The latest Star Wars show is a clear sign that the franchise is heading in the right direction, boasting a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While the series created by George Lucas has experienced both successes and failures since Disney acquired it, Lucasfilm, led by Kathleen Kennedy, successfully brought Star Wars back to the big screen with a new trilogy of films and introduced a fresh cast of characters. They’ve also explored storytelling through several TV shows, though not all of these projects have been universally well-received, with some proving quite controversial.
It’s no surprise that Lucasfilm is now being extra cautious about which Star Wars projects they approve. After finishing the sequel trilogy with The Rise of Skywalker, the franchise stayed away from theaters for seven years, finally returning this year with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu. Instead, Lucasfilm concentrated on creating content for Disney+, and their newest release, Maul — Shadow Lord, has been a success, earning high scores of 98% from critics and 89% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
Why Grounded & Morally Gray Characters Are The Key To Revamping Star Wars
While familiar characters certainly draw people to these animated series, history shows that name recognition alone isn’t enough to truly engage Star Wars fans. This suggests that Dave Filoni and his team are doing something right to achieve such positive results. More importantly, it highlights a shift in Star Wars storytelling, moving away from the traditional focus on Jedi and Sith. “Maul – Shadow Lord” continues a trend of complex, morally ambiguous characters driving the most compelling Star Wars stories lately, similar to what we’ve seen in “Andor” and “The Mandalorian” – especially considering Grogu isn’t a Jedi.
As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the core conflict between the Jedi and the Sith – characters like Luke, Obi-Wan, Vader, and Palpatine really built this universe. But honestly, I think the franchise needs fresh stories, and I’d love to see them explore characters who aren’t totally defined by that Jedi-Sith struggle. Take Maul, for example. He was a Sith, but in the ‘Shadow Lord’ comics, he’s really an outcast trying to make his own way in the criminal world, and I think that’s a really interesting direction for Star Wars to go in.
People have always been drawn to Star Wars characters who aren’t Jedi or Sith – Han Solo really set the standard. These characters often start as self-interested, but ultimately reveal a strong moral compass and become key players in the fight against the Empire. Watching this kind of personal growth is often more rewarding because the change feels earned. Plus, focusing on these smaller characters helps avoid major story shifts that could upset established Star Wars lore.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord streams on Disney+.
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2026-04-25 23:10