We as Star Wars fans sleep on Qi'ra in the Maul Apprentice conversation because she isn't force sensitive (and because this relationship is largely hinted to and implied in comics over tv/film as of 2026) but we really need to acknowledge that Qi'ra totally fits Maul's pattern of apprentices and themes within mentorship.
Like every other character he has that kind of relationship with (Ahsoka, Devon, Ezra) Maul sees himself in Qi'ra and her being left behind (discarded, in his likely words) and trapped, only to seek freedom through the accumulation of power. The way she attempts this actually gives Qi'ra a unique and valuable space within the ranks of Maul's apprentices, because through her we can talk about how the cycle of pain that dooms Maul is part of a hierarchical system (the Sith) that is bought into and adopted in deed before any claimed betrayal of it. Of Maul's (attempted) apprentice lineup (Savage, Ahsoka, Devon, Qi'ra, Ezra) Qi'ra is the ONLY one to innately and initially understand and embrace the Sith philosophy of killing one's mentor once they've been surpassed.
In a few ways I actually think that Qi'ra is the Sabine to Maul's Ahsoka, as his appearance in Solo implies that Devon has betrayed him, and turning to a non-force sensitive apprentice because of that baggage does interest me (though tbh it's Maul, yk he can't resist trying to mentor anyone he projects on)
So yeah, I would love to see some Maul & Qi'ra in later seasons of Shadow Lord (or other projects), the same for Qi'ra & Devon because I think there's a lot of underexplored tragedy there in how their stories intersect
