With the “Star Wars” galaxy now under the leadership of Lucasfilm president and former animator Dave Filoni, it’s only fitting that his era’s first output is an animated series that he created about a legacy fan-favorite character. That, of course, being Darth Maul, the thorn-riddled, red-and-black former Sith Lord (voiced by Sam Witwer) whose cutting defeat and subsequent journey to regaining his power (and a new set of legs back) during the Clone War era left fans wanting more. Filoni’s spin-off “Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord,” made to finally answer how he rose back to power during the Empire’s early years, is as entertaining as it can be.
However, it also perpetuates my fears about Filoni and this new era of “Star Wars.”
“Shadow Lord” picks up one year after the Clone Wars, following the activation of Order 66 and the Empire’s occupation across the galaxy. The story takes place on Janix, a gray-paletted, neon-urbanized planet where the Empire has not yet arrived, but crime lords run rampant through a shadowy underbelly.
Maul, now a mob-boss-like leader of the criminal gang known as the Shadow Collective, works stealthily to rise back into power as a lord, first by seeking vengeance against those who wronged him. While raiding Janix’s local prison in pursuit of revenge on crime lord Looti Vario (Chris Diamantopoulos), Maul force-senses Devon (Gideon Adlon), a scrappy, dispossessed Twi’lek Jedi Padawan. Maul takes her in and, whilst working on his revenge plan, tries to incorporate another plan by convincing the unsure Jedi of her powers, in hopes of making her his apprentice.
Devon Izara (voiced by Gideon Adlon) in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.Meanwhile, an overworked local detective, Brander Lawson (a fantastic Wagner Moura), tries to keep order in Janix, hoping the Empire never touches down. His wife has separated from him and now works for the Empire, leaving Lawson to raise his teenage son, Rylee (Charlie Bushnell), while balancing work and fatherhood. But at the very least, he has the loyal, law-abiding, boot-fitted droid Two-Boots (an always-charming Richard Ayoade). When Devon’s Jedi Master, Eeko-Dio-Daki (Dennis Haysbert), asks Lawson for help finding his missing protégé, the detective springs into action and begins tracking Devon.
Animation has always been hit-or-miss for “Star Wars,” at least when made in-house at Lucasfilm. But “Shadow Lord” is visually the best the studio has produced to date. The familiar blocky character designs have been updated with light cel-shaded textures that complement the lush, watercolor-painted backdrops of its retro, neon-soaked metropolis. The art direction and even the detailing seem partly inspired by “Arcane” and “RoboCop,” adding a slight steampunk flair to the underworld that makes the visuals pop. While movement and expression can still feel slightly stilted, the show comes alive during snappy, kinetic action sequences that are beautifully animated and fun—feeling as cinematic as, and arguably more so than, some of its live-action feature counterparts.
Across the eight episodes out of the ten provided for review, it takes a long while for “Maul” to get interesting. The series is clearly made for Clone Wars die-hards who specifically wanted to see the former Sith Lord adapt to the Empire’s new world order.
Though I’m not deeply well-versed in the dense mythology of the “Star Wars” universe, especially regarding Maul himself, I appreciated how the show firmly plants interesting new characters—specifically Moura’s Lawson. His dual plot of trying to maintain order while harboring a sheer disdain for the Empire made for an engaging time, especially when the inevitable happens.
However, Maul suffers from a major problem: it provides no interesting depth for the titular character. He mostly functions as a puppeteer, always one step ahead of his oppressors with a cunning, smug look and dialogue. The series fails to make the execution of his plan interesting because there are no real obstacles until the plot conveniently requires them much later. The show only exacerbates that by showcasing his fundamental issue—he’s not much of an interesting character beyond his insane aura.
(L-R): Devon Izara (voiced by Gideon Adlon) and Maul (voiced by Sam Witwer) in Lucasfilm’s STAR WARS: MAUL – SHADOW LORD, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. © 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.There’s an interesting idea in his attempt to corrupt Devon, a neutral but good-hearted Padawan with somewhat inconsistent characterization, into becoming his new apprentice. Witwer and Adlon have great voice chemistry, and you can feel Adlon’s struggle as Devon navigates her situation. But the writing is so concerned with maintaining Maul’s sinister persona that it gives no insight into what’s going on with him internally—especially given the timeline’s focus on a new political regime he once swore his heart to. The show doesn’t even showcase any conflict, like a struggle to maintain his mercenaries’ trust while perhaps bonding with Devon.
To be fair, “Shadow Lord” is a thrilling romp that adds at least a few decent new characters —all bolstered by an exceptional voice cast who bring lively spirit to the project. That said, its solid, kinetic nature restricts it from taking any chances. None of that depth is really present until the back half, where the show starts to sense the Force and offers some solid character work for the titular lead.
This is something I’ve felt has plagued some of Filoni’s previous projects, and it fuels my fears for the future. It often feels like playing with toys in a chest—more interested in maintaining fans’ perception of a character than in exploring them in depth. Especially after the sharp “Andor”—a show he reportedly disliked—provided deeper insight into its vast set of characters who have been introduced for not even a full decade at this point. While Maul’s popcorn storytelling works well for animation and serves Clone Wars fans nicely, I do hope this approach doesn’t carry over into future live-action projects, where servicing fans might take priority over taking bold new swings in this vast universe.
Maybe this young Padawan needs patience to see what the future holds. But right now, “Maul” is a solid start—just one that leaves me with a little trepidation and concern.
Eight episodes of ten screened for review. New episodes air Mondays on Disney+.
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