Darth Vader has been a central figure (if not the central figure) in Star Wars movies and TV shows since the very beginning, and his prominence has not diminished with time. In fact, while other major characters like Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa have often only had sparing appearances and smaller cameos, especially when it comes to Star Wars shows, Vader has played a pivotal role in movies and shows, from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to Star Wars Rebels and now even the most recent show, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
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Granted, Vader’s appearances in all three were fairly limited, especially compared to his presence in the original and prequel trilogies (initially as Anakin, obviously). In Maul – Shadow Lord, Vader really only played a role in the final episode, although he did first appear towards the end of the penultimate episode, when he chillingly dragged a woman through the woods and revealed himself through his iconic deep breathing. Even with his presence in the show being limited to just one episode, though, Vader had a major impact—and he finally gave an answer to a decade-old Vader question.
Maul Refused To Fight Darth Vader Alone
Although Maul seemed, at first, to have died in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, he has since had a major return to the franchise. The fact that Maul had survived being cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first prequel movie was confirmed in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but that was only the beginning. Maul went on to have significant arcs in Rebels and, of course, Maul – Shadow Lord, and he even had a cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
These appearances increasingly revealed what Maul’s existence looked like after Order 66, including his own determination to take down the Empire. In Rebels, Maul made his hatred of the Empire clear when he attempted to recruit Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger as his apprentice and shared that he had been cast aside by his own former master—Palpatine/Darth Sidious—who now had a new apprentice, Darth Vader. This rejection and replacement had given Maul a deep resentment for both, and he understandably wanted to take them down.
Yet, in Rebels, Maul told Ezra that he couldn’t face Vader alone. This seemed like a possible manipulation tactic to get Ezra to join him, especially because it seemed out of character for Maul to express any doubt in himself. It’s likely that there was some manipulation in this exchange; however, Maul – Shadow Lord has just suggested that Maul needing another to fight with him was absolutely true, based on the final episode of the first season.
Maul – Shadow Lord Revealed Why Maul Needed Ezra Bridger
Darth Vader’s appearance in Maul – Shadow Lord was thrilling, even as there had been many hints and plenty of speculation within the fanbase that some confrontation between Vader and Maul was coming in the narrative. It was particularly fascinating to see whether Maul would realize that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker, but he hasn’t yet discovered that. In fact, Vader didn’t speak at all in the show, which limited the possibility that Maul would have this revelation. Even so, this fight was significant.
In addition to an epic battle between these characters, who have several odd connections between them, these Maul – Shadow Lord scenes served as the perfect reminder of just how powerful, intimidating, and ruthless Vader was. Vader actually seemed to barely exert much effort when fighting Maul, Jedi Padawan Devon, and Jedi Master Eeko-Dio Daki all at once, and he ultimately killed Eeko-Dio Daki as well. Based on this harrowing battle, it’s not surprising that Maul realized he needed someone to fight with him if he were to face Vader again.
After all, if Vader could take on a former Sith Lord, a Jedi Padawan, and a Jedi Master on his own and do so with relative ease, then there was little hope that Maul could be triumphant in a one-on-one duel with Vader. In that sense, Maul – Shadow Lord finally explained why Maul said this to Ezra in Rebels, but it still may not be the end of the story between two of Palpatine’s three apprentices.
Will Maul And Vader Face Off Again?
Although Vader is not confirmed to be playing an ongoing role, Maul – Shadow Lord season 2 is confirmed to be in the works. Especially considering how obsessed Maul was with the Empire, Palpatine, and Darth Vader, it’s quite possible that this new season of the show will once again see Maul and Vader battling it out. And, in this case, it may be Maul and Devon who take the terrifying Sith Lord on together. Particularly with her Jedi Master now dead, it does seem likely that Devon will eventually join Maul.
If so, Maul – Shadow Lord may only provide an even greater understanding of why Maul needed Ezra in Rebels. This does have some bleak implications for Devon’s story as well, as she clearly was no longer with Maul by that time. How exactly that occurs remains to be seen—and it may be several seasons before that is revealed—but it does seem clear that these experiences led to Maul’s determination to have Ezra join him in his fight against Vader.
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