By George & Josh Bate
Maul – Shadow Lord‘s inaugural season has come to an end and, in addition to treating fans with a showdown Star Wars fans have clamored for for decades, given admirers of a galaxy far, far away tons of fun easter eggs, hidden details, references, parallels, and more to feast on.
Keep reading for a comprehensive breakdown of Every Easter Egg and Hidden Detail in All 10 Chapters of Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1 below…..
Chapter 1: The Dark Revenge
The show begins (and almost exclusively takes place) on Janix, a neon-soaked and crime-infested planet that first appeared in the prequel comic Shadow of Maul.
Janix was realized through a combination of computer animation and actual matte paintings, the latter of which was used as a technique on the original Star Wars to bring lavish worlds like Bespin to life.
Although we don’t catch a glimpse of it in these first few episodes, Janix’s large metropolis is built into an ancient crater, which is surrounded by a vast and overgrown jungle.
According to head writer Matt Michnovetz, Janix is inspired in part by Gotham City, a sprawling metropolis with a dark underbelly.
Leading the heist that kicks off the episode is Rook Kast. Kast first appeared in the comic book Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir before appearing in the seventh season of The Clone Wars. She is voiced by Vanessa Marshall, who also voiced Hera in Star Wars Rebels.
The banking droid is a 3PO-series protocol droid just like C-3PO.
Rook Kast is aided in her heist by Icarus and Scorn, two Nightbrothers and members of the Zabrak species (the same species as Maul). In an interview with IGN, Sam Witwer revealed that Maul keeps Icarus and Scorn around as they remind him of his Dathomirian heritage and the bond he once shared with his brother Savage Opress.
As Maul makes his first appearance in the show, parts of John Williams’ iconic “Duel of the Fates” can be heard.
The pink Twi’lek Jedi is named Devon Izara and is voiced by Gideon Adlon. Adlon is the sister of Marty Supreme star Odessa A’zion and is known for her roles in Blockers, The Craft: Legacy, and Miller’s Girl.
Devon’s master is named Eeko-Dio Daki and is voiced by Dennis Haysbert, best known as the unmistakable voice of the Allstate commercials.
During development, Daki was referred to as “Dino Jedi” before being given an official name.
Contrary to fan theories, Daki is not a member of the Vurk species, the same species that prequels era Jedi Coleman Trebor belongs to. Instead, Daki is a member of a new species called Mosyk.
As Daki asks a passerby for some spare change, a person says to him, “E chu ta.” This is a rude Hutteese insult that has been heard throughout Star Wars, including in The Empire Strikes Back as spoken by E-3PO to C-3PO.
The person purchasing fruit from the stand that Devon visits is an Ithorian, also known as hammerheads.
The fruit cart vendor is voiced by Star Wars legend Dee Bradley Baker.
Captain Brander Lawsen leads the investigation into the heist from the night prior. Lawsen is voiced by Brazilian actor Wagner Moura, who most recently earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Secret Agent.
Lawsen’s droid is named Two-Boots, which is a fitting name given the droid wears distinctive boots other police droids don’t wear.
Two-Boots is voiced by English comedian Richard Ayoade. Ayoade previously voiced Q9-0 in Season 1 of The Mandalorian.
The crime lord Deemis is first mentioned in the prequel comic Shadow of Maul #1.
Deemis is voiced by John Carroll Lynch, a renowned actor known for his roles in Fargo and Zodiac.
Deemis appears to be a Gran, a species that regularly appeared in the prequels.
Deemis’ henchmen are Trandoshians, the same species as the bounty hunter Bossk.
The meal served at Vario and Deemis’ meeting is inspired by the classic Italian dish chicken parmigiana served up at writer meetings held at Dan Tana’s in West Hollywood.
Maul informs Rook that he is seeking an apprentice, who we later learn is Devon. Theories have circulated that the series will bring to life George Lucas’ original plans for the sequel trilogy by having Maul team up with Darth Talon, a red-skinned Twi’lek that bears a resemblance to Devon.
Maul names several parties that have prospered in light of his misfortune, including The Pykes and Crimson Dawn. The Pykes are a crime syndicate that appeared inThe Clone Wars and were the primary antagonists in The Book of Boba Fett. Crimson Dawn, meanwhile, were introduced in Solo: A Star Wars Story as the syndicate that Maul runs and that Dryden Vos and Qi’ra are a part of.
