100 Things Star Wars Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Dan Casey

Author:Dan Casey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triumph Books
Published: 2015-09-13T16:00:00+00:00

46. Darth Maul

With terrifying features, a demonic visage, a double-bladed red lightsaber, and an acrobatic fighting style to put the fear of God in you, Darth Maul is one of the most visually striking characters in the Star Wars saga. Trained by the malevolent Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord blended deadly agility and superior swordsmanship to cut an imposing swath across the screen when he made his debut in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, due in large part to actor/martial artist Ray Park’s dynamic physicality. Yet, in keeping with the grand tradition of the Star Wars universe, what really sets Darth Maul apart from the rest is his eye-catching aesthetic.

When it came time to create a new villain for The Phantom Menace, George Lucas asked concept designer Iain McCaig to create “a figure from your worst nightmare.” What he drew was so frightening that Lucas turned it over and asked him to draw his “second worst nightmare” instead, which happened to be clowns. “Clowns have always scared the pants off me,” he revealed in an interview. “Who knows what they’re feeling behind those painted smiles? I’ve had nightmares about Bozo the Clown since I was three.”282 (Really? Bozo? Hopefully he has never seen It.)

Originally, McCaig envisioned someone for whom pain was a central focus. “I had Maul bind his head with razorwire interspersed with black feathers, an excruciating ritualistic device to center his dark side energy,” McCaig said of initial designs. Maul’s face markings also have a grisly origin story. “The markings are also meant to be reminiscent of what you’d see if you were to flay the flesh from a face to reveal the muscle patterns underneath,” he explained.283 So Darth Maul is equal parts murderous clown and flayed fighter? That sounds like definite nightmare fuel to me. Thank goodness they made him wear those black hooded robes or adult diapers might have been in order.

Darth Maul’s origin story, however, is nearly as frightful as his design process. Born on the faraway planet of Dathomir, Darth Maul is a Zabrak Sith Lord, who was born to Mother Talzin, leader of the Nightsisters witch coven, and raised as a Nightbrother until Darth Sidious took him on as an apprentice. Under Sidious’ tutelage, Maul learned the ways of the dark side, specializing in the art of lightsaber combat in order to become a weapon of darkness to strike at the Jedi Order. After years and years of indoctrination, Maul seethed with hatred and longed for revenge against the Jedi Order that had defeated the Sith a millennium prior. Together with his master, he hoped to eradicate the Jedi and restore the Sith to their former glory.284

Darth Maul’s moment to strike finally came on the desert planet of Tatooine, where Sidious unleashed his living weapon in an attempt to assassinate the Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala. Unfortunately, Maul had not counted on the Queen having a Jedi escort; he clashed with the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and was ultimately unable to reach his quarry.

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