Lying in Obi-Wan’s arms amid the desolate, moonlit terrain of Tatooine, Maul’s final words in Star Wars canon were a desire they both be avenged by Luke Skywalker, not just by the Jedi. This may seem like a strange sentiment, given how many years Maul spent consumed by the dark side of the Force. However, Maul’s final confrontation with Obi-Wan finally gave him closure, allowing him to relinquish 30 years of resentment - even if vengeance was still on his mind.

The enemies engaged in one last fight during the climax of Star Wars: Rebels season 3 episode “Twin Suns." Despite all the hardship he had faced and the many enemies he made, Maul never forgot about the Jedi who sliced him in half on Naboo, thereby drastically altering his path in life. They were bound by hate and suffering. So why would Maul want to be avenged by Luke, the son of a Jedi?

Related: How Darth Maul Became More Tragic Than Darth Vader

Maul and Obi-Wan shared a common enemy in Darth Sidious, the grand architect of the demise of the Old Republic, and destroyer of both their lives. Maul’s obsession with hate led to his downfall, but not before realizing their joint goal. In the end, old rivalries became meaningless, and Maul’s statement regarding Luke cemented his place as one of Star Wars' most tragic characters. Maul felt betrayed by Sidious, discarded in favor of Count Dooku, and having lost his role in the Clone Wars.

Obi-Wan and Maul in Star Wars Rebels

Originally blaming Obi-Wan, Maul eventually realized he was simply a pawn until Sidious secured the apprentice he truly desired. He attempted to derail Sidious' plans with the Siege of Mandalore. Maul's ploy to lure Anakin into a trap and prevent him from becoming Darth Vader was designed through selfish means, but it connected Maul to Obi-Wan via their separate attempts to prevent the rise of the Empire. Inevitably, they both failed, and their old lives disintegrated. Between Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rebels, Maul lost control of crime syndicate Crimson Dawn, while Obi-Wan was already in exile, having lost all his loved ones.

Rebels saw Maul cling to his rivalry with Obi-Wan because he had no purpose. He attempted to insult the aging Jedi, but Maul was easily provoked by Obi-Wan's responseLook what I have risen above”. This cut deeply, perhaps because Maul realized it was true. Maul was the pathetic one, chasing the past while Obi-Wan lived for the future. Right at the end, he allowed his enemy’s embrace, asking Obi-Wan to confirm he was in hiding to protect the Chosen One before Maul added "he will avenge us". It's a touching moment that stripped away their conflict, but Maul was still against the Jedi Order. He was molded into a vessel of hate from a young age, raised by Sidious to believe the Jedi were his enemy. He also personally resented them for never choosing to train him as a child. However, Luke doesn't belong to the old Order. The Chosen One specifically was prophesized to destroy the Sith - a comforting notion that Luke would defeat Sidious, metaphorically avenging Maul.

In his dying moments, Maul found some semblance of peace, but could never abandon his hate. However, he did find common ground with Obi-Wan. Having been used and abandoned by the Sith all his life, Maul could finally see how similar his and Obi-Wan's goals had become. Maul didn't know Luke's actual identity, but it didn't matter. His Star Wars arc ended with the hope that Luke possessed a destiny Maul never had.

Next: Star Wars Rebels: Why Maul Was Looking For Obi-Wan (Not To Kill Him)