- “Your passions give you strength and through strength you gain power. You have seen it, you feel it. You must break your chains.”
- ―Maul to Ezra Bridger
Maul (formerly Darth Maul) is one of the major antagonists of the Star Wars universe. He is the central antagonist of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. He returns in the fourth, fifth, and seventh seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a major antagonist, and later as a recurring major antagonist in Star Wars Rebels. He also appears in Solo, under the alias "Crimson Dawn".
In the film, Maul serves as the first apprentice of Sheev Palpatine, secretly known as Darth Sidious, a mysterious Sith Master who is manipulating galactic events from behind the scenes. Wielding a double-bladed lightsaber, and trained as a master of lightsaber combat, Maul serves as a personal assassin for Palpatine, having been sent to eliminate Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Qui-Gon Jinn, two of the film's protagonists. He succeeds in slaying Qui-Gon, but he is then sliced in half by Obi-Wan. While they presumed him dead, he was shown to have survived in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, because of his hatred for Obi-Wan. After his mind and legs were restored by Talzin, he was reunited with his brother, Savage Opress, and he continued his goal to get revenge on Obi-Wan and to rejoin and eventually overthrow his former master.
In Star Wars Rebels, Maul was still alive, and sought revenge on his former mentor, Palpatine, and his former apprentice, Darth Vader. After learning that his archenemy Obi-Wan was still alive, Maul began looking for him in order to get his revenge, eventually tracking him down on Tatooine, where he was finally killed by Obi-Wan, this time for good.
Background
Maul lived during the last days of the Galactic Republic and the eve of the reign of the Galactic Empire. The son of Mother Talzin of the Nightsisters and born on Dathomir, Maul was taken by Darth Sidious as the latter's Sith apprentice, and given the name Darth Maul. Sidious' training methods were often unforgiving and harsh.
Personality
Maul's life and motivations were based on revenge. As a Sith Lord, Maul sought revenge against the Jedi for their triumph over the Sith and wanted to return the Sith Order to power over the galaxy so after his exile and the restoration of his mind, Maul turned his thoughts of revenge towards the galaxy (declaring himself and his brother the true Sith) and especially towards Obi-Wan - after the Jedi defeated him and forced him into exile after the war on Naboo. He felt the vacuum of losing power, having known about the Clone Wars and intending to be part of it, only to learn that the Sith plans moved on without him. Maul was therefore willing to go to great lengths to achieve his vengeance, including slaughtering civilians and thrusting Mandalore into civil war to gain power and draw Obi-Wan out into the open.
At times, Maul was animalistic, as evidenced by his ability to snarl and growl like a wild beast. This occasionally could allow him to psychologically unnerve his opponents.
During his exile, Maul's mind was shattered. He became obsessed with revenge, kept alive only by his hatred for Obi-Wan for his aggression and fear increased in his crazed condition, as he brutally attacked Savage when he first encountered his brother on Lotho Minor. It required the skills of Talzin to restore his mind, bringing him clarity again while still preserving his desire to seek revenge against those who had wronged him.
Maul's power made him crave dominance over the Sith and the galaxy, though he recognized the power that Palpatine possessed that Maul did not. Maul feared his former master when Palpatine arrived on Mandalore, and begged for mercy after Palpatine bested him in a lightsaber duel. After the electrocution that Palpatine subjected him to on Mandalore, he later told Death Watch that he had become indifferent to pain.
However, despite his ruthless and vindictive personality, Maul was not completely heartless; he expressed compassion for his brother, Savage Opress, and their mother, the Dathomir Witch Talzin. Although he didn't always get along with Savage, they did genuinely care for each other; when Savage was killed by Palpatine, Maul was grief-stricken and briefly mourned him before flying into a rage and attempting to avenge him. He was extremely loyal to his mother and reciprocated her loving and protective affection for him. Even when cornered by Palpatine and his minions, he refused to leave her behind and was greatly devastated by her death. Even after sixteen years, Maul still held an extremely bitter grudge against Palpatine and all those who served him for taking everything he cared about from him. He also developed a slight fondness for Ezra Bridger, seeing great potential in the boy's abilities, desiring him as an apprentice, and even saving his life twice. However, despite any meager affection, he ultimately sought to manipulate Ezra and use him to further his own agenda.
