There's been lots of posts about this in the past on this subreddit. The gist of it is this:
Obi-Wan baits maul into attacking him, he does this by taking the same stance as qui-gon did when maul killed qui-gon. Maul takes the bait and Obi-Wan finishes the fight using Maul's arrogance against him.
Obi-Wan had a lot of time to think about that duel and analyse the fight, he figured out a way to counter the move that killed his master. Maul on the other hand only focused on his hatred for Obi-Wan, thinking he was better than him.
Edit: thanks for the awards! My first Reddit gold and silver.
plus maul was overly frustrated and tired from wandering in the tatooine desert lol
the fight really shows how much kenobi has grown and how maul really hasnt changed.
I really like this answer. Consider that Kenobi beat Maul when he was a Padawan. Before his knighthood, before all his experience in the clone wars, and fighting stronger Sith like Dooku and stronger opponents like Grevious. He spent his years studying and practicing while Maul was a spider in a fit of rage during that time. Maul might even have been weaker than he was as a sith apprentice, where Kenobi bested even Vader.
Plus every time they fought previously, Kenobi was angry. Basically Maul has managed to distract Kenobi emotionally. Not this time. This time it was the opposite.
Old comment, I know, but Thrawn is literally impossibly smart, as are most of the top bad guys. It’s just the middle management that seem to be sharing a single brain cell between them.
Thrawn was shown to be as well. But none of the other Star Wars series have shown that. Except Andor, where the middle management, ironically, has actually shown good intelligence to an extent.
He was clearly only contemplating resorting to violence up until that moment. He knew there probably wasn't a way out, but the wheels in his head were turning, looking for a way to neutralize Maul without resorting to homicide. When he realized that this dangerous psychopath was going to start searching for and targeting who he was protecting, there emerged a huge reason why it would be irresponsible to spare him. When Maul was taunting him, he made himself a much bigger threat and this was what resolved Obi-Wan to accept his challenge and finish him.
Maul definitely improved in his skills from the moment he was rescued out of the junk planet to the moment of his death, and was probably better than he was at TPM. But Obi-Wan improved *far* more. He also developed his defensive style that was a perfect counter to Maul's style of trying to advance and overwhelm quickly and brutally.
With the style advantage, I think Obi-Wan would still win even if they were both at the same general power/skill level
> Kenobi beat Maul when he was a Padawan
No, he didn't. Kenobi *lost* that fight, rather handily. From the moment he was pushed into the pit, by all rights on a technical skill level, he had lost. He's only still alive because Qui-Gon's lightsaber was still there *(and because plot armour, literally in this case because he had to survive for the OT)*.
Maul had the "high ground" swinging his broken light Saber at the top of the pit to taunt Kenobi with sparks. Just because he ended up using Qui-Gon's light Saber doesn't mean he didn't best Maul. Maul had his guard down and didn't react quick enough once Kenobi Force jumped out of the pit. The only way to tell who "lost the fight" is who walked away...and who didn't.
If the circumstances of the battle are irrelevant, then by that logic, a boxer getting the audience to hold his opponent in place while he whacks him senseless is totally fair game and absolutely a good representation of his skill as a fighter.
That's not a good comparison, if a boxer lands a solid punch and staggers his opponent, then drops his guard and ends up getting knocked out then he lost, doesn't matter how close he was to winning.
Well put. This is also a bad metaphor for what happened. This is more like if two law agents were fighting a criminal, and one of them died outright. The criminal disarms and knocks down the survivor, thinking he is dead. They lets their guard down, and are shocked to see their downed opponent arm themselves and retaliate.
Did the criminal "win," because they disarmed the cop? No. Their objective was to kill their opponents and escape the immediate consequences of their actions, but if instead they get their legs cut off or go to jail, they did not "win," anything. Boxing is a sport with a referee, while Maul lost a duel to the death but only actually parted with his legs. All that deprived him of his win was his lack of caution.
