It Just Dawned on Me How Insane This Is. Palpatine Took a Break From His Day Job To Go Across the Galaxy to School His Old Apprentice

We’ve all seen that iconic moment when Palpatine senses Maul’s rise to power and decides to personally deal with him. 

As the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine was incredibly busy, especially with the Clone Wars nearing its climax. 

So why would he take time out of his packed schedule just to pay Maul a ‘visit’? It’s not like he was there to congratulate Maul on his return to power as a formidable force in the galaxy.

But there’s much more going on here than meets the eye. Palpatine wasn’t just dropping by for a casual encounter—I’ve uncovered the real reasons behind why he made the trip, and here’s what I found.

Stopping Maul to Prevent Jedi from Losing Sight of the Clone Wars

When Palpatine decided to personally intervene against Maul, it wasn’t just about dealing with his former apprentice—it was about keeping the Jedi focused on what mattered most: ending the Clone Wars. 

By this time, Maul had built a significant amount of power, taking over Mandalore and controlling a criminal syndicate. 

That could easily divert the Jedi’s attention away from the larger conflict.

As the Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine had one major goal—bringing the Clone Wars to an end under his control. 

If he succeeded, the people of the Republic would see him as a hero, the one who restored peace after years of conflict. 

But Maul’s rise to power presented a problem. If the Jedi turned their attention to Maul, it could delay the war’s resolution, which would have messed up Palpatine’s grand plan.

During a crucial meeting in The Clone Wars series, Obi-Wan suggests that Maul is a rising threat who needs to be stopped. However, Palpatine quickly shuts that down. 

From his perspective, Maul is not the real threat—Count Dooku is. 

He tells the Jedi Council, “It does not appear this Darth Maul is a direct threat to the Republic. We need to redirect your efforts to the cause at hand, stopping Count Dooku and thus ending the Clone Wars.”

Palpatine Feared Maul’s Potential to Replace Him as the Sith Lord

We all know that when Maul returned, he didn’t come back quietly. Gaining power rapidly, he took his brother, Savage Opress, as his apprentice, training him in the dark side of the Force. 

Maul’s rise was clear in Palpatine’s eyes; with Maul and Opress growing stronger, they posed a threat by potentially forming a new duo of Sith Lords. 

If Maul saw Palpatine as an obstacle, their clash was inevitable.

Anyone familiar with the Sith knows their tradition of betrayal. Palpatine, or Darth Sidious, understood this well. 

There’s a scene where Maul sets Savage straight about the Rule of Two.

Opress, being somewhat naive, talked about them being equals. 

But Maul corrected him, saying, “Always two there are, my brother, a master and an apprentice.”

After that conversation, Maul officially took Opress as his apprentice. 

Maul was making a clear statement of his ambitions to become the new Sith Lord. With Opress by his side, he aimed to challenge Palpatine’s reign.

Sensing this imminent rise, Palpatine knew he had to act quickly. If Maul succeeded in growing his power unchecked, it wouldn’t be long before he became a direct threat to Palpatine’s supremacy.

Maul’s Capture: Palpatine’s Strategy to Root Out a Hidden Enemy

Another key reason for Palpatine’s confrontation with Maul was to use him as bait to draw out a more dangerous foe—Mother Talzin, the Nightsister witch. 

If you’ve followed The Clone Wars series, you’ll remember that Dathomir, home of the Nightsisters, was invaded by General Grievous, with most of the Nightsisters being wiped out. 

However, Mother Talzin, the most powerful of them, managed to escape.

Palpatine viewed Talzin as a significant threat. He feared her potential return and what it could mean for his future Empire. By capturing Maul, Palpatine aimed to lure Talzin out of hiding and eliminate her once and for all. 

This plan unfolds in the 2014 comic series Star Wars: Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir. After killing Maul’s brother Savage Opress in The Clone Wars, Palpatine chooses to keep Maul alive. 

As the comic series begins, we see Palpatine and Count Dooku standing over a captive Maul, with Palpatine saying, “There are many forces poised against us. To ensure our complete and total victory, we must root out and destroy all of our enemies.”

Although Maul eventually escapes, he seeks out Talzin for help, leading to a final confrontation where Palpatine and Grievous ultimately destroy her. 

If you’re curious about this storyline, you can explore it further through this link, where I’ve broken down all the details of the Son of Dathomir comic series.