By the events of Star Wars Rebels, Maul remained a bitter and vengeful individual, who sought revenge upon his former master and all those who wronged him for all the suffering they caused him throughout his life. Although he carried a red lightsaber and still practices their beliefs, Maul had disassociated himself from the Sith, evidenced by the fact that he has dropped the title of "Darth" from his name. Cunning and deceptive, Maul was willing to feign weakness to accomplish his purposes, or even side with the Jedi if necessary. When he learned that his old enemy Obi-Wan was still alive, he decided to settle his accounts once and for all. This ultimately led to Maul's death, where at last he came to terms with his fate, and knew that in death, he and his kind would be avenged when the Sith were finally destroyed.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Power of the Force: Maul was extremely powerful and has an extremely strong connection to the Force. Maul was one of the most powerful Force-users of his time. Notably, his powers in the Dark Side of the Force was also augmented after his injuries; due to his extreme hatred for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Additionally, even Darth Sidious considered Maul a rival.
- Telekinesis: Maul utilized Telekinesis for combative and utilitarian purposes. After Maul's return; he demonstrated enough telekinetic strength to pull a small space shuttle off of a cliff while fleeing from pirates and fueled by pure desperation.
- Force Push: Maul utilized Force Push to send his opponents flying through the air, causing them serious injury or temporarily incapacitating them/knocked them unconscious, such as with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo.
- Force Wave: Maul utilized Force Wave to unleash a wave of pure Force-energy that knocked back anything within the power's blast radius or push multiple opponents at once.
- Force Pull: Maul utilized Force Pull to pull his opponents or objects towards him.
- Force Choke: Maul utilized Force Choke to either weaken, kill or intimidate his opponents.
- Force Throw: Maul utilized Force Throw to cause objects, and even individuals, to be hurled toward a target at an astounding velocity.
- Force Grip: Maul utilized Force Grip to lift his opponents off the ground and into the air, sometimes by the neck, to immobilize them. When focusing his rage, he was able to telekinetically grab and suspend opponents without even looking at them or exerting much concentration on them to maintain the effect, as he did when holding Satine Kryze in the air by the neck.
- Force Crush: Maul utilized Force Crush to crush objects or droids. During Order 66, Maul's power with the Dark Side was strong enough to allow him to crush and collapse a starcruiser's hyperspace engines of a starship with enough effort, which subsequently crippled the entire ship.
- Saber Throw: Maul utilized Saber Throw to telekinetically guide his lightsaber towards his opponent; similar to a boomerang or shuriken.
- Force Deflection: Maul utilized Force Deflection to redirect incoming attacks, such as blaster bolts, with or without his lightsaber, though it was difficult to do so. He notably was able to telekinetically direct blasterfire away from himself during the time of Order 66, when the power of the Dark Side became more dominant over the galaxy.
- Telepathy: Maul utilized Telepathy to mentally communicate over small or vast distances with other individuals. Due to a ritual that combined a Jedi and Sith holocron, Maul's mind became linked to Ezra Bridger, which he quickly learned to exploit by causing the young Jedi to experience hallucinations and visions of him, though the two were physically separate.
- Mind Trick: Maul utilized Mind Trick to control the minds of other sentient beings, with the exception of individuals with stronger minds and wills.
- Mind Probe: Maul utilized Mind Probe to sense and forcibly sift through the thoughts and memories of sentient beings for the purpose of interrogation or torture; although another Force-user could potentially resist this power. As such, he was easily able to read Hera Syndulla's mind when he sought information on the whereabouts of Kanan Jarrus' Holocron.
- Force Sense: Maul utilized Force Sense to sense another sentient being's emotions, the future, ripples in the Force caused by momentous or traumatic events, impending danger, and the presence of the light side.
- Force Vision: Maul utilized Force Vision, to have visions of the past, the present, and the future; however, like all Force-users, his visions were not always clear or sometimes has visions even when he was not utilizing this power at will. He notably was shown to experience premonitions during the Clone Wars, as he foresaw his potential when allying himself with Deathwatch to gain power.
