Darth Maul Attempts Revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi, part 1: Exploring Darth Maul IV (End of Season 4 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Darth Maul in front of fire on Raydonia
Continuing on in my Darth Maul exploration project, brings us to the end of season 4 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. With Darth Maul’s reappearance and rehabilitation in the later part of season 4 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he sets out to take vengeance on Obi-Wan Kenobi in the last episode of season 4 (4.22 “Revenge”). So, he lays a trap for Obi-Wan Kenobi: he goes to Raydonia to kill (Savage Oppress: “Brother, what are we doing here? The Jedi won’t be out this far in the Galaxy.” Darth Maul: “In the Galaxy at war, Savage, there’s only one way to get the attention of the Jedi: slaughter of the innocent – mercilessly and without compromise.”). As noted by Eric Goldman, Darth Maul “certainly proved how utterly evil he was, by killing innocent men, women and children simply to draw Obi-Wan to him.”
Despite the obvious trap element of this situation when Darth Maul sends a message to the Jedi Council: “There will be more innocent blood on your hands, Kenobi, unless you come here, face me. Come alone and, if you do not, this world will burn”, Obi-Wan wants to go:
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “I have to go.”
Mace Windu: “Not alone, you’re not. We’ll send a task force with you.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “No. You see what he’s capable of. He is a broken, unbalanced monster. I’ve dealt with him before and I can do it again.”
Mace Windu: “I disagree; this is clearly a trap.”
Yoda: “Against my better judgment, agree with Master Kenobi, I do. Finish what he started long ago, Obi-Wan must.”
We then see Asajj Ventress taking out the bounty on Savage Oppress in some bar, with her heading towards Raydonia.
When Obi-Wan Kenobi arrives to Raydonia, the following ensues:
Darth Maul: “Jedi, I’ve been waiting for you.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “I’m not sure I’ve met your acquaintance.”
Darth Maul: “I am surprised that you could have forgotten me so easily after I killed your master, and you left me for dead on Naboo.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “It is you.”
Darth Maul: “You may have forgotten me, but I will never forget you. You cannot imagine the depths I would go to stay alive fueled by my singular hatred for you.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “That may be so, but I defeated you before and I can defeat you again.”
Darth Maul: “Don’t be so certain.”
Then, Savage Oppress jumps behind him and starts fighting him. The three of them engage in fighting until they knock Obi-Wan Kenobi out, and bring him onto their ship.
We then see Asajj Ventress make her way to Raydonia, then hops onto their departing ship. Meanwhile, we see Savage Oppress and Darth Maul roughing up Obi-Wan Kenobi. As to why they don’t just kill him, Darth Maul tells Obi-Wan Kenobi: “I will make sure you stay awake long enough to feel every single cut; your death will be beyond excruciating – you will suffer as I have suffered.” Clearly, Darth Maul is not interested in merely ending Obi-Wan’s life – he wants to make it long, painful, and suffering.
Before Darth Maul fully engage in such an action against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress shows up to take on Savage Oppress, making it a two versus two fight. This fight becomes a pretty notable fight within Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, since 1) Asajj Ventress seems to pop up out of nowhere and become Obi-Wan’s ally, 2) this is quite a match-up on both sides, and 3) Darth Maul and Savage Oppress seem to be dominating them.
It is evidently clear that Darth Maul and Savage Oppress are dominating the light saber fighting, especially Darth Maul. At one point, Darth Maul says to Obi-Wan Kenobi: “Your master, Qui-Gon Jinn, I gutted him while you stood helpless and watched. How did that make you feel, Obi-Wan?”
He definitely is trying to rub it in to Obi-Wan and to raise his ire, which works, as he points out to Obi-Wan Kenobi: “Your rage has unbalanced you; that is not the Jedi way, is it?” This latter line shows not only that Obi-Wan Kenobi has become a bit unhinged and un-Jedi-ish (not so dissimilar to what happens with Obi-Wan Kenobi when he fights Darth Maul in “The Phantom Menace”). It also indicates that Darth Maul is well aware enough of Obi-Wan Kenobi such that he is able to detect his lack of balance with the Force.
As Darth Maul and Savage Oppress continue to dominate Asajj Ventress and Obi-Wan Kenobi in light saber battle, the latter two decide to depart. When Obi-Wan Kenobi and Asajj Ventress depart by using an escape pod [of the cockpit], Savage Oppress inquires, “Do we go after them?”
Darth Maul: “No, we will be patient, Savage. I’ve waited so many years for my revenge, I can wait a little longer.”
Savage Oppress: “But the Jedi will know that you have survived; they will be coming for us.”
Darth Maul: “I am counting on it.”
Darth Maul is not only patient enough to not immediately pursue them, but also expecting the Jedi to come after them! It is in this fashion in which the fourth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars concludes.
What we see from the end of season 4 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars (specifically, most of episode 4:22 “Revenge”) of Darth Maul is primarily the following:
- Again, he is out for revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi and is focussed on it
- He knows what can draw the attention of the Jedi, even in the midst of war
- He is totally okay with the merciless slaughter of innocents (as long as it serves his purposes)
- Darth Maul is very excited to see Obi-Wan Kenobi, so much so that it seems to fuel his continued existence (“You cannot imagine the depths I would go to stay alive fueled by my singular hatred for you.”)
- Darth Maul clearly dominates the light saber battle, not only with his light saber, but also with kicking Obi-Wan Kenobi around, and he is way better than any of the other combatants
- Darth Maul is not interested in swiftly killing Obi-Wan Kenobi (“Your death will be beyond excruciating – you will suffer as I have suffered”), partly for the need to exact revenge and partly for him to enjoy it
- He has a good sense of Obi-Wan’s own lack of balance with the Force
- Lastly, he has a great deal of patience and expects the Jedi to come after them
