In Review: Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord (S1 – EPs 7 & 8) Call to the Oblivion & The Creeping Fear

Synopsis: Call to the Oblivion & The Creeping Fear, while being hunted by the Empire, Maul is separated from his people when a hastily executed escape plan backfires.

The Story

(Spoiler Warning)

Call to the Oblivion and The Creeping Fear pick the story up from where things left off last week. Maul, Devon, and Rylee have just escaped the Inquisitor, with Maul leading them back to his base. Rylee is far from happy about this and questions Devon’s decision to follow him, but the argument is cut short when Maul makes it clear they are being hunted by the Empire and that staying with him is their only safe option.

Meanwhile, Captain Lawson and Daki are searching for Devon and Rylee, though they clash over how best to proceed. Back at Maul’s hideout, Maul and his group arrive to find Kast and the Mandalorians already packing up. When one soldier attempts to take credits with him, Kast orders him to leave them behind as they need to travel light, with Maul suggesting she deal with the matter more harshly.

At this point, Devon orders Rylee to hide before confronting Maul, leading to another lightsaber duel that quickly draws the Empire’s attention. As the fight escalates, Imperial troops arrive in force, overwhelming Maul’s group. Amid the chaos, the Mandalorian who tried to take the credits, along with two others, steals a ship, leaving Maul and the rest to fend for themselves. Rylee is captured and taken back to the station, while Devon breaks off her fight with Maul and escapes to reunite with Daki and Lawson.

During the battle, one of Maul’s brothers is killed, and almost immediately two Inquisitors descend on him, triggering another intense lightsaber fight. The duel eventually separates Maul from his people, and as the Inquisitors gain the upper hand, he feigns surrender before using the Force to trigger a rockfall, buying himself time to escape.

Badly wounded, with his mechanical leg damaged and the weight of recent events taking its toll, Maul becomes isolated and begins experiencing visions and flashbacks to his early life under Darth Sidious. These moments reveal the brutal training he endured and the murder of his brother at Sidious’s hands.

Elsewhere, Lawson and Daki reunite with Devon and devise a plan to rescue Rylee, who has been interrogated by one of the Inquisitors. Lawson is contacted by an underworld ally who has secured a ship for their escape, but they only have two hours before it departs. Working against the clock, Lawson brings in Two Boots to help, offering himself in exchange for Rylee’s freedom.

The plan unfolds, but Lawson ultimately doesn’t need to surrender, as Two Boots comes to realise the Empire cannot be trusted and instead helps them free Rylee. However, when they attempt to reach their escape ship following a high-speed speeder chase, they discover it is a trap and are forced to retreat.

Elsewhere, a battered Maul reunites with Lady Kast and the remaining members of his group. The episode closes with Looti Vario receiving an encrypted message from Dryden Vos, the leader of Crimson Dawn, requesting a meeting with Maul.

Voice Acting

Sam Witwer is fantastic throughout these episodes, as we get to see a more vulnerable side to Maul during his time in isolation. The moment where he catches his reflection in a puddle and defiantly screams “I hate you!” at himself is particularly striking, underlining just how psychologically fractured he has become.

We also get strong performances from Wagner Moura and Dennis Haysbert as Captain Lawson and Daki. The pair initially clash over how best to rescue Rylee and Devon, but that tension softens once Devon rejoins them. There’s a standout moment where Lawson admits he never bought into the Empire’s propaganda about the Jedi or the justification for Order 66, which adds a nice layer to his character.

Meanwhile, Richard Ayoade brings a fun, offbeat energy to Two Boots, giving the character a childlike innocence and naivety that cuts through the heavier moments of the episode.

Overall

These are two really strong episodes that highlight just how dangerous the Empire is, and how much of a resilient thorn Maul remains in their side. The lightsaber duels and large-scale battle sequences are clear highlights, as is the brilliant speeder chase towards the end of the second episode.

From a more dramatic standpoint, the flashbacks and visions Maul experiences offer genuine insight into just how fractured and traumatised he has become. They underline the emotional core of his character, showing that his relentless quest for vengeance is rooted in everything that’s been taken from him by Darth Sidious, now the Emperor.