Darth Maul Organizes an Army: Exploring Darth Maul IX
Darth Maul and Pre Vizsla discussing a bigger force
After Pre Vizsla and Darth Maul agree to collaborate in the episode, “Eminence” in season 5 of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, we see them strategizing:
Darth Maul: “Your people are strong and skilled, but you will need an army to free Mandalore.”
Pre Vizsla: “There are more on Mandalore who’ll join us.”
Darth Maul: “Their help would come too late. We can assemble an army, beginning with the Black Sun.”
Pre Vizsla: “They’re a crime syndicate. Hardly a force to rally with.”
Darth Maul: “They can provide us with the resources we need to sustain a war without the scrutiny of the Republic.”
Darth Maul clearly has some big plans!
We next see Death Watch encountering the Black Sun crime syndicate on their own planet, bringing a full batallion, for which even Savage Oppress is surprised, to which Darth Maul confidently replies, “They will serve us well.” Upon their arrival, they meet Ziton Moj, whereupon Maul says, “We request an audience with your leaders.” To which Ziton Moj says, “It’ll be your funeral.” It seems Maul is totally unconcerned about the danger he is entering.
Xomit Grunseit: “Why do you come here?”
Darth Maul: “We seek an army.”
Xomit Grunseit: “Fools. We are not mercenaries.”
Xomit Grunseit: “Dispose of them. Keep their ships and weapons. Give me that one’s sword.”
Darth Maul: “This is your last opportunity to join us.”
Xomit Grunseit: “Quiet. We are the Black Sun! Hmm.”
At this point, Darth Maul simply says, “Very well, then” and steps out of the way of Savage Oppress, who sends double-light saber spinning down the table, decapitating the entire Black Sun council. Upon this new situation, Darth Maul inquires of Ziton Moj, “It would seem the decision to join us is now yours.”
Ziton Moj, disturbed by the sudden mass murder of the leadership of his crime syndicate, quickly agrees: “After careful consideration, we will join you.” Darth Maul then commands him, “Show us your supplies.”
When departing from black sun, Pre Vizsla and Darth Maul converse:
Pre Vizsla: “We have our army now. I have a plan to undermine Satine.”
Darth Maul: “The army is weak. We are not ready for the duchess.”
Pre Vizsla: “With my plan, we won’t need a bigger force.”
Darth Maul: “There is only one plan. One vision.”
Pre Vizsla: “And it belongs to Death Watch.”
Darth Maul: “Your vision lacks clarity. Without us, you have no army and no reason to replace the duchess. The depth of this opportunity eludes you. You shall watch and learn.”
Clearly, there is a power struggle going on, but Darth Maul is able to convince Pre Vizsla to wait, even talking a bit down to him, that Pre Viszla’s planning is lacking.
It is clear that even just the growing strength of this army is scarily powerful, as the Pikes willfully join them:
Bo-Katan Kryze, complaining: “More criminals.”
Pre Vizsla: “Spice dealers connected to all the crime families of Coruscant.”
Darth Maul, excitedly: “The Pykes. They will be the next to join us.”
Lom Pyke: “We know you’ve been forming an army.”
Darth Maul: “Were you expecting us?”
Lom Pyke: “Underworld’s a small community. I have no desire to oppose you. We come to join you.”
Pre Vizsla, excitedly: “Very good. Then ready our troops. We leave for Nal Hutta immediately.”
At this point, it seems that Pre Vizsla is totally on board with this big army idea.
They then head off to Nal Hutta to get the Hutts involved and we see Darth Maul, answering questions:
- “There are many things the Hutts influence and possess that would be useful to us.”
- “We have no credits.”
- “Your lives in exchange for Hutt Space and everything in its borders.”
It seems that Darth Maul has a weak bargaining position and then we see bounty hunters pop up on them, with Darth Maul, Savage Oppress, and Pre Vizsla fleeing to regroup with Darth Watch reinforcements, after which, they go on the offensive against the bounty hunters, eventually engaging in fighting with some of the bounty hunters. When they begin to get away, Savage Oppress offers to go after them, but Darth Maul says, “They’re only bounty hunters; they have no allegiance”, which is compassionate of him.
After finding out that Jabba and the other Hutts are at Jabba’s palace on Tattooine (and has a Hutt killed), Death Watch goes guns ablazing on the palace with Death Watch, eventually reaching Jabba the Hutt:
Pre Vizsla: “Give up, Jabba. You’re the only ones left.”
Darth Maul: “Submit or suffer.
translator for Jabba the Hutt: “The mighty Jabba and the Hutt families have decided to join you.”
Clearly, they have impressed and coerced the Hutts into joining them.
As they are departing, Pre Vizsla and Darth Maul discuss putting their plans into action:
Pre Vizsla: “Between the Hutts, Black Sun, and the Pykes, we’ll have a large reserve of muscle and supplies.”
Darth Maul: “Yes.”
Pre Vizsla: “Then Mandalore and Kenobi are still our priority? “
Darth Maul: “They are vital.”
Pre Vizsla: “I’m curious to hear the rest of your plan.”
Darth Maul: “The vision has expanded: you will still rule Mandalore and, under your protection, I will command a new galactic underworld.”
Vizsla curls his fist, angrily.
Pre Vizsla: “Mandalore influences a league of 2,000 neutral systems. It gives you a great deal of options for your enterprise.”
Darth Maul: “You have learned from your previous oversights.”
Pre Vizsla: “With their combined forces, the Republic and the Separatists will be irrelevant.”
Darth Maul: “Then are we ready? Mobilize the army. Send an advanced guard to the capital. I want a list of targets vital to Mandalore’s security. Choose wisely. There will be no second chances.”
At this point, Darth Maul has expanded his vision, seeking to have a vast influence and power, although still leaving Pre Vizsla in charge of Mandalore. Although it’s unclear whether Darth Maul realizes it, he has certainly greatly angered Pre Vizsla, who does not like playing second fiddle to Darth Maul. Immediately thereafter, Pre Vizsla tells Bo-Katan: “Stay focused. Mandalore will soon be ours, and Maul and his brother will be dead alongside the duchess.“
In sum, of Darth Maul, we see
- Darth Maul has big plans, not only relying on Death Watch, but seeking to build an army to take Mandalore, even looking to have a crime syndicate join them
- Darth Maul rolls in with a full batallion, which is a massive show of force, when he arrives to meet with Black Sun, about which he is very confident
- Darth Maul is unconcerned about being threatened with death at the hands of Black Sun, perhaps because he knows his brother and, certainly, himself, could easily kill any would-be attacker from Black Sun
- Darth Maul is ruthless, having Savage Oppress take out the entire leadership of Black Sun in one fell swoops
- Once he has Black Sun join in, he quickly asks for their supplies, looking to make quick use of them
- Darth Maul is very assertive of his vision, of his plan, despite Pre Vizsla’s protests
- Darth Maul takes over the planning and making a massive and more complex plan, planning for something much more massive than Death Watch could do on their own
- Darth Maul enjoys demonstrating huge shows of force, coercing other criminals into joining his army
- Darth Maul is gung-ho about moving forward with his plans, even at the risk of angering Pre Vizsla – good for the short term, but perhaps not good for the long term
- Ultimately, it seems as if his primary language is the use of force and power to get his way and have others bend to his will