- Force Rage: Maul utilized Force Rage to channel his anger to increase his speed, strength, endurance and ferocity.
- Force Jump: Maul utilized Force Jump to jump or leap at great distances. He was seen using this to leap onto a bridge.
- Force Dash: Maul utilized Force Dash to move at amazing speeds.
- Telekinesis: Maul utilized Telekinesis for combative and utilitarian purposes. After Maul's return; he demonstrated enough telekinetic strength to pull a small space shuttle off of a cliff while fleeing from pirates and fueled by pure desperation.
Abilities
- Master Lightsaber Duelist: Maul was a highly skilled lightsaber duelist, as he was one of the deadliest lightsaber duelists of his time. Despite Maul's great lightsaber combat skills, by the events of Star Wars Rebels, he was fully aware of his limitations, and that if he was to face Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader or Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious directly, he would not prevail. However, he was not afraid of facing the members of the Inquisitorius, knowing full well that he was more than a match for any of them, as evidenced when he killed the Seventh Sister, and the Fifth Brother relatively easily, despite Maul's old age; he was still able to keep up with opponents, who are much younger than he was. In "Twin Suns", in Maul's final confrontation against Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite the fact that the latter had gone approximately sixteen years without a duel or practice, he was only able to last a few seconds against the elderly Jedi Master; before being mortally wounded by Obi-Wan, and died from his injury.
- Form III: Maul had some skill in Soresu.
- Form IV: Maul was highly skilled in Ataru.
- Form VI: Maul was extremely skilled in Niman.
- Form VII: Maul was extremely skilled in Juyo.
- Jar'Kai: Maul was highly skilled in Jar'Kai.
- Skilled Pilot: Maul was highly skilled in piloting most speeders, and most types of flying crafts.
- Indomitable Will/High Tolerance For Pain/Expert Survivalist: Maul had an indomitable will and a high tolerance for pain, as he was able to survive being cut in half. Many years later, he also survived a long drop off the Malachor Sith Temple without any apparent injuries.
- Genius-Level Intellect/Master Tactician/Manipulator/Leader: Maul was extremely intelligent and wise. He was a capable manipulator, a skilled tactician, and had political skills from his time as Palpatine's apprentice, managing to form the Shadow Collective in a surprisingly short amount of time. Allowing him to seize control over the Galactic criminal underworld, and subsequent rule over the Outer Rim.
Weapons and Equipment
Lightsabers
Maul's valued weapon and possessions are his red and black-bladed lightsabers. He had only had three lightsabers.
- First Double-bladed lightsaber: Maul had a double-bladed red lightsaber which he used during his early years as a Sith. It was sliced in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi and fell along with Maul down the pit on Naboo. During the Clone Wars, Maul used the still functional half of the lightsaber to fight Obi-Wan, Pre Vizla, and Sheev Palpatine, respectively. He lost it in his duel against Palpatine.
- Darksaber: During the Clone Wars, Maul took Pre-Vizla's Darksaber as his own after slaying him in a leadership duel. He fought against Palpatine, and later General Grievous with it. It was eventually taken by Sabine Wren on Dathomir, who claimed the weapon for her own, as it had belonged to the Mandalorians and was by that extent, rightfully hers.
- Second Double-bladed lightsaber: By the time of the events of Star Wars Rebels, Maul had obtained a new double-bladed red lightsaber. This lightsaber had a spike on one side of the hilt, allowing Maul to use the weapon as a part of his walking stick, which the lightsaber fit into when not in use. Based on its design, It is likely that Maul took it from an Inquisitor he killed and modified it for his own use. It would remain in Maul's possession until his death, as it was destroyed when Obi-Wan cut it in two during their final duel; fatally slashing Maul across the chest in the same blow.
Appearances
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Maul ready to fight Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.
