Videos by ComicBook.com
27 years later, Maul is about to star in his own TV show. Set during the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign, Maul – Shadow Lord will see just how a rogue Sith survives during the age of Palpatine and Darth Vader. IGN has released an exclusive new clip, one that promises the sequel we’ve always wanted to see.
Maul – Shadow Lord Is a Unique Star Wars Story
Inspired by Arcane and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Maul – Shadow Lord features a hyperreal style that’s perfect for lightsaber combat. It integrates matte paintings to create a sense of the environment, with a watercolor-style wash that makes every moment pop. IGN‘s clip is truly impressive, but the real standout here isn’t the animation (however good that is). It’s the music, which brings back the themes we last heard in The Phantom Menace itself. This gives Maul an ominous, foreboding presence, a sinister grandeur that sets him apart from the wider galaxy.
In 1999, most viewers had no idea what a Sith was. The word “Sith” never actually appeared in the original trilogy at all, and only hardcore fans knew Darth Vader was part of a rival Force cult. Maul was the first Sith to be named on-screen, and his mere presence left audiences thrilled. The problem, though, is that Sith have lost a degree of their mystique over the last 27 years. We’ve seen too many Jedi-Sith duels, meaning we’re using to what it looks and feels like. Maul – Shadow Lord, however, is different.
The Shadow Lord TV series puts Darth Maul in a whole new context. It sets the Sith Apprentice up as a would-be criminal warlord, attempting to establish a crime empire that he hopes to use against the true Sith. As IGN‘s clip shows, that means Maul is going head-to-head against ordinarily beings – ones who have no defense against someone trained in the dark side. It’s a thrilling prospect, because it will finally show how powerful Darth Maul really is.
Naturally, there will still be plenty of lightsaber duels. We know Maul will interact with a potential Twi’lek apprentice, a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66. Darth Vader’s Inquisitors will pursue him, and at least two are going to wind up going blade-to-blade with him. And, of course, many are hoping we’ll finally see Maul confront Darth Vader himself. That possibility alone makes this the Star Wars TV show we’ve wanted to see since the prequels began.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
