.png){kind=logo}
Published Jan 24, 2026, 4:15 PM EST
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
Maul: Shadow Lord already has a few major connections to Ahsoka Tano. Whether it's to her live-action Star Wars series, her appearances in animation, or even Ahsoka season 2 releasing later this year, Shadow Lord's new trailer has some pretty cool ties.
In the first trailer for Maul: Shadow Lord, we see the former Sith attempting to educate a Jedi Padawan who survived the events of Order 66. He's also building a new power base as the Empire aggressively hunts him as a fugitive. However, the new Maul trailer also has some cool connections to Ahsoka, one of Star Wars' most popular heroes.
Maul: Shadow Lord's Imperial Inquisitors First Appeared In Major Ahsoka Projects
Two Imperial Inquisitors appear in Maul: Shadow Lord, having been sent by Emperor Palpatine himself, who wants his former apprentice dead. Likewise, it's worth noting that these particular Inquisitors both have direct roots in Ahsoka-related Star Wars stories.
One Imperial Inquisitor is Marrok, also known as the Fifth Brother. Marrok first debuted in 2023’s live-action Ahsoka series as Morgan Elsbeth’s masked enforcer during the New Republic Era. That said, he was ultimately revealed to be a corpse reanimated by Nightsister magicks following his defeat in a duel with Ahsoka Tano herself.
The other Inquisitor is Sixth Brother, who first appeared and died in 2022's animated Tales of the Jedi series. Sixth Brother was defeated by Ahsoka as well, notably during the Dark Times. As such, his presence seems to confirm that Shadow Lord is set before Ahsoka’s third Tales of the Jedi episode, further anchoring the new Maul series within the larger Star Wars timeline.
Additionally, there may be another key connection that could set the stage for Ahsoka season 2, set to release later this year in 2026.
How Maul: Shadow Lord May Also Help Set Up Ahsoka Season 2
Beyond the Inquisitors, Maul: Shadow Lord may also shed new light on locations and lore that will matter in Ahsoka season 2. This is because the trailer features Maul joined by new Zabrak allies, strongly suggesting that he returns to his homeworld of Dathomir. Likewise, both of Maul's previous Dark Times appearances in Solo and Rebels confirmed he was at one point active on Dathomir.
Dathomir is expected to play a key role in Ahsoka season 2 after Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Nightsisters' Great Mothers were shown in the planet's orbit at the end of Ahsoka's first season. According to most theories, it's highly likely that they intend to raise an army of the dead on the dark planet.
Keeping that in mind, Maul revisiting his homeworld in Shadow Lord could perhaps offer new revelations about Dathomir and its future role with the Imperial Remnant during the New Republic Era. At any rate, the ties to Ahsoka in the new Shadow Lord trailer are pretty cool ahead of the show's release this April.
Maul: Shadow Lord is set to begin streaming April 6th on Disney+.
English (US) ·