The police droids ask for Devon’s name and identification but not her chain code specifically. This is interesting as The Bad Batch established the Empire rolled out chain codes shortly after the fall of the Jedi.
Lawsen refers to Maul’s weapon as a “laser sword.” This is the same term that Anakin uses for lightsabers in The Phantom Menace. Luke in The Last Jedi also uses this term.
Lawsen mentions that he has not seen a lightsaber since the Clone Wars, implying that he interacted with Jedi during the war.
Two-Boots says that Maul’s file is classified by the ISB. This is referring to the Imperial Security Bureau, a branch of the Empire that featured prominently in Andor.
The ISB has mandated that any sightings of Maul be reported immediately. This implies that Palpatine still wishes to put an end to Maul and is perhaps concerned of his continued existence in the galaxy.
The crime lord Looti Vario is voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos, who previously voiced M-6NK in Jedi: Survivor and is known for his roles in Silicon Valley and Invincible.
Vario is of the Aleena species, which first appeared in The Phantom Menace in the form of podracer Ratts Tyerell.
The meeting between Deemis and Vario resembles meetings from gangster movies, such as The Godfather.
Vario compares their meet-up location to a “Wookiee bathhouse.” Wookiees are native to the planet Kashyyyk and include, most notably, Chewbacca.
The chase sequence that ensues between Vario and Maul’s forces borrows numerous musical cues from the opening chase sequence between Zam Wesell and Obi-Wan and Anakin from Attack of the Clones.
Vario asks Lawsen if he’s heard of the Shadow Collective. The Shadow Collective was an alliance of criminal syndicates founded by Maul during the Clone Wars. The collective included Death Watch, Black Sun, Pyke Syndicate, Hutt Clan, Nightbrothers, and presumably Deemis and Vario’s forces.
Maul takes down police forces in a hallway. This is not the first hallway sequence Maul has had, as Maul eliminated enemies in a similar fashion and setting in the final season of The Clone Wars.
When confronting Vario, Maul confirms that he wants revenge as Vario withdrew his support for Maul’s Shadow Collective at his time of need. Vario likely abandoned Maul during or before the Siege of Mandalore.
Vario offers up Krim to Maul. Marg Krim is one of the leaders of the Pyke Syndicate. Krim first appeared in Christie Golden’s novel Dark Disciple.
Devon recognizes Maul, meaning she was likely informed of the sinister Zabrak during her time in the Jedi Order.
Sam Witwer is credited as “Consulting Producer” of the episode and the entire series more generally.
Chapter 2: Sinister Schemes
Sam Witwer drew lines on his face approximating Maul’s facial tattoos so that the artists at Lucasfilm Animation could reference how his face movies in relation to the markings while animating the show.
Daki uses the Force to cause a car crash as he tries to rescue Devon. Ironic given that Daki is voiced by Dennis Haysbert, the guy from the Allstate commercials.
Lawsen is reluctant to bring the Empire into the conflict. Clearly he has a mixed history with the Empire and knows that, if they’re called upon, they’ll never leave.
Regarding Devon, Maul says, “She’s a Jedi. And I shall fashion her into a weapon which can help us destroy all those who have betrayed me, including Darth Sidious.” Maul is taking a page out of his former master Sidious’ book in realizing the importance of having an apprentice by your side as you try to take down a massive government. Maul later even begins to sound a bit like Palpatine as he seduces and manipulates Devon, slowly trying to get her to see things the way he sees them.
Lawsen’s son Rylee is voiced by Charlie Bushnell, who is known for his role as Luke Castellan in the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Rheena Sul is voiced by Pamela Adlon, known for her roles in Californication, Louie, Better Things, and King of the Hill. Pamela Adlon is also the mother of Gideon Adlon, who voices Devon.
Lawsen asks Sul about the Shadow Collective, the aforementioned crime group that first appeared in The Clone Wars. She informs him that Maul assembled the group on Mandalore, home world of the Mandalorians and the planet that Maul briefly ruled over.
Devon says to Maul, “I’ve heard the stories. I know what you are.” She’s likely heard that Maul murdered Qui-Gon Jinn and caused chaos on Mandalore.
Maul gets another hallway battle in this episode. That’s two hallway fights in two episodes for the titular character.
Chapter 3: Whispers in the Unknown
The episode is written by Julia Cooperman, who produced and wrote two episodes of the Disney+ series Willow.
When Maul is first seen in the episode, he is on his knees exactly the same way Qui-Gon was in The Phantom Menace before his death.
