Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has dropped its first two episodes on Disney+ at last. And already, fans and critics love this “crime drama meets the dark side of the Force” series. Of course, Maul’s future is mapped out thanks to his story ending in Star Wars Rebels. And this series covers how Maul went from a discarded Sith apprentice to a notorious crime lord in Solo. One aspect new to Maul history is the character Devon Izara, a Twi’lek former Jedi padawan who survived Order 66. All signs point to Devon (Gideon Adlon) becoming Maul’s new apprentice. But could she become the deep cut Star Wars villain, Darth Talon? We have a strong feeling that she will.
If you’re wondering which movie or animated series Darth Talon appeared in, the answer is zero. She first appeared in Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars: Legacy series in 2006, created by John Ostrander and Jan Durseema. Legacy took place 127 years after the events of A New Hope. Talon was a Sith Lady, clad with black tattoos covering her red skin, evoking Darth Maul. Each tattoo was one that Talon earned in ritual combat, inscribed on her by Sith Lord Darth Krayt. Her Sith master was fellow Twi’lek Darth Ruyn, whom she later murdered on the orders of Krayt. She became one of the galaxy’s deadliest warriors, and an adversary to Luke Skywalker’s descendant, Cade Skywalker. Although sometimes, they were lovers as well. She quickly became a favorite for cosplayers, and sold tons of merch.
If Devon on Maul becomes Talon, none of her backstory will resemble what you just read. That’s because George Lucas had plans for Talon that would have contradicted her Legacy backstory. Apparently, before selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, Lucas took a liking to the design of Darth Talon. He planned to pair her up with Maul for a video game that never came to fruition. But when Lucas sold his company to Disney, he had plans to bring Talon into canon. Only this time, as Maul’s apprentice in his proposed Star Wars sequel trilogy. In Lucas’ early ideas, Maul would have reemerged in the galaxy after Return of the Jedi, taking his place as head of a criminal empire. His apprentice, Darth Talon, would have attempted to seduce Ben Solo into becoming a villain. Lucasfilm’s Ian McCaig even drew up some provocative Talon concept art.
Obviously, the sequel trilogy went in a different direction. But Dave Filoni, who was George Lucas’ apprentice in a fashion, never forgot Lucas’ original plans for Maul and Talon. When he began crafting Maul – Shadow Lord, he used some of Lucas’ ideas of Maul’s rise as head of the crime syndicate Crimson Dawn, and pushed it much earlier in the timeline. And given how Devon is being primed as Maul’s new apprentice, and is a red-hued Twi’lek? It sure feels like her transition to becoming Talon might be around the corner. Although, as Maul is no longer a Sith, she wouldn’t be “Darth” Talon, just Talon. They could change her name entirely, but “Maul and Talon” does have a nice ring to it.
If Devon becomes Talon, or a Talon-like character, it makes sense for where Maul’s arc ultimately ends. In Star Wars Rebels, a few years prior to A New Hope, Maul was portrayed as a lonely, pathetic figure. He no longer had control over any crime syndicates from the look of things. He became obsessed with recruiting young Ezra Bridger as his new apprentice. Could Maul have been trying to replace Devon/Talon? She’s not around by the time of Rebels. She could have died, or turned back to the light side. So it would make sense that Maul was “replacing” Devon with Ezra. We’ll see how this all unfolds in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord seasons one and two.