Darth Maul was an apprentice to the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. He is first seen as a hologram before Nute Gunray and Rune Haako, and was then sent to kill Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi so that they could not interfere in the Invasion of Naboo. Sidious instructed him to move against them before the Queen so taking her into custody would be easier. He flies to Tatooine and used probes to locate the Jedi. When one of the probes return, Maul then boards a speeder and attacked Qui-Gon in the desert, intending to finish him and then kill Obi-Wan. However, Qui-Gon fought back and escaped with his allies aboard his fighter, foiling Maul's attempts.
Soon after, Sidious sent him to Naboo to assist the Trade Federation and destroy the Jedi, having been instructed to let the Naboo make the first move. After they enter the room he was in, he confronts them and the three Force-users begin to duel. The ferocious clash leads them into the Theed Generator Complex, where Maul separates Obi-Wan via energy walls and fought Qui-Gon near a melting pit. Maul defeated and killed the latter by stunning him with a jab to his torso. Obi-Wan pounced on the Sith Lord furiously, eventually destroying one half of Maul's double-bladed lightsaber. However, this left him vulnerable to a sudden counterattack that ended with Darth Maul Force-pushing him over the edge of a vast reactor shaft. However, Obi-Wan grabbed on to a power nozzle and calmed himself. Maul kicked Obi-Wan's lightsaber into the shaft. As Maul began to taunt him, Obi-Wan used the Force to grab Qui-Gon's lightsaber and jumped up behind him, slicing him in half and sending him tumbling down the shaft to his presumed death.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Maul more than ten years after being cut in half.
After years of thinking Maul was dead, the Jedi, as well as viewers, were surprised to see him alive, fueled by his hatred for Obi-Wan. He was found by his brother Savage Oppress on the junk planet of Lotho Minor, who saved him from his fate and helped him get cybernetic legs and have his sanity restored by the leader of the Nightsisters; Mother Talzin. Together, they sought revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi. Maul began his revenge by revealing to Kenobi he was alive. An alliance he tried to make with pirates went wrong resulting in Savage being wounded and his legs being damaged.
Maul eventually returned to health with aid from Pre-Vizsla and the Mandalorian Death Watch before forming a crime syndicate called the Shadow Collective, helping Vizsla to reclaim Mandalore using the collective, while secretly plotting to take over. The final part of his revenge was killing the only woman Obi-Wan ever loved, Duchess Satine, while he watched in horror. After killing Pre-Vizla in an honor duel and taking control of Mandalore as its leader, Maul's old master, Darth Sidious, arrived and fought both of them, seeing Maul as a rival despite the Zabrak's protests. He was able to kill Savage, and then engaged Maul briefly before disarming and electrocuting him. However, Sidious stated he wouldn't kill Maul as he had "other uses for him".
Maul duels Darth Sidious.
As revealed in the 4-part comic series "Son of Dathomir", Maul eventually escaped Sidious' clutches with aid from his Mandalorian loyalists. Maul's forces on the Mandalorian Death Watch were eventually overrun by General Grievous, and Maul was forced to retreat. Maul then sought Mother Talzin's aid. Talzin told Maul to raise an army from the Shadow collective and his old clan; the Nightbrothers. Though his use of deceit and trickery, Maul successfully captured General Grievous and Count Dooku. Maul then tempted Dooku into joining him against Sidious, hoping to lure him to Mother Talzin on Dathomir. Upon reaching Dathomir, Maul and Talzin tried to sacrifice Dooku so that Talzin (who revealed herself to be Maul's biological mother) could return to physical form (as her previous form had been destroyed by Mace Windu). However, the arrival of Sidious and Grievous halted their plans and after a duel in which Talzin sacrificed herself to allow Maul to escape, Maul fled, his plans in ruins, his army destroyed and in Sidious' eyes, no longer a threat or a Sith Lord.
Star Wars Rebels
Maul on Malachor in Star Wars Rebels.
