Maul – Shadow Lord is the story of Palpatine’s former student gained an apprentice. As Maul voice actor Sam Witwer observed ahead of the finale, Maul spent the entire series training Devon Izara. “Maul’s way with Devon is, every time he bumps into her, there’s a new lesson,” he noted. “But, you wanna know how this guy shapes an apprentice? Well, you’re watching it happen, whether the person gives the okay or not. It’s a very interesting, very dark side, scary way of looking at it, I think.”
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Maul – Shadow Lord‘s ending saw Devon finally accept the role of apprentice. The idea seems to be riffing on Lucas’ original plan to turn Maul into the sequel trilogy’s Sith Lord and give him a red-skinned Twi’lek named Darth Talon as his apprentice; the story beats are the same, even if Maul doesn’t really consider himself a Sith anymore. But how will Devon’s story end, given she isn’t with Maul by the end of his story in Star Wars Rebels?
There are Three Possible Directions for Devon Izara
Realistically, there are only three possible outcomes for Maul’s new apprentice. If Devon commits to the dark side and continues to work against the Empire, then she’s going to wind up dead. Maul – Shadow Lord proved definitively that Maul is no match for Darth Vader, and there’s no reason to assume he will do any better with an apprentice at his side. Maul’s one chance probably lies in trying to get a power-up through ancient Sith lore (foreshadowed in E.K. Johnston’s Crimson Climb, which explores Maul’s criminal empire Crimson Dawn). Even with this, Devon’s chances of survival are slim.
Alternatively, it’s quite possible Devon and Maul will part ways. Devon seems to be a naturally loyal person – she’s probably the first person in Maul’s life to show a hint of compassion towards him – but that loyalty could easily be pushed to breaking point. The dark side is naturally competitive, meaning loyalty will become an increasingly foreign trait for Devon as she grows in power. Maul will find himself treading the same difficult balance as any Sith Lord, working to train an apprentice while careful to limit her power lest she try to supplant him.
The third possible outcome, of course, is one that dives straight into the heart of the Skywalker saga: redemption. “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny,” Yoda warned Luke Skywalker. “Consume you, it will.” Luke proved him wrong when he successfully redeemed his father, and we’ve since seen countless examples of Jedi who “started down the dark path” but turned back. Devon may have chosen the dark side, but there’s no reason to assume this cannot change.
Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1’s Finale Set Up One Thing That Could Redeem Devon
Jedi have always insisted that attachment leads to the dark side, but they establish Master-Padawan relationships that virtually seem designed to cultivate it. In Devon’s case, her bond with her master, Eeko-Dio Daki, proved the key to turning her. Recognizing the threat of Darth Vader, and aware Devon was struggling to hold off two of Darth Vader’s Inquisitors, Maul used the Force to push Master Daki in close to Vader so he wouldn’t have a chance. Master Daki’s agile lightsaber form had been the only thing keeping him alive as he fought Vader, and Maul deliberately deprived him of that advantage.
At first glance, Maul seems to have gotten away with this. Master Daki was swiftly killed by Darth Vader, and only one person saw what happened; Brander Lawson, the Janix cop who apparently died shortly after. Devon embraced the dark side, and there were hints she’s about to become more powerful than Maul ever dreamed; her voice twisted and distorted with rage, a chilling moment that even seemed to intimidate her master a little. But there’s one gap in Maul’s plan.
Is Brander Lawson Really Dead?
Maul – Shadow Lord focuses on the emotional impact of Master Daki’s death, but the finale also killed off Brander Lawson. Devon and Rylee Lawson are both dealing with the death of a parent or father figure, which seems to be setting up Devon for a very Anakin-style fall that involves a very different form of attachment. Brander Lawson sacrificed himself to run interference so the others could escape the Empire, and he apparently died.
But the key word is “apparently.” This battle was fought in the mists of the Janix swamp, and Lawson disappeared into them; his death was presumed, not seen. Maul himself proves that you really need to see the body before you believe someone is really dead. Brander Lawson could easily still be alive, perhaps injured but left behind on Janix, which would mean a witness to Maul’s treachery is still alive. His return would certainly be enough to establish a gulf between Devon and Maul, given he could tell her the truth about Master Daki’s death.
How would Devon react to this revelation? It’s possible it would spur her deeper into the dark side, given she’d know Maul had betrayed her; she could easily decide nobody can be trusted, and thus set herself against the galaxy. Alternatively, it’s entirely possible this would cause her to reassess her Season 1 choice and return to the light side. We all know Yoda is wrong about the dark path dominating, so redemption could easily still be on the cards for Devon right now.
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