Perspectives on Anakin Skywalker may change after watching Star Wars' latest TV show. Earlier in 2026, Lucasfilm Animation released Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, a gritty new animated crime series focusing on the famous Sith Lord Darth Maul from The Phantom Menace. In the series, set after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Maul has been ousted from the Sith and is working on regaining his criminal empire, but his relationship with the young Padawan, Devon Izala, has some similarities (and stark differences) to Anakin Skywalker's with his own apprentice, Ahsoka Tano.
When Devon and Maul first meet, the former is under the mentorship of the Jedi Master, Eeko-Dio Daki, and both are on the run, living in poverty, due to Order 66. Maul immediately sees a potential opportunity in Devon, but his approach to making her his apprentice is far more sinister than the typical Master and Padawan relationship.
After Devon escapes from imprisonment in Maul's hideout, she is followed by the former Sith Lord, who attempts to manipulate her by pointing out their similarities:
Maul: "We do what we must to survive. Perhaps in the days since the Jedi fell, you can relate."
Devon: "I know what you're doing, we're nothing alike."
Maul: "Are we not? You were part of an order poised to serve the Republic. You don't realize the fragility of these institutions until they're ripped away. I felt certain of my destiny once as well, but that was before my master cast me aside. I had to find my own way..."
Devon still opposes Maul, stealing one of his lightsabers, and the two clash in the darkness. Maul attempts to get further into Devon's mind by forcing out into the open many of the questions she's been harboring internally:
Maul: "You crave that unfulfilled destiny. Your frustration betrays you, but I see your potential... I offer not only to train you to reach your potential, but also because I need your help to fight our common enemy..."
When Devon continues to refuse his offer, Maul doubles down on the manipulation and insults the young Jedi:
Maul: "You have no purpose, no hope. Your future was robbed from you, yet you sit idle. You are one of the few Jedi who survived; now you squander that gift."
While Devon escapes Maul's grasp after their first meeting, the conniving Sith Lord has succeeded in planting the seeds of doubt. Later in the Maul - Shadow Lord, Master Daki and Devon are forced to team up with Maul to escape the Inquisitors. The trio also finds itself facing none other than Darth Vader himself, where Maul enacts his ultimate manipulation.
While the two Jedi and the former Sith Lord team up to face Darth Sidious' new apprentice, Maul sees a moment of opportunity to turn Devon by ridding her of her anchor to the Jedi: Master Daki. Maul abandons Daki, knowing he cannot fight Vader alone, leading the Sith Lord to kill Devon's Master.
This effectively fills Devon with rage, making her susceptible to the Dark Side, and this is where Maul finally manages to make her his apprentice.
What Maul - Shadow Lord makes abundantly clear about Devon and Maul's relationship is just how toxic it is in comparison to Anakin Skywalker's role as a mentor in the Jedi Order.
Maul - Shadow Lord Paints Anakin Skywalker in a Better Light
Maul - Shadow Lord presents an interesting moral quandary with its portrayal of Maul and Devon, and in contrast, it shows Anakin Skywalker's relationship with his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, in a better light.
Before he was Darth Vader, Anakin was the hero of the Jedi Order, long considered by some to be the Chosen One to bring balance to the Force. Initially a strong and positive force within the Jedi Order, the animated The Clone Wars series depicted Anakin in his years as a Jedi Master, mentoring a sprightly young Padawan, Ahsoka.
The two shared sibling-like energy in their Master-Padawan relationship and were somewhat mirrors of each other, each being bold, headstrong, and incredibly competent. While Anakin eventually turns to the Dark Side, he never exerted any of this influence over Ahsoka, allowing her to overcome her own challenges and form her own opinions about the Jedi and their teachings.
The contrast between how Maul mentors Devon and how Anakin mentored Ahsoka is like night and day after watching Maul - Shadow Lord, and it proves that, while Anakin ended up becoming one of the forces of evil in Star Wars, he truly started from a place of good, and that's who he was while mentoring Ahsoka.
Maul - Shadow Lord allows a glimpse of this old Anakin to be seen. During Darth Vader's duel with Devon and Maul in the season finale, Vader hesitates for a slight moment after looking at Devon's face, which allows him to be overpowered by the duo. It's possible that at that moment, Vader's psychological armor was cracked, and he saw a reminder of his own apprentice, Ahsoka, in Devon, which caused him to hesitate in his mission to kill her.
Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship, while not depicted on-screen in the Prequel Trilogy, was one of the Jedi's closest bonds during his time within the Jedi Order. It's something that has endured in Star Wars canon today, with Hayden Christensen reprising his live-action role as Anakin in Ahsoka.
While most will remember that Anakin Skywalker was the Jedi who was corrupted by the Sith and became Darth Vader, Maul - Shadow Lord is a reminder that Anakin was never truly as sinister as someone like Maul, and he still managed to be a genuinely good influence and mentor to his apprentice.
