Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord‘s story just got a lot bigger thanks to the ending of Season 1, Episode 6, “Night of the Hunted.” The fifth and sixth episodes had already taken things up a gear, with the arrival of the Empire on the planet Janix. And that’s not just ISB officers and Stormtroopers, but also an Inquisitor, with the First Brother, aka Marrok (who was first introduced back in Ahsoka Season 1), arriving on the scene to hunt down Maul, as well as the two Jedi Order 66 survivors that are on the planet, with all of their stories becoming entwined. Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Maul – Shadow Lord Episodes 5 & 6.
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The episodes see Marrok facing off first against Devon Izara and her Jedi Master, Eeko-Dio Daki, and then later coming mask-to-face with Maul himself, with the former Sith Lord even briefly teaming up with Devon to take on the Inquisitor. After they manage to hold him off, we get Marrok heading into an Imperial chamber, where he kneels and speaks to a hologram of some mystery person, telling them: “My Lord, I have confirmed the presence of Maul. He is more dangerous than we suspected. It seems he is in league with two Jedi. How shall I proceed?”
Was Marrok Talking To Darth Vader In Maul – Shadow Lord Episode 6’s Ending?
One possibility for whom Marrok was talking to is the Grand Inquisitor. As the highest-ranking member of the Inquisitorius, it would make sense for the First Brother to contact him for further orders. But the fact that the person is hidden and referred to as “My Lord” by Marrok makes it far more likely that he’s actually speaking to Darth Vader. There’d be less reason to hide it otherwise, and as the person who commands all Inquisitors, the line fits more with him than the Grand Inquisitor (especially as we’ve heard the term “Lord Vader,” and other variations so many times before, so it’s well established).
Assuming it is Vader, this could be a game-changer for Maul’s story. In terms of how to proceed, the first step seems likely to be sending in reinforcements. We know from the marketing that alongside Marrok, the Eleventh Brother – the masked Inquisitor whom Ahsoka Tano fought and killed in Tales of the Jedi – will be appearing in the series. So it seems like he’ll be sent in to level the playing field a bit in the fight against Maul and the Jedi.
Is Star Wars Finally Going To Do Darth Vader Vs. Maul?
Will the two Inquisitors be enough? Probably not. We know the Empire doesn’t fully defeat Maul, and we also know that Maul – Shadow Lord Season 2 is happening, so there’ll presumably be more to Devon’s story as well (though you wouldn’t bet on Eeko-Dio making it out of the first season alive). And so if the Inquisitors can’t get the job done, will Darth Vader himself step up? The best theory about Shadow Lord is that it is setting up a Maul vs. Vader fight, and that now appears to be more plausible than ever.
This is a dream showdown that’s decades in the making. Despite being two of the most prominent characters in the entire franchise, Maul and Vader have spent very little time together on-screen. In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Maul almost runs over a young Anakin Skywalker while on Tatooine. However, he is there to face Qui-Gon Jinn, and is unaware of the boy’s importance at that point. Towards the end of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he becomes aware of Anakin’s dark side turn, but they don’t meet. And then they are both on Malachor in the Star Wars Rebels Season 2 finale, but again, they do not interact or share the screen.
The two did fight in the 2001 comic book Star Wars Tales #9, with Vader emerging victorious, but it is not canon. Still, as two of the most popular and powerful characters in the franchise, not to mention that Vader ended up as Darth Sidious’ Sith apprentice, a role once held by Maul, the clash has long been a mouthwatering prospect. It could even happen in the Shadow Lord Season 1 finale, though I think them saving it for Season 2, and using it to promote that season, is perhaps more likely.
In terms of power, it is not a fight that Maul can win. As skilled as he is, this is Darth Vader we’re talking about: one of the most powerful Force users to have ever existed. But Maul also has plenty of cunning, and would obviously have to escape with his life intact. It could even be a scenario where Vader thinks Maul has been killed, which would be exactly how the former Sith would want it to be, allowing him to go back to operating in the shadows and plotting his next move against the Empire. However it goes down, it’s sure to be thrilling to see them finally face off.
New episodes of Maul – Shadow Lord release on Mondays on Disney+.
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