Though it comes early in the season, and there are other phenomenal episodes, “Whispers in the Unknown” shows why Maul: Shadow Lord is a story worth telling.
I’ve had the opportunity to check out eight of Maul: Shadow Lord‘s 10 episode first season, and can confirm things only get better after this past week’s dual episodes. But after a couple re-watches I feel confident in saying episode three, “Whispers in the Unknown” remains among my favorite episodes of the whole thing.
While it might be a bit slower—doing more to set the stage for what comes next—but Maul and Devon’s interactions end up being among the most pivotal moments of the whole series. It’s a defining episode that not only justifies the story’s existence, but dynamically showcases Maul’s ever-evolving character.
It’s crucial for a couple main reasons. In terms of the story, this is where Maul very clearly lays out the path to getting Devon on his side. From the debut episode, we know a major reason he’s on Janix is due to him following a vision. A calling, as it were, to find a new apprentice who will ultimately help him take on Darth Sidious and rid the galaxy of the Sith.
He’s set his sights on Devon. After rescuing—kidnapping—her from police custody is intent on convincing her to join him. This encounter, following his cajoling to free herself, is all about getting the ball rolling on that.
Beyond the story reasoning, this scene offers audiences insight into Maul’s current mindset and tactics. It’s clear he doesn’t expect to win Devon over immediately (perhaps a lesson he learned from his overbearing attempts with Ahsoka on Mandalore) and is willing to play the long game…at least for now. This shows his willingness to take a more deliberate, methodical approach to his goals.
This is a key reason why Shadow Lord feels like such a necessary tale, and not the basic action-filled, bad-ass for the sake of it, series it easily could have been. We generally know Maul’s story, including how it ends and his line of thinking at that stage in his life. Even with the big gaps between his appearances, one could reasonably connect the dots to see how his story unfolds.
From the tea ceremony onward, it’s made abundantly clear this is a version of Maul we haven’t seen before. While his goals largely seem to be the same as what we’ve come to expect—revenge—the difference in his approach makes the story far more engaging.
Maul wants to expand beyond himself. To be something more than what Palpatine/Sidious intended. His trauma at the hands of his former master are still very apparent, and influence his actions even now. He’s beginning to see a better path, wants to do more, but has is still figuring out how. This tea ceremony is him working towards that end, knowing that the traditional Sith methods, passed on to him from Palpatine, won’t be effective in swaying Devon. A more subtle approach is needed.
This is difficult, however, as Maul was only ever taught to be a weapon. Despite his obvious intelligence he was used only for his rage and wrath. Sharpened to be a spear and nothing more. We see how he’s working to break from that mold, however, as he offers Devon tea with nothing more than conversation in mind. He wants his words, and wit, to be the first line of approach with Devon, rather than the physical action he’s more accustomed to (as we saw during The Clone Wars).
One of my favorite quotes happens during this early moment, when Maul tells Devon, “I can tell that you are settled on who you believe I am. Would you like me to be that person? I am capable.” It’s not meant to be a threat so much as a straightforward statement. He’s letting her know he’s sincere in his desire to do things differently, while acknowledging his violent history.
For Devon, this is a particularly effective tactic. Raised within the Jedi temple, her view of the Dark Side has been mostly singular. She’s expecting a boogeyman, a manipulator above all. Yoda’s words in Attack of the Clones makes the Jedi Order mindset clear on this: “Joined the Dark Side Dooku has. Lies, deceit, creating mistrust are his ways now.” As such, everything she’s seeing in Maul throws her for a loop. Although she remains wary, she’s not immediately closed off to his words either.
Even as things shift, and the tea conversation shifts to a physical confrontation, we’re still seeing a more restrained Maul. From the very start of the encounter, it’s clear Maul is in total control of the situation. The way he embodies the “terrifying killer” role Devon expects, while holding back and prodding her intellectually instead shows a deft level of skill and forethought.
When the confrontation moves into clashing blades, he retains this poise, poking at Devon both mentally and physically in order to open Devon’s mind. The result is not merely that she’s listening to his words, but absorbing them, recognizing how they—in certain regards—mimic her own thoughts/feelings. In this way she’s already learning from Maul without realizing the instruction that’s taking place.
A small moment I loved during their duel is when Maul tries the same leg sweep technique he performs earlier in the fight. Instead of being taken down again, however, Devon flips over the strike and uses the momentum to take the advantage; which ultimately allows her to “escape.” It’s a subtle thing, but highlights the way Maul is already training Devon; in a manner of speaking.
This isn’t the first (or last) time Maul has sought out an apprentice, but this is definitely the first time we’ve seen him embrace being a teacher. It’s not about exerting power and control over another, as he did in The Clone Wars, but developing a real student/instructor relationship; prepping a successor rather than just an accomplice.
What’s more fascinating, is how this kind of story is being told through the lens of the darker perspective. Maul is certainly changing his approach to things, but there’s no denying he’s still very much on the Dark Side. His motives aren’t altruistic, nor selflessly guided. He isn’t interested in being the “good guy” or necessarily switching sides. In his own twisted way, he wants to break the Sith cycle of abuse even as he continues to embrace the tenets of the Dark Side. Perhaps it’s this inability to fully shift his own perspective that ultimately dooms him to failure…
Regardless, it makes for some compelling storytelling and character moments that give Star Wars fans something new to chew on. Master and apprentice stories aren’t new in the galaxy far, far away (nor are stories about people being lured to the Dark Side), but Shadow Lord flips those tropes around. The result is uniquely compelling.
This is a big reason why “Whispers in the Unknown” stands out, even as later episodes continue to step things up in other ways. Not only does it set the stage for story points down the road, but expertly showcases why Maul remains such an engaging character. The character work and masterful visual storytelling hammers home the fact there’s something new to explore, even relate to, when it comes to Maul.
