Five old age ago today , one of the coolest moments in Star Wars historyhappened , and there ’s a luck you do n’t get laid about it . It have Obi - Wan Kenobihaving one final lightsaber duelwith his longtime rival Darth Maul , andKenobi killing Maul in the process . However , the mo did n’t boast actors Ewan McGregor and Ray Park , it was Stephen Stanton and Sam Witwer . And it did n’t pass off in a moving picture , it was on animated television receiver show .
Co - written and directed by Dave Filoni , “ Twin Suns , ” the 20th episode of the third time of year of Star Wars Rebels , first aired March 18 , 2017 on Disney XD . Finally , audiences saw the rivalry that began way back in 1999 ’s Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace come to a conclusion . Oh , sure . Most people credibly think that Episode I was the conclusion , since Obi - Wan Kenobi sliced Darth Maul in one-half , but when Star Wars : The Clone Wars executive producer Dave Filoni decided to wreak Maul back in that serial publication , he knew that he had a duty to close up that loop .
“ If there ’s a character like Maul bleed around during one of the old plastic film , he ’s such a big - time player you think there would have been an echo of that somewhere,”Filoni told io9 back in 2017 . “ So it was just the right time to tell the story and add that yarn to an end . ”
Darth Maul was ready to take down Obi-Wan Kenobi.Screenshot: Disney+/Lucasfilm
In the instalment — which is currently streaming on Disney+ , and you absolutely do not require to be a Star Wars Rebels fan to enjoy it ( we haveplenty of recommendationsif you require to become one though)—we see that Maul has been hunting Kenobi . He ’s tracked him to Tatooine but ca n’t find him , so Maul expend the Dark Side to tempt the superstar of Rebels , Jedi learner Ezra Bridger , to Tatooine in the hope of pull Kenobi out . The plan works , Maul arrive , and Obi - Wan transport Ezra off before readying himself for a black clash . This is no duel of the fates , however — no rarefied , energizing lightsaber engagement of the ages that you might have expected from the final showdown between these human body . or else , in a smattering of strikes , Obi - Wan turn Maul ’s hubris against him , gain ground in mere minute . Once more , a Sith is felled at the hands of a Jedi , and Maul and Kenobi share one last cheerio .
“ Maul adjudicate to get Obi - Wan with a very like move as he get Qui - Gon [ in The Phantom Menace],”Filoni tell us . “ Which is he blocks and uses the blunt of his hilt to smack Qui - Gon in the brass . So I had Maul sample to do the same thing to Obi - Wan but again , to show growth , Obi - Wan is ready for that and slices it flop in half . ”
But it ’s better than that — this is a clash that is n’t about the staginess of an extended activity chronological succession , but generation of trauma and brokenheartedness that shadow over Maul and Obi - Wan likewise at this tip in their lives . Maul detest Obi - Wan , for obvious reasons . When he veer him in one-half on Naboo , he basically ruined his life . Maul ’s passe-partout Darth Sidious , presume him dead , discarded him and locomote onto the next apprentice . As a termination , a life story that could have moderate to ultimate power rather became a struggle to subsist . The bluff determined will of Maul ’s fury led to along and strangely tragical historyinvolving robot wanderer legs , evil family members , and eventually his taking over a crime syndicate , among other thing . Before their showdown , Maul and Obi - Wan — who have not see each other at this point since The Clone Wars , when Maul cruelly killed Mandalore ’s Duchess , Satine Kryze , who was once the object of Obi - Wan ’s affections , the right way in front of him — have a fascinating conversation . Maul says that while he really , really want to shoot down the Jedi , he thinks leaving him to waste on this terrible planet might be a worse fate . Which rapidly result Maul to a realization : Obi - Wan is there for a reason . He ’s protecting … someone . And once Maul work out it out , Obi - Wan knows he must be stopped . His military mission , and the galaxy , depends on it .
