As time passes and a new batch of episodes keeps rolling out on Disney+, Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord just gets more captivating and thoroughly entertaining. With Episodes 7 and 8, the series just went beyond a story about Maul's vengeance; it is now taking the shape of a quiet war against The Empire. The stakes for Maul have become even more drastic with the introduction of the Eleventh Brother in the mix, which looks like an impending doom for Maul and his group.

However, the freshly released batch of episodes did more than just increase the stakes for Maul; it conveyed why Maul was chosen to helm his own series. In these two episodes, we get to see Maul’s pain, vulnerabilities, and motivations that ultimately fuel his hatred for Darth Sidious. It was more than just betrayal that led Maul down to an obsessively self-destroying path of revenge - a reveal that adds several layers to Maul’s character.

Anyhow, the episodes give equal importance to the rest of the cast and their journey, which has become increasingly bothersome with The Empire’s interference.

Episode 7, titled Call to Oblivion opens with an expectedly somber sight. With Maul and the Jedis running around in the shadows, The Empire has put almost the whole of Janix under a curfew. The Empire's hold on Janix is becoming excessively firm, which is what Lawson feared all along. Nevertheless, Maul is currently carefully watching how his gamble plays out after saving Devon and Rylee from the inquisitor. Although he says he has a ship that can sail off-world, his motivations are still cunning.

However, he puts some faith into Devon by sharing about his former master and his betrayal. Still, Devon is not fully sold on his good guy act and cautions Rylee not to trust a word that comes out of his mouth. To get out alive, they must tread carefully since they know that, although if Maul is currently assisting them, he will eventually turn against them.

Following the raid, Rheena Sul has gone dark on Lawson, leaving him and Daki without a means of transportation. In an attempt to get back together with the kids, they set off for a new meeting spot. Lawson delves into an incident from the past throughout the journey. He told Daki that he once met a Jedi and that he never believed the Imperial propaganda that called them traitors. The connection between the detective and the Master Jedi is strengthened by Daki's profound appreciation of Lawson's faith in the Jedi.

When they arrived at Maul's hideout, Devon's speculations became reality, and she was proven right. Maul never intended to let them go. Devon and Rylee make a last-ditch effort to escape after realizing they are being held just to be taken away from the planet. Sabers are drawn when Maul's patience finally gives out, but the combat is interrupted when the Empire breaks into the lair.

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Devon is compelled to reluctantly fight side by side with Maul once again in order to get rid of the stormtroopers, as their escape path is cut off. Amidst all the chaos, Rylee is taken prisoner by flanking troopers. Devon chases after them, but it is too late, and Rylee is now in The Empire's custody.

The scene just briefly shifts to the Janix Police Headquarters, where Morrock is seen greeting a new Inquisitor, The Eleventh Brother/ The Crow, sent by the Empire. Without a dialogue or even a shred of interaction between them, the scene immediately cuts away to the train tunnels, where Lawson and Daki are still in search of the kids. They are met with a breathless Devon, who came running with the news of Rylee’s capture.

This gets Lawson worried out of his mind, and he alone rushes to rescue his son. Devon expresses her desire to assist him, but Daki is a bit skeptical about their involvement. According to him, they will only complicate the matter further. But the situation is already messed up as it is, and Daki also gives in to Devon and Lawson’s requests.

A captured Rylee turns to Two-Boots for assistance at the precinct. The droid is shocked to see Rylee in handcuffs and enquires about the reason. The way he chides Rylee for breaking the law just goes on to show his familial bond with the Lawsons. However, this also becomes the reason why he is torn between his allegiance to Lawson and his ingrained Imperial procedures. He wants to assist, but there is increasing danger to his own life.

In the meantime, Maul's own gang members are experiencing discontent. Some of the Mandalorians in Maul's crew are about to revolt after being forced to abandon their payments in order to escape the Inquisitors. Now, Maul and Rook Kast have to look out for the enemy outside and within their own little organization. Maul's escape is once again foiled by The Empire, and this time, both Inquisitors arrive on the scene to finish Maul once and for all. When Maul is cornered by Marrok and The Crow, the episode sets itself up for an explosive climax.

Maul lures the Inquisitors away from his crew, who are busy fighting off the Stormtroopers. Fighting two Inquisitors at once while Maul's mechanical limb starts to fail already seems to be a lost battle, even for a warrior of Maul's level. While Maul is struggling in his fight, his crew gets betrayed by the revolting Mandalorians who try to steal the ship and escape from Janix on their own. But they are instantly met with Karma, and get taken down by an enemy ship.

He was overwhelmed by the Inquisitors, so much so that he could not even save one of his brothers from being killed by them in front of his own eyes. Maul falls to his knees in a last-ditch surrender. But the Inquisitors are in no mood to spare his life, citing that the Emperor wants him dead. In response, Maul growls, "Likewise!" and uses the Force to bring down the entire cave ceiling. The episode ends there, and the viewers are left in suspense over the fate of Maul and his crew.

