Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord Review: The Best Star Wars Show of the Decade

Star Wars may have had a rocky few years since the release of the sequel trilogy, but Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord puts an end to all of that. Maul - Shadow Lord is a franchise-defining series that will leave fans desperate for more. Maul has held a special place with the fans for decades now, and this is exactly what people have been waiting for.

Sam Witwer Delivers a Career-Defining Performance as Maul

Sam Witwer has been giving new life to Maul since The Clone Wars, but he outdoes himself in Shadow Lord. This performance is not just defining Witwer's time in the Star Wars galaxy — it's career-defining work. Maul's voice is constantly on the verge of losing control, adding more terror to his every word. Witwer's every line improves Maul's onscreen presence and adds depth and gravitas to the Sith Lord.

When the show's emotional beats hit, the pain and anger fans have seen Maul endure for years are overwhelming. Witwer can pour decades of Maul stories into his performance, and it truly feels like Maul has endured countless hardships. Without this performance anchoring the character and the series, Maul - Shadow Lord ​​​​​​wouldn't have the same impact.

Witwer understands when Maul needs to be explosive and over-the-top, and when a quieter rage will suit the situation. The complexity of Maul's character and his journey is echoed in how he deals with those who have betrayed him and how he speaks to people like Rook Kast. With Maul - Shadow Lord, Witwer officially secures his place in the pantheon of legendary Star Wars actors.

Maul - Shadow Lord Perfects What Clone Wars Started

For many fans, The Clone Wars has remained the gold standard for Star Wars storytelling. Maul ​​​​​​blows it out of the water, though. It takes everything that fans love from The Clone Wars and makes it better in every way. The storytelling is seamless, the action is breathtaking, and the animation is award-worthy.

For many fans, The Clone Wars has remained the gold standard for Star Wars storytelling. Maul ​​​​​​blows it out of the water, though. It takes everything that fans love from The Clone Wars and makes it better in every way. The storytelling is seamless, the action is breathtaking, and the animation is award-worthy.

Maul - Shadow Lord not only has the best animation in Star Wars, but it is one of the most beautifully animated series of all time. The Clone Wars style of animation has been evolving for years through Clone Wars and Bad Batch, but Maul ​​​​​​finally perfects it. The backgrounds are full of depth and color, the characters have a hand-painted quality to them, and the motion of lightsaber fights is second to none.

This isn't just a standout among the animated Star Wars series either: Each aspect that fans have loved about previous Star Wars shows (both live-action and animated) has been improved upon in Maul. The storytelling is seamless, with both the main story and the B-plot working perfectly together. There is no filler, no dragging pacing; it's an adrenaline-filled Star Wars adventure that knows when to take the foot off the gas, and when to put the pedal to the floor.

Maul - Shadow Lord feels like the perfect intersection of what fans have come to love from Star Wars animation, but in the form of a sophisticated thriller, with true stakes and a gripping story. If the story has the audience gripping their seats, though, the lightsaber fights will have them jumping out of their chairs. Maulgives its titular Sith Lord some of his greatest battles of all time, and they are stunning to behold. The lightsabers feel raw and unleashed upon the audience, which matches the intensity of each battle as Maul fights for his life and position in the galaxy.

Compelling New Characters Fill Out Maul's First Season

Even as addictive as Maul is to watch, Maul - Shadow Lord still manages to introduce excellent new characters for the audience to enjoy. Devon Izara and her Master, Eeko-Dio Daki, feel like a classic Jedi duo, akin to Obi-Wan and Anakin. They are instantly empathetic and fascinating to watch.

Devon is an instant fan-favorite who is complex and wonderful to watch. Gideon Adlon's performance helps Devon leap off the screen, establishing that she can still hold her place in a scene with the intimidating presence of Maul. Devon quickly makes it clear that she isn't a predictable character and that her story is worthy of being seen, and fans are lucky to have her as a character.

Wagner Moura as Captain Lawson and Richard Ayoade as his faithful security droid Two-Boots are another incredible duo that Maul - Shadow Lord gives to fans. Lawson is a classic Noir-style investigator — a trope not often seen in the Star Wars ​​​​​​galaxy — while Two-Boots continues the long history of hilarious and sarcastic Star Wars droids. Both are delightful to watch and still manage to bring something new to the decades-old franchise.

Maul - Shadow Lord Cements the Sith's Legacy

Maul - Shadow Lord is the best Star Wars show of the decade and is Maul's most jaw-dropping adventure yet. Maul has been a favorite character of the franchise since his debut in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but Maul is the first show that truly gives fans an authentic look at Maul and his psyche. Maul - Shadow Lord is a dark, gritty, and stunning adventure that will define the next era of Star Wars ​​​​​​television.

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is an incredible dive into the underworld of Star Wars ​​​​​​and the mind of the franchise's greatest Sith Lord. It elevates what Star Wars animated shows are capable of and easily establishes itself as one of the prolific franchise's best TV series of all time.

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord premiered its first two episodes April 6, 2026 on Disney+, with two new episodes releasing weekly on Mondays.