Darth Maul
Encyclopedia
Darth Maul is a fictional character
in the science fiction
saga Star Wars
. He is one of the main antagonist
s of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park
and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz
.
In the film, Maul serves as the apprentice of Darth Sidious
, a mysterious Sith Lord
who is manipulating galactic
events from behind the scenes. Wielding a double-bladed lightsaber
and trained as a master of lightsaber combat, Maul serves as a personal assassin for Darth Sidious, having been sent to eliminate Obi-Wan Kenobi
and Qui-Gon Jinn
, two of the film's protagonists.
as the apprentice of Sith
lord Darth Sidious
, who sends him to capture Queen Padmé Amidala
and eliminate the two Jedi
, Qui-Gon Jinn
and Obi-Wan Kenobi
. During the film's climactic scene, he hits Qui-Gon with his lightsaber
hilt and fatally injures him during the duel. He then knocks Obi-Wan into a reactor chasm; at the last minute, however, Obi-Wan uses the Force
to propel himself out of the chasm, equipping himself with his master's lightsaber. Obi-Wan quickly cuts Maul in half from the waist. Maul's body separates into two pieces and falls into the chasm.
Maul's murder of Qui-Gon places the responsibility of Anakin Skywalker's training into Obi-Wan's hands, setting the stage for the rest of the prequel trilogy.
, an animated series set between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
. Maul is described as a warrior of the Nightbrother clan on the planet Dathomir, who inhabit the planet alongside the dominant Nightsister clans, a society of women who practice witchcraft
. The tattoos covering his body are described as the markings of a warrior, in contrast to earlier sources which identify his bodyart as the markings of a Sith Lord.
Maul is established as having two brothers: Feral and Savage Opress. Savage becomes entangled in a power struggle between Maul's Sith successor, Count Dooku
, and Dooku's former apprentice and Nightsister, Asajj Ventress, being taken from his clan and brainwashed to become a killer that would obey Ventress' commands, to the point of murdering his own brother, Feral, at her suggestion. Following a failed assassination attempt on Dooku and a falling out with Ventress, the figurehead of the Nightsister clan, Mother Talzin, suggests to Opress to seek out his brother Maul, who she claims is in exile somewhere in the Outer Rim of the galaxy.
Maul's death is mentioned twice in the Nightsisters trilogy. Once by Dooku, and again by Obi-Wan. It is also noted that the Jedi know Maul's name (unlike in Star Wars literature, where Obi-Wan always referred to him as the "Zabrak Sith")
Maul - who apparently survived his bisection in The Phantom Menaces climax - will appear in some form in the spring of 2012 in Season Four of The Clone Wars. He will be voiced by Sam Witwer, who previously voiced Starkiller in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
and its sequel
.
, Maul is kidnapped
from his Jedi training by Sidious at an early age, and is trained as a Sith, having Sith tattoos put all over his body. Maul initially goes on countless missions of terror
for his master, killing politicians, crime bosses, merchants, and warlords.
Several sources depict Maul returning from the dead in several different forms. The story "Resurrection" from Star Wars Tales 9 depicts a duplicate of Darth Maul created by a cult, which is killed in a duel with Darth Vader
. The story "Phantom Menaces" in Star Wars Tales #17 depicts a post-Return of the Jedi
Luke Skywalker
visiting Maul's home planet of Iridonia in an ambassadorial capacity, where he faces a "solid state holigram" of Darth Maul, which he destroys.
In 2005, Dark Horse Comics
published Star Wars: Visionaries
, a compilation of comic art short stories written and illustrated by members of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
art department and ILM artists. One story, "Old Wounds", considered to be non-canonical to Star Wars lore, depicts Darth Maul surviving his bisection at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi, replacing his missing bottom half with cybernetic replacements. After battling Obi-Wan on Tatooine
, he is killed by a blaster bolt to the head from Owen Lars, Luke Skywalker
's adoptive uncle.
had described Darth Maul as "a figure from your worst nightmare". Designer Iain McCaig
thus offered Lucas a design based on a nightmare of his, which was rejected, but later inspired the Nightsister Sith witch in later Star Wars tales. One day McCaig was trying to make "Sith lord versions" of the art department crew, and drew David Dozoretz, head of the animations group, with a circuit board on his face. Lucas was intrigued by the circuit board idea, and McCaig started producing similar caricatures.
