I love the animation style. One of my favorite things that Star Wars animation has done since The Clone Wars is take that same animation style and slowly adapt it, grow it, change it, and evolve it while still maintaining that overall look and feel. Whether it’s through The Clone Wars itself, The Bad Batch, or the Tales shows, there is an art style that has continued on that I really enjoy.
Immediately, what I like about the animation here is that while it is very much a familiar feeling animation that takes you back to The Clone Wars, it does feel like it has its own style. There is a darker, grittier element to the animation, and there is almost this painterly way that the characters are colored in that gives the motion of this show something a little more unique. There is a flare to this show that definitely gives it its own look, despite still fitting within that more familiar tone that The Clone Wars set up.
On top of that, you have a fantastic cast. Sam Witwer returning as Maul is phenomenal. Outside of him, you have Wagner Moura, Richard Ayoade, Dennis Haysbert, Gideon Adlon, and more. Immediately, I thought the cast was great, the show looked great, and the sound design was great once again. Whether it’s the lightsabers, the blasters, the vehicles, or the creatures, Lucasfilm usually makes sure that whatever you’re watching is going to look and sound good in the Star Wars animated department.
The music is also great, with Kevin Kiner returning to do the score, alongside Sean and Deana Kiner as well. I love the music of this show. It pulls from the themes of the movies that have featured Darth Maul, most notably “Duel of the Fates” from The Phantom Menace, but also the themes you’ve heard from him in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, while still bringing in new stuff for this series.
One thing to know is that this is a more mature show. It is more grounded within this animation style, and it doesn’t have as much of that quirky family tone that The Clone Wars and Rebels have had. I wouldn’t say this is so dark that kids can’t enjoy it. If I was a kid, I would have loved this. But I do think it’s important to know going into it that your expectation shouldn’t be the goofier side of The Clone Wars. This is definitely going for something a lot darker and more grounded, and I really enjoyed that part of it.
I also think it has some of the best action in the entirety of Star Wars animation, and probably some of the best lightsaber combat we’ve ever gotten in any Star Wars project.
As far as Maul goes, he is building his crime syndicate behind the scenes. The Clone Wars is over. The Shadow Collective has disbanded, and he has been betrayed by some of the leaders of those crime syndicates. So, he is on a head hunt to take out anybody who betrayed him.
Some of the best scenes in the series are between Maul and Devon. We’ve seen Maul try to lure a young Padawan before, later in the timeline with Ezra Bridger in Star Wars Rebels. But here, he is coming off The Clone Wars, so he is more volatile and aggressive. I thought that contrast worked really well.
That leads to my biggest gripe with the show, which is that it feels too short. Especially when you have great shows like Andor doing hour-long episodes, sometimes over an hour, it’s hard not to want more breathing room here.
The final episodes do a great job of continuing that connectivity toward Solo: A Star Wars Story. Seeing Dryden Vos introduced and the move toward Crimson Dawn was a great touch and adds meaningful connective tissue.
The Vader inclusion reminded me a lot of how he was used in Jedi: Fallen Order—more of a terrifying force than a character, and it worked incredibly well.
Overall, I had such a great time with Maul – Shadow Lord. I love the darker, villainous, grittier side of Star Wars that this show brings to the animated world.
Rating: 10/10