'Star Wars: The Last Jedi': Spoiler's Death is a Darth Maul Callback

The latest movie in the Star Wars franchise was filled with tons of shocking moments that pushed [...]

The latest movie in the Star Wars franchise was filled with tons of shocking moments that pushed the series forward in new and interesting ways, though it still managed to homage the history in the saga.

One particular death in Star Wars: The Last Jedi harkens back to a devastating blow delivered to Darth Maul in the final, epic duel in The Phantom Menace.

Warning: Spoilers for Star Wars: The Last Jedi below.

In the new movie, during the epic confrontation between Rey and the First Order villains Supreme Leader Snoke and Kylo Ren, the budding Jedi attempts to sway the former Ben Solo to return to the light.

As Snoke taunts her attempts and commands Kylo to strike the Jakku scavenger down with his lightsaber, he instead manipulates Rey's lightsaber, sitting at Snoke's side, and points it directly at his master.

In one of the movie's most shocking moments, Snoke ignores Snoke's commands and ignites Rey's lightsaber, driving the blade directly through his side. Kylo then Force pulls the saber, cutting Snoke in half and sending his body toppling to the ground.

Of course, the cut references the blow young Obi-Wan Kenobi delivered to Darth Maul in the final duel of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. After the Sith Apprentice kills Qui-Gon Jin, Kenobi gets his revenge and defeates Maul by chopping him in half.

Of course, while everyone assumed that Maul was killed after that moment, the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars brought the character back, explaining that he survived after his rage and thirst for vengeance kept him alive. He does make craft some spider-like legs to move around and nearly loses his mind, though he ends up focusing on his revenge against Kenobi and the Sith Order before getting killed by the Jedi Master on Tatooine.

This does leave an opening for Snoke to come back, though it seems highly unlikely given how prominently the Supreme Leader's lifeless body was shown on screen.

Either way, it is nice to see writer and director Rian Johnson paying tribute to some of the other epic moments of the franchise, without directly rehashing those moments.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now playing in theaters everywhere.

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