After getting frustrated with a drawing of production designer Gavin Bocquet, McCaig started covering it in tape. Both he and Lucas liked the result, described as "a kind of Rorschach pattern
". The final drawing had McCaig's own face, with a pattern based on three things: a concept of a "flayed flesh face", face-painting of Africa
n tribes and further Rorschach experimentation (dropping ink onto paper, folding it in half then opening).
Darth Maul's head originally had feathers, based on prayer totem
s, but the Creature Effects crew led by Nick Dudman interpreted those feathers as horns, modifying his features into those common in depictions of the biblical
Devil
.
Maul's clothing was also modified, from a tight body suit with a muscle pattern to the Sith robe based on samurai
pleats, because the lightsaber battles involved much jumping and spinning. Another concept had Maul a masked figure, something that could rival Darth Vader
, while the senatorial characters would sport painted and tattooed faces. It was later decided to apply this to Maul rather than the senate.
and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz
in the movie, as well as Lego Star Wars: The Video Game
. For the video game adaptation of the movie, he was played by Gregg Berger
. He was played by Jess Harnell in Star Wars: Racer Revenge
, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
and Star Wars: Demolition
. He was played by Stephen Stanton
in Star Wars: Battlefront II
and by Clint Bajakian
in Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing
. He also made an appearance as a CGI
character in two additional Star Wars video games: As a PROXY training hologram in Star Wars The Force Unleashed and also in Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
, where his voice was provided by David W. Collins.
would name Darth Maul as the 16th greatest Star Wars character of all time. The editor of the piece noted, "Of the countless characters to walk in and out of the Star Wars saga, none look or act more badass than Darth Maul. Say what you will about Episode I, but the deadly ballet
of Darth Maul makes the movie worth watching even now."
Darth Maul related merchandise was popular among Hasbro
Star Wars toy lines, with plastic recreations of his double bladed lightsaber and various action figures in his likeness developed. Darth Maul will be the focal point of the toy marketing campaign surrounding the 2012
re-release of The Phantom Menace, being featured on the packaging for the toy line. Maul's double-bladed lightsaber would influence several homages and parodies, including an appearance in The Simpsons
Treehouse of Horror X
and a similar weapon being featured in the video game series Ratchet and Clank.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
saga Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
. He is one of the main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park
Ray Park
Raymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...
and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
.
In the film, Maul serves as the apprentice of Darth Sidious
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
, a mysterious Sith Lord
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
who is manipulating galactic
Star Wars Galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...
events from behind the scenes. Wielding a double-bladed lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
and trained as a master of lightsaber combat, Maul serves as a personal assassin for Darth Sidious, having been sent to eliminate Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
and Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, and a main protagonist of the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Liam Neeson. He also appears in the Star Wars Expanded Universe of comic books, video games, and novels...
, two of the film's protagonists.
Star Wars films
Darth Maul appears in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
as the apprentice of Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
lord Darth Sidious
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
, who sends him to capture Queen Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
and eliminate the two Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
, Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, and a main protagonist of the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Liam Neeson. He also appears in the Star Wars Expanded Universe of comic books, video games, and novels...
and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
. During the film's climactic scene, he hits Qui-Gon with his lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
hilt and fatally injures him during the duel. He then knocks Obi-Wan into a reactor chasm; at the last minute, however, Obi-Wan uses the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
to propel himself out of the chasm, equipping himself with his master's lightsaber. Obi-Wan quickly cuts Maul in half from the waist. Maul's body separates into two pieces and falls into the chasm.
Maul's murder of Qui-Gon places the responsibility of Anakin Skywalker's training into Obi-Wan's hands, setting the stage for the rest of the prequel trilogy.
2008 animated series
Maul's origins were elaborated on in Star Wars: The Clone WarsStar Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)
-Production:At April 2005's Star Wars Celebration III, Lucas stated that "we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network; we probably won't start that project for another year." In July 2005, pre-production had begun on the series, according to Steve...
, an animated series set between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
. Maul is described as a warrior of the Nightbrother clan on the planet Dathomir, who inhabit the planet alongside the dominant Nightsister clans, a society of women who practice witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
. The tattoos covering his body are described as the markings of a warrior, in contrast to earlier sources which identify his bodyart as the markings of a Sith Lord.
