By George & Josh Bate
Maul makes his grand return in Maul – Shadow Lord, and so do a host of exciting easter eggs and hidden details for eagle-eyed Star Wars fans to spot.
Check out all the Easter Eggs, Hidden Details, and References we noticed in Episodes 1-2 of Maul – Shadow Lord 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 in The 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.