Maul ended his arc in Star Wars Rebels and it's important that his story wrapped up the way it did. Debuting in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the character was introduced as Darth Sidious' secret apprentice who eventually formed a rivalry with Obi-Wan Kenobi. From there, the duo had met a few more times in the course of their lifetimes, with Maul ultimately dying at the hands of his arch-nemesis in Tatooine.
After being discarded by his former master and presumed death in The Phantom Menace, Maul began his journey for revenge. His initial target was Obi-Wan, whom he initially blamed for his misfortunes. Maul went after Duchess Satine Kryze - leader of the New Mandalorians and a special friend to Obi-Wan; ruthlessly killing her in front of his rival in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. But instead of seeking revenge, Obi-Wan stuck with the Jedi way and let go of the tragedy. It wouldn't be until several years later that the pair would once again reunite as chronicled in Star Wars Rebels season 2.
Ending Maul's narrative in an animated series may be a bummer for some, especially considering how swift and simple his final duel with Obi-Wan was, but it also delivered a powerful message with regard to the boundaries between the light and dark side of the Force. While Maul was technically no longer a Sith lord, he was still devoted to the dark side, which was further highlighted by the fact that he was being contrasted to Obi-Wan who was quite committed to the Jedi way. Still, Maul wasn't fully evil at this point, even rejoicing at the knowledge that there's in fact, a Chosen One who will take down Emperor Palpatine and the Sith despite being a previous member of the faction. This establishes that despite being rivals, he and Obi-Wan were both victims of the Sith — something Maul acknowledged in his final words, saying that the Chosen One "will avenge us."
Aside from the bigger narrative at play in Star Wars at this point, this final reunion between Obi-Wan and Maul was also necessary with regard to their respective journeys. Despite only meeting a handful of times, each encounter made a significant impact on their arcs. Not bringing them back together for a final time would've been a missed opportunity. Maul may have not been able to fully let go of his grudge against Obi-Wan, but dying at the hands of his adversary was the best way for him to go. It brought their story full circle to The Phantom Menace, and while the fight wasn't as flashy as their initial duel was, it was also representative of how much they've gone through over the years. Maul was fueled with hate and was easily goaded; he also just did the same move he used against Qui Gon Jinn, highlighting how stagnated his skills were. Obi-Wan meanwhile continued to evolve, allowing him to learn from the mistakes committed by his former master.
Maul's arc in Star Wars was defined by personal tragedies and giving him a dignified death in Star Wars Rebels was important as he was more of a victim of circumstance rather than pure evil. Seeing him fight Obi-Wan for the last time despite dying was bittersweet as it also confirmed to him the existence of the Chosen One. So while he wasn't able to see the fall of the Sith, he was able to finally rest knowing that it was coming.
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February 09, 2021 at 05:41AM