Maul is established as having two brothers: Feral and Savage Opress. Savage becomes entangled in a power struggle between Maul's Sith successor, Count Dooku
Count Dooku
Count Dooku is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. Dooku is one of the main antagonists of both Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and the events of the Clone Wars and is a supporting villain in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Count Dooku plays a substantial role...
, and Dooku's former apprentice and Nightsister, Asajj Ventress, being taken from his clan and brainwashed to become a killer that would obey Ventress' commands, to the point of murdering his own brother, Feral, at her suggestion. Following a failed assassination attempt on Dooku and a falling out with Ventress, the figurehead of the Nightsister clan, Mother Talzin, suggests to Opress to seek out his brother Maul, who she claims is in exile somewhere in the Outer Rim of the galaxy.
Maul's death is mentioned twice in the Nightsisters trilogy. Once by Dooku, and again by Obi-Wan. It is also noted that the Jedi know Maul's name (unlike in Star Wars literature, where Obi-Wan always referred to him as the "Zabrak Sith")
Maul - who apparently survived his bisection in The Phantom Menaces climax - will appear in some form in the spring of 2012 in Season Four of The Clone Wars. He will be voiced by Sam Witwer, who previously voiced Starkiller in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a multimedia project developed by LucasArts along with Dark Horse Comics, Lego, Hasbro, and Del Rey Books...
and its sequel
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is LucasArts' sequel to 2008's Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game. A trailer announcing the game was shown December 12, 2009, at the Spike Video Game Awards. The game was released across multiple platforms in October 2010, along with a collectors edition of...
.
Star Wars literature
As portrayed in the novel Darth Maul: Shadow HunterDarth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is a 2001 novel set in the Star Wars galaxy. It is a prequel novel occurring before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The book was written by Michael Reaves. The cover art was by David Stevenson...
, Maul is kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
from his Jedi training by Sidious at an early age, and is trained as a Sith, having Sith tattoos put all over his body. Maul initially goes on countless missions of terror
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
for his master, killing politicians, crime bosses, merchants, and warlords.
Several sources depict Maul returning from the dead in several different forms. The story "Resurrection" from Star Wars Tales 9 depicts a duplicate of Darth Maul created by a cult, which is killed in a duel with Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
. The story "Phantom Menaces" in Star Wars Tales #17 depicts a post-Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
visiting Maul's home planet of Iridonia in an ambassadorial capacity, where he faces a "solid state holigram" of Darth Maul, which he destroys.
In 2005, Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
published Star Wars: Visionaries
Star Wars: Visionaries
Star Wars: Visionaries is a 2005 collection of 11 stories written and drawn by concept artists who worked on the film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith...
, a compilation of comic art short stories written and illustrated by members of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
art department and ILM artists. One story, "Old Wounds", considered to be non-canonical to Star Wars lore, depicts Darth Maul surviving his bisection at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi, replacing his missing bottom half with cybernetic replacements. After battling Obi-Wan on Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
, he is killed by a blaster bolt to the head from Owen Lars, Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
's adoptive uncle.
Concept and creation
Series creator George LucasGeorge Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
had described Darth Maul as "a figure from your worst nightmare". Designer Iain McCaig
Iain McCaig
Iain McCaig is an illustrator and conceptual designer. He was involved in the Star Wars and Harry Potter film projects as well as John Carter of Mars.-Biography:...
thus offered Lucas a design based on a nightmare of his, which was rejected, but later inspired the Nightsister Sith witch in later Star Wars tales. One day McCaig was trying to make "Sith lord versions" of the art department crew, and drew David Dozoretz, head of the animations group, with a circuit board on his face. Lucas was intrigued by the circuit board idea, and McCaig started producing similar caricatures.
After getting frustrated with a drawing of production designer Gavin Bocquet, McCaig started covering it in tape. Both he and Lucas liked the result, described as "a kind of Rorschach pattern
Rorschach inkblot test
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning...
". The final drawing had McCaig's own face, with a pattern based on three things: a concept of a "flayed flesh face", face-painting of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n tribes and further Rorschach experimentation (dropping ink onto paper, folding it in half then opening).
