Darth Maul, Issue 3: Darth Maul Captures a Padawan

Darth Maul encountering Eldra Kaitis prior to the auction

Encountering the Padawan
Picking-up where issue #2 of Darth Maul left off, issue #3 shows us Darth Maul at the door of the cell of Eldra Kaitis, the padawan he had been looking for, with him using his lightsaber to swipe at the cell door, yet before he can get to her, Xev Xrexus, who is running the auction on this padawan, shows up and ushers him out:

Planning
We then see Darth Maul thinking “Patience, then. Always patience. My master…if he knew about my plans…would likely find this amusing.”

bounty hunters not having the funds to purchase the padawan at auction

We next see Darth Maul conferring with the bounty hunters he’s got along with him and they realize there’s no likelihood of them having the funds to win the auction to get the padawan. When they discuss raiding the auction and robbing the guests, Cad Bane says, “That’s messy business. Not that this isn’t messy enough as it stands.” They then come up with a backup plan.

Darth Maul’s Anger and Desires
While the auction gets underway and Darth Maul enters into the auction’s room, we read his thinking that his quite intense: “Anxiousness…anger…hatred…flowing through me…strong enough that those around me – even those who do not know the Force…must feel it…an unseen burgeoning menace swelling all around them,” we read of Darth Maul’s thoughts. “For someone like Eldra Kaitis, the feeling must be overwhelming. I imagine her sitting in her cell, nearly drowning in her own dread. Despite my plans, I want to unleash my fury, to slaughter everyone on this station as I cut my way toward my prey.”

He continues in his thoughts, considering his master: “Darth Sidious trained me to act. In denying me my nature, he betrays me. And so I betray him – my dreaded master – by being here at all. If I am caught, though, my punishment will be severe. If he were to kill me, I would be denied my right – my chance to kill the hated Jedi. I must give my own plans time to unfold. In this way, I am more like my master than I realized.”

Maul and bounty hunters surprise Zygerrians

Plan Goes Into Action
While the auction is underway, Aurra Sing, Vorhdeilo, and Cad Bane take over a Zygerrian ship; when the Zygerrians win the auction and take Eldra Kaitis back to their ship, they are surprised to find Aurra Sing, Vorhdeilo, Darth Maul, and Cad Bane there, whereupon they fight. In the fighting, Eldra Kaitis recognizes the Darth Maul is using the Force in his fighting the Zygerrians.

Eldra Kaitis recognizes Maul using the Force

Maul Recognized for Being Sith
After the Zygerrians are all defeated, Eldra Kaitis says to Maul, “I know I’m not afraid of you. I know you’re trying to hide who you really are from the scum you’re working with. Even while you were fighting just now. Despite all the jumping and kicking, what you really wanted to use was-”
“We’re leaving,” interrupts Maul, before she can finish that sentence. “Get us into space before what we’ve done here is discovered.”

Eldra Kaitis tells Maul she knows he is a Sith and she says he is scared

Eldra Kaitis tells Maul they should fight

Once Maul takes her back to a separate part of the ship, Eldra Kaitis says to Maul, “You…you’re a Sith, aren’t you? I’ve heard rumors…since I was a youngling…but I didn’t think you were real.”
“Of course not,” replies Maul. “You prayed you would never stand before your nightmares made flesh.”
“You think you scare me?” she responds. “You’re the one who is lurking in the shadows…keeping who you really are a secret. You’re the one who’s scared.”

They continue speaking back and forth, and Eldra Kaitis says, “If you’re going to kill me, get on with it. Better yet, take these binders off me and hand me my lightsaber. We’ll see how all that spinning and leaping helps you against an equal-”
“You are NOT my equal!” Maul interrupts. “No Jedi can match my skill, my fury, my righteousness!”
“And trust me, my dear, I will cut you free,” Maul says. “I will hand you this lightsaber. And then I will have my revenge.”

Xev Xrexus watches the ship of the bounty hunters going down to the moon below

Ship Explodes
We see the bounty hunters’ ship exploding and the comic book turns to Madame Xrexus’ quarters.
“Madame Xrexus,” her servant announces. “The Haddrex vessel has been disabled, as you requested. It is in a rapid descent to the moon below.”
“Yes, yes,” Xrexus says. “I see that. Do me the courtesy of alerting our guests.”
“The hunt begins shortly,” she says. “Buy-in is 350,000 credits.”
Clearly, Xev Xrexus was not happy with the activities of either the bounty hunters, in general, nor Darth Maul’s activity, especially at the beginning of the comic issue.

So, Darth Maul and the bounty hunters are in a freefall down to the moon below….

The next installment of the Darth Maul project continues with the fourth issue of Darth Maul, when Maul considers his anti-Jedi motivations.

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