There are a few characters in Star Wars canon that Darth Maul tried to make his apprentice, and there were a few reasons why. Darth Maul, originally introduced in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, was the apprentice of Darth Sidious until he was presumed to have been fatally wounded by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the climax of the film. Despite his rather brief original appearance, Maul had a big impact on the story, as his killing of Obi-Wan’s master Qui-Gon Jinn changed the course of Anakin Skywalker’s life and set him on a slow path toward the dark side.
A few years later, in a surprising twist, Maul was brought back to life in the animated hit series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, subsequently featured in Star Wars Rebels and even had a brief cameo appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Upon being discovered on the planet Lotho Minor by his brother Savage Opress, he was brought back to Dathomir where Mother Talzin, the leader of the Dathomirian Nightsisters, used her considerable powers to provide him with working prosthetic legs and bring peace to his mind once more. Once he regained his strength, Maul became a significant antagonist, especially throughout The Clone Wars, where he became a crime lord and even the self-proclaimed leader of Mandalore.
Over the years, Darth Maul propositioned several Star Wars characters to become his apprentice. Maul, as ruthless and prideful as he may be, recognized the value of an ally. Here’s why he was so determined to find an apprentice, and every Star Wars character he tried to recruit in the process.
Why Did Maul Want An Apprentice Of His Own?
One of Maul’s most important personal conflicts was his feeling of being cast aside by his former master, Darth Sidious. Having been replaced by Count Dooku, despite being a dependable and loyal apprentice himself, Maul became vengeful and angry toward his old master and vowed to take revenge for being cast aside. But, despite his anger toward Sidious, he knew he could never defeat him alone. Darth Maul was powerful, ruthless, and full of pride, but he also had an eye for talent and could be utterly convincing when he needed to be. Taking on an apprentice of his own solidified the idea in his mind that he was a worthy master and strongly connected to the dark side. Additionally, the ones he approached to become his apprentices could provide him with valuable information or a distinct advantage to defeat Darth Sidious and take revenge on his nemesis Obi-Wan Kenobi once and for all.
Savage Opress
Savage had a tortured history before ever meeting his brother. He was manipulated into becoming Count Dooku’s apprentice so that Asajj Ventress, Dooku’s former apprentice, could enact her revenge on her old master. Savage was Maul’s younger brother, though the two only formed a relationship as adults after Mother Talzin sent Savage on a mission to find Maul and bring him back to Dathomir. After Maul was restored to his former self, the two brothers teamed up to enact Maul’s plans for revenge. After a while, Maul stopped referring to Savage solely as his brother and started referring to him as his apprentice, ensuring that the relationship was one where Savage was subordinate.
There was some feeling between the two brothers, however. When, in The Clone Wars, Obi-Wan cut off Savage’s arm, Maul was quick to defend him, and he was horrified when Sidious killed Savage right in front of him. He flew into a rage and dueled Sidious on his own but ultimately failed. Years later, when Maul and Ezra Bridger met, it was clear that he still mourned Savage to some degree, citing his brother’s murder at the hands of his former master as one of many reasons for his grievances against the Sith.
Ahsoka Tano
Though Ahsoka and Maul only meet in the final arc of The Clone Wars, during the siege of Mandalore, their meeting is still an impactful one. Maul had sprung a trap, hoping to lure Kenobi, and was disappointed to find that Ahsoka had taken his place. Though Maul didn’t know much about Ahsoka, she knew all about Maul from Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Bo-Katan Kryze, and did not hesitate to be hostile toward him. Maul, however, realized just how similar he and Ahsoka were: both of them had been betrayed by the very institutions to which they had dedicated their lives. He gave her the chance to join him so that they may defeat Darth Sidious together, but when he revealed that Anakin has been groomed by the chancellor his entire life, Ahsoka refused to believe him and they became enemies once again. Ahsoka managed to defeat him after a fierce duel but was forced to release him once Order 66 had been enacted and she needed a distraction to get to safety.
Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger struggled against the lure of the dark side a few times throughout Star Wars Rebels, but it was never that pronounced until he met Maul during a mission on Malachor. Maul and Ezra met in the two-part season 2 finale “Twilight of the Apprentice.” Their similarities were clear and Maul used these to manipulate Ezra into trusting him and helping him reach the Sith Holocron located in the temple on Malachor. Maul, as stated earlier, could be very convincing when he needed to be. He saw Ezra’s conflict and used it to his advantage, understanding that both of them felt a need to fight the Empire to regain what they lost. Ezra lost his parents and the safety of his home because of Emperor Palpatine, and Maul was cast aside by his former master and lost any chance for a peaceful life as a result of Sidious’ torture.
The difference between Ezra and Maul is clear: Ezra seeks justice against the Empire, and Maul seeks revenge, but the two can easily be conflated, which Maul used to lure Ezra to his side. His efforts to appeal to Ezra’s kinder nature were futile, however, especially once Maul lost his patience and attacked Ezra’s master Kanan Jarrus. Maul didn’t stop trying to make Ezra his apprentice, however. He continuously called him “my apprentice” and their shared Force Bond as a result of the joining of the Sith and Jedi Holocrons meant that Ezra was never truly free from Maul’s manipulation, until Kenobi finally defeated Maul in one last lightsaber duel on Tatooine and killed him.
Maul’s character development from his first appearance in The Phantom Menace up to and including Star Wars Rebels has been astronomical. Instead of just being a standard villain with barely a word spoken, he is one of Star Wars’ most tragic characters, driven by his hatred and need for revenge but ultimately relinquishing that anger with the hope that the Chosen One would avenge them all. Maul lost everything as a result of Darth Sidious’ greed and lust for power. In trying to find an apprentice of his own, Maul sought more than just a subordinate: he also sought an ally.