Secret New Darth Maul Connection Set Up in Official Star Wars Concept Art

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A new connection to Darth Maul has been revealed for the upcoming Star Wars series, The Acolyte, suggesting a character from the old “Legends” stories might become official canon. The Acolyte is set long before the prequel movies and was initially expected to focus heavily on the Sith. While the series, created by Leslye Headland, didn’t fully deliver on that promise, a brief appearance by Darth Plagueis, Palpatine’s former master, hinted that a potential second season would have explored that side of the story more deeply.

The new series The Acolyte quickly gained a fan favorite in Manny Jacinto’s character, the Stranger, who seemed to be a powerful Sith Lord. However, his appearance created a puzzle, as he existed during the same time as Darth Plagueis, and the Sith typically follow a ‘Rule of Two’ – meaning only two Sith Lords exist at once. Since the Stranger wasn’t connected to the line of Sith established by Darth Bane (as Plagueis later trained Palpatine), viewers wondered how he fit into the larger Sith story. While The Acolyte has already connected to the Knights of Ren, recently revealed concept art suggests an even more exciting development.

One Subtle Detail in The Acolyte Nods to Darth Maul

Something really struck me while looking at concept art for The Acolyte: the design of the Stranger’s ship immediately brought to mind Darth Maul’s ship, the Scimitar. It’s a surprisingly similar look!

— Tom Bacon (@TomABacon) February 3, 2026

A key detail appears in the new book, The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte, now available from retailers like Amazon. The book includes beautiful concept art, notably a scene showing the characters known as the Stranger and Osha sharing a romantic moment that echoes Anakin and Padmé’s wedding in Attack of the Clones. However, the most interesting part is a starship visible in the background. While it’s a variation of the Stranger’s ship, the Exile II, its design strongly resembles Darth Maul’s iconic ship, the Scimitar, from this particular viewpoint.

This is just concept art, and the ship’s final appearance in The Acolyte is a little different. However, it does reveal Lucasfilm’s plans, as the artwork beautifully captures the developing relationship between Osha and the Stranger, which resonated with many viewers. The ship’s design suggests a strong link between the Stranger and the Sith’s Rule of Two – it’s a model known to have been created and used by the Sith. This implies the Stranger is a precursor to Darth Maul, initially taken in by the Sith as a tool rather than a true apprentice, and eventually abandoned by Plagueis.

The Acolyte’s Darth Maul Connection Hints At Another Legends Sith Lord

Before Disney rebranded older Star Wars stories as non-canon “Legends,” Darth Plagueis learned from a Sith Lord named Darth Tenebrous. Tenebrous was actually a Bith named Rugess Nome, famous for designing starships. He created the Sith Infiltrator, the ship later used by Darth Maul, which is interesting because the mysterious character known as the Stranger seemed to use a very similar vessel. Notably, Plagueis’ mentor is now officially part of the current Star Wars story – he was first mentioned back in 2015 in the comic Build the Millennium Falcon #44, in connection with the design of the Sith Infiltrator.

This ship is often credited to Raith Sienar, a famous designer, but some believe that claim is false. Evidence suggests it was actually designed by Darth Tenebrous, the Sith Master who trained Darth Plagueis.

Interestingly, after the magazine was first published, that specific mention of Darth Tenebrous was removed in later versions, leaving his official status unclear. However, the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brought him back into official continuity by naming Palpatine’s forces after various Sith Lords – Darth Tenebrous among them. This officially re-established him as part of the Star Wars canon. Because of this, his backstory could potentially align with the events of the series The Acolyte, even allowing for the possibility that he’s still alive during that time period – making him a perfect candidate as the owner of the Stranger’s spaceship.

With The Acolyte not returning for another season, The Art of The Acolyte offers a final opportunity to explore the creator’s original vision. Similar to other incomplete Star Wars stories – like those from Solo: A Star Wars Story – this book will likely provide closure. Hopefully, it will wrap up the plot threads and ideas introduced in the show, even without a second season.

What are your thoughts on Lucasfilm’s decision to end The Acolyte? Share your opinion in the comments and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-03 20:44