Before Darth Maul made his appearance in the Phantom Menace, the legend of the Sith had only been a rumor. With his swift combat style and aggression, Maul is feared by those who stand in his way, especially the Jedi he seeks to defeat.
Origins
Maul was born on the planet Dathomir, a remote planet that is home to two groups: the Nightsisters, a group of witches, and the Zabrak, a clan of warriors called the Nightbrothers. The horns that protrude from Maul’s head and the tattoos on his body are markings of the Zabrak; the horns develop as the Zabrak grow. Maul was born (in some Expanded Universe stories) to Mother Talzin, leader of the Nightsisters. Talzin was Darth Sidious’ first pick for Sith apprentice. However, the Sith Lord found Maul to be more impressive, and took him from Dathomir to be trained.
First Appearance and Defeat
Maul first appeared to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in the phantom menace, engaging them in a lengthy duel. After his defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan, for years it is presumed that Maul is no more, and that would be his first and last appearance in the Star Wars universe. This assumption, however, would prove to be incorrect.
Comeback
Maul’s brother, Savage Opress, is sent by Mother Talzin during the clone wars TV show, to find the legendary sith lord, whom she says is alive. After discovering Maul, Oppress brings him to Dathomir, where Mother Talzin rebuilds him, restoring him to his former glory.
Hunting Obi-Wan
After his resurrection, Maul takes on his brother as an apprentice, and begins his hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi, the one who had defeated him all those years ago. Through a complex series of events seen in the clone wars TV show, Maul fails to best Kenobi and is sent on the run.
Underworld Boss
Maul and Opress are discovered by the mandalorian Pre Vizsla and his followers. The pair agree to help them retake their home world of Mandalore. In order to do this, Maul says they need allies. He finds these allies by taking over various underworld factions and forming the Shadow Collective.
Taking Mandalore
Maul and his Shadow Collective take the planet of Mandalore. Maul defeats Pre Vizsla, taking the planet for himself. Obi-Wan is sent to mandalore to help bring an end to Maul’s rule, however he is bested and his love Duchess Satine, faces her demise at Maul’s hand, bringing about his revenge.
Ousted from Mandalore
Sidious, aware of Maul’s activity, journeys to Mandalore, defeating Maul and his brother. He takes Maul captive, however, in scenes only elaborate on in books, Maul escapes back to Mandalore. However, he would face another challenge in the form of a republic invasion, with Ahsoka Tano and the clone troopers capturing him. Maul has some luck, however, and escapes in the chaos of Order 66.
Appearance in Rebels
Maul would again appear sometime later in the Rebels TV show. He attempts to take Ezra Bridger as an apprentice but fails, and again continues his everlasting hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi. He finds Kenobi in the deserts of Tatooine, protecting Luke Skywalker. In a swift but impactful scene, Maul is again handed defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan, this time, permanently. In his final moments, he remarks that Luke will “avenge us both”.
Legacy
Darth Maul remains a legendary character in the Star Wars universe, and is most known for his double-bladed saber, and his never-ending desire for revenge. The appearances of Maul in recent TV shows have been extensive, and we can only hope to see more of him in the future.
Want to get the full Darth Maul experience? Check out his lightsaber in our shop here.