Maul offers Devon some cassius tea. In The Clone Wars, Pre Vizsla and his Death Watch troopers shared a bottle of cassius tea with Maul in the episode “Eminence.”
Throughout the episode, Maul tries to win Devon over to his way of thinking by using manipulation techniques similar to what Palpatine used to convert Anakin to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith.
Sam Witwer has spoken about how Maul has learned from his botched attempt to win Ahsoka Tano over in the final season of The Clone Wars and is now taking a more calculated approach to convert Devon.
Maul says, “My brother was murdered. My mother was murdered.” He is making reference to the deaths of Savage Opress and Mother Talzin during the Clone Wars, the former of whom was killed in “The Lawless” and the latter of whom was killed in the comic book Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir.
With the glow of the red lightsaber, Devon looks more and more like Darth Talon, the red-skinned Twi’lek that George Liucas originally planned as an antagonist alongside Maul in the sequel trilogy.
Maul tells Devon, “Your frustration betrays you.” This is similar to what Darth Vader says to Luke in Return of the Jedi, “Your thoughts betray you.”
The Pykes reference their leader Marg Krim again. Marg Krim first appeared in the novel Dark Disciple by Christie Golden and eventually appears in episode 3 around the 18 minute mark. Stephen Stanton, known for voicing Admiral Raddus in Rogue One, voices Marg Krim.
Lawsen’s son Rylee plays what appears to be the equivalent of Star Wars lacrosse in the episode. The sport is called botekin, which now joins Huttball, grav-ball, and limmie as in-universe sports in a galaxy far, far away.
The sticks that are used in botekin first appeared in the background of Anakin’s mechanic workplace in The Phantom Menace.
Krim threatens to feed Vario to his “nexu horde,” a reference to the creature in the arena battle from Attack of the Clones.
Daki tells Lawsen, “I mean you no harm.” This is what Yoda tells Luke when they first meet in The Empire Strikes Back.
Lawsen tells Daki, “Once the Empire show up, they’re not going to leave.” This mirrors the concern of the Ghor in Andor Season 2 as many feared that, once the Empire arrived on the planet, they would never vacate.
The whisper-hiss sound that often accompanies Maul’s appearance in The Phantom Menace can be heard as Maul speaks to Devon. The whispers sound like “Korah Rahtahmah” and can be heardaround the 1:50 mark of John William’s “Qui-Gon’s Noble End.”
Maul asks Devon, “Have you ever encountered one of the Jedi hunters?” He is referring to Inquisitors, the order of former Jedi under the control of Darth Vader. Maul’s question implies that he’s had run-ins with Inquisitors in the time between The Clone Wars and Maul – Shadow Lord. He later kills a few in Star Wars Rebels.
Vario asks Rook Kast for a “nerf filet.” Nerfs are a species that appeared throughout Star Wars. Leia famously called Han a “nerf herder” in the original trilogy.
The silhouette of Maul’s head towering over a cowering Devon feels like it’s taken straight out of a horror movie. Imagery of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu comes to mind with this particular shot.
Maul refers to surviving Order 66 as “a gift.” An interesting choice of words for someone who spent most of his life hating the Jedi.
The subtitles of the episode say, “Maul’s lightsaber speaks an alien language.” Is it possible that his lightsaber and its connection to the dark side is spouting old Sith language?
Chapter 4: Pride and Vengeance
The episode is written by Amanda Rose Muñoz, who previously worked on the following episodes of The Bad Batch: “Aftermath”, “Decommissioned,” “Infested”, “The Solitary Clone”, “Pabu”, “The Return”, “Identity Crisis” and “Point of No Return”.
One of Scorn or Icarus attacks the Pykes as he pretends to be Maul. His proficiency with a lightsaber implies that Maul has taken the time to teach Scorn and Icarus how to wield the weapon of the Jedi and the Sith, even if they are not Force sensitive.
The idea of using an imposter to sneak into a crime lord’s base resembles what Leia does in Return of the Jedi to infiltrate Jabba the Hutt’s lair on Tatooine.
Maul speaks to the dead body of Marg Krim about how he came to his old ally following the events on Mandalore, only to be ignored. This little tidbit fills in part of the year-long gap between The Clone Wars Season 7 and Maul – Shadow Lord.
Daki says, “Maul’s presence will inevitably attract the Empire.” This line suggests that it is common knowledge among the Jedi that Darth Sidious and his Galactic Empire wish to bring an end to Maul.
