Star Wars: Darth Maul's back.

[Captain Pirate]

Yep. In the upcoming four-part finale to Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 4, everyone's favourite dual-bladed lightsaber wielder returns.

Personally, I can't wait.
I love the new Clone Wars series, I have high expectations that it will be amazing, and will flesh him out much more.
However, I worry that he's already been overshadowed by his brother Savage Opress, who has already has been given a story, and, in my opinion, is even more badass than Maul. He killed two Jedi, with no experience in fighting lightsaber-wielders, with only an axe.


Your thoughts, Escapist?
I'm curious, as it seems that most comments related to Episode 1 being re-released in 3D mention Darth Maul and his fantastic dual as being the best thing about The Phantom Menace.

 

[senordesol]

I could never get into Clone Wars. The eb and flow of the conflict is ultimately dictated by Palpatine, it's a war between disposable people and disposable robots so...yeah...really nothing at stake.

 

[ShadowKatt]

My thoughts? Well, I was largely against it UNTIL I saw the last scene in there. It looked like Maul was using prostetics from the waist down. So I can let go a lot of the clone/resurrection/other Dues Ex bullshit that star wars USUALLY pulls out to explain a character coming back(Looking at you, FOrce Unleashed). So with a believable meathod of him returning, I'm actually all for it. let's see how Obi Wan handles the SECOND encounter with him.

Also, assij being dropped by Dooku was one of the best things they could have done for her character development. They're fleshing her out considerably more now, and that's a good thing.

 

[Neverhoodian]

*Sigh*

It's the Boba Fett survives/cloned Palpatine fan-wank all over again, except this one makes even less sense. The dude was cut in half, for Pete's sake. They never went to such silly extremes to keep characters alive back in my day-

...oh...

Darth Maul's just too marketable of a character to be kept in the grave, I guess. If fans of the show like it, then good for them. Personally, I'll stick with him dying on Naboo. It's not the first time I've disregarded Star Wars "canon," and it certainly won't be the last.

 

[Thespian]

Just no.
This happened in the comics once as a what-if and that's all it should be. The "Hey, a Half-Robot Darth Maul!" cool-ness will wear off after a few minutes and you'll realize how stupid it is.

Besides, the Clone Wars cartoon just does so many things wrong. It exaggerates so much and godamnit Assaj Ventress had a great death/defeat in the original Clone Wars cartoon, why did they have to bring her back in this one?

This series is just cheesy and poorly written, never got into it.

This amuses me though. Makes me think that in a few years time there'll be dozens of people complaining that Lucas is ruining the classic prequel trilogy.

 

[WolfThomas]

There's a guy called Savage Opress...urgh, also didn't this already happen in a comic or story or something? It doesn't seem new.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I had always have a low opinion toward the show and as typical it does look cool (the only good thing about the show are the battles).

Wow I never expect that Savage Opress will actually found him since I thought it was just a wild goose chase (I mean leave it open ended fate like Raven before TOR).
Well it look like this isn't a clone of Maul as he clearly got himself a new pair of robot legs.
Sure this will bring some depth to the once a few liners character but when the heck was he that much of a threat?

Still despite how excited the episodes will be, it will all be for nought. Either Mual and Opress get killed off or disappear seeing how they had never appear again in post clone war story (Episode 3).

 

[Captain Pirate]

Also, assij being dropped by Dooku was one of the best things they could have done for her character development. They're fleshing her out considerably more now, and that's a good thing.

I agree, the series needed a change in the ranks and Assajj's side switching's been great to watch.

The dude was cut in half, for Pete's sake.

I really don't think it's that bad at all. A lightsaber cauterizes wounds, so he wouldn't have bled to death, he didn't lose any vital organs bar his genitals (I still wonder how cyber-Maul goes to the toilet, but anyway), and for all we know there could have been a giant trampoline at the bottom of that tunnel he fell down.
That, and the fact that he is fuelled by the Dark Side for wanting revenge on Obi-Wan, I really don't think it's that far of a stretch.
Stranger things have happened in Star Wars, in both trilogies. Obi-Wan vanishes as he dies, and Darth Vader is left limbless and literally on fire before he is rescued. I don't know about you, but I think those are pretty damn important to the canon, and, without some explanation related to the Force, equally ridiculous.

