"Maul - Shadowlord" An Outstanding Work in Animation and Storytelling

  A rooftop showdown as the Shadow Collective (a group of outlaw mercenaries) is surrounded by local law enforcement after a heist. All hope seems to be lost for them as the officer in charge calls to tell them to stand down. As the Shadow Collective seems to give up, the scene cuts to a ship behind the law enforcement officers with steam pouring out, creating an ominous picture. 

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    Dramatic choral music plays as a cloaked figure steps out of the ship and faces the law enforcement. It’s then that the lightsaber ignites a red blade springing forth. Only then do we see Maul’s face as he takes out the law enforcement officers with ease. In the final shot of this battle we see him jump towards the camera swinging his lightsaber in a wide arc as the title card takes over: Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord.

Currently the No. 1 show streaming on Disney+, Maul has taken the stage as one of the best Star Wars shows ever. While not all of season one has been released yet, Maul is currently the highest-rated Star Wars TV show with a rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, even beating out Andor and The Mandalorian. 

The show stars Sam Witwer as the voice of Maul, reprising his role from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and features a variety of new faces as well, most notably Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson, and Dennis Haysbert as Master Eeko-Dio Daki.

Made up of a few different weaving plot lines, the story follows Maul as he seeks to rebuild his criminal syndicate after the empire has seized control over most of the galaxy. Also in the show, Jedi Master Eeko-Dio Daki and his padawan, Devon Izara, are searching for meaning in the new world controlled by the empire. Thrown into the middle of it all is detective Capt. Brander Lawson as he investigates recent criminal activities and quickly finds himself in over his head. 

    Maul - Shadow Lord brings a new feel to animated Star Wars with its darker tone. As Lewis Glazebrook writes for ScreenRant: “Undoubtedly, this is the most mature that Star Wars animation has ever been”.

    Maul features a series of darker plots and violence but that's not to say it isn’t for kids. The show is rated TV-PG, still suitable for child audiences. While the darker tone brings a change to animated Star Wars, it's not the only thing to have changed, the animation has also changed. 

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    Maul - Shadow Lord uses the same animation concept of The Clone Wars but brings it to a whole new level. As Glazebrook “Without a doubt, the standout aspect of Maul - Shadow Lord is immediately presented from the very first frame: its animation.” The animation in Maul has seemingly perfected the 3D animation used in Star Wars: The Clone Wars with intricate character design and hand-painted backgrounds. 

    The animation isn’t the only strongpoint the show has though. The story moves along in a compelling way, developing how we know Maul while also naturally introducing new intriguing characters. Fans are often quick to write off new characters in a universe as complex as Star Wars, but those introduced in Maul - Shadow Lord are developing in unexpected ways, and I am excited to see where their stories go. 

    The most interesting story is that of apprentice Jedi Devon Izara. New to the Star Wars universe we see Devon and her master Eeko-Dio Daki in hiding after the effects of Order 66. Devon struggles with a need to do good, wanting to fight Maul and bring him to justice. Master Daki feels it is a risk that will put them both in danger. With a growing tension between them, Devon also struggles as Maul suggests he joins her as he searches for a new apprentice. 

    Brander Lawson is the other character whose story continues to develop in a positive way. A detective for the local law, we uncover more of his past with each new episode discovering his mistrust in the Empire and relations with shady characters. 

    The new show does have some issues, the biggest of which I find connecting to new audiences. Taking place after the events of Revenge of the Sith and before A New Hope, it can be a struggle to watch for those who have not seen The Clone Wars. The Clone Wars adds a multitude of depth to Maul’s character beyond the Phantom Menace. While you are still able to see the show without this background knowledge, it can be a little harder to understand what is going on. 

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    During the show we get glimpses into Maul's past as we uncover his feelings towards the Emperor, the Empire and his deceased brother Savage Opress—who appeared in several episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Maul is a fundamentally complex character who was taken at a young age to be a pawn for Emperor Palpatine. There is a lot going on and a lot to unpack. It could be hard to understand at times without a deeper understanding of the lore. 

    

        Even with this issue though, Sam Witwer, the voice of Maul says this is not the intention. In an interview with Buzzfeed, he says, “We have taken great pains to make sure that this show completely makes sense to you, even if it is your first Star Wars show.” 

    Witwer admits he was hesitant with the concept of a Maul show, “At first, I was thinking, ‘How are we going to do that?’ I don't think anyone had a taste for making a show about a guy just doing awful things to people. That's a little bit of a bummer. But when I thought about it, I was like, ‘There's absolutely potential for Maul to be filled with internal conflict that would be suitably dramatic.’”

    Witwer now commends the show and those working on it, “[Director] Brad [Rau]'s execution has been spectacular. He's an extraordinary filmmaker. Matt's scripts have been a roller coaster ride of energy and excitement and conflict, and then we have [producer] Athena Portillo, who's like our general. It's an incredible group.” 

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    The group does appear to be incredible as the show continues to pull good ratings with each new episode as top reviewers and audience ratings agree on the general consensus. As a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes writes giving the show 5/5 Stars, “Great story, phenomenal tone, engaging chapters, beautiful animation. Here’s hoping they keep producing more content like this in the Star Wars universe.”

    As critic Collin Garbarino states for WORLD “I was skeptical about Maul—Shadow Lord. But it turns out, this is the kind of show that won’t disappoint even the most embittered fan.” as he gives the show a fresh score. 

     I look forward to seeing how the story develops and hope it can maintain its current ratings. It is definitely a show to set aside time for if you can. I can guarantee I will be when the next episodes release on Star Wars Day—May 4th. 

At a Glance:

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

Starring: Sam Witwer, Gideon Adlon, Wagner Moura

Summary: Maul seeks to rebuild his crime syndicate in a galaxy controlled by The Empire

Rated: TV-PG

Where to Watch: Disney+

Episode Length: ~22 minutes

Number of Episodes: 10 - Final two episodes Released on May 4th

Distributor: Disney+

Rating: 9.5/10