In "Twilight of the Apprentice", it is revealed that Maul later fled to Malachor to get the Sith Holocron from the Sith Temple there and that he dropped the "Darth" title from his name. It is also revealed that sometime after Vader created the Imperial Inquisition the Emperor had Vader dispatch the Eighth Brother to hunt him and the Holocron down. Maul first appeared when Ezra landed near him. He helped Ezra get into the Sith Temple by teaching him to act upon his passionate and aggressive tendencies. After they retrieved the Holocron, Maul helped the Jedi fight off the Eighth Brother, Fifth Brother, and Seventh Sister. After telling Ezra how to activate the Temple, Maul helps Kanan and Ahsoka kill the three Inquisitors. He then turns on and blinds Kanan with the intention of making Ezra his apprentice. Kanan recovers and drives Maul off, though Maul is able to escape the planet in one of the Inquisitor's TIE Fighters. He then heads to parts unknown.
Maul returns in the episode "The Holocrons of Fate", in which he kidnaps the crew of the Ghost in order to bring Kanan and Ezra to him with the Holocron from Malachor so he can merge them, answer the question he seeks and glimpse the future. This prompted him to also try opening Kanan's Holocron to utilize its power, but as he could not call upon the light side of the Force, he was unsuccessful. Upon luring the Jedi to his location at a Mandalorian asteroid outpost, Maul promptly tried to kill Kanan once Ezra was out of sight by shooting him out of an airlock, which Kanan barely survived. Maul then, with Ezra's help, merged both Holocrons and looked for the answers to his question (hope) while Ezra sought the key to destroying the Sith. When Kanan urged Ezra to look away from what he was seeing, the resulting explosion caused Maul to be blasted away and then escape. As he fled in his starfighter, Maul realized the answer to his question from what he had seen in the holocrons; that his rival Obi-Wan Kenobi still lived.
Maul on Atollon.
In "Visions and Voices", because of the ritual of the Holocrons, Maul and Ezra were somehow mentally bound, which allowed Maul to find the rebel base on Atollon. He approached Kanan and Ezra who was talking with the Bendu to propose to Ezra to come with him to break the link definitively. Initially reluctant, Ezra agreed and both left for Dathomir. Once they arrived, Maul revealed this was his homeworld and he is the last survivor of the clan. they made their way to the ancient fortress of the Nightsisters, Maul's deceased family, which was now used as a hidden lair for Maul. After fulfilling the ancient Nightsister ritual to break the mental bond between them, the spirits of the Nightsisters awoke and took control of Kanan and Sabine, who had followed Maul and Ezra. A battle then ignited between the two duets until Maul and Ezra escaped the cave, for the spirit could not follow because they were bound to the altar from which they drew their power. Maul suggested leaving but Ezra refused. Maul, exasperated by the sympathy and compassion of the young man towards his friends, told him that he had disappointed him and then left to find his old enemy, Obi-Wan.
Maul dies in peace.
In "Twin Suns", Maul wandered in search of Obi-Wan on Tatooine, intent on seeking his revenge. He soon became lost in the desert and screamed Obi-Wan's name in vain, wondering if it was his destiny to die in the wastes of the planet. Regaining his determination, he continued in his search. Maul then set a trap for Ezra Bridger, luring him to a canyon with a piece of the Sith Holocron. After Ezra’s ship was taken out by Tusken Raiders, Maul intervened, slaying the Sand People before seemingly leaving Ezra alone and unharmed. As Ezra sought a way off-world and was caught in a sandstorm, Maul followed out of sight, knowing Obi-Wan would rescue him. As Ezra recovered and Obi-Wan explained to Ezra, Maul manipulated Ezra into seeking out Obi-Wan, trying to manipulate and accelerate events that were already in motion. He also further stated that Maul was an "old wound" that Obi-Wan himself must deal with, and not Ezra's responsibility. As Maul arrived, Obi-Wan faced down his old foe, whereupon Maul remarked and pondered as to why Obi-Wan would hide on such a planet. He then correctly deduced that Obi-Wan was protecting someone. Obi-Wan, realizing Maul had to die to protect Luke, ignited his lightsaber then readied himself for one last confrontation. After a tense stare down, Maul then attacked, but Obi-Wan defeated the former Sith Lord in a few quick blows, severing his lightsaber and simultaneously slashing Maul across the chest. Shocked at being mortally wounded so quickly, Maul fell, only to be caught by Obi-Wan. He then asked if the person Obi-Wan was guarding was indeed the one who would destroy the Sith, to which Obi-Wan replied yes. Satisfied by this and finally having come to terms with his fate, with his last breath Maul stated that this "chosen one" would avenge him and Obi-Wan both. With this, Maul died, with Obi-Wan closing the fallen dark warrior's eyes out of respect for his old nemesis. The conflict between Kenobi and Maul was now over after thirty years.
