Maul’s Most Devious Moments

In the Season 5 episodes “Shades of Reason” and “The Lawless,” Maul’s ruthless pursuit of revenge was at its peak. Like his old Master, Darth Sidious AKA Emperor Sheev Palpatine, Maul was willing to play the long game to get what he wantws. Triumphant in obtaining the Darksaber and following through with his promise to make Kenobi suffer, these episodes also illustrate that there’s no going back for the former Master and apprentice Palpatine and Maul.

Fight alert: In order to take control of Mandalore, Maul had to eliminate Pre Vizsla, leading to a dramatic battle between Maul and Vizsla (armed with the Darksaber) in “Shades of Reason.”

Deeper cut: Hungry for more stories about Maul building up his criminal enterprise? In the comic story “Tales of Villainy: Hostage” from Star Wars Adventures (2020) Issue 3 Maul outsmarts a crime lord on the planet Balah, eliminating a possible roadblock to underworld aspirations.

4. Imprisonment and escape - Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir

“Once Darth Sidious is dead, the galaxy will be ours for the taking.”

Marvel’s four-part comic series Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir continued Maul’s story from The Clone Wars episode “The Lawless” where Sidious bested Maul in combat. Imprisoned on Stygeon, Maul escaped with the aid of Mandalorians including Rook Kast, who will appear in Maul - Shadow Lord. Son of Dathomir is perfect for fans and readers who are intrigued by his complicated relationships with both the Sith and the Jedi.

Fight alert: After Maul’s escape, he used the Darksaber to take on General Grievous, Grievous’ magna guards, and (once again) Obi-Wan Kenobi.

5. The Siege of Mandalore - Star Wars: The Clone Wars

“We were both tools for greater powers.”

In the Siege of Mandore — the last four episodes of The Clone Wars final season including “Old Friends Not Forgotten,” “The Phantom Apprentice,” “Shattered,” and “Victory and Death” — Maul once again set his sights on conquering Mandalore. But it's his cunning and manipulative way with words that make this epic story arc a must-see for Maul superfans.

Maul knows that Mandalorians such as Bo-Katan Kryze and the Jedi won’t stand idly by while he tries to retake Mandalore. But instead of his nemesis, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Palpatine’s future apprentice Anakin Skywalker, who Maul wished to kill in a bid to destroy Palpatine’s plans, Maul instead faced a new adversary: Ahsoka Tano.

Maul is at his most mysterious and devious in the Siege of Mandalore, taunting Tano with his premonition that the Jedi and the Republic would soon lose control of the galaxy with her old Master playing an important role. His attempt to sway Tano, who has her own complicated past with the Jedi, to join him is both shocking and riveting to watch.

Fight alert: While there are multiple skirmishes in the Siege of Mandalore, none come close to Maul and Tano’s epic lightsaber battle. Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni took Star Wars fans behind the scenes of this fight that brought together the voice actors of Maul and Tano (Sam Witwer and Ashley Eckstein) along with motion caption performances.

6. The Empire Rises - Maul - Shadow Lord

“You can’t survive on Janix without breaking a few rules…”

Marvel’s new comic Star Wars: Shadow of Maul, which debuted earlier this month, leads directly into Maul - Shadow Lord, set in the early days of the Empire. For anyone who can’t wait for the series premiere, Shadow of Maul introduces the planet Janix, a hotbed of activity for the criminal underworld, and two characters who appear in Shadow Lord - police Captain Brander Lawson and his droid partner Two-Boots.

Shadow of Maul gives fans their first glimpse of Maul in the early years of the Empire where just like the Jedi, Maul is being hunted down by Palpatine and the Inquisitors.

Learn more about Maul’s future in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Rebels in StarWars.com’s article Who is Maul?

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord premieres on Disney+ April 6, 2026.