Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1 Final Review

      Ricky Church reviews the ninth episode 'Strange Allies' and the tenth episode 'The Dark Lord' of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.

      Here's a question for longtime Star Wars fans: Do you recall the excitement of leaving the theaters after your first viewing of The Phantom Menace, discussing how impressive Darth Maul was, and debating who would win in a clash between Darth Maul and Darth Vader? Who would have imagined that 27 years later, this question would be answered in an astonishingly epic manner during the season finale of Maul – Shadow Lord, which stands out as one of the best narratives the franchise has offered.

      The first season of Maul – Shadow Lord has been the most carefully serialized Star Wars animation produced by Lucasfilm, with each episode building significantly on the previous ones, much more so than Rebels or The Bad Batch. This structure has made the series a joy to watch, as it heavily emphasizes character development amidst action. The episodes ‘Strange Allies’ and ‘The Dark Lord’ provided gratifying resolutions to various storylines that had been carefully established throughout the season. The reluctant alliance formed between Maul's and Devon's groups was intriguing, allowing characters who had never interacted before to explore their dynamics while facilitating character growth.

      The character development also saw the Lawsons making strides to mend their strained father-son relationship through meaningful moments, reminding viewers of the stakes for those without the Force. Meanwhile, Devon found himself caught between Daki and Maul's conflicting desires for her. The two played the roles of angel and devil on her shoulders; Maul remained intent on turning Devon, while he and Daki exhibited a frenemy dynamic, with Maul defending Daki to Rook and trusting her instincts as the Inquisitors approached. Together, they formed a surprisingly strong unit, effectively utilizing their respective skills and styles to push back against Marrok and Crow. Additionally, it was a nice nod for Maul to adopt the Starkiller lightsaber pose as an Easter egg referencing Sam Witwer’s first Star Wars role.

      When ‘The Dark Lord’ began, it did not disappoint. Many fans have speculated whether Maul’s skills could match Darth Vader’s, and the finale unequivocally established that while Maul is highly skilled, Vader is definitively superior in both power and saber skills. The animators excelled in depicting Vader’s style during the often 3 against 1 confrontation, leveraging his size and strength to deliver impactful blows while using the Force to gain an edge. Remarkably, Vader didn’t speak a single word, relying solely on his physical presence to illustrate how outmatched Maul, Daki, and Devon truly were. In this portrayal, Vader seemed less like a Sith Lord and more akin to Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, menacingly stalking his prey without resorting to the threats traditionally made by Sith. Maul's growing fear as he recognized their opponent, corroborated by his earlier prediction to Ahsoka in The Clone Wars finale, emphasized the danger they faced.

      The animation throughout these two episodes was exceptional. Creating engaging animation is challenging even with two fighters, but handling six characters at once—three with double-sided lightsabers—was an impressive feat, and the choreography, movement, and cinematography undeniably succeeded in realizing the Maul vs. Vader confrontation. Despite knowing that Maul would survive, the tension resided in his reactions to the battle and the uncertain fates of Daki and Devon. Daki has had a target on his back all season, not just due to his age and health but because he possessed something Maul desired. Even amidst their frenemy moments and teamwork against Vader, it was not shocking when Maul betrayed Daki to escape and seize the opportunity to entice Devon to the dark side, though it seemed he felt a moment of regret in doing so. The attention to facial expressions and body language significantly contributed to conveying the characters' emotions. Coupled with Witwer and the cast's vocal performances, this stands as some of the most impressive animation in Star Wars media to date.

      Of course, with Vader's entrance comes inevitable loss, and ‘The Dark Lord’ resulted in a significant reduction of the series’ cast. Daki, Icarus, and Rook fell victim, with even Spybot not spared from Vader and the Inquisitors. The impact of these losses resonated deeply, especially with Spybot’s tragic demise, enhancing the sense of danger that loomed over the characters, even in Vader's absence.

      We may have even lost Captain Lawson, portrayed by Wagner Moura, last seen sacrificing himself for his son and the others to escape. However, it’s prudent to operate under the ‘no body, no death’ adage, as Lawson's potential death was not actually depicted, leaving a chance for him to reunite with Riley. Additionally, he is the sole witness to Maul's betrayal of Daki, raising questions about how