Why Maul Still Calls Himself That When He’s No Longer a Sith (& What Was His Real Name?)

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The popular villain Maul returns in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and the series is offering fans a deeper dive into his story while also raising new mysteries about his past as a Sith. Maul has become a truly captivating character in the Star Wars universe. Despite seemingly dying in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, the franchise famously brought him back in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, offering a brief explanation involving mechanical limbs and then continuing the story.

Bringing characters back from the dead has often been a point of contention in Star Wars, as seen with Palpatine’s return. However, fans generally welcomed Maul’s reappearance due to his popularity. The Clone Wars series even gave him a complex and interesting story, especially considering he was once Palpatine’s apprentice. Now, the Maul – Shadow Lord series is exploring that relationship even further, focusing on how Palpatine abandoned him. This will likely be captivating, but it also brings up important questions, including the meaning behind Maul’s name.

Maul Should Have Dropped More Than Just ‘Darth’

The title Maul – Shadow Lord officially confirms that Maul has abandoned the title of ‘Darth,’ showing he no longer identifies as a Sith. This had been strongly suggested by his story in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, but the new title makes it certain. Interestingly, Maul retained the first part of his name, which originally came from his time as a Sith apprentice. Though less noticeable than dropping ‘Darth,’ keeping his given name still connects him to his past as a Sith.

Every Sith Lord in Star Wars receives a ‘Darth’ title and a new name, though some, like Count Dooku, still go by their original name. For example, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, and Sheev Palpatine became Darth Sidious. Dooku also took the name Darth Tyranus, even while most people still knew him as Dooku. Similarly, Maul was known as Darth Maul, and he never went back to using his birth name, as shown in the Rebels series.

Maul Revealed He No Longer Remembers His Own Name

Maul appears in another compelling storyline in Rebels, which takes place several years after the events of Maul – Shadow Lord during a dark period for the galaxy. In this series, Maul is searching for a powerful Sith artifact called a holocron. He tries to corrupt the Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger and train him as his apprentice. Though Ezra ultimately resists, thanks to guidance from his Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus, and Ahsoka Tano, he initially forms a close connection with Maul.

Maul is a master manipulator, even when dealing with clever people, and we’re likely to see that skill on display again in Maul – Shadow Lord with his interactions with Devon. He connects with Ezra by opening up about his own weaknesses and past. One striking detail he reveals is that he’s forgotten his birth name, only remembering himself as ‘Maul.’ Considering everything Maul has endured, this loss of identity is understandable, but also surprisingly poignant.

The Jedi And Sith Share A Strange Connection

It’s unsettling that Maul doesn’t remember his own name, and it might seem like another example of Sith evil. However, this could actually be linked to practices within the Jedi Order. Interestingly, Jedi retain their family names, which seems to contradict their rules against attachments. As Obi-Wan reveals in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi, he has hazy recollections of a brother, but struggles to remember him clearly.

As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I’ve always thought of the Jedi as the heroes, but recently, something’s been bothering me. It’s a weird feeling, kind of like remembering Maul doesn’t even have a full backstory! Both the Jedi and the Sith seem to strip away a Padawan or apprentice’s sense of self, and honestly, the ethics of that are really murky. It’s especially troubling when you consider the Jedi are supposed to be the ‘good’ guys – it makes you question just how moral they really are.

While it may seem minor, the fact that Maul lost his ‘Darth’ title and his memory raises intriguing points about the Jedi Order and the relationship between the light and dark sides of the Force. This memory loss also makes us feel a bit sorry for Maul, and the comic Maul – Shadow Lord could delve into this aspect of his story further.

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2026-04-10 18:41