“We are no longer the defenders of justice in the galaxy,” says Daki. This wording mirrors how Ben Kenobi describes the role of the Jedi to Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.
Lawsen shuts Two-Boots down in a manner similar to how C-3PO is shut down throughout the Star Wars saga.
Daki’s line, “Nothing in life is certain” conveys the same message as Yoda’s line in The Empire Strikes Back, “Always in motion is the future.”
Maul tells Lawsen, “Pleasure to see you again, captain.” Maul is referencing a meeting he and Lawsen shared in the prequel comic Shadow of Maul.
Maul offering Lawsen protection in exchange for not troubling the city reflects the ex-Sith lord’s less rageful and more calculated approach to exacting revenge in the new series.
“With your powers and abilities, you should be respected by all,” says Maul to Daki. This feels like a shift in Maul’s mentality toward the Jedi. He appears to exhibit a greater respect for them.
The shot of Maul igniting his double lightsaber resembles similar shots from The Phantom Menace and The Clone Wars Season 7.
When Maul jumps at Daki during their duel, he makes a screaming noise that sounds very similar to a noise Palpatine makes at the beginning of his duel with Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, and Saesee Tiin in Revenge of the Sith.
Rook Kast uses a flamethrower gauntlet, just like Boba Fett does.
A Star Destroyer ominously hovers over Janix at the end of the episode. This mirrors similar shots from Star Destroyers hovering over Lothal in Rebels and Jedha in Rogue One.
John Williams’ iconic “Imperial March” can be heard as the Empire rolls into town.
Chapter 5: Inquisition
The episode is written by Jennifer Corbett, who was one of the head writers and an executive producer of The Bad Batch.
Daki’s philosophy of where the Jedi should stand in the Imperial era feels more akin to Yoda than Kanan Jarrus. That is, Daki’s priority is to survive and play a more passive role, unlike other surviving Jedi who take it upon themselves to actively rebel against Imperial rule.
Lieutenant Blake is voiced by Alaistair Murden, a prolific voice actor with roles in Starfield, Ms. Marvel, and Dune: Awakening.
Spybot refers to Storm Troopers as “Impy Shinys.” “Shiny” was a derogatory term that more seasoned clone troopers used to refer to rookie clones during the Clone Wars.
Maul offering Vario the chance to live feels like another shift in the former Sith lord’s personality and character. The old Maul would have likely slaughtered Vario after he was done with the crime lord, but this new, more calculated Maul approaches things in a more calm manner.
The Stormtrooper tells Lawsen to, “Move along.” This is what Stormtroopers say to Luke and Obi-Wan on Tatooine in A New Hope.
Among the Imperial forces arriving on Janix is Marrok, an Inquisitor who first appeared in Ahsoka before making a brief cameo in Tales of the Empire.
Marrok is also known as the First Brother.
Marrok appearing behind Lawsen from the darkness sees Maul – Shadow Lord once again lean into horror imagery. This is something we spoke with the creative team about in our exclusive interview.
Marrok is voiced by AJ LoCascio, who previously voiced Han Solo in Forces of Destiny, LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales. He also voiced Colby in last year’s Tales of the Underworld.
Daki uses a Jedi mind trick on a Stormtrooper just like how Ben Kenobi does on Mos Eisley in A New Hope.
The Stormtroopers and Marrok use Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry (LAAT/i) to get around Janix. This vehicle first appeared in Attack of the Clones and was used as a transport for clone troopers.
Lawsen’s ex-wife and Rylee’s mom is voiced by Tamlyn Tomita, who made her screen debut as Kumiko in The Karate Kid Part II before reprising her role as the character in the series Cobra Kai.
Marrok uses Force abilities to investigate last episode’s crime scene in a manner similar to how Cal Kestis investigates the history of particular areas in Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor.
The holoimage of Lawsen’s family on the captain’s desk resembles other holoimages seen in Rebels, such as one with Ezra’s biological family and one with Ezra’s new found family.
When Lawsen sees Daki and Devon in his apartment, he says, “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” This is what Finn says in The Force Awakens when learning that Poe Dameron is after a map to Luke Skywalker.
Chapter 6: Night of the Hunted
The episode is written by Christopher Yost, who previously wrote four episodes of Star Wars Rebels (“Imperial Supercommandos,” “Legacy of Mandalore,” “The Occupation”, and “Dume), the TV movie Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore, Chapter 6: The Prisoner of The Mandalorian (alongside Rick Famuyiwa), and The Bad Batch episode “Entombed.”
