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In an interview with ComicBook to promote the upcoming release of Shadow Lord (premiering on Disney+ on April 6th), we asked Witwer what he got to tackle on the new show. “Everything,” he said. “I mean, this is a transitional period in his life. If you go to The Clone Wars, he was doing what Palpatine trained him to do — create a power base, manipulate groups of people, create armies, all that stuff … in Rebels, he’s an old man at the end of his rope, trying to figure out what he’s supposed to do with himself now that the world has passed him by.”
He continued, “This story, he’s in his prime, and he’s starting to really think for himself. So, in order to really tell that story, you do have to come at it from a vulnerable point of view. What are the things that he’s struggling with? There were a couple of things that I brought up to Dave back in the day that I thought Maul would be struggling with, and I’m happy to say that they are in this show.”
Shadow Lord Will Show a Different Side of Maul
In the interest of preserving spoilers, Witwer didn’t get into too much detail about what his specific ideas entailed. Those will undoubtedly be the driving force of the main Shadow Lord narrative. However, he said enough to paint an intriguing picture of what’s in store. This is the first time Maul will be the primary focus of an on-screen Star Wars project, meaning fans will see a totally different side of the character. An exploration of what Maul is struggling with individually has potential to be a truly fascinating foundation for a TV show, building on what we’ve seen before.
In our interview, Witwer emphasized that it was important for audiences to understand Maul’s point of view even if they don’t agree with his actions. With that in mind, it’s likely that Witwer’s ideas about Maul’s personal struggles attempt to anchor the character in a relatable manner, tapping into certain themes and emotions. This would give Shadow Lord a lot in common with some of the best crime movies and TV shows, which often feature “protagonists” who employ morally dubious methods to obtain desirable goals like finding their place in the world or gaining wealth to improve their standing. These types of projects are always interesting to watch because the viewer can live vicariously through the characters and question what they would do if they were in a similar situation.
