2026's Maul – Shadow Lord will follow the same story arc of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with reversed roles and on the opposite side of the morality spectrum. Fans are gearing up for the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu in theaters, but many also can't wait to see Maul – Shadow Lord, Lucasfilm's upcoming animated series premiering on Disney+. The show will bridge the gap between Maul's appearances in The Clone Wars and Solo: A Star Wars Story and introduce a brand-new main character to the Star Wars universe.
Based on the official teaser that was released for Dave Filoni's Maul – Shadow Lord, as well as the series' synopsis, it was revealed that the upcoming villain show will focus heavily on Maul post-The Clone Wars and showcase him on the run from the Empire.
However, at its core, it seems as though the story will mainly flesh out the relationship between Maul and a new Force-sensitive character named Devon Izara, whom Maul is trying to make his apprentice.
The trailer teased that Devon, who many believe will turn into Darth Talon, will start out as a survivor of Order 66, meaning she would have been training as a Jedi during the Clone Wars. However, Maul is apparently trying to coax her into joining the Dark Side, or at least trying to get her to move more toward the middle of the Jedi/Sith (or good/evil) spectrum.
Maul – Shadow Lord focusing on Maul and Devon is a direct parallel to The Clone Wars but in a reversed manner. Essentially, Shadow Lord will focus on Maul and Devon's relationship, and Maul trying to be a mentor to Devon, just as The Clone Wars was centered around Anakin and Ahsoka's relationship.
At its core, The Clone Wars was very much Ahsoka's story. Anakin played a major role in the series and in Ahsoka's life, but the show's main journey was Ahsoka's. Most of the animated series' episodes simply explored the dynamic between Anakin and Ahsoka, and Ahsoka's path to becoming a Jedi, and then leaving the Jedi Order.
Shadow Lord already seems like it will mirror The Clone Wars in having Maul try to convince Devon to be his apprentice, but it is possible that the upcoming title could display even more similarities between Ahsoka and Devon.
Devon's Maul – Shadow Lord Story Could Mirror Ahsoka's Clone Wars Journey
The Clone Wars showcased Ahsoka training with Anakin for many years. Just when it seemed as though she was ready to take the next step and move up in the ranks of the Jedi Order, she was framed and cast out by the Jedi. Even though they decided to bring her back in, Ahsoka stayed away and denounced the Jedi.
It is possible that Devon could have an extremely similar arc in Maul – Shadow Lord. Lucasfilm has not confirmed whether the show was planned to have multiple seasons, but, like The Bad Batch and The Clone Wars, it will likely have at least a few (two or three seem most likely).
If that is the case, Devon's character arc could get fleshed out over time, just as Ahsoka's did. Perhaps Season 1 of the Clone Wars sequel will consist of Maul relentlessly trying to convince Devon to join him, and she finally gives in sometime during the season finale (or near the end of the installment).
Then, maybe Devon will be trained by Maul in Season 2 and fully start to go down the dark path before Season 3 showcases some kind of falling out between the two, leading to Devon going off on her own.
If that were to happen, it would be a perfect mirror of Ahsoka's character arc from The Clone Wars, and it would still make perfect sense. Maul does not mention Devon in Solo or Star Wars Rebels, and she never appears in Star Wars canon, so something must have happened between the two for them to be separated.
Also, since Maul never even speaks of Devon, their split will likely be a rather nasty one. What could bring about their separation is difficult to theorize, but maybe Devon becomes too dark for Maul's liking or eventually tries to turn on him.