The title of the episode is one letter away from mirroring the title of the iconic 1955 Gothic horror-thriller film Night of the Hunter from director Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum.
Daki mentions he and Devon were only passing through Janix. The Force works in mysterious ways, as it has done since the original Star Wars when C-3PO and R2-D2 somehow landed on the planet of Anakin Skywalker’s son.
Rylee says his mom got a job working for the Empire on Coruscant. Coruscant is the capital of the Galactic Empire that first appeared in canon in the prequel trilogy.
Rylee asks his dad, “Are they Jedi?” This question suggests that Rylee, unlike many in the galaxy, is aware of the Jedi. Perhaps his father taught him of the old protectors of the galaxy given that the lawman has some unknown experience with them.
Some of the musical cues as Devon and the others escape from Marrok are borrowed from John Williams’ score from the beginning chase sequence in Attack of the Clones.
Two-Boots undergoes an arc similar to that of Kino Loy in Andor. The droid voiced by Richard Ayoade recognizes that his conception of a fair and just Empire may be flawed as he witnesses Lieutenant Blake cut corners, break rules, and even kill his former boss.
The interior of Rheena’s casino looks like a casino in Las Vegas crossed with the gambling scene of Canto Bight.
Rheena refers to the chaos on Janix as a “kouhun’s nest.” Kouhuns, also known as Indoumodo kouhuns, are small, multi-legged arthropods that kill their victims using deadly venom. Kouhuns were the little slugs that Zam Wesell dispatched to kill Padme in Attack of the Clones.
Marrok duels Devon and Maul on a train. Is this the first time a lightsaber duel has taken place on a train?
Marrok consults with a mysterious hologram at the end of the episode, informing them that he has come in contact with Maul and that the former Sith lord is “more dangerous than we suspected.” We eventually find out this person is Darth Vader.
Chapter 7: Call to the Oblivion
The episode is written by Julia Cooperman, who produced and wrote two episodes of the Disney+ series Willow.
The Empire establishes an overnight curfew on Janix. They later do the same on Lothal in Star Wars Rebels.
Maul notes that, while Palpatine’s betrayal was “devastating,” it “was not the deepest wound” his former master inflicted upon him. We suspect Maul is referring to Palpatine murdering Maul’s brother Savage Opress as the deepest wound.
The Emperor’s Theme, first introduced in Return of the Jedi, can be heard as Maul responds, “Unfortunately” to Devon’s question about whether his master is still alive.
Maul alludes to a grand plan he has to take down the Empire, although the details of this are unclear. Previously, Maul wanted to assemble all the crime syndicates to create an organization that could rival the power of the Empire. Is this what he still has planned? Or has Maul made changes to his plan to destroy the Empire?
To assist Marrok in his hunt for Maul and the Jedi, the Eleventh Brother arrives. This is the Inquisitor who was voiced by Clancy Brown and first appeared in Tales of the Jedi, before making a brief cameo in Tales of the Empire. In promotional material for Maul – Shadow Lord, the Eleventh Brother is referred to as The Crow.
Lawsen says, “It never added up to me what they said about the Jedi being traitors.” This refers to Palpatine’s spread of misinformation that the Jedi tried to kill him and betrayed the Galactic Republic.
Rylee reveals Two-Boots’ official designation as 2B0T.
Two-Boots questions how Rylee can recognize him without his boots. This is similar to a joke made in The Force Awakens in which C-3PO wonders how Han Solo recognizes him with his red arm.
Rook Kast shows unflinching loyalty to Maul. As someone who follows Mandalorian rules to a tee, it will be interesting to see if this character is eventually revealed to be The Armorer from The Mandalorian.
Rook Kast says, “Kebris, you slime!” This is a homage to Ernest Borgnine’s work in Escape from New York (1981) and The Black Hole (1979).
The lightsabers of Maul, The Crow, and Marrok fizzle upon going through water in a way that resembles how lightsabers interact with water in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars series.
Marrok says he will not accept Maul’s surrender as the Emperor wants him dead. It’ll be fascinating to see if Maul and Palpatine eventually clash in the series. They’re due for a rematch.
Icarus’ launcher makes the same sound as the shotgun from the original Star Wars: Battlefront II.
In addition to voicing Maul, Sam Witwer is credited as a “Gunship Pilot” in the episode.
