I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. We all know Maul was Palpatine’s first apprentice that we actually saw in the movies—fast, deadly, and terrifying with that iconic double-bladed lightsaber. But if you remember Maul’s return in The Clone Wars, there’s one line that really sticks with me. When Maul learns that the Clone Wars have already begun, he says, “So it began… without me.”
It tells us something important: Maul knew about wars before they ever started. That means Palpatine must’ve explained parts of his master plan to him. So now I can’t stop thinking—what was Maul’s original role supposed to be in Palpatine’s grand plan? What did Sidious want from him before everything changed on Naboo?
Palpatine Used Maul as His Blunt Instrument
As we might think, Maul was supposed to be Palpatine’s Sith apprentice—just like we saw in The Phantom Menace. However, we never really get any clear explanation in canon about Palpatine giving Maul a long-term role in his grand plan. The only concrete thing we know is that Maul was sent to Tatooine to track down Queen Amidala and eliminate the Jedi protecting her.
But in Star Wars Legends, we actually do get a clear answer. In the novel Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, there’s a scene where Palpatine talks with Plagueis about using a Force-sensitive assassin—not a true Sith apprentice, but someone trained just enough to do the dirty work and then be discarded when no longer needed.
Here’s how the conversation goes:
Plagueis: “The Jedi have long known that the dark side has been reawakened and cannot be checked by them. Now they have felt it on their own Coruscant.”
Palpatine: “Even so, we can’t continue to risk exposure.”
Plagueis: “You have more to say about this.”
Palpatine: “Master, would you consider training someone in the Sith arts to execute whatever missions are required?”
Plagueis: “Another Venamis? In defiance of our partnership?”
Palpatine: “Not an apprentice; not someone who could ever aspire to become a true Sith Lord. But someone skilled in stealth and combat, who could be eliminated when no longer needed.”
Plague: “You already have someone in mind.”
Palpatine: “You instructed me to keep an eye out for beings who might prove helpful. I found such a one on Dathomir not a year ago. A male Dathomiri Zabrak infant. Many Zabrak demonstrate strength in the Force. By nature, it would seem. This infant does. The mother birthed two and sought to save one from the clutches of the Nightsisters, especially from one known as Talzin.”
From the above conversation, we know exactly who Palpatine was talking about—it was Maul. He wasn’t being groomed as a future Sith Lord. He was trained as an assassin, a tool for Palpatine and Plagueis to use when needed, then throw away. And that’s exactly what happened. After Maul failed on Naboo, Palpatine never looked for him, never tried to bring him back. Maul had served his purpose, and in Palpatine’s eyes, he was disposable.
Palpatine Executed Maul’s Purpose in The Clone Wars
We all remember that moment in The Clone Wars when Palpatine finally shows up to deal with Maul and Savage Opress. By that point, Maul had built his own criminal empire, taken control of Mandalore, and was no longer hiding in the shadows. He wasn’t just surviving anymore—he was rising in power, and that made him a threat.
For Palpatine, Maul, at this point was no longer part of the grand plan. Worse, his growing power was disrupting the Clone Wars itself, shifting the Jedi’s focus away from the war and onto Maul’s chaos. That delay didn’t serve Palpatine’s goals—so he stepped in.
The fight that follows is brutal. Palpatine takes on both Maul and Savage at the same time—and completely dominates them. He moves with precision, no hesitation and proves without a doubt that he’s still the top Sith. He kills Savage and corners Maul, but instead of finishing him off, he traps Maul with the Force and delivers a chilling line: “There is no mercy. Do not worry, I’m not going to kill you. I have other uses for you.”
Palpatine didn’t come just to destroy Maul—he had another plan. He wanted to use Maul to draw out Mother Talzin, the powerful leader of the Nightsisters. Palpatine feared that after wiping out the Jedi, other Force-wielders like the Dathomiri could rise and challenge his future Empire. So he used Maul as bait to lure Talzin out and eliminate another potential threat.
If you’re curious how Palpatine used Maul to set this trap, we have a full article that breaks it down in detail—you can check it out right here.