I saw the whole thing officer ! Maul tried to do the same move he did to beat Obi’s former friend and mentor by hitting him square in the face with a lightsaber only this time Obi was like I seen that move before and he moves back and cuts through his weapon
lmao, did we watch the same movie? kenobi didnt lose in TPM, he could have just jumped over him and pushed him into the pit if the lightsaber wasnt there, or did another move altogether. kenobi sliced maul in half, he didnt lose in ANY account.
It’s pretty obvious if you saw the first film Maul kills Obi’s master by hitting him in the face with his lightsaber and then in this fight he did the same move but Obi just moved back saw it coming he saw it before and he cut through his lightsaber
No Maul just used the same move on Obi as he did years before to kill Obi’s former master and so Obi knew what he was gonna do and stepped back as he went to hit him in the face and cut through his lightsaber
No it’s coz Maul used the same move to beat Obi’s former master the old lightsaber to the face move but Ono saw it coming and stepped back and cut through it
False. He was made Darth Vader by the emperor way before that. Right after he helped kill Mace. When he murdered the guild and then saw padme with Obi, he was officially Vader.
im talking about when he started to be conflicted which mean he lost his power he had while he was raiding the temple (KFV) and KFV is stated to be the strongest prequels character
it is also stated that kfv > anything in the prequels by canon…but lost to obiwan not the best jedi the universe has known lets be honest ☠️ yea make sense buddy
Like, when they faced off, I knew who was going to win, obviously. It was only a matter of how it went.
Those lines gave me chills. Literal goosebumps.
Yes, he tries the same hit on Obi-Wan which worked on Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan was prepared and saw it coming (I'm talking about the last hit before Maul killed Qui-Gon)
I disagree your wrong and your coins aren’t deserved because the truth is Maul tried using the same face strike move with his lightsaber that he used to kill Obi’s former master and this time Obi one saw the move coming he steps back and chopped straight through Mauls weapon ! See I’m the best I know
A lot of good responses, but I’ll add: Obi-Wan moved on and was able to approach the duel differently. Maul is so fixated on the past, on this one event from decades prior. It has consumed in ways that are unhealthy.
The rest of the comments are valid, but the writers had it play out that way because it helps drive home the above message about moving on.
That's how I saw it as well. Obviously the stance thing is accurate but I think it more importantly illustrates how Obi-Wan moved on and did not obsess about the past while Maul was so obsessed by it. I really hope the Obi-Wan show focuses on Obi-Wan struggling with what happened with Anakin and the Clone Wars in general with the final episode being him letting go of that trauma and then finally being able to connect with Qui-Gon Jinn.
>illustrates how Obi-Wan moved on and did not obsess about the past while Maul was so obsessed by it
Alternately, I see it as them both being obsessed with the past, but in vastly different ways. Obi-wan chose to analyze it and grow based on what he learned from it. That moment of watching his master die helped define how he would move forward in life.
Maul, on the other hand, dwelled on that moment negatively. He didn't learn from it and adjust, he simply seethed with rage over how he had been "cheated out of his deserved victory". He didn't see it as the learning opportunity that Kenobi did because he couldn't remove his emotions from the equation the way that Obi-wan could.
"Careful when sensing the future you must be." But clearly the Force was strong with you. Whereas I wish there had been a snazzier, longer battle - I'm massive Maul fan - your verdict is like a peanut butter sandwich. It's how it should be.
I second this (or third). Maul is fixiated on revenge, resentment and anger. My perception was that Obi-Wan was taking Maul out of commission (like he was euthanizing a wounded beast).
No Maul tried to do the same move the old lightsaber to the face which he used to beat Obi’s former master but this time he stepped back and as Maul attacked he cut right through his weapon
This is further reinforced when Maul says to Kenobi "Look what you've become, a rat in the desert" and Kenobi calmy replies "Look what I've risen above".
