Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ New Sequel Is Fixing A 26-Year-Old George Lucas Mistake

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A flaw in George Lucas’s vision from 26 years ago is being addressed with a continuation of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Many fans consider The Clone Wars to be a standout Star Wars series because it added significant depth to the prequel movies. While the prequels weren’t well-received initially, opinions have shifted over time.

These three films have been reevaluated recently, largely thanks to the success of The Clone Wars. Because several Star Wars animated series have been created based on The Clone Wars, the show’s impact and significance within the Star Wars universe are now clearer than ever.

One of the greatest strengths of The Clone Wars was its ability to improve upon the prequel films. Even now, the show continues to address long-standing issues with the early 2000s Star Wars movies. An upcoming sequel in 2026 will further demonstrate this, finally resolving a mistake that has bothered fans for 26 years.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Continues The Franchise’s Darth Maul Fix

Lucasfilm plans to release an animated series called Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord in 2026. This show will continue the story of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, showing what happened to Maul between that series and his appearances in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Rebels. It’s a really promising concept because it will delve into how Maul became a powerful crime lord.

Additionally, this corrects an oversight from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. In that film, Darth Maul was seemingly defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi and cut in half during their duel. However, both fans and George Lucas felt this was a mistake, as Maul was a compelling and intimidating villain in the Star Wars universe.

Lucas later corrected his decision to seemingly kill off Darth Maul by bringing the character back in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. It was revealed that Maul survived due to his intense hatred for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and was eventually physically restored by the Nightsisters. The Clone Wars delved deeper into Maul’s survival and motivations, and this story was continued in Maul: Shadow Lord.

As a big Star Wars fan, I’m really excited to see what Maul: Shadow Lord brings to the table. It feels like a huge step because, while we’ve seen Maul pop up in a few stories since he came back, this is the first time he’s truly the main character. It’s awesome to see Lucasfilm building on the fact that they brought him back in Episode I and now giving him the spotlight he deserves. This feels like they’re really doubling down on that decision, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!

Darth Maul’s Death In Episode I Is One Of Star Wars’ Biggest Disappointments

Darth Maul’s death in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace remains a letdown for many fans. A key reason is that the movie didn’t give him much to do. He barely speaks, and mostly comes across as a silent, intimidating presence—almost like a robot—rather than a fully developed character.

Darth Maul immediately stood out as a compelling Star Wars villain simply through his appearance and fighting style, demonstrating a strong foundation for the character. The sequels to The Phantom Menace could have expanded on this, as The Clone Wars later did, but his early exit from the story prevented further development.

Beyond Darth Maul, the other Sith Lords and their allies featured in the prequel films didn’t generate much excitement. Characters like Count Dooku and General Grievous weren’t used to their full potential. It would have been more effective if George Lucas had made Maul a central villain throughout the entire prequel trilogy, second in importance only to Darth Sidious.

The character in Star Wars felt underdeveloped when he died, only hinting at his potential. Star Wars: The Clone Wars later improved his story, but many fans still find his death in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace unsatisfying.

Has There Been Too Much Maul In Star Wars Recently?

As a new Darth Maul series, Maul: Shadow Lord, approaches, some are wondering if we’ve seen too much of the character in Star Wars lately. However, the answer is likely no—Maul is a compelling character who hasn’t actually had a significant role in the franchise. While The Clone Wars used him well, his appearances were limited and spread out across seasons 3, 4, and 5.

After disappearing for most of seasons 6 and 7, Maul returned for the highly-regarded Siege of Mandalore storyline. He also made appearances in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, where his story received a satisfying conclusion, and had a brief cameo in the film Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Although Darth Maul has appeared in several Star Wars stories, there are still large parts of his life that haven’t been explored. The comic series Maul: Shadow Lord fills in those gaps, showing what happened to him after the events of Order 66 and how he eventually rose to power as the head of the Crimson Dawn criminal organization.

For years, some felt Darth Maul didn’t get enough screen time in Star Wars. Maul: Shadow Lord largely fixes that, finally making him a central character and revealing a fascinating, previously unexplored part of his life. While the argument that there wasn’t enough Maul in Star Wars has faded, this story might bring it back into the conversation.

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2025-12-03 03:29