STAR WARS Sets Up Its Next Tragic Force User With Devon Izara’s Dark Turn in MAUL – SHADOW LORD

The Star Wars franchise has always loved its poetic cycles, and right now it feels like history is lining up to repeat itself in a pretty cool and interesting way.

With Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, a new Force-sensitive character is stepping into dangerously familiar territory. Devon Izara isn’t just another Padawan caught in the chaos of the Empire’s rise, she’s shaping up to be the next Anakin Skywalker-style tragedy, and it’s honestly kind of wild to watch unfold.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace introduced us to a young Anakin Skywalker. Everyone already knew where his path led, but the real hook was seeing how he got there.

Yoda laid out the blueprint early on with that iconic warning: “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Anakin followed that road step by step, and now Devon Izara seems to be walking a strikingly similar line.

Played by Gideon Adlon, Devon is a Twi’lek Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 alongside her master, Eeko-Dio Daki. Since then, it’s been survival mode as they stay one step ahead of the Empire.

But things take a sharp turn when Darth Maul sets his sights on her as a potential apprentice. Adlon teased what’s ahead during the finale screening, telling CB: “I have no clue how her story will end, but I hope it’s just beginning…”

That uncertainty is part of what makes Devon’s arc so engaging, even if the direction feels ominously clear. The show doesn’t exactly hide its parallels either. Devon’s relationship with Master Daki mirrors the dynamic between Obi-Wan and Anakin in ways that longtime fans will pick up on instantly.

One moment comes in Episodes 7 and 8, when Devon rolls up in a speeder with pure attitude, clearly enjoying the thrill of speed and danger. Daki’s reaction feels straight out of the Obi-Wan playbook, equal parts frustration and reluctant acceptance.

That speeder chase sequence is easily one of the coolest action moments in recent Star Wars storytelling, but it’s also doing character work. Devon isn’t just reckless, she’s chasing control in a galaxy that’s taken everything from her.

That’s where things start to get heavy. Like Anakin, Devon is driven by fear, especially after the trauma of Order 66. Her attachment to her master becomes a weak point, and by the end of the season, she leans into anger and pain instead of resisting it. Choosing Maul over the Jedi path isn’t just a twist, it feels like the inevitable next step.

What makes this even more interesting is the setup for what comes next. Devon’s bond with Rylee Lawson is quietly becoming a major factor. Both characters are dealing with loss, both are emotionally vulnerable, and there are clear hints of something deeper forming between them. If Star Wars sticks to its usual Sith traditions, that connection could become the ultimate test.

Sith lore has long established that fully committing to the dark side often requires a devastating sacrifice. We’ve seen echoes of this with Kylo Ren and even Anakin himself, though those moments didn’t fully land as intended within the story. Maul, operating from what he knows, might push Devon down that same road. If that happens, Rylee could end up at the center of it.

Adlon offered more insight into Devon’s mindset as an apprentice, saying: “Even if Devon did take Maul’s teaching more seriously, she would not be afraid of him. She still wouldn’t be shy; she would be sticking it to the man still, and that is what I wanted Devon to come across as.

“She is strong, she is competitive, and she wants to learn – she will never stop learning – and I don’t think she’ll ever let Maul see a side of her that may feel defeated by him. I just don’t think that’s going to be possible.”

That defiance could either be her strength or the thing that pushes her even deeper into darkness. There’s also a bigger legacy angle at play here. Devon’s arc feels heavily inspired by Darth Talon, a character from the Expanded Universe that George Lucas once considered bringing into his sequel trilogy as Maul’s apprentice.

The finale leans into that connection hard, visually framing Devon in a red glow as she embraces her new path. It’s definitely not subtle.

What’s especially cool is how Maul – Shadow Lord reworks Lucas’ unused ideas into something that fits neatly into this era of Star Wars storytelling. It also highlights the difference between Maul and figures like Vader. Maul isn’t building an empire, he’s trying to weaponize the dark side in a way that feels self-destructive.

So where does that leave Devon? Her story could follow through to its darkest conclusion, or it could break the pattern. That’s the tension that makes this so compelling. We’ve seen this kind of fall before, but that doesn’t mean it has to end the same way.

Either way, I can’t wait to see how Devon’s story arc continues to play out in Season 2.