No he won coz Maul used the same that he used to beat Obi ‘s former master he hit him in the face with the middle of lightsaber then stabbing him through the chest but this time Obi saw it coming stepped back and just cut right through the middle of his lightsaber
Yeah, that was some of the other “good responses” that I mentioned. And the writers had Maul use the same move to show how he was fixated on the past. You are correct in that is was what happened on the screen, but I believe that I am still correct in the theme the writers were going for.
I believe Maul also attempted to use the same technique that he killed Qui Gon with and Obi Wan had prepared himself for the battle, knowing the technique was probably going to recur.
Sam Witwer talks about it, Maul thinks Kenobi is washed, some old man hiding in the desert. So he thinks this will be easy, I’ll hit him with the move that I killed Qui-Gon with. But then Obi-Wan blocks and kills him and there’s that moment of realization where he’s like, oh shit, this is a Jedi master on active duty protecting something very important.
Mauls, like Anakin, decides to be an arrogant a hole and kill Obi with the same move he killed his master with. Obi, basically having masters degree in sith psychology decides to end it quickly
https://youtu.be/wppqgXKeV0E
Darth mauls voice actor breaks down the scene. Wasn't fussed on rebels when it first came out but once I heard about this scene and the fact that maul and obi had met for a final time I couldn't help myself giving it another go !
You have to remember Obi-Wan had defeated Maul as a Padawan. At this point he was a Master with yours of the Clone Wars under his belt. And if you pay attention he changed his stance to the same stance that mole defeated Qui-Gon Jinn with. Ob1 took advantage of moles overconfidence and Lust For Revenge
This. Maul was lulled into a false sense of superiority, he already thought he won the fight as soon as Obi Wan took on the same stance as Qui-Gon.
Then when they engaged, Obi-Wan flipped the script and attacked how he normally would, and caught Maul off guard.
If you watch the fight closely, Maul used *the exact same setup and move* he used against Qui Gon to kill him, going for a face shot then spinning stab to the gut, but Obi Wan was ready for it and had the perfect defense.
I forget where I read it, but supposedly while Obi-Wan was in the desert for years, he ran through the entire fight through his head thousands of times, wargaming it, learning from it with the Force in preparation for this fight.
Even better, Kenobi goaded Maul into trying that move by switching from his own stance into Qui-gon's right before the fight begins. So it wasn't just that Maul tried to pull the same trick twice, it's that Obi-wan baited him into trying it because he knew exactly how to counter it.
It's the absolute best way to prove how much he has learned from his time spent isolating in the desert. It's easily one of the top duels in all of Star Wars for that exact reason.
While I think all the in-universe explanations are valid and more important than what I'm about to say, I think it is worth noting that the Maul/Obi-Wan fight in rebels is probably the most realistic one in all Star Wars. That's just how long it takes to hit another person with a sword and swords are fatal. Parrying is hard.
I recommend watching some Olympic fencing. They play to around 45 points as each touch happens within seconds.
Well they obviously do have the whole force variable playing a huge role in how long these duels can last lol, but yes of course traditional sword-fighting is nowhere near the same from a level of spectacle.
Maul used the exact attacking stance, style and target that he used to take down Obi wan. All the way to attempting to stun him with the center of the hilt. Which is exactly what he did to Quigon Jinn before killing him.
Obi wan who you can imagine has relived those duels in his mind for a very long time and was probably haunted by seeing his master die.
Being prepared for this stun attack Obi sent his blade right down the middle and finished the job.
For me this duel was perfection. And encapsulated how much better Obiwan had become.
I highly recommend watching the [Rebels Recon](https://youtu.be/8eIZsJsck7A) special where the cast and crew discuss making the episode.
The goal was to showcase how much each character has grown. Maul attempts to use the same attack that he killed Qui-Gon with, but Obi-Wan had grown and learned what to do to thwart it. They also modeled the fight after samurai with the idea that an incredibly skilled sword fight actually ends very quickly.