The ship Rheena plans to use to help Lawsen and the others off Janix in was a practical miniature
Chapter 8: The Creeping Fear
The title of this episode, “The Creeping Fear,” is the same as the rumored working title for Revenge of the Sith.
The episode is written by Jennifer Corbett, who was one of the head writers and an executive producer of The Bad Batch.
Maul sees his childhood self in a reflection. As a child, Maul did not have the extent of the tattoos he eventually does, which is interesting as Mother Talzin and the Dathomirians were reportedly the ones to brand him with the tattoos. Perhaps they were applied to Maul later on or perhaps Palpatine was the one who added additional markings, which would be consistent with Legends.
As the title card is revealed, Palpatine’s unmistakable laugh can be heard.
Two-Boots turns against the Empire upon discovering their corruption and hypocrisy, much like how Kino Loy turns against the Empire in Andor.
Maul talks to himself in a frenzied manner similar to how he does when he was introduced in The Clone Wars, years after miraculously surviving the events of The Phantom Menace.
Maul’s brother Savage urges Maul not to leave with Palpatine. This provides visuals, for the first time, to Palpatine recruiting Maul as his apprentice and training him.
Clancy Brown reprises his role as Savage Opress for the episode.
The sound of the laser gates from the Duel of the Fates, followed by Obi-Wan howling in response to Qui-Gon’s death, in The Phantom Menace can be heard as Maul reckons with the trauma of his past. A silhouette of Obi-Wan attacking Maul while wielding Qui-Gon’s lightsaber is also shown.
Maul then experiences a flashback to his time on a junk world planet before Savage rescued him. We see Maul’s makeshift spider-like legs and get a glimpse into his fractured mind at this difficult time of his life.
The visions of Maul’s past were created by projecting new and existing sequences onto a smoke machine, a blend of animated and practical effects that gives the scene a dreamlike quality.
Maul has a vision of Palpatine murdering his brother Savage Opress, a key event in Maul’s life that was portrayed in The Clone Wars episode “The Lawless.”
Palpatine is voiced by Sam Witwer in the episode.
Later in the episode, Maul – Shadow Lord delivers in adding emotional complexity to its titular character. Bookending the sentiment of hate directed toward his child self, Maul once again looks at a reflection of him as a child and promises, “I won’t let him do this to anyone else.” This is a poignant line that adds nuance to Maul’s pursuit of Palpatine. Maul is not just trying to kill the man who did him wrong – he is also trying to stop this man from doing to others what was done to him. We don’t expect (nor believe) Maul should undergo a redemption arc in this series, but him targeting Palpatine for a reason bigger than himself feels like a deserved evolution for his character.
The three aliens hassling Devon Izara as she tries to secure a hot rod speeder are inspired by the Pharoh Gang from George Lucas’ American Graffiti. The aliens are all voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
Vario tells Maul that Crimson Dawn’s Dryden Vos is requesting a meeting. Dryden Vos was the character played by Paul Bettany in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Vos reappeared briefly during the Siege of Mandalore arc in The Clone Wars and is probably yet another member of the criminal underworld who abandoned Maul at his time of need. We know that Maul eventually takes over Crimson Dawn by the time of Solo, something that Maul – Shadow Lord is bound to depict at some point.
Chapter 9: Strange Allies
Dryden Vos appears in Chapters 9 and 10 of Maul – Shadow Lord. Vos was the primary antagonist in Solo: A Star Wars Story and was voiced by Paul Bettany, known for his role as Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bettany does not reprise his role as the character here, as Vos is voiced by Scott Whyte, known for his roles in City Guys, That ‘70s Show, and D2: The Mighty Ducks.
Dryden proposes a deal with Maul: in exchange for helping the former Sith lord avoid the clutches of the Empire and flee Janix, Maul will kill the current leader of Crimson Dawn and install Dryden Vos as the crime syndicate’s new leader. The proposition clues us into the status of Crimson Dawn during this time in the galaxy and hints at how Maul eventually comes to control the organization. The episode seems to suggest that Dryden Vos is currently second-in-command at Crimson Dawn and hopes to use Maul to usurp the present leader. Presumably, Maul will follow through on Dryden’s deal (at least in part) by killing the Crimson Dawn leader, but, instead of installing Dryden as the new head, crown himself king of the crime syndicate. As evidenced by these two episodes, however, the creative team behind the series are seemingly saving this plot for Season 2.