While the episode gives a high dose of seamlessly choreographed action with very cool visuals for an animated series, the suspense at the climax is what builds more anticipation for the next episode.

Episode 8, titled The Creeping Fear, starts where the previous episode ended - in the cave. Taking advantage of the rouble between them, Maul escapes in the opposite direction, making a break for the waterfall and dives straight into the water channel on the bottom. He ignites his saber as he descends toward a bridge below, spiraling quickly and cutting through the structure to make room for himself.

Maul has vanished, but the Inquisitors rise from the debris, and they are really not happy with Maul slipping away once more. He survives the fall, but is in a terrible, terrible shape - his mechanical leg is busted and is constantly giving him a hard time walking. He is totally cut off from his team, his brother is dead, and he has serious injuries - not exactly how he wanted his vengeance campaign to go.

But on the bright side, he is alive and so are his crewmates who have been lying in wait for their master to show up despite Looti Varios pessimistic comments about the possibility of his death. Rook Kast - the most loyal of the bunch - keeps everyone’s hopes up and is confident that Maul will return.

Lt. Blake throws Rylee into an interrogation room with The Crow at the police headquarters, with a piece of warning that really leaves you terrified for the kid. On the other hand, Lawson can no longer afford to wait, but he is frantic, hoping Two-Boots would answer his distress call. But instead of Two-Boots, Rheena calls. After the raid, she was forced to go dark, but she has found an off-world transit.

Lawson is now faced with an unrealistic deadline: two hours, and then the ship leaves without them. He has to save Rylee and get to the transport before the window shuts. Lawson makes one final plea to Two-Boots, asking the droid to swap Rylee for him. A risky gamble, but Lawson is desperate and just wants his son out of The Empire's clutches. He knows what they are capable of and what they did to Chief Klyce. He does not wish Rylee to suffer the same fate as her.

Two-Boots finally decides to help Lawson and takes Rylee out of his cell. He overcomes multiple stormtroopers on the way and has now implicated himself with the Lawsons. The droid's destiny is sealed now, and he chooses to accompany the fugitives on their escape instead of taking Lawson prisoner. The station alarms sound as Rylee and Lawson reconcile.

Devon arrives just in the nick of time as Imperial soldiers were about to capture the rest of the renegades. She rushes into the situation and clears a passage after clearing out three big guys to secure an escape vehicle. A gunship that is pursuing them threatens to put an end to their flight before it even starts. But Daki uses the Force to take down the troopers behind them and take down the gunship in one swift move.

The way this series sets up and executes its chase sequences is really commendable. The fast-paced pursuit along the complex routes of Janix really makes for some edge-of-the-seat moments. From the thrill of the chase, we are transported straight to a broken Maul - both physically and mentally. He has been having visions of the past - a history of betrayals has left his psyche in shambles.

He sees a reflection of his younger self pleading for pardon for the decisions that brought him to this point in a heartbreaking moment of vulnerability. He is left in despair after revisiting his own tragic past, providing a unique window into his soul. The flashbacks really help humanize Maul's character even more and subtly argue that he was not born a monster. However, his suffering becomes a source of motivation, and he swears he will not allow the Empire to harm anybody else.

Rekindled by retribution, he returns to Rook and his devoted group. Elsewhere, Lawson and co. are heading to the meeting point. They are in a lift when Devon senses something wrong. Her intuitions are backed by Daki, who tells Lawson that something is off about this meeting and that it could be a trap.

Lawson finds this impossible as he and Rheena go way back, and she would never do something like this to him.

However, upon calling her to confirm, he finds a slight shift in her tone and instantly realizes that she has been compromised. The doors of an elevator open to reveal an empty car while the Inquisitors wait at the bottom for the group to descend. Taking advantage of their surprise, Rheena attacks, causing a huge explosion to conceal their retreat. Maul, Rook, and Vario seek refuge in Deemis's former office, thinking that it would be the last place The Empire would look.

Vario receives a transmission while they are regrouping. It is an invitation from a high-ranking member of Crimson Dawn, which opens up a new avenue for Maul to increase his influence further in the underground. It would be an understatement to call these episodes just engrossing and entertaining, as they go way beyond for the story and Maul’s character. We see a drastic change in his attitude towards Devon compared to the last episodes, growing impatient with her consistent fight-backs.

On the other hand, Devon might be becoming less and less anti-Maul as she has already seen his kindness, and now she also knows about his tragedies. To spice it all up, there is The Empire closing in on them by the minute, making things even more interesting for the final batch of episodes.

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How do you think the first season of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord will end? Share your thoughts in the comments.