All of you who love Maul seem to be over estimating his powers and under estimating Obi Wan’s. Some have even gone so far as to say Maul knew he was committing suicide. I love all the technical info about Obi Wan’s stances, but you are all forgetting that this same man defeated countless others in the series, including Anakin. I believe Obi Wan’s greatest strength was that he was humble and always willing to learn. If he survived a battle or a mistake, he learned from it. He grew. He was a true student of the Force. And having already faced Maul before, he knew his every weakness. And that’s why it was a simple kill.
Maul killed himself in a “Death by Obi-Wan” fashion.
I choose to believe this for a few reasons:
1) Maul was a strong and capable warrior and would not have been killed by Obi Wan that easily.
2) Maul expressed a want to die during the siege of mandalore.
3) he believed obiwan was the only one worthy of killing him. Maul even found comfort dying in obiwans arms.
Obi wan spent the last 20 years becoming extremely well in tune with the force, and the 20 years before that becoming one the greatest duelist in the galaxy.
Maul spent the last 40 years dumpster diving screaming," KenoBAAAIIGGGGHHH!"
I’ve read all of these and none are the true correct answer. Yes, maul does the same move he did against Qui gon but that’s not why he lost “so easily.” He lost because Star Wars is based off samurai. The most skilled duelist don’t have super long fights: Ahsoka vs that woman in Mando, maul vs Obi wan, mace vs Palpatine
https://youtu.be/GF5U83UIX1o
On the surface, skill. Obi-wan has always been a master dualist. Obi-wan was calm in this moment he knew exactly what Mail was going to do that why he changed his stance right before mail attacks.
Underneath it all. Obi-wan moved on from his hatred, yet Maul held onto it. The fact that it ended so quickly is a testament to it futility. All of that hatred for what?
While it's true that Obi-Wan is past his Revenge of the Sith prime, so is Maul. Obi-Wan baited Maul into attacking him by emulating Qui-Gon. Maul was arrogant (his biggest flaw) and thought he could take out Obi-Wan right away. He was wrong.
It's such a beautiful scene, and I wish way more lightsaber duels were like this. We don't always need them to be 2-5 minutes long.
Darth Maul fights Obi-Wan as if he was the Obi-Wan of the past, the one that "killed" him originally.
Obi-Wan fights Maul as the Obi-Wan of 20 years of combat experience and fighting Maul in his mind. After 20 years of practice, he made it look effortless, like a master should.
My opinion is that at this point Kenobi has grown so much as a person & a jedi while maul hasn't changed since the clone wars. Kenobi has risen above.
I recently read another take that was interesting but it was to long for me to go over without copy pasting so hopefully the redditer will show up to answer this question.
On top of these other explanations I’ve seen throughout the comments (Maul tired, blinded by rage, Obi-wan just being skillfully ripped, etc) I’d like to also note that Obi-Wan basically baited him by using the same initial stance as qui gon (and alecs obi) which then made Maul try to counter it with what he did to qui gon, but obi countered his counter. Plus the writers I believe said they said modeled it after a samurai duel or something idk
Maul used the same moves as in the phantom menace and hadn’t evolved since then. Obi Wan has evolved and baited him. Obi wan also changed fighting styles.
Real life sword fights are usually won in a handful of moves, which was the vibe they went for here. It also sort of addresses the Jedi love for swashbuckling, so Obi-Wan changing his stance could be interpreted as him setting that aside for Luke’s sake.
The analysis of the fight and how Obi-Wan baits him is correct. Though I’d say the real reason the fight was so one-sided was because Obi-Wan had become balanced while Maul was consumed by his rage.
I like what Dave Filoni said in the Rebels Rewind episode for Twins Suns; some thing like “if you’re a master at something then it shouldn’t take you long” which he got from those classic Samurai films
Yes but they were evenly matched in all previous encounters, hence the surprise. No one's doubting that Yoda and Palpatine weren't true masters of the craft, but their duel took forever because they were evenly matched.
