Though you could probably watch Maul – Shadow Lord without having seen any other Star Wars animated show, there is some really significant context you’d be missing if you haven’t seen The Clone Wars. But the most referenced storyline actually didn’t even take place in that prior animated series, instead being told in a comic mini-series, Son of Dathomir.
Here’s what happened: The Clone Wars was cancelled by Cartoon Network after five seasons, and lots of story arcs were already in various stages of development. Those that had already been mostly made were released as a sixth season on Netflix, but that appeared to be it for the show. Some of the unfinished story arcs were then told in other formats, and that was the case with Son of Dathomir, a planned arc all about Maul. It’s a really important story, and became all the more so after Disney allowed Dave Filoni to bring back one final season of The Clone Wars, ending it with the Siege of Mandalore, as it was always supposed to. When that released, this four-part comic actually became essential to the story.
When last we saw Maul in season five, he was defeated by Darth Sidious and taken captive. When we meet him in season seven, he’s running around in the criminal underworld, making his throne on Mandalore. What happened in-between? That’s what Son of Dathomir tells – and it’s a major influence on Shadow Lord. So here’s the summary version of the story, and what you need to know about it.
Near the end of season five of The Clone Wars, Maul had amassed an alliance of criminal syndicates known as the Shadow Collective, but Darth Sidious came to put an end to it. Sidious killed Maul’s brother, Savage Oppress, and took Maul captive. That’s where Son of Dathomir picks up. Maul is imprisoned on Stygeon Prime, where he is questioned and taunted by Sidious and Count Dooku. Sidious has a plan for Maul’s imprisonment – keep him alive long enough to draw out Mother Talzin, leader of the Nightsisters.
Talzin, it turns out, is Maul’s mother. She and Sidious had a ‘friendship’ long ago, where they joined the dark side and the Nightsister magick, but Sidious then took her son to be his apprentice. He views her as a threat and wants to lure her out to kill her once and for all.
Meanwhile, the Mandalorians of Death Watch, led by Rook Kast, break into the facility on Stygeon Prime and rescue Maul, fleeing to Zanbar to ally with what remains of the Shadow Collective. The Hutts have abandoned it, but the Pykes and Black Sun remain loyal… for now. General Grievous attacks the planet and engages Maul in a lightsaber duel, but Maul once again escapes – this time, heading to Ord Mantell. Grievous and Dooku pursue him there, with Dooku heading to the planet to find Talzin. Unbeknownst to him, Talzin suspects this and sends a Nightbrother force but doesn’t show up herself. Maul surprises Grievous and captures the droid general and his command ship, while Maul’s forces overwhelm Dooku and capture him.
He speaks with Sidious via hologram, telling his former master that he has Dooku and Grievious captured. Sidious gives Maul permission to kill them, but warns: “Tread lightly, Maul. Revenge is a dangerous game… one you never seem to win.” While Grievous is put in a cell, Maul – and Mother Talzin – try to reason with Dooku. Talzin points to Maul, a former apprentice discarded by Sidious, and tells Dooku that will be his future too. Though the Count is unpersuaded, he is forced to team up with Maul when a Jedi strike force attacks, led by masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, and Tiplee. Dooku kills Tiplee, and together he and Maul escape, heading to Dathomir. This confrontation leads the Jedi to suspect Maul and Dooku actually are working together, and that perhaps this is the secret to the Sith they’ve long wondered: perhaps Dooku and Maul are the two Sith, a theory they run by Chancellor Palpatine.
On Dathomir, Talzin uses her magick to drain the life force from Dooku. She had sacrificed much of her physical form to resurrect Maul, but drawing Dooku’s life force allows her to regain her physical form. The Separatists attack, led by Grievous and Sidious. Sidious fights against Talzin, who orders Maul to leave. He is reluctantly dragged away, forced to watch as Grievous kills Talzin once and for all. With his grand plan of killing Talzin accomplished, Sidious no longer views Maul as a threat.
And, with Maul occupied with the fight on Dathomir, he is unavailable to help his allies of the Shadow Collective fend off Separatist attacks. The series of defeats and attacks in rapid fashion cause Black Sun and the Pykes to end their partnership with Maul, leaving his collective in tatters.
There are many ways in which this storyline influences Shadow Lord. It explains what happened to the Shadow Collective, and why Maul is so bent on revenge. It explains what happened to Mother Talzin, something Maul hints at but doesn’t unpack. It explains the deep alliance Maul has with Rook Kast and the Mandalorians. And it gives plenty of context for Maul’s story up to this point.
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