Just no.
This happened in the comics once as a what-if and that's all it should be. The "Hey, a Half-Robot Darth Maul!" cool-ness will wear off after a few minutes and you'll realize how stupid it is.

Besides, the Clone Wars cartoon just does so many things wrong. It exaggerates so much and godamnit Assaj Ventress had a great death/defeat in the original Clone Wars cartoon, why did they have to bring her back in this one?

This series is just cheesy and poorly written, never got into it.

This amuses me though. Makes me think that in a few years time there'll be dozens of people complaining that Lucas is ruining the classic prequel trilogy.

I disagree with a lot of that post, I think it is well written, particularly Anakin is a vast improvement over the prequels.
But yeah, I have to agree with what you said about people complaining. Star Wars fans have to complain about everything, even this, something in a show most probably don't watch relating to a film they mostly hate with a character who was never developed. Why people suddenly give a shit that it's 'ruining Ep 1 showing him as dead' is beyond me.
This isn't applying to everyone, just as a note, but it does happen.

 

[Thespian]

I disagree with a lot of that post, I think it is well written, particularly Anakin is a vast improvement over the prequels.

Saying that something is "a vast improvement over Anakin's character in the prequels" is like saying a meal tasted considerably better than a plate of human feces.

Sorry, but the writing is only there to tie the show in to selling more merchandise. I totally understand your infatuation with the visual effects and vibrant worlds of Star Wars, but there are so many inconsistencies, liberties, bad tropes and also an abundant lack of creativity.

I don't think Darth Maul's return is bad because it's inconsistent with a Phantom Menace (that film made a mistake by killing off such a cool and enigmatic character, much like Boba Fett) - I think it's bad because it's unoriginal and shoe-horning in an improbable and forced character return in timing with the 3D release to move merchandise.

It's the animation equivalent of a video-game rushed out as a movie tie-in.

 

[GoaThief]

People take children's shows too seriously. Especially crappy spin-offs.

 

[Fappy]

I could never get into Clone Wars. The eb and flow of the conflict is ultimately dictated by Palpatine, it's a war between disposable people and disposable robots so...yeah...really nothing at stake.

Sums up exactly why the Clone Wars is the most boring and pointless of the Star Wars eras.

 

[Captain Pirate]

I disagree with a lot of that post, I think it is well written, particularly Anakin is a vast improvement over the prequels.

Saying that something is "a vast improvement over Anakin's character in the prequels" is like saying a meal tasted considerably better than a plate of human feces.

Sorry, but the writing is only there to tie the show in to selling more merchandise. I totally understand your infatuation with the visual effects and vibrant worlds of Star Wars, but there are so many inconsistencies, liberties, bad tropes and also an abundant lack of creativity.

I don't think Darth Maul's return is bad because it's inconsistent with a Phantom Menace (that film made a mistake by killing off such a cool and enigmatic character, much like Boba Fett) - I think it's bad because it's unoriginal and shoe-horning in an improbable and forced character return in timing with the 3D release to move merchandise.

It's the animation equivalent of a video-game rushed out as a movie tie-in.

Again, I disagree, but it's a matter of opinion I guess.

And I don't think it's down to lack of creativity at all, otherwise Darth Maul would have made a comeback long ago. Instead they've given nearly 4 seasons of mostly new characters and events. Personally I think they've done well to resist shoving him awkwardly into something for this long. If they were going to bring him back, I can't think of many better ways to do it than this.

 

[arnoldthebird]

Maul is an intimidating character...having him walk around on metal legs is bad, just not as awesome. I just wonder if they are going to REALLY kill him.

As for the show itself, I don't mind it. It has some cool animation, a different art style and it is about Star Wars. There are worse thing's to be watched.

