Star Wars has unleashed a thrilling new trailer for Maul – Shadow Lord, the upcoming animated TV show set during the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign. The Skywalker saga is told from the point of view of the heroes, and there’s long been intense demand for a story centered upon the villains. The upcoming Maul – Shadow Lord series will finally scratch that itch.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Now, Lucasfilm has unveiled a new look at Maul – Shadow Lord in a thrilling trailer that promises all the evil action you could ever want. Even more excitingly, it reveals that Maul will seek unlikely allies in his battle against the newborn Empire. Specifically, we’re about to see Darth Maul – the Sith Apprentice trained to hunt down Jedi – team up with Jedi survivors of Order 66. It’s a thrilling prospect, showing what Palpatine’s victory really means for Maul.
Darth Maul’s Incredible Character Arc Continues
Even George Lucas realized he made a mistake killing Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. That’s why he elected to bring Maul back in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, revealing Palpatine’s Sith Apprentice secretly survived his apparent death on Naboo. Maul became a force to be reckoned with during the Clone Wars, setting himself up as Palpatine’s rival. It didn’t end well, but Maul was helped survive Order 66 and spent the Dark Times recreating his criminal empire. That’s where Maul – Shadow Lord picks up, with a vengeful Maul longing to defeat his former master.
Surprisingly, it seems he wants to form an alliance with the Jedi who survived Order 66. One character is particularly notable here; Devon Izara, a Twi’lek Padawan who must decide whether to ally with Maul or not. She’s clearly riffing on George Lucas’ favorite Legends Sith, Darth Talon, a character he wanted to make Maul’s apprentice in his own planned sequel trilogy. Star Wars is clearly embracing that, absorbing elements of Lucas’ sequel plans into the Dark Times. The previous Maul – Shadow Lord trailer featured Maul acting as a mentor, reciting elements of the Sith Code, so Izara is expected to fall to the dark side herself.
The new trailer subtly points to Maul’s overarching character arc. As we know from Star Wars Rebels (set later in the timeline), Maul will ultimately conflate his own revenge with his belief that’s what the Jedi want against Palpatine as well. All his Dark Times plans may be doomed, but he will wind up going head-to-head against Obi-Wan Kenobi himself in a final, fateful duel that sees him die at last. He does so believing Obi-Wan is protecting the true Chosen One, and that through Luke Skywalker, both he and Kenobi will be avenged.
What do you think of the new Maul – Shadow Lord trailer? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Courtesy of Netflix / Shueisha