Solo
Maul appears close to the end in Solo A Star Wars Story, revealed to be the leader of Dryden Vos's syndicate, Crimson Dawn.
Printed media
He appears in flashbacks during the novel "Ahsoka", it is revealed that during the final days of the Clone Wars, Maul and his forces were besieged on Mandalore by an army of clone troopers led by Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex. During the siege, Maul confronts and duels Ahsoka, and though he proves to be the stronger fighter, the former Jedi outwits him and traps him in a ray shield. However, before Maul can be taken into official custody, Order 66 is enacted and the clone troopers following Ahsoka turn on her, with the exception of Rex. With Rex's life in peril, Ahsoka abandons the chance of killing Maul, allowing the former Sith to escape once again.
He also stars in his own comic series published by Marvel Comics, a 5-issue prequel series before the events of The Phantom Menace.
Video Games
Disney INFINITY 3.0
Darth Maul appears in Disney INFINITY's third installment both as a playable character and as a boss in the "Twilight of the Republic" playset.
After Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka are chased a drone, Maul arrives in Starship and begins a fight with Anakin. Later, Maul sent his Deathwatch henchmen to kill the three Jedi and Yoda on Tatooine. On Coruscant, Maul took hostage many Senators including Padme Amidala At that time the four jedi arrived and engaged a long fight with the Zabrak. Finally beaten, Maul attempts a final riposte against his enemies but is confronted with their powerful Force push. Maul is overwhelmed by their power, loses his Lightsaber and falls into the void and then disappears.
Disney Parks
Star Wars Weekends
He appears as a meetable character during Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Relationships
Gallery
Trivia
- According to his current voice-actor, Sam Witwer, in an interview with IGN, Maul is far more unpredictable, cautious, and cunning than he was during the Clone Wars. Witwer describes him as "fighting from the shadows", and that they like to keep people guessing as to where he stands on the scale between evil and good.
- Witwer also describes Maul as having several new facets to his personality, and that Maul "changes the rules left and right" as he goes along in order to survive.
- As part of The Force Unleashed series of Easter Eggs on the Rebels animated series, Maul has some connections from that series:
- His current voice actor, Sam Witwer is not only currently the voice of Emperor Palpatine in all recent Star Wars non-movie media, but also previously portrayed The Force Unleashed protagonist Starkiller/Galen Marek and his clones.
- Maul did similar things to his opponents as Starkiller did, such as blinding their opponents, Kanan Jarrus and Rahm Kota respectively.
- Maul's role being a Sith Master to Ezra is similar to Vader to Starkiller, except their respective apprentices' role on finding the master from the other side of force is opposite.
- Maul's new lightsaber is double-bladed as his previous one was, but it is unknown how he obtained it; as it resembles an Inquisitor lightsaber, Maul probably took it from an Inquisitor he might have killed.
- Prior to his death, Maul had made the most enemies, out of any Star Wars character.
- He was also one of the longest surviving antagonists in the Star Wars Universe.
- Maul is the only character in Star Wars who is a fallen Sith Lord.
- Ironically, while Maul in his last moments believed Luke Skywalker would destroy the Sith and avenge him, the one who would end up doing so was none other than one of his replacements as Darth Sidious' apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, the boy that Qui-Gon Jinn protected from him years ago. However, Maul's belief can be interpreted as true, since it was Luke's love that destroyed the Darth Vader persona and allowed the Anakin persona to resurface.
- In The Phantom Menace, Maul only blinks once, when Obi-Wan slices him in half and sending him tumbling down the shaft to his presumed death.
- Despite being the central antagonist of The Phantom Menace, Maul only has about 6 minutes of screen time including his lightsaber battles and speaks two or three times.
External links
- Darth Maul on Wookieepedia
Darth Maul on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org)
