Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord on Disney+ established the premise quickly with its first batch of episodes, diving headfirst into the beginning of Maul’s vengeful journey, starting with Nico Deemis’s death and Looti Vario’s imprisonment. With the first phase of his plan completed successfully, episodes 3 and 4 see the next phase of his plan, which entails gaining control of the whole underworld scene on Janix.

Maul also proceeds with his other interest, which is to turn Devon Izara to the dark side. With each passing episode, Maul’s interest in having Devon as her apprentice grows more and more. However, the Jedi Padawan has managed to deflect any manipulations Maul throws her way.

Will Maul succeed in his efforts to pull Devon into the dark world, and will he be able to complete phase two of his revenge? Let us find out.

Episode 3, titled Whispers in the Unknown, starts right after Devon’s escape from the prison cell, only to find Maul’s associates, led by Rook Kast, pointing their guns at her. They subtly point her to a dark room where Maul is already waiting for her. Maul appears to be calm about the situation, preparing tea for her. Devon is obviously confused by his behavior, but then she also knows what he is trying to do. When Maul asks her name, she refuses to answer, making it clear that she is not buying any idea Maul is trying to sell her.

Throughout their conversation, Maul tries his best to equate her tragedies to his own, insinuating that he is not some villain she thinks of, but rather they are more alike in some aspects. Devon could not take it any more and used her Force to summon Maul’s lightsaber. In response, Maul uses his Force to switch off all the lights, and through the dark, he continues to sow the seeds of evil in Devon’s mind.

Devon tries to find a way out as he continues to talk to her, but he persists in trying to get inside her thoughts. Devon ignores him, but Maul keeps taunting her and even encourages her to murder him. This may be her opportunity because the Jedi have always attempted to kill him but were unsuccessful. However, it is clear at this point that Maul wants her to unleash her fury. Naturally, it is how the dark side operates. Devon might come closer to becoming his apprentice if she is persuaded to tilt toward that side.

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The fight gets interrupted to continue with Brander Lawson’s storyline and the investigation he is leading against Maul.

The scene cuts away from their fight to the police headquarters. Lawson and Two Boots eventually devise a strategy to perhaps locate Maul. However, Two Boots reminds Lawson that his son Rylee has a sporting event today. Lawson has been putting his career ahead of his connection with his son lately, as we witnessed in episode 2. Two Boots offers to conduct the investigation on his behalf, giving him a chance to attend Rylee's game. Two Boots eventually discovered that Maul is genuinely related to the Pykes. He goes to a port with another police officer in hopes of obtaining some intelligence.

Two Boots eventually engages in a shootout with the Pykes, and then Rook and some others from Maul’s crew ambush them, but Two Boots manages to survive the attack. Rook and others escape, and Lawson, who was at his son’s match, reaches the scene to find a dilapidated Two Boots. The droid informs him of the situation and is adamant about informing The Empire about the whole matter. Lawson had to order him to stand down on that matter after Two Boots revealed that his ex-wife works for The Empire.

Earlier in the game, Lawson meets Master Daki, who came there to talk to him about Devon. He never mentions her name and all that time refers to her as his niece, who was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Lawson is not sure if he can trust a stranger and refuses to engage with him any further.

The scene shifts to Maul’s hideout, where Rook forces Vario to contact the leader of the Pykes, Marg Krim. The scheme here is to convince Krim that Vario is willing to repay all the damages the Pykes have incurred in the attacks in the last episode, and through Vario get into the Pyke headquarters and kill Krim. The ploy works, and Vario gets a meeting with Krim on his turf.

The focus then shifted back to Maul and Devon’s fight. Maul succeeds in inciting anger in Devon, who then goes on to fight Maul ferociously. She manages to push past him and makes a break for it. Maul simply summons his lightsaber back and lets her go before calling her by her name. This comes to her as a surprise, as she was under the impression that he did not know her name.

The episode ends here, and the fate of Marg Krim and Maul’s aspirations to get Devon to join him will unfold further in the next episode.

The action moves straight to the Pyke Syndicate in Episode 4, titled Pride and Vengeance. Vario takes a plane to Oba Diah, a Pyke planet. Maul leaps out and murders a number of Krim's guards as they inspect the ship. Vario, as per his nature, betrays Maul and stuns him with his weapon. But plot twist, it is not Maul that he attacks. One of Maul's crew members, who appears to be a Dathomiri, is stunned by Vario.

This impostor-Maul is brought before Krim's throne by the guards. However, the actual Maul then enters. He instantly kills Marg Krim with his own saber using the Force. After some brief resistance, the surviving Pykes surrender to Maul. One of Krim's own guards is then placed in command by Maul, who makes it apparent that the guard now reports to him.

Devon and her Master Daki reunite on Janix. Daki hands Devon her lightsaber, and she is delighted to know that her Master kept it safe all along. She manages to convince Daki to go after Maul to stop him from harming innocent life on the Planet. Although reluctant at first, Daki agrees and sends the location of Maul's hideout to Lawson under the familiar name Uncle Daki.

Lawson is under more pressure now since Two Boots went over his head to contact The Empire, but was apprehended by his superior. Lawson swiftly takes action as soon as he gets the location. However, in order to keep it all a secret from The Empire, he had to switch Two Boots off to keep him from contacting them.

As Lawson looks for Maul, Devon and Daki make their move to confront Maul.

Lawson finds Looti Vario at the hideout, who has a message from Maul. An offer is made by the former Sith Lord through a hologram message. If the police do not meddle in his affairs, he will not bother the residents of Janix. Lawson, who is a man of honor, declines this offer and orders him to surrender. The cops and Maul's group begin a gunfight.

Devon and Daki enter the battle as well. Maul and the Jedi Master and Padawan engage in direct combat. Throughout the battle, Maul mentions the flaws of his Jedi ways and that the path they chose has brought them to extinction. Although he was speaking to Daki, his words were actually directed towards Devon. The bout comes to a draw, and Maul, along with his crew, manages to flee.

Lawson finds out that Devon and Daki are actually Jedis and still lets them go. Two Boots finally informs The Empire of the situation, who are seen arriving on the planet with a Star Destroyer. The episode ends, and now The Empire is involved in the chaos. The next episodes will reveal how Janix and Maul survive The Empire’s arrival, or would they?

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Do you think The Empire can actually help Janix against Maul? Share your thoughts in the comments.