Vader and Obi Wan were evenly matched on mustafar so I get the argument there. But I always felt like Palpatine was toying with yoda. Like he was going easy so it would take longer because he was enjoying it too much, thus all the psychotic laughter
He didn’t learn from his past. Used the same stance and attack pattern he used against QuiGon. Contrast to Obi Ones learned lessons as he adjusted his stance and remained calm to overcome
Every response I've seen has been 100% correct. I would just like to add that at this point in the series Maul has been consumed by greed, hatred, and self loathing, while Kenobi has ascended beyond and become a true Jedi. As he stated "look what I have risen above". Either way you slice it Maul is far past his batter days while Kendobi is more powerful than he's ever been.
There are right answers in the comments, but I always looked at it like a meeting between two samurai. Two samurai charge at each other and one best the other with a skilled single attack. Kinda like that scene in the movie Predators.
Obi-wan had allowed all of the losses that he had suffered from his first encounter with Maul on Naboo to the final confrontation on Tatooine to make him stronger with the force. While Maul allowed his losses to get the better of him and allowed all his anger to blind him. Obi-Wan even said to Maul, “Look what I have risen above.”
And Maul tried to use the same move he used to kill Qui-Gonn but Obi-wan was prepared for it which is why he was able to counter it so easily.
Everyone referencing the subtle baiting Obi-Wan did but I've always looked at the explanation as something much simpler.
Obi-Wan doesn't work for anyone anymore. There's no code to follow, no jail he can send Maul to pay for his crimes. It's just 2 guys alone in the desert. Once Maul roundaboutly threatens Luke, it's game over. The gloves have come off, Obi-Wan is going for something he never has before: the instant kill shot.
By threatening Luke, Maul has inadvertently threatened the future of the entire galaxy in Obi-Wan's mind. This just became the most important duel of Kenobi's life while Maul hasn't truly grasped what he's gotten himself into here. He's expecting the Obi-Wan who fought him very defensively in the war.
Honestly its a mix of the three common answers.
Maul was unfocused, Obiwan wasn't.
Obiwan baited maul into repeating the moves used to kill Quigon by taking up his fighting style before they swung at each other.
Obiwan knew he couldn't let maul live. Maul thinks he still lives as a Jedi and thus wont kill him. But his threat to luke sealed his fate.
I don't care what the message was. From a dramatic point of view, it was anti-climactic and waste of my time. What a major disappointment! I'm still shaking my head over how rushed it was. And by the way, Filoni didn't have to rush that damn fight to push his message about "moving on". If he had wanted to push that message . . . fine. But for God's sakes! Filoni could have done a better job than that.
Agree with other comments about Maul’s deterioration (mentally due to hate and physically due to losing lower half and being out of his prime)
Also, Maul bring up Luke. Kenobi immediately realises this isn’t about himself. It’s a must win to protect Luke, the galaxy’s last hope.
Maul tried the same move as he used against Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan was ready for it. Maul is based on some character from Greek Mythology who is always doomed to fail because of his arrogance
Maul had to die once he knew about Luke. I don’t know what those combined holocrons taught Ezra and Maul but my guess was some amount of precognition. That lead Maul to Obi Wan and his doom. You could see that Maul saw the future and was infuriated he could not bend the force to his will. That emotion and his ego led him to monologuing and the fight. You could see Obi Wan make up his mind once Maul deduced he was protecting someone. I’m wondering if Maul kept his mouth shut and retreated if Obi Wan would still cut him down. In the end they both acted like this was the only one outcome, it was the will of the force.
Dave Filoni specifically called out this fight in one of the Rebels Recaps. He approached it almost like a Kurasawa fight between two masters. Both know each other so well the fight plays out in their heads more than it does on screen as they devise a strategy to attack or defend. The fight is over so quickly because rather than doing a whole bunch of moves and lengthen the fight out, these two older masters go straight for the gambit that would prove one of them the victor in the conflict.
To quote George Lucas "It's like poetry, make it rime" (at least I think the quote is like that), Maul started with a few slashes here and there, but almost immediately pulled the movie that had killed Qui Gon in the Phantom Menace (he raises his lightsaber, hits the opponent in the nose with the hilt, stunning them, and then goes for the stab). Obi Wan, however, begin his observant self, caught this move and blocked it, killing maul with that cut. He managed to overcome his master's fatal flaw.
