The series “Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord” has captivated audiences through its first four episodes by delving into the vendetta of Maul, formerly known as Darth Maul and portrayed by Sam Witwer. The storyline centers on his quest for revenge against the criminal overlords who turned their backs on him following the collapse of the Empire. Yet, the heart of the narrative lies in Maul’s intriguing bond with Devon Izara, played by Gideon Adlon, a young Jedi fleeing for her life.

Maul sees potential in Devon as a future apprentice and pursues her relentlessly. In Episode 3, Devon manages to swipe one half of Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber during her escape, showcasing her impressive combat skills. While her techniques might appear standard to some viewers, aficionados familiar with the various lightsaber combat forms will notice her expertise. Devon primarily employs Form III, also known as Soresu, the same defensive style that Obi-Wan Kenobi, Maul’s nemesis, was renowned for. Additionally, she occasionally shifts into Form IV, Ataru, reminiscent of Qui-Gon Jinn’s preferred style.

The series cleverly uses fight choreography to convey deeper storytelling elements, particularly fitting for a character like Maul, whose identity is closely intertwined with his lightsaber. As Maul’s presence grows in the Star Wars animated world, his iconic weapon remains a staple. “Maul — Shadow Lord” is rich with lightsaber Easter eggs and subtle nods designed to thrill dedicated fans.

Understanding the nuances of lightsaber combat enhances the enjoyment of Star Wars battles. Maul is known for his mastery of Form VII, a style marked by its aggressiveness and often associated with dark side practitioners, including Mace Windu, who famously utilized it against Palpatine. This form is a natural counter to Ataru, the aggressive form favored by many Jedi, including Qui-Gon Jinn. Maul’s victory over Qui-Gon in “The Phantom Menace” serves as a classic demonstration of this dynamic.

Lightsaber forms are a niche aspect of Star Wars, but if you know a few basics, there are a lot of interesting details in all the big Star Wars lightsaber fights. Maul traditionally uses Form VII, a hyper-aggressive style typically associated with dark side users (and also Mace Windu, including when he beats Palpatine). It’s generally seen as a natural match for Ataru, Qui-Gon Jinn’s form and a very common one among the Jedi, as it eclipses Ataru’s own aggressive approach. Maul’s defeat of Qui-Gon in “The Phantom Menace” is a great example.

Soresu, on the other hand, is generally seen as a better counter to Form VII. In “Star Wars Rebels,” when Obi-Wan finally kills Maul in their final duel on Tatooine, he first adopts his famous Form III pose, then shifts into Qui-Gon’s Form IV stance, effectively goading Maul into launching the same sort of attack he used to defeat Qui-Gon. Maul falls for the trap, and Obi-Wan counters.

Throughout Episode 3 of “Maul — Shadow Lord,” Devon repeatedly enters and re-enters variants of that core Soresu pose. Form III is much more defensive in nature, and since she is cornered and afraid, this makes sense, especially if it’s the form she was trained in. But when Maul pushes her emotionally, we see her slide into Ataru, either adopting the Qui-Gon pose, or engaging in some more aggressive acrobatics. Given Maul’s historic dominance over Ataru, it would make sense for him to push her in that direction. But when he finally confronts her at the end of Episode 3 for a proper duel, he doesn’t use much Form VII at all.

Form VII, Maul’s typical preference, is strong against Ataru, but weaker against Soresu. But that’s only relevant if you’re trying to win a fight. In “Shadow Lord,” Maul is uninterested in beating Devon. He wants to push her to her limits and decide on her own that the Jedi restraint she’s been trained in is actually a weakness she needs to shed.

When he faces her at the end of Episode 3, he only uses a single blade, as she wields his other. And notably, he fights one-handed, his off-hand fixed behind his back — a dueling style that seems to be a variant of Form II, Masashi. Most commonly associated with Count Dooku, it’s demonstrated to be strong against Form III, but substantially weaker against Ataru.

The read? Maul wants Devon to win, but he also wants her to use the most aggressive style in her repertoire to do it. By adopting Masashi instead of his usual Form VII, he dismantles her safe, defensive Soresu and pushes her into Ataru to gain an advantage. He creates a situation where she is rewarded for her aggression, which is exactly what he wants. How much of this is intentional? It’s kind of hard to tell. What’s certain is that the fights in “Maul — Shadow Lord” were crafted with a lot of intention, providing some of the most exciting lightsaber action we’ve seen in a while.