The current leader of Crimson Dawn is Rintero, a person yet to be depicted in a canon story. Dryden Vos’ predecessor was first mentioned, but not identified, in the 2023 YA novel Crimson Climb by E.K. Johnston.
Mirroring Luke and Leia’s Force connection in The Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi and Rey and Kylo’s Force connection in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, Maul uses the Force to bridge his mind with Devon’s and, in doing so, provides his prospective padawan details on how to find him.
Daki says, “We must remain cautious of the Shadow Lord,” which, if our memories serve us correctly, is the first time Maul has been referred to as such in the series.
Maul takes down an AT-AC in a manner similar to how Starkiller takes down an AT-ST in The Force Unleashed. Both Maul and Starkiller are voiced by Sam Witwer.
Maul does the unexpected and lets Daki flee while he holds the Inquisitors off. This critical moment parallels and juxtaposes a critical moment in Chapter 10, one that sees Maul face a similar predicament yet take the less virtuous route. Does Maul help Daki here because he wants to show Devon he’s more than just a villain? Or does Maul genuinely feel the need to care for Daki, a person he has obvious respect for? It’s unclear.
The official Star Wars website confirms that Darth Vader kills Rook Kast. Earlier drafts of the script featured a more graphic death for the Mandalorian.
The episode concludes with a shot of the upper half of Vader’s body lit up red by the glow of his ignited lightsaber. The shot appears and is lit extremely similar to how Vader was depicted in the iconic hallway sequence in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Chapter 10: The Dark Lord
When the episode titles of Maul – Shadow Lord were unveiled, Chapter 10 was listed as “Finale.” That was obviously a placeholder, and now we know why. “The Dark Lord” title refers to the episode’s big bad and one of the most iconic characters in pop culture history – Darth Vader.
Darth Vader’s arrival was inspired by Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th and Michael Myers in Halloween, according to the official Star Wars website.
The imagery of Vader emerging from the fog is a purposeful homage to Ralph McQuarrie’s cover art for the first Star Wars spinoff novel, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster.
Darth Vader and Maul have never clashed in canon before, but they did duel in the Legends comic Star Wars Tales #9.
“Duel of the Fates” play during the title card.
Vader is simultaneously portrayed as a formidable fighting force and a figure who has the stiff, slower dueling style of the character we see in A New Hope. The animators referred to David Prowse’s movements and muscular body type while crafting Vader for the series.
Maul, at least at first, doesn’t know who Vader is, but the audience knows that Vader is fully aware of who Maul is. To Anakin, Maul is the person who killed his pseudo-father figure Qui-Gon Jinn (as depicted in The Phantom Menace), the man who promised to train him and would have likely prevented his fall to the dark side. Although not explicitly stated, it’s neat to think that Vader may be motivated to take down Maul, not just because Sidious has commissioned him to do so, but because he wants revenge for Maul’s slaughter of Qui-Gon.
The creative team behind the series had lengthy discussions around how much Maul knew about Vader.
The episode pays homage to the Cartagena slide in Romancing the Stone as Vader uses the Force to pull apart the temple and send his enemies sliding to their deaths.
Daki mentions that he senses the person they just fought is a “dark lord of the Sith.” This is an interesting line as it implies that Jedi can not only sense the presence of the dark side of the Force, but can more specifically identify a Sith. This trick sure would’ve come in handy in the days leading up to Order 66.
Maul has a brief moment where he seemingly puts the pieces of the puzzle together and concludes who the dark lord they just faced off against really is. As revealed in The Clone Wars Season 7, Maul knew of Sidious’ plan to convert Anakin Skywalker to the dark side. In Chapter 10, he senses that the person they fought is a former Jedi and, putting two and two together, probably means he recognizes that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker.
Daki’s death scene calls back to Ben Kenobi’s death in A New Hope and Qui-Gon Jinn’s death in The Phantom Menace, as all three sequences depict a padawan watching their master die at the hands of Sith from an unreachable distance.
The music that plays as Devon reckons with the immediate aftermath of Daki’s death is heavily inspired by similar music in Revenge of the Sith.
Speaking of music, the music that plays as Vario tries to be a distraction is very similar to the Ewok music in Return of the Jedi.
The stormtroopers use a large defensive cannon similar to the E-Web heavy repeating blaster used by snowtroopers in The Empire Strikes Back.
The ending note of Season 1 suggests that Devon will indeed go on to become Maul’s apprentice and (possibly) the canon version of Darth Talon, as fans have long speculated.