Despite the mixed opinions regarding the Star Wars prequel trilogy, there is one fact that is stands undisputed among fans: Darth Maul is awesome. Which is why the announcement that the Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars would explore this character and his close relative Savage Opress became one of the most talked about announcements of the summer.

Following a string of less then stellar episodes, Lucasfilm plans to return with a bang January 7th with the premiere of the first installment in a multi-part examining the character. However, certain lucky fans will have the pleasure of viewing these episodes early. On December 8th, Lucasfilm will hold free screenings of the arc throughout the country. Check Star Wars.com for the details.