Disney+'s New Show With 100% on RT Is One of the Best Star Wars Projects in Recent Years

The first two episodes of the animated series Maul – Shadow Lord, a new project in the Star Wars universe that has already earned a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, have been released on Disney+.

The production team is largely the same group that brought us The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch: producer and visionary Dave Filoni and screenwriter Matt Michnovetz.

The series feels like another spiritual sequel to The Clone Wars in both its plot and visuals – and that's certainly a compliment.

What Is 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord' About?

The action takes place after the Clone Wars end and the Empire rises. The massive crime syndicate assembled by Maul during the war has already collapsed.

In the chaos following the Siege of Mandalore and the execution of Order 66, Maul himself has gone into hiding. His goals remain unchanged: to take revenge on Sidious and return to the top of the criminal underworld.

Maul plans to begin his ascent again on Janix, a planet divided into spheres of influence by several criminal groups. His first act is to pit the local mobs against each other. Meanwhile, Devon Izara, a fugitive Padawan from the Jedi Order, falls into his clutches.

'Maul – Shadow Lord' Will Draw You In Thanks to Charismatic Newcomers and a Star-Studded Cast

All of the main characters in Shadow Lord, aside from Maul himself, are newcomers, each with an interesting quirk. Police officer Brander Lawson, voiced by recent Oscar nominee Wagner Moura, is a single father who rarely puts down his mug.

His droid, Two-Boots (voiced by British comedian Richard Ayoade), always wears two boots and regularly tells jokes.

The most intriguing character so far seems to be the fugitive Jedi Devon Izara. It's difficult to form a solid impression of her in the first two episodes – she's adrift and rarely takes control of her destiny.

However, judging by Lucas' rough drafts and the canceled Darth Maul game, Devon is destined to turn to the dark side and become Maul's apprentice.

The Visuals & Action Are Excellent, but the Show Needs to Focus More on Its Titular Character

So far, Shadow Lord clearly surpasses The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch only in terms of visuals – everything looks superb.

The first episode, with its extended runtime of nearly half an hour, features action scenes that are practically nonstop and gripping. Though the second episode is almost half as long, it is also quite dynamic.

However, we hope that the writers will devote more attention to developing Maul. Thanks to Sam Witwer's charisma, Maul has long been one of the most compelling characters in The Clone Wars, but Shadow Lord adds nothing new to his character thus far.

For now, it's an excellent start that inspires hope but leaves room for growth. Given that the series was renewed for a second season before its premiere, the creators will have time to realize the story's full potential.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord'?

• Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has 100% from critics and 94% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 8.5/10.