*stares directly down the focusing lens of the camera*

It was only a few months ago when I learned that the full phrase is “the customer is always right IN MATTERS OF TASTE”, and I think that that tells you a lot about where we are as a society.

a picture of a knight holding two lightsabers with a watermark for tm lucasfilm Alt: The First Brother facing off against Maul in Episode 6 of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, "Night of the Hunted".

Very excited for our next two weeks, even though I'm stunned that [ROT13] Rrxb-Qvb Qnxv vf fgvyy nyvir. [end ROT13].

Really hoping for more unveiling of Maul's schemes as we near the end of the season!

a man with a mustache is standing in the dark with a watermark that says 2020 & tm Alt: Brander Lawson interrogated and tortured by the First Brother in Episode 5 of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, "Inquisition".

The visuals and sound design are immaculate, and there are some great voice performances and epic action sequences. The Inquisitorius has never felt more scary, and I absolutely adore what they're doing with the Lawson family. Wagner Moura is absolutely crushing his role.

a person holding a red lightsaber in a dark room with a watermark for tm lucasfilm ltd. Alt: Maul in MAUL: SHADOW LORD.

In addition, I really do want to spend some more time with our main character. Every bit we get out of him and Sam Witwer is great, and I only wish we were getting more of it.

Despite all of this, I want to make clear that I am still really enjoying SHADOW LORD.

an aerial view of a futuristic city with a watermark that says ' 2020 & jm lucasfilm ltd ' Alt: An Imperial shuttle with two Imperial carriers beside it flying over Janix in MAUL: SHADOW LORD.

I found myself a little frustrated (and maybe this is expectations overweighing) that we weren't hitting the big plot points that I know the season has a bit earlier. I mean, we're now 60% of the way through this season, and the Empire's arrival at the end of 4 is still our biggest development.

The Empire comes down HARD in Episodes 5 & 6 of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, and with their occupation comes great questions about freedom vs. "safety", allies and enemies, and the nature of the truth.

These are both solid episodes, but my pacing issues in the third episode heightened in the fifth episode.

Happy birthday @kennapzok.bsky.social! Thank you for all you've done.

@forcecenterpod.bsky.social always teaches me so much about how to be a better student of media, and has helped me with my own show so much.

Also sorry for accidentally photobombing there.

"What is the average air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

The original run of the exceptional series STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (2008-14) lasted longer than the Confederate States of America (1861-5).

And in THE CLONE WARS, the Confederacy also lost!

a man in a black hat is standing in front of a large group of stormtroopers Alt: The General in Resurrections 7:68 (Also perhaps Armitage Hux in STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015))

This fierce leviathan upon which you have lay your bricks upon which we stand will bring an end to the deliberations!
To their cherished legions! All remaining nations will bow to thou foremost order! And will mark this day... as the last of thy democracy!"

- Resurrections 7:68

And the general spoke:
"Today'st the end of the world order. The end of a regime that acquiesces to disorder. At this very moment, in a land far from here, thy government lies to all God's children, whilst secretly supporting the treachery of the loathsome invaders...

Olivia Rodrigo - drop dead (Official Music Video) YouTube video by OliviaRodrigoVEVO

Thanks, Olivia. I needed this right now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wr...

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | Final Trailer | In Theaters May 22 YouTube video by Star Wars

LFG

youtu.be/uwild1rw7Aw?...

a man in a mask is holding a red lightsaber in front of a storm trooper . Alt: The Grand Inquisitor intimidating Vect Nokru with his double-bladed red lightsaber in the second episode of OBI-WAN KENOBI (2022).

Deep analyzers cannot help who they are. The need for dialectics is like an itch. They cannot help it.

He’s baaaaaaaack!

a picture of a knight holding two lightsabers with a watermark for tm lucasfilm Alt: Marrok with his spinning double-bladed lightsaber in MAUL: SHADOW LORD (2026).

a bunch of action and key beats to set up the dividing line between before an incredibly important event in the show (The jump to the new galaxy/Ahsoka in the WBW in AHSOKA, Gur Rzcver'f neeviny in MSL) and after it.

Overall, great stuff this week. I'll see everyone next week for an Inquisition.

a woman with a purple head is holding a blue lightsaber in front of a logo for tm lucasfilm Alt: Devon Izara with her blue lightsaber in MAUL: SHADOW LORD (2026).

Gur qhry orgjrra Znhy, Qriba, naq Qnxv, gur genc frg ol Znhy sbe Oenaqre Ynjfba, gur pbadhrevat bs gur Clxr Flaqvpngr jvgu gur snxr Mnoenx, naq, bs pbhefr, jung jr nyy xarj jnf pbzvat: gur neeviny bs gur Rzcver... lrf, lrf, lrf.

"Pride and Vengeance" gives me big "Fallen Jedi" vibes...

a person is working on a piece of wood with a watermark that says " 2006 & tm lucasfilm ltd " Alt: Maul pouring cassius tea in "Whispers in the Unknown".

However, this is not to say that "Whispers in the Unknown" was bad. It had great beats between Maul and Devon, and especially Lawson with both Two-Boots and his son.

But "Pride and Vengeance", that's when I knew we were cooking.

The following tweets will use ROT13.

MAUL: SHADOW LORD eps. 3 & 4 are a very good continuation of everything set up in 1 & 2.

I found 3 to be a lot of connective tissue from the A points set up in 1 & 2 to where the writers wanted to get us in 4, and I wish stuff had moved a bit faster, especially because of the 10 ep season.

I studied Orbán’s despotism in a class I took last fall, and I cannot overstate how huge this is for the people of Hungary, as well as for us here in Anerica, as Orbán’s Hungary was the end goal for our authoritarian movements.

I hope we see Hungary redemocratize in the coming years!

Episode I puppet Yoda is the best look for the character.

NOT. SORRY.

a woman wearing plaid overalls and a white shirt looks at the camera Alt: Saoirse Ronan in LADY BIRD (2017).

If LADY BIRD and DOPE aren't already on the list, add them!

Steven Soderbergh being more pro-AI than Kathleen Kennedy is... certainly something.

After 3 words from Spybot, my instant thought was, "This guy is cool. I love this lil' homie"

a picture of a woman in a dark room with a red background Alt: The shadow of Maul (no pun intended) looms over Devon Izara at the end of the first episode of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, "The Dark Revenge" (2026).

I CANNOT wait to both discuss this with my fellow fans, and for next week to arrive so I can watch more of this!

a man with a mustache says " whatever it takes " in front of a purple background Alt: Brander Lawson tells Rheena Sul, "Whatever it takes" in the second episode of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, "Sinister Schemes" (2026).

through the busy streets of Janix, with excellent themes of justice in a time of injustice, what the drive of revenge will do to someone, as well as defining the idea of what "adapting to survive" really means, this show is clearly just starting to rev up its engines on the story it wants to tell.

two men are looking at each other with a watermark that says ' 2020 & tm lucasfilm ltd ' on it Alt: Brander Lawson peering at a hologram of Maul in the first episode of MAUL: SHADOW LORD, "The Dark Revenge" (2026).

Much like the jolts given to Star Wars live action television with ANDOR and THE ACOLYTE, the first two episodes of #MaulShadowLord take all the ingredients that defined Star Wars animation so far, added some new ones, and shook 'em all up a bunch.

Twists and turns, down a winding road...

a picture of darth maul from star wars with a red lightsaber Alt: Maul in MAUL: SHADOW LORD (2026).

Here I am, doing my first ever Star Wars midnight watch, and all for MAUL.

See you on the other side!

"Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view." – Obi-Wan Kenobi, 4 ABY.