Before Ahsoka: 5 best arcs in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, ranked

2. The Lawless

The Lawless is the magnum opus of this show’s original run. This entry is the finale of a three-episode arc where Darth Maul and Savage Oppress go from drifting in space on the verge of death to successfully organizing a coup to take over the planet Mandalore from Duchess Satine. Maul and Savage were found by the extremist group Death Watch, who healed the Sith Lord’s wounds and restored him with bionic limbs. Maul and Death Watch’s leader Pre Vizla soon find that their goals are somewhat aligned and agree to form an alliance to take down Duchess Satine and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Maul’s previous attempt to kill Kenobi was thwarted by pirates and the unexpected appearance of Assaj Ventress. Maul proves to be unbelievably good at calculating the strengths and weaknesses of those around him to his advantage. He coaxes Pre Vizla into allying with the criminal underworld of the galaxy by playing to his desire to reclaim Mandalore and get revenge on Count Dooku. Without Vizla’s men, Maul would not be able to form this super crime syndicate. Meanwhile, Vizla is overconfident that he will be able to keep control of the situation.

After Death Watch sell themselves as the saviors of Mandalore and Duchess Satine is put in prison, Vizla betrays and imprisons Maul and Savage. But Maul turns this to his advantage by challenging Vizla to single combat in front of his men. Since Vizla possesses the Dark Saber, the victor of this battle will be the rightful ruler of the planet. In the battle, Maul disarms Vizla and then decapitates him. Vizla’s lieutenant Bo Katan Kryze is able to escape with a group of dissenters. A character named Almec assumes the role of puppet prime minister of Mandalore while Maul rules from the shadows.

Bo Katan breaks her sister Satine out of prison and is able to get a distress signal to the Jedi before getting captured again. Since Mandalore is technically a neutral planet and the Separatists are not involved, the Jedi and the Republic are officially unable to interfere with the situation. Obi-Wan, who feels a responsibility given his past with Maul, decides to go in alone. When he arrives, Maul tells Obi-Wan how much pain he caused him, and how he will make him feel that pain by executing Satine with the Dark Saber. Satine professes her love for Obi-Wan before dying in his arms. A devastated Obi-Wan is then escorted to jail until Bo-Katan and her supporters free him while a civil war breaks out.

Back on Coruscant, Palpatine senses his old apprentice’s rise to power and has a ship prepared to take him to Mandalore. For the first time since his revival, Maul is subservient, bowing to Palpatine when he arrives. Maul tries to grovel and convince his former master that he captured Mandalore and formed his criminal empire to return to his side, but Palpatine sees through the lie.

After arguably the best lightsaber fight of the show, Palpatine kills Savage Oppress and explains to Maul that he has been replaced. While Maul clutches his hand, Savage’s Nightsister magic deteriorates and Savage declares himself unworthy before perishing. Maul then pulls out the Dark Saber and duels Palpatine once more, but ends up begging for mercy. Palpatine blasts Maul with lightning multiple times and says that he has plans for him before the credits roll.

Unfortunately we only find out how Maul survived this encounter with Sidious through comic books. Sidious, Dooku and Grevious use Maul to bait and kill mother Talzin and Maul is able to escape and return to his syndicate.