Hoth Takes #72: Straight-Up Mogging

Villains play a vital role in Star Wars, but we don’t often see stories from a villain’s perspective. On the heels of the recent animated series Maul – Shadow Lord, Eric and Grace explore what villain-centric stories add to Star Wars and what separates good villains from bad ones. Why did Syril Karn succeed while Kylo Ren failed? What are the key differences between Maul and his former master, Darth Sidious? And how dark and cynical is too dark and cynical? Our conversation also explores the tension between depicting villainy and endorsing it, as we consider different perspectives on Qimir from The Acolyte. Plus, Eric ruins Grace’s day by telling her about a character backstory she didn’t want to know existed.