Colleen’s Book Corner: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir

Book Details:

Author: Jeremy Barlow

Artist: Juan Frigeri

Published: May-August 2014

Pre-read checklist (if so inclined):Watch Maul’s CW episodes before reading.

Set during Clone Wars planned Season 6 but episodes were never made.

Disney Canon

More Maul? Yes Please!

Like Dark Disciple from my last review, this story was taken from unproduced CW Season 6 scripts, and I’m so sad we didn’t get to see it on screen. Anytime there’s Magick involved, I wanna see it! What makes me happy: even though this was published by Dark Horse, it’s still canon! Note: it would go on to be re-published by Marvel Comics - Disney’s SW comic partner. Son of Dathomir is part of The Clone Wars Legacy, stories that weren’t publicly revealed in the TV show medium but still happened in the SW universe.

Is Maul Really in Charge of his Destiny?

The real news though: guys…we get to see toddler Maul! He’s so stinking cute! Back on topic, seeing him as a child makes this arc ridiculously sad. As a Maul fan (and a fan of fallen characters and redemption arcs in general) I want all the info on him. Like the Maul comic I reviewed earlier, this 4-issue collection is a snapshot of his life, but since it’s tied directly to his Mandalore arc in CW, I felt more invested in the story. We get Palpy, Dooku, Grievous, and is that Mother Talzin?! What this comic deftly shows is that no matter how much power Maul is able to acquire, it will never be enough. He’s the de-facto leader of Mandalore, the leader of the Shadow Collective crime syndicate, and a proficient Force user. But none of that matters. He might see himself as a king on the chessboard, but tragically, he’s just a pawn caught between two immensely powerful figures. Okay, maybe he can be a knight. I feel bad calling him a pawn. Still, Palpatine and Mother Talzin will always hold sway over him. To say Maul has Mommy AND Daddy issues is an understatement. It’s no wonder he’s messed up with those two as role models.

It’s interesting to think where Mother Talzin’s priorities lie. How important is revenge? Does it ever serve anyone who seeks it? What if seeking it destroys your family?

8/10 Lightsabers

While not a completely necessary read, this is another link in Maul’s overall character arc, another step on his way to that Solo cameo. The art isn’t quite as beautiful as the first Maul comic I reviewed, but it’s still dynamic and interesting in every frame. And super violent! The dialogue fits perfectly with each CW character, particularly Dooku and Obi-Wan (because if Maul is involved, you know Obi isn’t far behind).

One final note: even though most Zabraks live on Iridonia, are the Dathomirian Nightsisters and Nightbrothers now extinct in the sequel trilogy? Or nearly extinct? Something Mother Talzin really should be thinking on…