The latest Star Wars TV series is everything viewers longed for after watching The Phantom Menace. Set during the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign, Maul – Shadow Lord stars the resurrected Sith Apprentice as he seeks revenge against the Jedi and Sith who have wronged him. Even better, Shadow Lord is one of the best Star Wars TV shows to date; it’s the highest-rated series in the franchise according to Rotten Tomatoes, with a critic score of 100% and a 96% audience score as well.
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It’s hardly a surprise to see echoes of The Phantom Menace, although some of the Easter eggs have been particularly smart; Maul debuted with “Duel of the Fates,” while his lightsaber features echoes from the movie. One of the most surprising, though, is a direct nod to Anakin Skywalker that subtly reveals more about his early life on Tatooine.
Rylee Lawson is Playing a Very Familiar Sport
Maul – Shadow Lord is set on the crime-ridden world of Janix, with Captain Brander Lawson desperately trying (and failing) to keep things calm so the Empire stays out. This inevitably means Lawson is struggling to balance his job as a cop with his private life, specifically with his son Rylee. It seems Rylee loves playing a sport named botekin, which is essentially the Star Wars version of lacrosse. Crucially, though, Rylee’s stick is immediately recognizable; it’s a deep-cut Easter egg to The Phantom Menace, where similar sticks could be seen in Anakin’s room.
We know surprisingly little about Anakin’s life on Tatooine. Raised as a slave, he loved pod-racing and dreamed of freeing himself and his mother by winning the Boonta Eve. But it’s always been clear there had to be more to life than just that, and we’re finally getting a sense of what that was. No doubt a slave like Anakin was hardly competing at events, meaning he wouldn’t have been standing in any stadiums. Still, he must have enjoyed playing botekin with his friends.
It makes sense for Anakin to be involved in other sports. As he proved when competing against podracers like Sebulba and Ben Quadinaros, he has the kind of reflexes that come only from the Force. Those would have been just as useful in sport, where he’d have learnt the kind of precision he’d need to cultivate later when he became a Jedi, simply because a lightsaber needs a degree of delicacy and skill.
Sometimes Star Wars Easter eggs feel a little egregious and unnecessary. Maul – Shadow Lord‘s botekin Easter egg is a smart one, though, in that it really does help add depth to the galaxy – even subtly helping us understand Anakin Skywalker’s early life a little better. This particular reference shows just how much care and attention Lucasfilm has put into this record-breaking series.
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Image courtesy of Sony
