**SPOILERS. SPOILERS EVERYWHERE. SPOILERS ON YOUR COMPUTER. SPOILERS IN YOUR EYES. SPOILERS IN YOUR HAIR. SPOILERS IN YOUR CLOTHES. SPOILERS.**
Spoilers for Solo: A Star Wars Story are below. Read at your own risk!
This weekend saw the big screen return of one of fans’ all time favorite Star Wars characters: Darth Maul. We’ve compiled a little recap of Maul’s on-screen appearances since The Phantom Menace. Let us know what you thought of Solo and the (second?) return of Darth Maul!
Darth Maul has appeared in a number of comics, including his own comic series, as well as mentioned in a few canon-verse books. This article will focus exclusively on his on-screen appearances.
Here’s a playlist from our YouTube Channel with a compilation of Darth Maul clips from the films and from the animated series.
The Phantom Menace
Darth Maul made his first appearance in the Star Wars universe as Darth Sidious’s apprentice. Tasked to take care of some Jedi insurgents, Maul astounded audiences everywhere with his double bladed lightsaber, and arguably one of the best lightsaber fights of the saga between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. After murdering Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan channels a little bit of the Dark Side himself and cuts Maul in half.
You know what they say though, unless you see a body, anyone is fair game to come back from the dead. And this was not Maul’s last appearance.
Duel of the Fates:
The Clone Wars
In the third season of The Clone Wars animated series, the story brings viewers to the planet of Dathomir, where an elite group of female witches called the Nightsisters live. The head of their clan, Mother Talzin, sends Maul’s brother, Savage Opress, to find Maul in the junkyard on the planet Lotho Minor. Alarmed, Savage finds Maul in the garbage, struck with amnesia and surviving with the aid of six robotic legs, like a spider. Maul has clearly lost his mind, but when Savage brings him back to Dathomir, Mother Talzin returns his memories to him and gifts him a set of two robotic legs.
After his healing, Maul has a single mission: seek revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi and kill him. Maul and Opress have a number of run-ins with the Jedi Master, which all end in crushing defeat. In one fateful battle, Obi-Wan manages to sever one of Opress’s arms, and blow off one of Maul’s robotic legs. The brothers retreat and make contact with the Mandalore leader Pre Vizla. Maul orchestrates Vizla’s rise to power on Mandalore and the foundation of the Black Sun and Death Watch syndicate that will both be major players throughout the animated tv shows.
While on Mandalore, Maul finally enacts his revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi in an emotional and chilling episode. From there, the brothers face off against Sidious, who having learned of Maul’s survival, labels him a rival and the two dual.
Featured Episodes:
- “Brothers” – Season 4
- “Revenge” – Season 4
- “Revival” – Season 5
- “Eminence” – Season 5
- “Shades of Reason” – Season 5
- “The Lawless” – Season 5
Obi-Wan Meets Maul:
Rebels
After the crushing defeat from Sidious, Maul disappears for a number of years before making a return to the small screen in the second season finale of Star Wars: Rebels. The Ghost crew finds him on the planet Malachor. The years have not been kind to Maul and he calls himself the “Old Master” and tries to earn the trust of Ezra Bridger. Things come to a head once again when the Inquisitors and Darth Vader show up at the Sith Temple and Maul shows his true colors and ultimately betrays Ezra and the Ghost Crew.
Maul does escape the wreckage of Malachor and when he meets up with the Ghost Crew again, there is no pretense of ally-ship or trust. He demands Ezra and Kanan give him the Jedi and Sith holocrons. The holocrons would unlock all the knowledge Maul would need to achieve ultimate power in the Force.
With the holocrons, Maul takes Ezra back to Dathomir where he melds their minds together and they experience a shared vision. Their visions take them each to Tatooine and Maul realizes that Obi-Wan is still alive and waiting for him. Ezra and Maul race to Tatooine, each searching for Obi-Wan first. Ezra arrives in time to warn Obi-Wan, but the old Jedi Master is prepared for his final duel with Maul.
Skytalkers reviewed the end of Rebels, Season 3 and we discussed the episode “Twin Suns”. You can find that episode here.
Featured Episodes:
- “Twilight of the Apprentice” – Season 2
- “The Holocrons of Fate” – Season 3
- “Vision and Voices” – Season 3
- “Twin Suns” – Season 3
Maul and Ezra’s Vision:
Cast and Crew on Darth Maul
Darth Maul was originally played by Ray Park in The Phantom Menace and in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Sam Witwer voiced the character in both animated series and in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Throughout the years, Sam Witwer and other creators at Lucasfilm have discussed Maul’s journey. Here are some clips of them discussing the former Sith apprentice! Sam Witwer is a huge Star Wars fan, and if you’ve never heard him discuss the character, or the franchise, do yourselves a favor and check out some of the links below!
Sam Witwer was featured on the Steele Wars podcast a few months ago to talk about his work in Star Wars, highly recommend! Find it here.
Sam Witwer on Maul’s Return:
Rebels Recon, “Twin Suns”:
Clone Wars Conversations by James Arnold Taylor (feat. Sam Witwer):
JAT and Sam discuss the Jedi and the Sith in this 2-part discussion, including Maul.
Ray Park’s Panel at Star Wars Celebration: Europe 2016, “Ray Park Unleashed”:
Lastly, our YouTube playlist includes more clips from Maul’s on-screen appearances throughout the films, Clone Wars, and Rebels. Be on the lookout for our in-depth discussion of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Catch our immediate reaction from the Solo Premiere here. We’ll be sure to dive into Maul’s story once again and how exactly he come in contact with Qi’ra and Dryden.
…also, isn’t it crazy that Ray Park and Sam Witwer were at the Solo Premiere and no one had any idea? The people all around us kept saying “Please bring Maul back to the movies!!” and Ray responded, “I keep telling them!” Little did we all know…
I’m so happy we snagged some pics with them!
