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#I seriously do not have any more patience for fandom purity policing these days
beyond-far-horizons · 3 years
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Retrospective for Darth Maul
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The more I get into Clone Wars/Rebels the more sadness I feel for Maul. Yes he’s a vicious character who’s done terrible things I’m not trying to deny that, but he really epitomised the result of the Dark Side path alongside Vader. 
Spoilers for Clone Wars, Rebels and a bit of Solo and the Mandalorian.
I always loved him as this Evil Badass in Ep 1 and in some ways I wish they hadn’t made him quite so pitiable esp in Rebels, yet his journey and character development is so rich and Sam Witwer plays him so well.  
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What I find so sad and intriguing is that despite being so shaped and ultimately brought down by the Sith Code, he still at core driven by a need for loyalty and love. He craves a special bond with someone - his brother, his mother, Ahsoka, Ezra, even in some twisted way Sidious at least until half way though CW. But because he was kidnapped and raised by Sidious the only way he can conceive of such a bond is via the Sith Rule of Two. You can see how perplexed Savage Oppress is when Maul insists on it in their relationship. And how affected he is by being replaced by Dooku and later Anakin. He uses the Sith Code to survive for years after being cut in half by Obi Wan.
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Ahsoka is interesting because they truly are equals in a way, he still at times tries to assert dominance (”follow my lead”, “the Padawan needs one more lesson...”) but he reaches out to her in a vulnerable manner the way he never does with others. Now people forget how cunning he is, he’s had info from Jesse and he was trained by master manipulator  - the effete Sidious - so he’s presenting himself in the way that would most appeal to her ex-Jedi sensibilities, but his need is palpable. Why reach out his hand like that? Does he seriously expect her to take it? And what - hold hands with him? Shake his hand? I know it’s a visual motif from Vader and Kylo Ren, but Vader makes sense - Luke is hanging off a bridge and needs to be pulled up, Kylo has touched hands with Rey before, they have a Force Bond and there’s definite romantic undertones to their previous interactions. Maul and Ahsoka have been enemies up til now, but it’s like he needs that physical connection with her. Yes he’s manipulating her and not to be trusted, but the underlying truth is that they are both outcasts, opposites on the same spectrum; they are in a unique position and as such it’s a real shame the creators didn’t take that forward in some way, because it would have been really interesting and a unique opportunity to explore both their characters and the use of the Force unrestricted by Jedi and Sith ideologies.
Ezra is the saddest though. Maul is much older now and has clearly been on his own or more cloistered away from others, despite his criminal empire, for a long time. His home on Dathomir is testament to that. He literally only has the vengeful spirits of the dead to keep him company ffs! I appreciated the Darkside Yoga impression and the tension this creates when Ezra meets him on Malachor (again another lonely hellscape to get marooned on - Maul do you want to go to Korriban/Moraband to make it a hat-trick? Maybe kick Darth Bane’s arse for his sh*tty ideology while you are there?). But after a while you realise just how desperate Maul is for some kind of companionship that is relatable to him in any way. It’s creepy but also weirdly understandable? Ezra in Maul’s twisted logic is tailor-made for such a bond - he’s an emotional Force sensitive orphan who hates the Sith/Empire and is looking for training, family and purpose - all the things Maul can relate to and can provide. But because Maul has been raised by the Nightsisters and Sidious and twisted by the Dark Side, his only way of relating to the kid is to take him as an apprentice which means the Rule of Two. Ezra’s friends and current Master are a threat, not more potential allies and companions. So Maul attacks them multiple times and loses Ezra’s trust and potential friendship. 
He says when Ezra confronts him about his betrayal of them on Malachor - “I betrayed your friends, I would have remained loyal to you.” And I think he would have. Now would that have been a terrible relationship if Maul’s character hadn’t changed - yes, completely. Maul only knows the Dark Side way of doing things but he does retain this core of attachment that both the Jedi and the Sith would deplore. 
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His outburst to Ezra on Dathomir is so revealing (paraphrased) -  “Forget your memories! Forget your attachments! Our destinies converge on a planet with twin suns. We can walk that path together...as friends! As brothers...”
*Cries* He’s not even trying to hide it now, there’s no big bad Sith, no Master and Apprentice - one to embody the power, the other to crave it, Maul at his heart needs a friend, needs a brother. He might have been shouting to himself to let go of his memories and attachments and because he can’t we know it leads to his end on Tatooine which is heartbreaking. Obi Wan sees this and I’m glad he’s able to give his old foe rest at last. It speaks to Obi Wan’s character that despite what Maul has done to him he can ‘rise above’ the Dark Side and not hate Maul. But also I just wish it hadn’t ended that way? It doesn’t help that I thought Maul was still alive in the OT because of Solo and I was so hoping for a Maul/Ashoka reunion in the Mandalorian and her new show. I just wanted him to be this cool anti-villain that explores the spectrum of Light and Dark, maybe get some form of peace or balance...a Grey Sith? The fact he *still* calls Ezra his apprentice the last time he sees him just makes it worse. 
I wanted more for him... 
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