Disney’s Highest-Rated Star Wars Series Is The Antithesis Of The Prequel Trilogy

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Disney’s latest Star Wars series has earned the highest audience score on Rotten Tomatoes of any show in the franchise, achieving something the Star Wars prequels struggled with. One of the strengths of Star Wars is its ability to explore diverse themes, moods, and styles with each new story. The prequel trilogy, for example, took a different path than the original films, moving away from a classic hero’s journey and a fight against oppression towards a more complex story focused on politics, psychology, and the realities of war.

The Star Wars prequels have some powerful and moving scenes, like Anakin’s attack on the Tusken Raiders in Attack of the Clones and Palpatine seizing control of the Senate in Revenge of the Sith. However, these strong moments were often weakened by less successful storylines, such as the character of Jar Jar Binks and the strangely awkward romance between Anakin and Padmé. While George Lucas always intended Star Wars to be family-friendly, that doesn’t entirely explain the prequel trilogy’s clear flaws.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I was so relieved when The Clone Wars animated series came along and really fixed a lot of the problems with the prequel movies – or at least made them much better. And now, the new animated show, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, takes everything The Clone Wars did and just pushes it even further in terms of how mature and complex it is. It’s fascinating because Shadow Lord, which focuses on Darth Maul trying to rebuild his criminal empire after things fall apart, actually uses a lot of ideas George Lucas originally had for the sequel trilogy. It really shows he was still willing to take risks and try new things with the Star Wars story!

Maul – Shadow Lord Is So Much Darker Than The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is a particularly dark story within the entire Star Wars universe, even beyond the recent Disney+ era. While other shows like Star Wars Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Andor have examined the impact of the Empire, Shadow Lord is unique in showing the Empire through the eyes of a villain. Though Maul’s dislike of the Empire stems from his personal hatred of Palpatine, he recognizes that the Empire’s power is destructive and threatens to consume the entire galaxy.

However, what truly stands out in Shadow Lord is its exploration of the long-term consequences of Palpatine’s manipulation and abuse – something the Star Wars prequels and original trilogy didn’t fully delve into. In season 1, episode 8, “The Creeping Fear,” Maul experiences a disturbing Force-vision that powerfully portrays his self-hatred and deep trauma. This episode shows how Palpatine physically and emotionally abused Maul, abandoned him after years of loyalty, and ultimately killed his brother.

Palpatine also skillfully manipulated Anakin Skywalker, shaping him into Darth Vader. However, the Star Wars prequels didn’t fully show the extent of Palpatine’s manipulative behavior, something that’s explored in greater detail in Shadow Lord. Filoni’s animated series even examines how abuse can create a repeating pattern, as seen when Maul tries to turn a young Jedi survivor named Devon Izara into his apprentice. While Maul doesn’t physically harm Devon, their interactions strongly echo the way Palpatine treated Anakin in Revenge of the Sith.

Maul – Shadow Lord Proves Andor’s Success Has Changed Star Wars For The Better

Tony Gilroy’s Andor stood out as something special, not only for Star Wars, but for television in general. It redefined what audiences expected from the franchise, demonstrating its vast potential for creative and compelling storytelling. While Star Wars often appeals to younger viewers, occasionally exploring more mature, realistic, and intense themes will ultimately strengthen the franchise and its overall narrative.

Star Wars’ Highest-Rated Shows Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord 98% 90%
Star Wars Rebels 98% 85%
Andor 96% 89%
Star Wars: The Clone Wars 93% 91%
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew 92% 79%
The Mandalorian 90% 78%

While Andor delved into the complicated ethics, politics, and inner workings of the Rebel Alliance, showing how ordinary people – with all their flaws and courage – paved the way for heroes like Luke Skywalker, Shadow Lord focuses on the fundamental conflict between the Jedi and the Sith, especially as it relates to galactic oppression and the devastating impact of trauma.

Similar to the critically acclaimed series Andor, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord delivers a mature and intricate story. It focuses on how the Empire affects everyday people, particularly on the planet Janix, mirroring the oppressive Imperial presence seen on Niamos in Andor. This comic feels like a spiritual successor to Andor, demonstrating the potential for darker, more nuanced storytelling within the Star Wars universe.

New episodes of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord arrive on Monday, only on Disney+.

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2026-05-03 23:42