Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1

Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1 is the second one-shot in the comic book anthology series Star Wars: Age of Republic. The issue was written by Jody Houser, illustrated by Luke Ross, and published on December 12, 2018 by Marvel Comics. The comic issue serves as a follow up to Star Wars: Darth Maul.
==Publisher's summary==
RISE OF THE SITH! A living weapon of rage and bloodthirst, DARTH MAUL has stayed in the shadows of CORUSCANT waiting for his chance to strike against the JEDI ORDER! However, since tasting his first blood, the SITH lord struggles to contain his desire for destruction and questions the wishes of his methodically plotting master. Could Maul have had another path in life, or was he always fated to follow a dark road? Guest-starring DARTH SIDIOUS!
==Plot summary==
In the lower levels of Coruscant, a disguised Darth Maul meets with Zek Peiro, one of the best thieves for hire on Coruscant, and he tells Maul that he doesn’t need backup. Not giving himself away, Maul explains that the “Kaitis Cartel” learned about a security transfer, and are serious about acquiring the pre-sprice, Scarn. As the two move through the underworld to begin their heist, Zek warns Maul that he better be able to hold his own in a fight, to which Maul tells him that that won’t be a problem. Maul narrates that while his master has alliances stretching through the upper levels, he’s started to build his own down below that operate right under the noses of the Jedi and uses the name of the Jedi that he slew. While he isn’t able to hunt Jedi just yet, what he’s building has helped him to locate other quarries such as Zek who may be Force sensitive. When the two reach the heist’s location, an additional group arrives on speeders, but Maul doesn’t hesitate and jumps straight in, causing Zek to become annoyed with Maul as he doesn’t work with “amateurs”. Engaging their targets, Maul and Zek fight together and swiftly take down dozens of men, causing Maul to sense the Force moving around Zek, but his grasp is clumsy and he lacks training. After taking everyone out, Zek turns his anger towards Maul as he wished that they’d held off so that they could’ve located the Scarn, but he is able to use his minimal skills in the Force to locate it himself. Maul sees that he has potential, and perhaps he could’ve been a Jedi but instead rots among the garbage of their capital just below their feet. When Zek starts to become cocky about himself and believes that the Kaitis Cartel could become a real powerhouse soon, Maul suddenly ends his life by hurling a piece of metal into his chest using the Force. 
Later on the surface with his master Darth Sidious, Maul is told that his foolish antics risk drawing the attention of the Jedi, but Maul tries to convince him that his actions were careful. When Sidious questions if his bloodlust has been eased by risking the plans that he’s already set in motion, Maul answers no as there will be no satisfaction until the Jedi Order lies in ashes, and the two of them will be the fire that burns them down. He is then told that his hate has made him strong, but he needs to learn to temper it with patience, and even though he’s already proven himself in battle, he’s a fool to think that his training is already complete. 
Later, the two travel to Malachor, and Maul recalls from his past visit that this is where the Jedi slaughtered the Sith long ago, but also the destruction that they bring upon themselves. Sidious guides Maul through the battlefield and points him to their fallen brethren as their ashes hold one more lesson, and when Maul breathes the ashes in, he experiences a vision. As a Jedi, a young Zabrak boy comes up to him and begs him to help his family against a raging Rancor, but Maul is taken aback by this as he doesn’t believe that the vision is showing him what he needs to see. However, he is a hunter, and so he activates his blue double-bladed lightsaber and slays the beast through his Force acrobatics. Afterwards, Maul sits down with the Zabrak family who thank him as they eat a meal together. When the boy claims that the Jedi are always right where they need to be, Maul cannot contain his rage as he knows that this isn’t who he truly is, and cuts the head off of the father and slaughters the rest of the family. As Maul kills the child, he tells him that the Jedi are only a lie told to the desperate galaxy, and it’s a lie that he will end. Maul then suddenly finds himself surrounded by many Jedi who close in on him, but when they consume him, the vision comes to an end and Sidious begins to clap in the silence on Malachor. 
When he asks Maul what he’s seen and learned, Maul explains that rage fuels the Sith, but it won’t be enough to stop the Jedi alone, as they have numbers and the faith of the Republic on their side. Sidious says that that is only for the time being as they’ll lose both with careful planning, and while Maul’s emotions make him strong, patience may run contrary to the passions of a Sith. If they act without thinking or a plan, they will never be able to rise. While he fared well against the padawan that he slew, his combat skills that he used are only one facet of what they’ll need to bring down the order. When he explains that anger is a tool and not his master, Maul agrees and says that only Sidious is his master. 
==Media==
===Editions===
*UPC 759606091942; December 12, 2018; Marvel Comics
**00111; Cover A; Paolo Rivera
**00121; Cover B; Lucasfilm Ltd.
**00131; Cover C; Luke Ross, Nolan Woodard
**00141; Cover D; Iain McCaig
**00161; Cover E; Guru-eFX, Mike McKone
===Cover gallery===
==Continuity==
*Despite the Age of Republic comic overtly dating itself to be after Eldra Kaitis's death, Star Wars: Timelines incorrectly dates the events of Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1 to occur before those of the main Darth Maul comic.Star Wars: Timelines
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: Age of Republic — Villains
*Star Wars: Age of Republic HC
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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Category:Star Wars: Age of Republic issues