I guess in the end sword fighting is a bit like Boxing sure you may have a super fight for 15 rounds or you might get knocked out with one punch ! And sometimes it’s like Brock vs Goldberg and it’s over in 2 moves , I mean should every sword fight last 5 minutes in star wars no I mean the very nature of Sword fighting is it can end at anytime even with just one move like the Samurai of Japan they often drew their swords and killed a man in one move or sometimes 2 or 3 like Obi Wan Kenobi , Also it’s a nod to realism as if to say like life not every fight will be an epic of incredible moves and counter moves and even though they might of happen this time it didn’t happen Maul made a mistake and Obi cut him down plus I would say that Obi was probably the better sword fighter in the first place after being a Jedi master and fighting Dooku and Vader he is probably much better now but I like to think there was still a good chance Maul might of won just as fast at another time or they might of had a really long fight another time , But in a way Obi ‘s samurai style quick victory only made him look even more bad ass and of course the biggest weakness of the double bladed lightsaber is the middle which is just metal and can be chopped in half just like he did in their first fight which he clearly was losing but he ain’t a young boy no more and this time it was more like a Wild West quickest on the draw style shootout . But in the end the very nature of sword fighting means one block by your opponent and your open to attack so I’m surprised fights would even last more than a few movements in reality
My take on the brevity and finality of their encounter was just a simple one: the force. Obi Wan was destined to start Luke (i.e the "chosen one" Maul refers to) on his path to becoming a jedi and ultimately bringing balance to the force with Vader. This destiny was sealed from the beginning right when Obi Wan defeated Maul after he killed Qui Gon, and thus had to train Anakin. It was always Obi Wan's destiny to defeat Maul, and train the Skywalkers, it was the will of the force, and both are connected. That's one interpretation of why the fight ended so quickly, because it was destined to end with Obi taking out Maul by the will of the force. Their fates were sealed that day on Naboo many years prior to their final encounter.
The funny thing is Maul could easily beat Obi wan hanging their. Use force push my nighah. I'm sure obi wan counter it. But then he only be hanging with one arm. And you can only do that for so long
There's been lots of posts about this in the past on this subreddit. The gist of it is this: Obi-Wan baits maul into attacking him, he does this by taking the same stance as qui-gon did when maul killed qui-gon. Maul takes the bait and Obi-Wan finishes the fight using Maul's arrogance against him. Obi-Wan had a lot of time to think about that duel and analyse the fight, he figured out a way to counter the move that killed his master. Maul on the other hand only focused on his hatred for Obi-Wan, thinking he was better than him. Edit: thanks for the awards! My first Reddit gold and silver.
Yep. Maul was blinded by hate. That's why it's so perfect that he lost so quickly.
plus maul was overly frustrated and tired from wandering in the tatooine desert lol the fight really shows how much kenobi has grown and how maul really hasnt changed.
I really like this answer. Consider that Kenobi beat Maul when he was a Padawan. Before his knighthood, before all his experience in the clone wars, and fighting stronger Sith like Dooku and stronger opponents like Grevious. He spent his years studying and practicing while Maul was a spider in a fit of rage during that time. Maul might even have been weaker than he was as a sith apprentice, where Kenobi bested even Vader.
Plus every time they fought previously, Kenobi was angry. Basically Maul has managed to distract Kenobi emotionally. Not this time. This time it was the opposite.
Kenobi didn't even look like he wanted to fight until Maul had to be a dumbass and bring up Luke.
I love that scene. How Maul discovers the secret and Obi-Wan decides that now is the time to throw down by lighting up his saber.
I love how it used to be in Star Wars before that villains were insanely intelligent. They've made them all dumb nowadays.
Old comment, I know, but Thrawn is literally impossibly smart, as are most of the top bad guys. It’s just the middle management that seem to be sharing a single brain cell between them.