Darth Maul's head originally had feathers, based on prayer totem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...
s, but the Creature Effects crew led by Nick Dudman interpreted those feathers as horns, modifying his features into those common in depictions of the biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
.
Maul's clothing was also modified, from a tight body suit with a muscle pattern to the Sith robe based on samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
pleats, because the lightsaber battles involved much jumping and spinning. Another concept had Maul a masked figure, something that could rival Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
, while the senatorial characters would sport painted and tattooed faces. It was later decided to apply this to Maul rather than the senate.
Portrayal
For Darth Maul's first appearance in The Phantom Menace, he was played by Ray ParkRay Park
Raymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...
and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
in the movie, as well as Lego Star Wars: The Video Game
LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game is a video game based on the Star Wars themed toy line by the Lego Group and the first game in TT Games' Lego videogame franchise. It takes place during the prequel trilogy , with a bonus segment from A New Hope...
. For the video game adaptation of the movie, he was played by Gregg Berger
Gregg Berger
Greggory "Gregg" Berger is an American voice actor, who is known for his longtime role as Odie the dog from the Garfield franchise...
. He was played by Jess Harnell in Star Wars: Racer Revenge
Star Wars: Racer Revenge
Star Wars Racer Revenge is a Star Wars video game that involves high speed racing. It is the sequel to Star Wars: Episode I Racer. This game takes place in between episodes 1 and 2. The story takes place eight years after The Phantom Menace, and Sebulba wants revenge on Anakin Skywalker...
, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds is a real-time strategy computer game set in the Star Wars universe.Players have a choice of factions and campaigns. The factions in the original game include the Wookiees, Royal Naboo, the Trade Federation, the Empire, the Rebels, and the Gungans...
and Star Wars: Demolition
Star Wars: Demolition
Star Wars: Demolition is a vehicular combat game set in the Star Wars universe. The game was released on both PlayStation and Dreamcast consoles. The game was released on PlayStation on November 12, 2000 and on November 19, 2000 for Dreamcast....
. He was played by Stephen Stanton
Stephen Stanton
Stephen Stanton is an American voice actor, impressionist and visual effects artist. He is well known as an "audio double" or "voicematch" for actors: Alec Guiness, John Cusack, Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Nicolas Cage, Robert Downey Jr., and Peter Cushing among many others...
in Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II is a first/third-person shooter video game developed by Pandemic Studios, and published by LucasArts. The game is the sequel to the successful Star Wars: Battlefront and features new vehicles, characters, game mechanics, maps, and missions...
and by Clint Bajakian
Clint Bajakian
Clint Bajakian is an American video game composer and musician.-Biography:Bajakian was born in Massachusetts, United States. He was linked with music since age of 8. In middle school Bajakian played in marching bands, and also played in range of rock bands...
in Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing
Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing
Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing is a racing video game with characters from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode IV, and Star Wars Episode VI. The playable characters are portrayed in a humorous light in the super deformed style...
. He also made an appearance as a CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
character in two additional Star Wars video games: As a PROXY training hologram in Star Wars The Force Unleashed and also in Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron is a spin-off from the Star Wars Battlefront series released November 3, 2009 on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It has been called the sequel to Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron.-Plot:...
, where his voice was provided by David W. Collins.
Popular culture
Since the release of The Phantom Menace, Maul has proven to be quite a popular character. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
would name Darth Maul as the 16th greatest Star Wars character of all time. The editor of the piece noted, "Of the countless characters to walk in and out of the Star Wars saga, none look or act more badass than Darth Maul. Say what you will about Episode I, but the deadly ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
of Darth Maul makes the movie worth watching even now."
Darth Maul related merchandise was popular among Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
Star Wars toy lines, with plastic recreations of his double bladed lightsaber and various action figures in his likeness developed. Darth Maul will be the focal point of the toy marketing campaign surrounding the 2012
2012 in film
The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2012...
re-release of The Phantom Menace, being featured on the packaging for the toy line. Maul's double-bladed lightsaber would influence several homages and parodies, including an appearance in The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Treehouse of Horror X
Treehouse of Horror X
"Treehouse of Horror X" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons eleventh season, and the tenth annual Treehouse of Horror episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on Halloween 1999. In "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did", the...
and a similar weapon being featured in the video game series Ratchet and Clank.