George Lucas’ Best Sequel Trilogy Plan Becomes Star Wars Canon: Maul – Shadow Lord Ending Explained

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The first season of Maul – Shadow Lord has ended with an exciting finale, realizing some of George Lucas’ original plans for a sequel trilogy. Having been betrayed by Darth Sidious, Maul survived the execution of Order 66 and is now focused on getting revenge. He’s established himself as a powerful crime boss, the “Shadow Lord,” secretly building a network of underworld organizations to challenge Sidious. However, his activities on the planet Janix have caught the attention of the Empire, and Darth Vader’s Inquisitors have put the planet under lockdown.

In the tenth episode of Maul – Shadow Lord, Maul and his companions attempt to escape Janix. The situation quickly becomes more dangerous when Maul discovers the Inquisitors are under the command of Darth Vader, who dramatically appears on the planet. The episode delivers an exciting, action-filled season finale and successfully incorporates a compelling idea originally conceived by George Lucas for the sequel trilogy into the official Star Wars story.

How Darth Maul Survives Darth Vader

Darth Vader easily defeated Maul. Vader is stronger in every way, and the fight wasn’t even a challenge – at one point, he even used the Force to lift and crush Maul before throwing him aside. Maul only managed to survive because he was fighting with his allies, Master Eeko-Dio Daki and Padawan Devon Izara. However, even with their combined strength, they could barely withstand Vader’s constant attacks, which slowly wore them down.

Ultimately, Maul escapes by making a difficult choice. Badly wounded, he sees a chance to use Master Daki as a distraction, allowing him to slip away from Vader. Using his telekinetic abilities, he forces Daki closer to Vader, then quietly disappears and searches for Devon. He then uses the surrounding landscape to slow Vader down before escaping the planet with the few allies he has left.

Fans have wanted to see this fight ever since The Phantom Menace came out in 1999. However, it’s clear throughout the duel that Darth Maul is significantly outmatched. Darth Vader is portrayed as a truly frightening opponent, relying on overwhelming power instead of fancy lightsaber techniques. The fight feels reminiscent of the 1978 novel Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster, which featured Vader attacking from a similar fog and even suggested a similar way to defeat – or at least stall – him.

Devon Izara Officially Becomes Maul’s Apprentice

According to Sam Witwer, the story of Shadow Lord centers on Darth Maul training his new apprentice, Devon Izara. He revealed that Maul began training her early in the series, whether she wanted the training or not. The narrative focuses on whether Devon will embrace his teachings or reject them, with Maul consistently presenting her with new lessons. Witwer enjoys how each lesson tests her and impacts her development. The series culminates with Maul delivering a final lesson, after which Devon makes a pivotal decision – and ultimately chooses to follow the path of the Sith.

Maul was quickly forming a connection with Devon, but he saw Master Daki as an obstacle. He cleverly arranged for Darth Vader to kill Daki, then subtly manipulated Devon, using their growing bond to push her towards the dark side. Finally, consumed by anger and a desire for revenge, Devon agreed to become Maul’s apprentice. Even though Maul had to escape Janix and lost many of his allies, he successfully gained a new learner.

Interestingly, George Lucas originally envisioned a very different sequel trilogy for Star Wars. His idea involved a galaxy overrun by criminal leaders after the Empire’s fall, with Darth Maul as the main villain. Maul would have had an apprentice, Darth Talon, a red-skinned Twi’lek character from earlier Star Wars stories. While Lucasfilm is now exploring a similar theme, there are key differences: this new story takes place earlier in the Star Wars timeline and features Maul and his apprentice battling the Empire instead of the New Republic.

How Darth Maul Escapes Janix (& Who Gets Offworld With Him)

Maul is rescued from captivity by Dryden Vos, a leader within the Crimson Dawn organization (voiced by Scott Whyte, a different actor than Paul Bettany who played the role in Solo: A Star Wars Story). Maul agrees to eliminate Crimson Dawn’s current leader, promising to clear the way for Vos to take control. However, this is a false promise, as Vos is actually fated to become one of Maul’s top lieutenants, as shown in Solo. From this point on, Maul’s rise to power appears straightforward, though obstacles will likely arise.

Only Vario remains alive among Maul’s companions, as Darth Vader and his forces specifically target the others. Rylee Lawson and Two-Boots manage to escape with Vario, but Brander Lawson gives his life to ensure his son’s safety. Rylee’s sadness fuels Devon’s anger, and it’s clear they share a close connection – the show has suggested Devon is developing feelings for him. If this is true, Rylee could become a significant distraction that Maul won’t tolerate.

What are your thoughts on Maul – Shadow Lord? Share your opinion in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-05-04 07:10