 

[Soviet Steve]

I was curious what one could possibly want to talk about regarding that man's back. I was disappointed. Personally I see the horned satan figure and wonder aloud whether he could be a little less subtle seeing how this is a kid's film.

Perhaps he could wear a nametag marked "Dastardly villain" in front of his name, maybe stand around in front of a castle being struck by lighting during a thunderstorm and laugh maniacally while strangling a baby to emphasize that he is evil. Or do a session in the galactic senate where he defrauds the republic by exploiting tax-loopholes? I'm sure they could squeeze it into the main title crawl. Darth Maul, Dastardly Villain, part of the 1%.

What's his bedfellow named again? Savage Opress? ... Do I even have to say anything? Captain Planet was less condescending than this.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I don't have a problem with Maul's return. Hell, they made a comic where a clone of Maul fought Darth Vader, and it was awesome.

What bothers me is the way that Maul was brought back. In The Clone Wars, Maul is apparently going to be attached to robotic spider legs, having survived his bisection by Obi Wan.

This just doesn't sit well with me. The Cloning of Maul from the comics worked, because it could be seen as a resurrection of sorts. With this, Maul literally survived being sliced in half and thrown down a mile deep reactor core.

That doesn't make his character badass, it makes it feel forced. It also has the unfortunate effect of cheapening Qui Gon's death. So, Qui-Gon goes down from a single stab wound, but Maul can survive major blood loss, no legs, and splattering across the bottom of a reactor?

 

[Thespian]

-snip-

Well, you do make some convincing points. I find the show a tad superficial. Maybe the later episodes are better though, I probably haven't seen them.
Difference of opinion as you said, however.

Out of interest have you seen the original, Genndy Tartakovsky 2D Clone Wars? It's a great, though short series. You'd probably enjoy it. Though you've probably seen it.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Darth Maul's just too marketable of a character to be kept in the grave, I guess. If fans of the show like it, then good for them. Personally, I'll stick with him dying on Naboo. It's not the first time I've disregarded Star Wars "canon," and it certainly won't be the last.

It's not really canon anyway. According to Lucas the only thing that is canon are the 6 movies. Everything else is "possible alternate universes"

Some of them are more "possible" than others, though, and a lot of EU stuff was worked into the prequels. For that matter, The Force Unleashed is considered movie level canon. Anyway, there's different levels of canon, with the top two being Movie level (self explanatory, only what we see on screen) and G-level (word of god, or more accurately, stuff Lucas has gone on record about), and the bottom level being completely non-canon. There's varying levels in between, and there's a huge database at Lucasfilm to keep it all straight.

OT: As long as this makes the comic where Uncle Owen kills Darth Maul with a blaster canon, I'm all for it. If you've never heard of that, look it up; the Clone Wars team aren't the first ones to come up with the idea of a Darth Maul that's a robot from the waist down.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I liked the CGI Clone Wars show when it first came out (There were actually some good episodes, like Rookies) but after awhile it's really grated on me. It just seems like they're piddling about and not actually taking the story in any interesting directions. Lots of story arcs and multi-part episodes, but it all feels so pointless since everything is a forgone conclusion. If they introduced some new characters, separate from most of the pre-existing characters and gave them their own plotline that wasn't directly related to the Jedi, I think that would be pretty cool. They might have already done this though, I only catch an episode of it every so often. I know they did that with some of the clones, but it's hard to care about them, even if they do try to make them likable.

Admittedly, the shows gone on for like 4 seasons, and I don't suppose they really had any plans on where to take it as far as plotlines go from the start, but I'm still waiting for pretty much all of the characters introduced through the show that weren't involved in Episode 3 or a later part of the series (Rex, Ahsoka) to either die or be put on a bus.

I'm not that much of a fan of Star Wars to really care, but the show feels like such wasted potential.

Star Wars always been kind of a silly series, I don't think Darth Maul coming back is too big of a stretch. I mean, in expanded canon, Boba Fett managed to escape the Sarlacc.