Obi-Wan Kenobi, ready for the moment.Screenshot: Disney+/Lucasfilm
Obi - Wan does indeed blockade him in an instant , but just as quickly grab his vote out foe in his arms as he hit him down . As his life drains out of him , Maul asks Obi - Wan if the person he ’s protecting is the select One who ’ll vote down the Sith . Obi - Wan says it is . “ Then he will revenge us , ” Maul says , finally , sorely link up all his craze and anger to Obi - Wan — because he , much like all the Jedi , had been betray and ruin by Darth Sidious . It ’s an incredibly powerful , touching second , humanize a baddie we all have it off to hate .
Everything about the instalment is just stunning . The music , the cinematography , Maul ’s tortured rant , his handling of Ezra , Obi - Wan ’s grip on the entire situation , and more . In 22 minutes , Filoni wad in more stakes , latent hostility , chronicle , and mythology thana few of the more late Star Wars feature films .
Of course , many of the new Star Wars Disney+ shows have a similar feel , largely because Filoni is still part of their development as a producer as well as director , and that cause the timing of this anniversary even more interesting . You see , earlier this week , rumor began to circularise that Maul was consideredas part of the upcoming Star Wars : Obi - Wan Kenobi show , only for Filoni himself to nix the musical theme in favor of play back Darth Vader . And though Lucasfilm reportedly denied the rumor , the idea of it even being tangentially talk about is a slap in the human face to “ Twin Suns , ” which so elegantly show not just Maul and Kenobi showing down for the last time , but , chronologically , one of our first glimpses of a young Luke Skywalker as well .
Kenobi holding Maul.Screenshot: Disney+/Lucasfilm
Oh . Right . speak of elegantly doing thingsthat will happen on the Obi - Wan Kenobi show , “ Twin Suns ” goes one step further , mystify the forthcoming show to being the first to show a young Luke Skywalker hunt around on Tatooine . ( He ’s just a little radar target on the CRT screen here , barely recognizable , while the unexampled show will have him more prominently.)Filoni differentiate us about the decision in our consultation five yr ago .
“ We have to look at every sequence of Rebels as if you ’ve never hear Star Wars before , ” he said . “ So if you think of it that agency whenever Maul and Obi - Wan are talking about ‘ The choose One ’ or ‘ Who are you protecting ? ’ If you never see or we do n’t give the context of that , there are a lot of hoi polloi who wo n’t know what ’s live on there . The Star Wars fan will but the average person will not . So at the very least the view establishes , in its simple form , there ’s Obi - Wan , he was protecting someone , and there ’s a woman holler ‘ Luke , ’ and we see what we think of as a young male child running . ‘ Oh , so Obi - Wan is protect a male child named Luke . ’ It ’s design to give you that specific piece of information that you need in the story . ”
“ Now , if you ’re a lover and you go ‘ OH MY GOD that ’s Luke Skywalker ! ’ that ’s even good , ” he continue . “ Now you ’re getting the whole affair … But from a reasonable story point you have to have that setting at the remainder to give some estimation of what this old man is doing in the desert . You ca n’t rely on the Star Wars film as if they ’ve been universally watched even though we sleep together they ’re pretty popular . ”
See the dot on the ride side of the frame? That’s Luke Skywalker.Screenshot: Disney+/Lucasfilm
Sounds familiar , does it not ? Something being democratic , but not so pop that you’re able to feign everyone has picture it . Yes , the Star Wars films are very pop . The Star Wars revivify shows , however ? Less so , in spitefulness of their very warm reputation . But at the very , very least , “ Twin Suns , ” which debuted five years ago today , should be recognized right alongside those film — especially since it so perfectly and succinctly did thing many will be spirt over in a few calendar month when the new Obi - Wan Kenobi show is released .
“ Twin Suns ” is presently well out on Disney+ as part of Star Wars Rebels season three . record more of our Filoni interview from the instalment ’s premiere at this tie-in .
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