Chapter 9 continues this series stellar run. Once the setup is establishes and uneasy partnerships are formed, the high-stakes escape begins a non-stop sequence of action scene that doesn’t conclude to the end o the series. Released alongside the finale as part of this year’s “May The Fourth” event, this chapter continues to elevate the show’s quality in animation, character work, action and relentless pacing.
The episode opens under the weight of an Imperial lockdown on Janix. Stormtroopers patrol the streets, and gunships hover overhead, creating a tense atmosphere of control and surveillance. Maul and his remaining allies find themselves cornered at dead crime boss Nico Deemis’s headquarters. This is where Dryden Vos, a character introduced in Solo: A Star Wars Story, enters the picture via hologram. Vos, aware of Maul’s siuation, proposes a deal: he extract them from the planet in exchange for Maul taking out the current Crimson Dawn leader, Boss Rintero, and installing him in power. Maul is unsure due to his past betrayals by the syndicate, but logically this is he only way out.
Captain Brander Lawson, his partner Two Boots, son Rylee, and the two jedi, Devon Izara, and Jedi Master Eeko-Dio Daki are hiding in a warehouse. Devon experiences a Force-induced vision planted by Maul, guiding her toward the Armistice Fountain. Maul knows he needs all the help he can get to aid his escape and is still chasing Devon as an apprentice. Master Daki remains skeptical, as expected from a from an experience Jedi Master, while Lawson weighs the practical risks. They too need any help they can get to flee the Empire.
The meeting of the two groups at the fountain marks the start of the Strange Allies dynamic. Maul, accompanied by Rook Kast, nightbrother Icarus, and the remaining Mandalorians mercenaries, offers a way offworld. Maul tempers his usual intensity here, presenting a reasoned case that their survival depends on cooperation. This is a calculated move and even a measure of respect toward Daki as a Jedi Master. This is no longer the purely rage-driven Maul, he now has a purpose and will do whatever he needs to acheive his goal.
It’s now that the non-stop action begins. The group navigates Imperial forces, leading to an underground confrontation involving toxic wastewater and a multi-combatant lightsaber duel to a Phantom Menace level. The animation excels as two Inquisitors, Marrok and The Crow, come speeding around the corner, screaming into the fight. Stylized yet fluid choreography captures multiple blades clashing with clarity and impact. Maul’s combat against the pair demonstrates both his skill and the growing coordination fighting alongside the Jedi. The fighting is brutal and side characters start to fall.
Character moments stand out amid the action. Maul once again shows emotion when his droid gets sliced in half and his decision to hold off pursuers to allow Daki and others to cross the toxic water give you pause to think: can he ever be redeemed? Whether this stems from strategic interest in Devon or a genuine good deed remains ambiguous at this point, and keeps you wondering. The stakes are high and you don’t know who is going to make it out alive.
Strange Allies keeps everything in focus. Layers are added to everything the season has put in play – the pursuit by Inquisitors, Maul’s recruitment of Devon, and the growing Imperial pressure – while introducing the Crimson Dawn alliance as a logical next step. A step that we know is important to future Star Wars lore and the wider galaxy. There is a trust that the audience can follow all of this without being hit over the head with it that makes it all work for the hardcore fan or a first time viewer (although it would be a bit odd if you chose this as the first piece of Star Wars to watch).
Sam Witwer’s work as Maul stands out in particular. He has long since made the character his own, delivering a performance that feels lived-in and authoritative. In this chapter, Witwer balances Maul’s simmering menace with a more measured, strategic calm that suits the episode’s themes of temporary alliances and calculated risks. His line delivery carries weight without needing to dominate every scene, subtle shifts in tone convey both impatience and a growing recognition of the practical realities facing the group. Witwer’s deep familiarity with the role allows him to layer small nuances into the voice work, reinforcing why he remains the definitive voice for the character across multiple Star Wars projects.
The cliffhanger, which had been kept secret by Lucasfilm, sets up an encounter that fans have dreamed about and debated since Darth Maul first appeared in 1999, positioning elements in a way that feels deliberate and earned after decades of speculation. This tease sits well with the series’ exploration of revenge, power, and survival in the early Imperial era while raising the stakes for the concluding chapter. Bring on the fight of the century.
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