Could This “Menacing” Sith Lord Be Set On A Path Of Redemption?


**Warning- If you haven’t finished the canon miniseries by Dark Horse Comics, Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir, stop now, there are spoilers in this article**

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No matter if you liked the prequels or hated them, everyone can agree that the best part about Lucas’s return to the Star Wars Universe was Darth Maul, who kicked ass and didn’t take names. For the small screen time he got, he was a silent and imposing villain that completely stole the show. His only two lightsaber duels were a couple of the best the Star Wars saga has ever seen, especially his final battle, where he used his double-bladed lightsaber to take on a young Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui Gon Ginn, who met his end by Maul’s wicked blade. In one of only two occasions, Obi-Wan, witnessing his master die right before his eyes, unleashed his anger against the menacing Sith lord and still fell short, being Force pushed into a pit as Maul looked down at him holding on for his life. When Obi Wan was able to calm himself, he used the Force to leap over Maul and strike a “fatal” blow to the tattooed monster, causing him to fall, in pieces, down the same pit that would’ve been Obi Wan’s tomb had he not calmed his feelings.

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For awhile, we thought Darth Maul was dead, but we learned from The Clone Wars that Darth Maul survived being bisected through his hatred and will to survive. For ten years he became a cannibal and fell to madness, until his brother Savage found him and returned him home to his mother, who not only fixed his mind but repaired his legs. From then on, Darth Maul not only sought revenge against the Jedi who defeated him, but upon learning he had been replaced as apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy, Maul also sought revenge against his former master and replacement. In his vendetta of revenge, Maul started another war using black market thugs and the warrior race the Mandolorians, which caught the attention of his former master, who stepped into the ring, himself, to out Maul in his place. However, instead of killing him, Sidious revealed he had other uses for Maul as he tortured the defenseless Dathomirian.

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Those “uses” ended up being a ploy to lure Maul’s Mother Talzin into the open so Sidious could kill the only other threat to his plot to take over the galaxy. Sidious succeeded in eliminating Talzin, with the help of General Grievous, and disbanded Maul’s forces. Darth Maul was defeated, but not killed. Once again alone, Maul is roaming the galaxy somewhere, as Sidious and his newest apprentice Darth Vader finally take over the galaxy, in the name of the Sith. What does Maul do now?

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From an extremely young age, Maul was molded in the ways of the Sith, and one of those ways involves vengeance. Maul is not one to let things go, so it would make sense that Maul is out their plotting something to take down this new Empire. But what if the might of the Empire is too strong and doesn’t allow for anything action against them. What would Maul do? Bide his time until an opportunity presented itself. That opportunity would be in the form of the small rebellion lead by two “Jedis” and 4 other outcasts, victimized by the Empires rise to power. Maul may be more powerful and skilled them the others, but he is also an intelligent tactician that knows when to impose his will, as we learned in his 4 episode arc of the Clone Wars season 5, when he built his Shadow Collective army. While flying along with this small band of Rebels, Maul may start seeing something new, and feelings he never had begin to fall over him as they make small attacks against the Empire, igniting a revolution and drawing more people to their cause.

While joining the Rebellion, Maul has set himself down a path of redemption that started with revenge but evolved into a much more honorable fight. He will never be fully over his Sith mentality because of what he endured during his time as Sidious’ apprentice, but fighting on the good guy side, for once, may open doors he never knew were there. And if Darth Vader’s redemption can be palpable, even after we know he not only massacred most of the Jedi in the galaxy but the younglings as well, why would it be so difficult for Maul to get the same treatment? Especially since, in the Clone Wars, Talzin told Savage that he and Maul have a great destiny to fulfill in the galaxy. What if that destiny involves Maul starting the Rebel Alliance, before finally dying at the hands of Vader in an epic force and saber battle, against two cyborgs, where one sacrifices himself for the greater good, allowing the Rebel heroes to get away. Like Ventress and Vader (in the future), Maul could be set on a path of redemption, and probably one of the greatest vindications in Star Wars history.

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