Star Wars: Maul Actor Reveals the Emperor’s True Fate for the Sith Lord

Image: Lucasfilm/Graphic: Polygon

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord catches up with the former Sith powerhouse roughly a year following the events of Revenge of the Sith. Maul is laser-focused on two primary objectives: establishing a formidable criminal syndicate on the remote world of Janix—a planet that has managed to evade Imperial oversight—and securing a protégé capable of standing by his side. His prime target for recruitment? Devon Izara, a Twi’lek Jedi Padawan who managed to survive the harrowing purge of Order 66.

It is hardly a revelation that Maul seeks an apprentice; his history is defined by a relentless cycle of bringing others under his wing. In an interview with Polygon, actor Sam Witwer notes that the former Sith perceives a reflection of his own struggle within young Devon, suggesting a shift in his growth since his days mentoring his brother, Savage Opress. Most intriguing, however, is the revelation regarding the complex, toxic dynamic between Maul and his own tormentor, the malevolent Sheev Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious.

Despite his burning hatred for Palpatine, Witwer explains that the scars left by his former master continue to shape Maul’s identity. This residual influence directly informs the manipulative tactics he employs as he attempts to mold Devon into an apprentice.

“Sidious is the root of all his trauma,” Witwer notes. “Palpatine was both his mentor and a twisted father figure. Maul realizes that if he is to harbor such profound resentment toward what he was put through, he bears a responsibility to be a more supportive master to his own successor.”

Viewing Palpatine through the lens of a “father figure” might seem counterintuitive, yet it aligns with the brutal reality of Maul’s upbringing. Born into a culture where Dathomirian males served the Nightsisters—a society where violence was the primary language of strength—Maul was plucked from his home at a young age to be honed into a weapon of chaos by Palpatine.

The lessons Maul learned under Sidious were mirrored in his relationship with his brother, Savage Opress. Desperate to reclaim his standing, Maul subjected Opress to immense pressure, weaponizing their bond to fuel his ambition to topple Palpatine and Dooku. Following Opress’s tragic demise, Maul has been forced to refine his approach. In Maul: Shadow Lord, he emerges as a more calculated entity, determined to fill the void left by his brother with a candidate he can forge properly—essentially trying to succeed where Palpatine failed.

However, Witwer notes that this endeavor is fraught with difficulty. “The tragedy is that Maul lacks any blueprint for altruism. He was never taught how to support others, only how to dominate. Whether he can actually convince Devon to join him, and how that dynamic would evolve, remains to be seen.”

For now, the relationship remains tenuous. While Maul plots his recruitment, Devon is anchored by a steadfast mentor, and Maul finds himself distracted by the chaos of rival criminal empires. As the story unfolds, we will see if his quest for a worthy successor bears fruit or collapses under the weight of his own dark history.

The premiere episodes of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord are streaming now on Disney Plus, with new installments arriving every Monday through May 4.

Source: Polygon