Star Wars Maul: Shadow Lord – The Creeping Fear review S1 E8

The Creeping Fear was another phenomenal episode of Maul: Shadow Lord, which sets the bar impressively high for the final two episodes of this season to stick the landing. What’s most impressive is that even without the traditional trappings, Shadow Lord feels like a quintessential Original Trilogy Star Wars story with its mix of plucky heroes fighting the system, fun characters and dread in the face of the Empire even with the lead being one of the franchise’s best villains.

Not surprisingly, Marrok and Eleventh Brother emerge from the cave-in Maul created last episode. Wisely, they don’t assume Maul and his crew are dead as more Imperial gunships continue the search from the air. Even with an Imperial incursion, Maul wouldn’t choose a headquarters without ensuring he had multiple escape routes. Rook leads the surviving Mandalorians, Vario and Icarus, the surviving Nightbrother, away to a designated meet-up spot. Despite Vario’s protests, Rook is sure that Maul is still alive and they will wait however long it takes for him to arrive.

Maul is in a lower level of the cavern, but his leg has been severely compromised giving him a nasty limp. For all of his bravado, Creeping Fear suggests that Maul is definitely still suffering from major PTSD from everything Sidious has done to him over the years. He’s tormented by memories of his brother, Savage Opress, pleading with him as a child not to go with Sidious.

Creeping Fear offered some interesting insight on the Maul/Savage relationship here with that reveal as well as a look at Sidious’ not so pleasant training. While the Jedi padawans, might get a zap from a training drone, Sidious uses Sith Lighting to impart his lessons. Maul’s memories then shift to defeating Qui-Gon Jinn and an enraged Obi-Wan Kenobi coming after him. If anyone can trigger Maul as much as Sidious, it’s Obi-Wan. It’s interesting how Maul limps the two into the same category.

Sure, Obi-Wan cost him his legs, but that was in retaliation for Maul killing his master. Sidious on the other hand, was cruel to Maul with no provocation. Maul’s memories take him back to his initial secondary form with his spider-like legs before the infamous face-off with Sidious where he kills Savage. Maul screams that he must have his revenge for all that Sidious has taken from him as he continues further along into a swirling path of sand. Watch your open mechanical leg wound, Maul. It’s a well- known fact that sand gets everywhere.

This Creeping Fear sequence illustrates why this series couldn’t have been done as well as a live-action series. It couldn’t have the same visual impact without requiring a massive budget. Maybe Shadow Lord could have worked as a movie, but most of Maul’s biggest highlights have been in animated format so why change now?

Falling into a puddle, Maul sees his younger self in the reflection and promises he won’t let Sidious do this to anyone else. Maul is no hero and Shadow Lord has made no effort to make him a good guy, but there is a certain viewpoint that Maul deserved to get some major payback on Sidious before his final encounter with Obi-Wan on Rebels. The emboldened Maul gets back to his feet and eventually reunites with his gang.

Creeping Fear features another reunion as Lawson, Daki and Devon try to rescue Rylee from Imperial custody. It’s too late to save Rylee from an interrogation from the Eleventh Brother, which clearly left him shaken. Lawson gets some good news as Rheena has gotten hold of a ship, but it’s leaving in two hours with or without them.

Two-Boots is conflicted after learning that his efforts to do the right thing led to Chief Klyce getting executed without a real investigation. Realizing the same would hold true for Rylee, Two-Boots agrees to help Lawson. While Lawson planned to just do an even exchange — himself for Rylee — that deal gets altered as Two-Boots has to shoot his way out of police HQ.

Devon arrives with a transport just in time leading to an excellent chase sequence involving speeder bikes at AT-ST. Even the EDM worked in this sequence adding a bit more electricity and excitement to the mix. This was a very fun scene and a sneaky highlight in a season filled with dazzling lightsaber duels.

As they prepare to head to Rheena’s ship, Devon and Daki sense a trap. Lawson proves to be smarter than the usual adult in this situation and trusts that they know what they’re talking about. He calls Rheena who tips him off that she’s been compromised. It doesn’t matter since Lt. Blake has overridden the elevator controls. This entire sequence in Creeping Fear was handled perfectly. The heroes don’t act stupid, but the villains are more cunning and still get them into the trap. Or almost catch them.

Devon and Daki use their lightsabers to cut a hole in the elevator so they can avoid capture. Rheena takes advantage of the confusion to get a Stormtrooper’s blaster and triggers a massive explosion though it’s not clear who actually survived.

Maul and crew hide out at Deemis’ office when Vario gets a very interesting call from Dryden Vos. Crimson Dawn would like to chat with Maul. Things are looking up again for him. It’s hard not to be impressed with showrunner Dave Filoni’s constant efforts to connect all of the various Star Wars projects together. Creeping Fear showed some love to the prequels, Clone Wars and this final moment linked up Solo: A Star Wars Story. It sure seems like he is the correct chosen one to steer the future of Star Wars going forward.

As for this episode? The Creeping Fear was outstanding and an encouraging sign as far as what’s in store for the final two episodes of the season.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Photo Credit: Disney

After checking out The Creeping Fear, pick up the Star Wars Vintage Collection Marrok figure from Amazon.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.