Darth Maul Returns to The Clone Wars in Season 7, Speaking to the Pykes
Darth Maul speaking to Marg Krim about delays
In the most recent episode of Star Wars The Clone Wars, released this weekend, “Together Again”, the second four-episode story arc of the seventh season concludes. Notably for our purposes is the reappearance of Darth Maul, thus this newest post in our Darth Maul Project.
What Has Happened Since the Last Time we Saw Darth Maul in Star Wars The Clone Wars?
While the last time we saw Darth Maul on-screen in Star Wars The Clone Wars was in “The Lawless”, where he loses to Darth Sidious in a lightsaber battle and is captured by Darth Sidious, he is boosted from prison, battles many Separatist leaders, and ultimately sees the death of Mother Talzin, amongst other events in the fantastic comic book, Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir, which I discussed on Skywalking Through Neverland and detailed further in a four-part series on this site: “Maul is Boosted from Prison, Reunited with the Darksaber, and Battles Grievous”, “Maul Lays Trap for Count Dooku & General Grievous on Ord Mantell”, “Chancellor Palpatine Sends Jedi Forces Against Darth Maul as Count Dooku and General Grievous Are Under His Capture”, and “Darth Sidious and General Grievous Attack Darth Maul on Dathomir”.
What Has Happened with the Shadow Collective?
From where that comic book ended, it was slightly unclear as to where things stood amongst the Shadow Collective, as it seemed Ziton Moj of Black Sun and Fife of the Pykes were no longer interested in being a part of the Shadow Collective:
Fife: “Forget this – we’ve lost too many ships! Tell Maul he’s on his own!”
Ziton Moj: “This whole endeavor has become a massive liability. Black Sun is finished here, as well.”
Rook Kast: “This isn’t what we agreed.”
Fife: “You’re the warrior. We’re mercenaries – and there’s no more profit in this fight.”
Darth Maul Returns to the Screen in Holographic Form Speaking with the Pykes
Although it seemed as if the Pykes and Black Sun were no longer interested in being part of the Shadow Collective, as it no longer made sense for them, perhaps they were still in the Shadow Collective, yet were no longer interested in that particular battle against the Separatists, as we Darth Maul in holographic form speaking with Marg Krim, with Fife behind him on Oba Diah in “Together Again”:
Marg Krim: “I assure you, this delay does not change things. We will proceed as planned.”
Darth Maul: “You are but one small piece moving in this mechanism which I have designed. And yet, when you falter, it jeopardizes everything. Do you understand?”
Marg Krim: “I understand that the Republic is cracking down on my operations. Just a week ago, they raided one of my shipments arriving on Coruscant.”
Darth Maul: “Were there Jedi?”
Marg Krim: “I don’t know. None of my men made it out.”
Darth Maul: “Hmmm. Well, then the answer is ‘Yes’.”
It would seem from this dialogue that the Pykes are still a part of the Shadow Collective and that Maul has included spice as an important part of the operation.
At this point in the scene, Ahsoka, tucked away elsewhere, yet able to see and hear the conversation, seems to feel Maul beginning to turn towards her, so she hides, while Maul looks out in her general direction.
Returning to the conversation, Maul says, “I have things to attend to other than your incompetence. Make sure there are no more delays. And, if there are, I am certain Crimson Dawn would love the opportunity to take control of your operation.”
This is a pretty fascinating thing to hear, as we have only once encountered Crimson Dawn, which is in Solo: A Star Wars Story, where we see Darth Maul leading Crimson Dawn (which I will discuss in a future post in this series), although it does not seem as if he has yet risen in the ranks of Crimson Dawn just yet, as he speaks of it in third-person, rather than for himself.
Darth Maul is Discussed by the Pykes
After turning off his hologram, Fife, whom we saw representing the Pykes in Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir and who is Marg Krim’s majordomo, turns to him and says, “He plays members of the Collective against one another.”
Marg Krim responds to him, “An efficient way to deal with our kind of business.”
Fife: “Surely, Maul knows we do not jump to his demand.”
Marg Krim: “Would you care to make that clear to him?”
Marg Krim’s question is met with silence and Fife’s shaking of his head.
This is certainly an interesting perspective on Maul’s strategy, as it seems that the Pykes are still in the Shadow Collective and Maul is playing them off of each other.
Bo-Katan Propositions Ahsoka to Join Her in the Fight Against Darth Maul
Later on in the episode, Ahsoka runs a communications trace, discovering that Maul’s signal is coming from Mandalore. When she eventually returns to Coruscant and after walking into Trace and Rafa’s shop on Coruscant, Bo-Katan greets Ahsoka, whereupon Ahsoka warns the Martez sisters to “Back away.”
Thereupon, Bo-Katan removes her helmet and says to Ahsoka, “So, you remember me? Don’t worry: Death Watch is gone. And now, you and I have a common enemy.” As she pulls up a hologram image of Darth Maul.
“Maul,” Ahsoka identifies.
Bo-Katan says, “I need your help.”
Perhaps having run that communications trace on Maul and finding it goes back to Mandalore, she must have known that Bo-Katan was speaking the truth about Maul and the Mandalorians.
It is shaping up to be an incredible four-episode finale to this fantastic show…and not the least of which is due to Darth Maul’s presence.
