Star Wars Actor Unveils The Ultimate Watchlist For The Darth Maul Spinoff

Here we go again—Star Wars has a new series out, and this time it's all about one of the galaxy's most famously half-off villains: Darth Maul. The show is called 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord,' and if you're already wondering if you need an industrial-strength knowledge of every side piece and footnote in Star Wars history, relax. Sam Witwer, who's the voice (and maybe the soul) of Maul in anything animated or game-based, has weighed in and—shockingly for this franchise—watching this series actually doesn't require a binder full of lore.

Okay, But Do You Need to Watch Anything First?

Here's Sam Witwer, being the bringer of casual good news:

'What is really cool about the show...people ask a lot, "What do I need to see to enjoy Maul? What homework do I have to do?" The answer is none, not to see anything. If you watch this show, having never seen Star Wars, having no idea who Darth Maul is, you will be able to follow it just fine. We made it for you.'

Yes, really—if you're a total Star Wars newbie, or just semi-traumatized by the idea of having to remember who Pre Vizsla is, apparently you're safe. You can jump right in.

Quick Refresher: Who Even Is Darth Maul Again?

Let's back up for the casuals and the forgetful (no judgment): Darth Maul first showed up in 1999 in The Phantom Menace—the one where Obi-Wan Kenobi splits him in half during a lightsaber rave in Naboo. Spoiler: getting bisected didn't keep Maul from popping back up in the animated shows The Clone Wars and Rebels, both of which put way more meat on his backstory than the movie ever did.

If you want the broad strokes, here's the order of Maul events before this series kicks in:

• The Phantom Menace (1999): Darth Maul appears, kills a Jedi, gets split in two.
• The Clone Wars: Maul comes back, even angrier, with some new robot legs. We finally get details about his home planet, Dathomir, his race (Zabraks), and his whole tragic descent into the dark side.
• Rebels: Maul is still scheming, still looking for revenge, as his story edges closer to closing the loop on his decades-long beef with, well, everyone.

'Maul – Shadow Lord' takes place after The Clone Wars. The series picks up with Maul as he tries to carve out his own criminal empire while (as usual) dodging the never-blinking eye of the Empire. If you've always wanted to see Maul as more than just a scary face with a double-bladed lightsaber, this is your shot.

The Release Schedule (Because Of Course Star Wars Staggers Everything)

Disney+ launched the first two episodes together. Now they're rolling out the rest of the 10-episode season one at a rate of one episode per Monday, so it's the slow drip, not the binge. Nice for conversation, maybe frustrating if you're the all-at-once type.

Bottom Line

You don't have to cram a semester's worth of galactic history to jump in and enjoy 'Shadow Lord.' According to Witwer and, apparently, the folks behind the show, this is the rare Star Wars entry designed for both hardcore fans and people who only vaguely remember 'that red and black guy with horns.' That's actually pretty refreshing.