Darth Maul: The Restlessness of Hate
Darth Maul was initially introduced as the primary antagonist in Star Wars the Phantom Menace, the first episode in the Star Was prequel movie trilogy. He stood out to fans with his red face, horned head, and the first double-bladed lightsaber that we had seen. Even fans who dislike the movie remember Darth Maul as one of the best elements of Star Wars ever. His fight scene with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn is absolutely incredible. So when he died at the end of that first movie, cut in half (horizontally) by Obi-Wan, fans were really upset, and they were even more upset when they learned that he was replaced by Count Dooku as the primary antagonist in Attack of the Clones (which they shouldn’t have been, because Count Dooku is such a handsome and elegant villain).
Years after the Phantom Menace was released, we were surprised to learn that Darth Maul actually survived in the Clone Wars tv show. His brother needs some help with his Sith training, as brothers often do, and so he goes and finds Maul on a junkyard planet, where he has been living as all these years, attached to mechanical spider legs that are held together by the Force. He helps Maul heal, and together they begin to build up their own powerbase, all in the name of exacting vengeance on Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi who took Maul’s legs, and Maul’s future. It takes years, but eventually, Maul catches up with Kenobi, and…
