Review: ‘Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord’ Episodes 1 & 2

Turns out the galaxy’s angriest facial tattoo finally got the show he deserves—and shockingly, it’s not bad. Dare I say, good, even?

Despite a few rough edges, what Dave Filoni put together in Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord feels like something that should have been done during Disney’s initial grip on Lucas’s galaxy far, far away. But I digress—let’s get into it.

We pick up with Darth Maul and his crew of remnant followers in the aftermath of The Clone Wars, as he emerges to re‑establish himself as an underworld powerhouse—or perhaps something more. Discarded by his master and betrayed by his own syndicate, the Shadow Collective, Maul’s out for revenge. Having clearly learned a few tricks from Darth Sidious, he once again wages war from the shadows.

On a new urban planet called Janix, he orchestrates an explosive bank heist to kick things off. The first two underworld targets on his (very long) kill list are suddenly on edge. On the trail are Janix police captain Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura) and his droid partner Two‑Boots (Richard Ayoade)—typical beat cops trying to wrap this up before the Empire takes notice. We can all guess how that’s going to go. But for all Janix’s grit and neon grime, there’s more drawing Maul here than just a body count: that eternal Sith itch to find an apprentice. A young Twi’lek street waif soon gets swept into his orbit. It’s Sith SOP to mentor someone into moral ruin.

Visually, the show dazzles. Janix looks like Coruscant’s moodier cousin—equal parts cyberpunk sprawl, Mass Effect night club, and grimy alleys drenched in shadows. The action sequences are kinetic and beautifully shot, with lighting that leans into the dark side without losing clarity. The blaster shots and saber clashes hit harder than in earlier animated installments. That said, ever since Rogue One made “Sith rampaging down a hallway” fashionable, the trope’s been a little overplayed. Here’s hoping Shadow Lord keeps it special rather than routine.

The voice work is stellar. Sam Witwer could voice Maul in his sleep and still sound menacing—and he’s lost none of his edge here. But the standouts for me were Wagner Moura’s Captain Lawson and Richard Ayoade’s Two‑Boots. Moura’s accent occasionally pokes through, but I found it endearing, not distracting. (He’s Death from Puss in Boots, after all!)

As for what doesn’t work—very little. I’m not quite sold yet on the Twi’lek girl, but it’s still early days. Some dialogue could use a polish pass, and a few accents may send you to the subtitles, but these are nitpicks more than problems. 

As I sat watching this, I couldn’t help thinking that this is what The Acolyte should have been—if it had been handed to someone with more experience handling the brand. Sure, Filoni’s had his bumps, but he’s undeniably in his element when steering the animated side of Star Wars. He’s borrowed what worked from projects like Andor and folded those strengths into his own. The story—a brooding Sith flexing his might while hunting for an apprentice—is classic Star Wars. I’m even looking forward to that eventual Vader versus Maul moment. 

If this—or The Acolyte—had charted Palpatine’s rise instead, I’d be more fired up. But Maul? He’s fine. His arc’s been explored exhaustively across The Clone Wars and Rebels, making Shadow Lord feel like icing on an already rich cake. Still, I’d love to see how he slipped free of Palpatine’s grasp at the end of Clone Wars Season 5. Is it necessary? Not really—but executed well, I’m all in. And so far, it’s looking like that way. Heck, this show even made me believe in the heroism of the Jedi again.

Does this show give me hope? Sure—but grudginly. I’ve learned my lesson. This will either fall apart later, or stand as one of those rare bright spots in the mixed‑up mess that is Disney Star Wars.

So far, I like what I see.

You can catch Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord on Disney+.

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