Star Wars: The Clone Wars corrected George Lucas' Darth Maul mistake inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. In 1999, later on near 20 years of (more often than not) patience, moviegoers were at final able to gather to scout a newStar Wars film on the big screen.

The film was panned past critics, only it was frankly a phenomenal success. It grossed $924 million worldwide (almost $i.5 billion when adjusted for inflation), confronting a upkeep of $115 million (merely shy of $180 million adapted for aggrandizement).Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was ane of the 'leggiest' blockbusters of the era, acquisition the summer with an ease Palpatine would have envied. Since and so, like all of the prequels,The Phantom Menace has gradually been reappraised and accustomed by the fandom - even valued and loved.

For all that's the case, though, George Lucas did make one massive error withStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, specifically with how Darth Maul was used in the film. Fortunately, he was later on given an opportunity to gear up that mistake withThe Clone Wars animated serial.

The Phantom Menace Wasted Darth Maul

Lucasfilm knew they were on to a winner with Darth Maul. His monstrous visage appeared prominently in the marketing forStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, actualization on about all of the posters and in the picture show's trailer. "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi," he seethed, in lines that burned themselves into the mind of viewers worldwide. "At concluding we will have revenge." George Lucas had always recognized the potential forStar Wars merchandise, and shelves were packed with models inspired past the evocative Darth Maul.

It'south not difficult to see why Darth Maul was regarded with such interest and enthusiasm; he cuts an impressive figure, with a stunning brand-up design that makes the Sith Apprentice look similar a demon come to life. Stunt thespian Ray Park innovated a stunning new fighting technique that had never been seen before inStar Wars, wielding the double-bladed lightsaber in carefully choreographed duels with Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn. McGregor and Park practiced with such enthusiasm they kept bending their practice swords out of shape similar coat-hangers during rehearsals. It all resulted in action scenes with a brutal, visceral edge that is thrilling to lookout. He had the potential to be the prequel trilogy's version of Darth Vader, an iconic villain who would never be forgotten.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. As far every bit Lucas was concerned, Darth Maul was just a pawn on the lath, used by Palpatine for an explicit purpose. His real role in the story was simply to kill Qui-Gon Jinn, denying young Anakin Skywalker the begetter figure he so desperately needed. With that mission completed, he was killed off in an unceremonious fashion. The extent of Lucas' disinterest is possibly indicated by the fact he never even bothered to flesh out the fight scenes featuring Darth Maul in the script, simply writing "A vicious lightsaber fight ensues." Worse still, the Sith Apprentice was fifty-fifty denied a grapheme arc of his own. When he was finally cutting down by Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was but as much a bare slate in character terms as he had been when he first appeared on the screen. Information technology was a shocking waste matter of potential.

Clone Wars Gave Maul A Proper Story

When George Lucas returned to the prequel trilogy forStar Wars: The Clone Wars, he took the controversial conclusion to correct his greatest mistake and bring Darth Maul dorsum from the dead. Palpatine's discarded pawn returned to the board as a player, increasingly aware he had been betrayed, and seeking revenge upon both Darth Sidious and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Darth Maul essentially became the greatest disruption in the would-exist Emperor'south schemes, and he came within a hair'south latitude of sabotaging them beyond repair. Absent-minded the presence of Darth Maul, The Clone Wars would have been a unproblematic back-and-forth between the Republic and the Separatists, but the presence of this 3rd political party - with an agenda all of his ain - added a fantastic layer of complexity to the serial.

Information technology's tempting to meetStar Wars: The Clone Wars as something of a side-story, irrelevant to the main narrative shown in the prequel trilogy. Merely George Lucas and Dave Filoni didn't see it that manner; they felt they were adding nuance to the galaxy, helping to explain decisions Palpatine would make later in the day. As Maul vocalization-actor Sam Witwer explained in an interview withHollywood.com:

"What'southward really fun to note is that Darth Maul, having survived his grievous injuries, plants the seed in Palpatine'due south head that peradventure you don't requite upwards on these guys so quickly. If they're dead, or you call up they've been killed, peradventure they're not. Maybe they tin survive, maybe they can amount to something. That'due south something we get to meet coming upwardly, Sidious realizing that. That ultimately leads to Darth Vader."

Maul's arc would go on, and ultimately come to a decision - inStar Wars Rebels. In the end, Maul faced Obi-Wan Kenobi i last time; this intense showdown ended with Obi-Wan cradling the dying Darth Maul in his arms, with Maul deducing Kenobi was protecting the Called One. "He will avenge usa," Maul declared with his terminal breath, foreseeing the ultimate defeat of the Sith Lord who betrayed him, once again binding the erstwhile Sith Apprentice into the overarching saga.

Clone Wars Made Maul Into A Groovy Star Wars Grapheme

Ultimately,Star Wars: The Clone Wars has successfully redeemed Darth Maul, turning him into a circuitous character in his ain right. George Lucas originally treated Maul as a apartment, one-dimensional villain, who existed simply to serve his function in the narrative earlier being killed off. ThroughThe Clone Wars, though, he was transformed into a man fueled by vengeance on those he believed had wronged him. The dynamic between Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi was peculiarly fascinating, because the two seemed locked in an nearly eternal dance of expiry, with Maul attacking Kenobi with relentless abandon. Lucas used this as an opportunity to polish a new light on Obi-Wan's own grapheme, with Maul responsible for the expiry of the woman Kenobi loved, Duchess Satine of Mandalore.

Given this always-escalating vendetta, Dave Filoni felt there was only one way Maul's story could end - courtesy of Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Information technology's not merely about bringing Maul back," he pointed out, "but you besides wait at how it affects the character of Obi-Wan... It'southward a character arc for Maul and a character arc for Obi-Wan." That final battle was a tragic one, as two older men faced each other one last time, both victims of Darth Sidious, both shadows of their former selves. Cheers to Star Wars: The Clone Wars , a villain treated so dismissively inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace had been transformed into a character whose concluding fate was powerful, emotional, and deeply evocative.

Adjacent: How Maul Gets From Clone Wars to Solo & Rebels

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Virtually The Writer

Thomas Salary (4987 Manufactures Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant'due south staff writers, as well every bit a Peer Mentor for new writers and a fellow member of the Care Team, offer support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Medico Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his babyhood is dorsum - and this time information technology'southward cool. You tin can find him on Twitter @TomABacon. A graduate of Edge Loma University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater every bit a volunteer clergyman. He'southward heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly acquire he's into British politics too.

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