Star Wars’ New Order 66 Survivor Changes Darth Maul’s Failed Jedi Story, 10 Years Later

by

The Star Wars story continues with Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, a new animated series created by Dave Filoni. The series is set right after the Clone Wars and the execution of Order 66, when Maul (voiced by Sam Witwer) is secretly working to regain control of his criminal empire. Previously, he was driven from power on Mandalore by a coalition of Mandalorians, clone troopers, and Ahsoka Tano. The first episodes introduce a new character, Devon Izara (Gideon Adlon), who unexpectedly changes the course of Maul’s plans.

Devon, a young Twi’lek Jedi in hiding with her master, Eeko-Dio-Daki (Dennis Haysbert), is captured by Darth Maul and his criminal organization during a prison escape. With the release of the first episodes of Shadow Lord on Disney+, it appears Devon’s story might reveal clues about Maul’s future and the path his story takes after the series.

Maul – Shadow Lord Episodes 3 & 4 Recap (SPOILERS)

In Chapter 3, “Whispers of the Unknown,” Maul starts manipulating Devon, attempting to turn her to the dark side in a way that feels disturbingly familiar. He encourages her to unleash her own abilities – helping her break out of her cell – and then positions himself as her guide and teacher. He remains calm even when insulted or attacked, offering her alternative viewpoints. Maul subtly leads Devon to believe that Sidious harmed him as much as he harmed the Jedi. Throughout the episode, Devon tries to escape Maul’s base while he tries to win her over as an apprentice, using manipulation and lurking in the shadows. Eventually, Maul forces a duel, with Devon fighting him using one of his lightsabers. He reclaims the saber but allows Devon to flee, marking the true start of her training.

In Episode 4, Maul expands his reach by attempting to bribe police detective Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura). He promises to keep the Empire away from the planet Janix if Lawson ignores his crimes. When the bribe fails, a shootout erupts. Devon brings Master Daki to help, but this plays right into Maul’s plan: he wants to undermine Daki’s teachings before eliminating her master. Maul easily defeats both Jedi, almost killing Daki, but Devon jumps in front of her master to protect him. Maul spares them, commenting that Daki is fortunate to have such a dedicated apprentice.

Is Shadow Lord The Story of Maul’s First Apprentice?

Devon Izara is a potentially significant new character in the Star Wars universe. She’s appearing for the first time in the Maul – Shadow Lord comic series, and what makes her unique is that her backstory isn’t limited by any of the events that happen later in the Star Wars timeline. We don’t know anything about her involvement in the Galactic Civil War, but she’s young during the early days of the Empire. This means she could live a long life, potentially becoming an adult during the New Republic era and an elderly character by the time of the Second Galactic Civil War, offering a lot of possibilities for her story within the franchise.

There are two main questions fans have about Devon Izara: does she survive the events of Maul – Shadow Lord, and if she does, does she eventually become a Jedi or a Sith?

With Shadow Lord confirmed for a second season on Disney+, it seems likely the show is heading in a specific direction – potentially focusing on Maul training Devon in the dark side. This idea is strengthened if the first season ends with Devon rejecting the light. This would be a fresh take on the story from the popular video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (famously featuring Sam Witwer), something many Star Wars fans have wanted to see adapted for the screen. It could also make Shadow Lord one of the most engaging Star Wars projects in recent years – fulfilling the expectations some had for a show like The Acolyte.

Shadow Lord‘s Ending Leads to A Key Rebels Story Arc

We don’t have all the specifics of how the Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord comic will conclude, but we know the general story: Maul will rebuild his criminal empire using organizations like Crimson Dawn and dominate the galactic underworld until he’s ultimately defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi in a final showdown on Tatooine, during the early stages of the Rebellion. Before that happens, though, Maul will once again try to find a new apprentice to train.

In Star Wars Rebels, Ezra Bridger was a key member of the Spectres, a small rebel group that played an important role in the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Ezra was strong with the Force, but also had a tendency towards darkness, which the villain Maul quickly noticed and tried to exploit. Fortunately, Ezra’s Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus, and other mentors like Ahsoka Tano helped him resist Maul’s influence, though it was a difficult struggle.

Shadow Lord is revealing how Maul started prioritizing finding an apprentice. This leads to one of two possibilities: either he successfully trained his first student, whose story will continue later, or that student, Devon, managed to escape him, leading Maul to eventually seek out Ezra years later.

You can now watch Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord on Disney+. Join the conversation with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/star-wars-new-tv-show-revives-debates-about-the-sagas-coolest-character-being-ruined-after-41-years/embed/#

Read More

2026-04-15 16:12