Warning! This post contains a preview for Darth Maul: Black, White & Red #3

A pre-Phantom Menace mission for Darth Maul further proves how Palpatine continues to weaponize a key weakness in his apprentice. Darth Maul was the first apprentice to Palpatine/Darth Sidious in the Star Wars timeline, having been trained just before the events of the Skywalker saga. However, Darth Maul continually grew frustrated with his master, wanting to be unleashed as a true force for the dark side and yet continually held back.

As seen in the new preview for Darth Maul: Black, White & Red #3 from Erica Schultz and Leonard Kirk, Maul is training in the lower levels of Coruscant, honing his skills and abilities while his master continues to prepare and plan for the Sith's ultimate revenge in the upper levels as Senator Palpatine. Although Maul was sent out on various missions from time to time, this preview further proves just how restless Maul was, impatiently waiting for the moment when the Sith could truly strike against the Jedi.

Sensing his apprentice's restlessness Palpatine orders Maul to temper his impatience, though continually holding Maul back only served to grow and build his ambitions, as seen in the future of the Star Wars timeline.

Darth Maul Was Kept On A Very Short Leash Before Phantom Menace

Kept Secret While Palpatine Was Preparing and Planning

Before The Phantom Menace, Palpatine's use of Maul was extremely limited. It's a core reason why this new canonical series from Marvel is so fascinating, as each story in this new anthology is set during this early period where Maul was finally allowed to serve his master on various missions, the majority being assassinations in service to Palpatine's greater plans. That said, Palpatine continued to stoke Maul's bloodlust and desire to kill Jedi, while also keeping him restrained so as not to reveal their presence before it was time.

Maul did indeed have some minor Jedi encounters as seen in other canonical comics. However, he was largely kept hidden more often than not and was left to simply train against various droids. As such, it's not surprising to see Maul questioning his master's orders and wanting to know more than he was told when he's finally given a new mission, a result of his impatience and ambition.

Maul's Ambitions Were Far Too Great

The Result Of His Impatience

Ultimately, Maul's ambitions grew beyond his master's, especially after Sidious effectively rejected Maul following his defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace. Despite having survived his fall and the loss of his legs, Palpatine had moved on with Count Dooku as his new apprentice. As such, Maul sought revenge not only against Kenobi but also against his old master during The Clone Wars.

This resulted in Maul's attempts to unify the criminal underworld as a power base, only for Sidious to kill Maul's brother and have Maul himself tortured and (temporarily) captured, as his old apprentice had become a clear rival. Ironically, Palpatine was the one who stoked the fires of Maul's impatience and great ambition in the first place. At any rate, it should prove to be very exciting to see what Maul's new mission will bring when the full issue is released.

Darth Maul: Black, White & Red #3 is on sale June 26th from Marvel Comics.