Can you feel it? A Disturbance in the Force…

When speaking of the new Star Wars Animated series at a recent fan event at LucasFilm HQ in San Francisco, LucasFilm Co President Dave Filoni was honest about his drive to push the envelope for what the studio was capable of back during the early development of the series. Accompanied by the studio’s Vice President of Animation Production Athena Portillo was reminded of a conversation between the two regarding Filioni’s desires for the series.

Portillo recalling Filoni’s words to her said:

“Filoni remember the conversation we had before starting this show? You said, ‘I want to elevate everything in this show. I want to elevate the body mechanic animation, the facial performances, cloth sim, the hair sim, effects sim, the matte paintings, all of that.’ And you know what he goes? ‘Figure it out.’”

The crowd and the panelists on stage then erupt in laughter as Filoni looks up from under his signature (now canon thanks to his character Trapper Wolf) cowboy hat and says:

“…It’s just what George would do for me. George would challenge me, you know, it was never ‘This is just good enough.’

Filoni brought up his work with George Lucas more than once, citing the creative process Lucas and Filoni had during the creation of The Clone Wars. Referring to him not being present in person for some of the production, Filoni said,

“...and I felt we could do more.”

Star Wars fans I am so incredibly happy to tell you that LucasFilm Animation did do more. In fact the team that’s given us Maul Shadow Lord has done more than more. After watching the first two episodes, this show is without question firing on all cylinders. The Star Wars animated series are at their best when both the story and the medium are, much like the hope of a Jedi’s use of the Force, balanced. Now although Maul himself is lightyears away from being balanced the show's artistic, rugged beauty is running in tandem with the story of where we find Maul in this point in the saga. Maul is hell bent on reclaiming his place as leader of the underworld factions while yet again looking to take a force user with potential to give into their own dark side under his wing. The new supposed heir apparent, Devon Izara, a force wielding Twi-Lek, struggles with their inner temptations and falls quickly into Maul’s clutches. Although we don’t learn too much of Devon’s backstory within these two episodes, her perspective is brilliantly displayed through both the voice acting of Gideon Adlon and the incredible score of the Kiner’s.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible work of the man behind the infamous voice of Maul, but also series Consulting Producer, Sam Witwer. Fans online are constantly clamoring for Witwer to have more creative input on modern Star Wars due to his wealth of not only Star Wars knowledge but his narrative wisdom and Shadow Lord is his official first credited position of the sort. When it comes to recalling a Star Wars fact or explaining the lore behind a moment in the Saga, much like the archives of Jocastu Nu, if it does not appear in Witwer’s (mental) records then there is a chance it simply does not exist. On stage at the Maul Shadow Lord Fan Event Q and A, Witwer described this series as having The highest of high notes in what we’ve seen of Maul’s story so far, and from just these first two episodes it appears he is speaking the truth. Witwer’s performance as Maul is without a doubt one of the best in the saga but somehow he has upped the ante, giving us potentially the most sinister and simultaneously calculated version of Maul we’ve seen on screen.

The first two episodes also show the first appearance of characters like the droid Two-Boots, Brander Lawson, the Zabraks Scorn and Icarus, as well as a pair of new crime bosses.For me however the newdroid spybot stole the show, of course mainly in part to the incredible voice acting of living Star Wars Legend David W. Collins who fans will remember as the killer companion droid Proxy to Sam Witwer’s Starkiller in Star Wars the Force Unleashed. Spybot’s almost looney tunes-esque persona is such fitting comedic relief to the mature nature of this series.

In just fifty five minutes, this show shoots you out of a canon into one of the more grounded stories we’ve seen in Star Wars since Andor. These first two episodes point to this series being nothing short of a buffet for not only the ears but for the eyes of anyone watching. In the Star Wars fandom sometimes you’ll hear someone say they don’t watch the animated shows due to them being cartoons for kids, and yes I do believe like many others that Star Wars is always rooted in stories aimed at teaching the youth right from wrong, BUT, Maul Shadow Lord is doing so in the most mature way we have ever received from LucasFilm Animation.

Maul Shadow Lord has the potential to be the best animated project LucasFilm has ever done. With every fiber of my being I implore you to give these episodes a watch. Watch the episodes on the biggest screen you can, as loud as you can, because much like the shows’ use of mediums like paintings, model making, digital design and more, these first two episodes prove this series is pure art.The team at LucasFilm animation did not only shoot for the moon they succeeded in hitching a light speed ride on a purrgil and entering a new galaxy of monstrous animated magic.

Next Monday can not come soon enough.

- Will Diamond III