NINETOES VS MAUL: SHADOW LORD EP103 & 104

You’ll have to excuse Ninetoes, he got lost in the animation of MAUL: SHADOW LORD on Disney+. Are you there, Ninetoes? Ummm…Ninetoes?

As Maul’s plans come together, Devon considers her options. (Episode 3)

A confrontation between Lawson and Maul threatens everyone. (Episode 4)

Directed by Steward Lee

Written by George Lucas

Starring Sam Witwer, Gideon Adlon, and Dennis Haysbert.

Hey there, television lovers. It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ. Today, I am looking at episodes three and four of Star Wars: Maul: Shadow Lord. I have coffee in my system, and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

First, I wish to address a mistake on my part. I thought the planet that is the setting is Coruscant. It is not. The planet is Janix.

The best way I can sum up this show is that it is The Sopranos in the Star Wars universe, and it is a good thing. We have the mob, the police, and an all-encompassing government in the background.

Like the Sopranos, we have a big boss (Maul), absorbing the smaller bosses’ organizations. We have the police (Lawson) who want to bring Maul in. We have the FBI/Government (The Empire), which wants Maul at all costs. Caught in the middle are Daki (a Jedi master) and Devon (Daki’s padawan), who also want to stop Maul. The police are not equipped to stop Maul. The Jedi can barely contain him. That leaves the Empire…but they have not been called in…yet.

What I love about this show is the fact that it is a crime drama with a fantastic sci-fi/fantasy backdrop. It is dark and gritty to the point that I can almost taste the air. The setting, another city planet, is vast, and the lower you go in the city, the grittier it gets, right down to the sewers.

With the hood up, Daki almost looks like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, so when he goes to the sewers with Devon, my mind did a little happy dance (yes, I am a Turtles fan).

The voice acting in the show is perfection. Sam Witwer as Maul proves a point I have made in movies and shows: evil annunciates. Nine times out of ten, the villain’s diction is perfect, and this is the case with Maul. Everyone is on their “A” game in this show.

The animation is sublime. The colors leap off the screen and come to life. The lightsaber battle at the end of episode 4 is dazzling. I got lost in the movements of the sabers and the way they flowed. There is one scene to watch for, and that is when Maul comes out of the absolute darkness. The shading of his red skin coming to life around the darkness is breathtaking.

Each episode runs around 30 minutes. If you have not started this show, I highly encourage you to get into it!

Until the next time, I bid you happy viewing!

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.