Following the cancellation of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2013, Lucasfilm set out to adapt a multitude of unfinished stories intended for the show through other mediums. One such story is the comic Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir.
Originally intended to be part of The Clone Wars’s sixth season, Son of Dathomir follows Darth Maul after his capture by Darth Sidious in the episode “The Lawless.” Not only does it pick up right where the show leaves off, but you also get some incredible dialogue between Maul and his captors. This includes Count Dooku, and this man does not go easy on our poor spike-headed dark side boy. He does not use that weak force torture like Kylo Ren did in The Force Awakens. However, the torture is not without purpose. Dooku and Sidious want to draw out Mother Talzin, the leader of the Nightsisters, so they can free themselves of her wrath.
Maul does not stay trapped for long however, as his Mandalorian buddies come to rescue him. They regroup with the rest of their forces on the planet Zanbar, only to be intercepted by General Grievous and his army of brainless droids. Now, if you thought Maul talking to Dooku was cool, then you will love seeing Grievous and Maul dueling. You can never have too many lightsaber blades.
Maul’s army quickly gets overwhelmed by Grievous’s droids and they have to retreat. Maul then speaks with Mother Talzin, exactly as Dooku and Sidious had planned. Maul and the Mandalorians then lead the droid army to a city on Ord Mantell where the rest of the Shadow Collective army is waiting. The combined forces of the Pykes, Black Sun, and Mandalorians, aided by the Nightbrothers sent by Mother Talzin, prove to be more than a match for the droid army. Dooku quickly wipes out most of the Nightbrothers himself, resulting in these incredible panels.
While it would have been great if this story had been animated, I am grateful we got to see it at all. Seeing Maul come face-to-face with Grievous and Dooku is a fan’s dream come true. The confrontations between the two Sith apprentices leave readers wanting more. The whole comic ties-in perfectly with Maul’s appearances in The Clone Wars and bridges the gap in his story well. If you are planning on binging season seven of The Clone Wars or have seen the show but have never read Son of Dathomir, I highly recommend checking it out. Writer Jeremy Barlow and artists Juan Frigeri, Mauro Vargas and Wez Dzioba brought this fantastic story to life in each page.
Rating: 9/10
Buy the graphic novel:
Comixology: https://www.comixology.com/Star-Wars-Darth-Maul-Son-of-Dathomir/digital-comic/571876?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/star-wars-jeremy-barlow/1118925183
The Candid Clark 