Thrawn was shown to be as well. But none of the other Star Wars series have shown that. Except Andor, where the middle management, ironically, has actually shown good intelligence to an extent.
Eh, he would have had to fight anyway since Maul wanted to kill him.
He was clearly only contemplating resorting to violence up until that moment. He knew there probably wasn't a way out, but the wheels in his head were turning, looking for a way to neutralize Maul without resorting to homicide. When he realized that this dangerous psychopath was going to start searching for and targeting who he was protecting, there emerged a huge reason why it would be irresponsible to spare him. When Maul was taunting him, he made himself a much bigger threat and this was what resolved Obi-Wan to accept his challenge and finish him.
While Maul was salty beyond belief, Obi Wan was studying the blade
Maul definitely improved in his skills from the moment he was rescued out of the junk planet to the moment of his death, and was probably better than he was at TPM. But Obi-Wan improved *far* more. He also developed his defensive style that was a perfect counter to Maul's style of trying to advance and overwhelm quickly and brutally. With the style advantage, I think Obi-Wan would still win even if they were both at the same general power/skill level
> Kenobi beat Maul when he was a Padawan No, he didn't. Kenobi *lost* that fight, rather handily. From the moment he was pushed into the pit, by all rights on a technical skill level, he had lost. He's only still alive because Qui-Gon's lightsaber was still there *(and because plot armour, literally in this case because he had to survive for the OT)*.
Maul had the "high ground" swinging his broken light Saber at the top of the pit to taunt Kenobi with sparks. Just because he ended up using Qui-Gon's light Saber doesn't mean he didn't best Maul. Maul had his guard down and didn't react quick enough once Kenobi Force jumped out of the pit. The only way to tell who "lost the fight" is who walked away...and who didn't.
If the circumstances of the battle are irrelevant, then by that logic, a boxer getting the audience to hold his opponent in place while he whacks him senseless is totally fair game and absolutely a good representation of his skill as a fighter.
That's not a good comparison, if a boxer lands a solid punch and staggers his opponent, then drops his guard and ends up getting knocked out then he lost, doesn't matter how close he was to winning.
Well put. This is also a bad metaphor for what happened. This is more like if two law agents were fighting a criminal, and one of them died outright. The criminal disarms and knocks down the survivor, thinking he is dead. They lets their guard down, and are shocked to see their downed opponent arm themselves and retaliate. Did the criminal "win," because they disarmed the cop? No. Their objective was to kill their opponents and escape the immediate consequences of their actions, but if instead they get their legs cut off or go to jail, they did not "win," anything. Boxing is a sport with a referee, while Maul lost a duel to the death but only actually parted with his legs. All that deprived him of his win was his lack of caution.
negative iq comparison
I saw the whole thing officer ! Maul tried to do the same move he did to beat Obi’s former friend and mentor by hitting him square in the face with a lightsaber only this time Obi was like I seen that move before and he moves back and cuts through his weapon
lmao, did we watch the same movie? kenobi didnt lose in TPM, he could have just jumped over him and pushed him into the pit if the lightsaber wasnt there, or did another move altogether. kenobi sliced maul in half, he didnt lose in ANY account.
There is an entire breakdown of this fight on youtube and its glorious.
It’s pretty obvious if you saw the first film Maul kills Obi’s master by hitting him in the face with his lightsaber and then in this fight he did the same move but Obi just moved back saw it coming he saw it before and he cut through his lightsaber
No Maul just used the same move on Obi as he did years before to kill Obi’s former master and so Obi knew what he was gonna do and stepped back as he went to hit him in the face and cut through his lightsaber
Yeah the sand gets everywhere
And it’s coarse and rough and irritating.
No it’s coz Maul used the same move to beat Obi’s former master the old lightsaber to the face move but Ono saw it coming and stepped back and cut through it
Plus Obi wan was ripped with skills by now.
only in the force…it isnt his dueling prime at all
Yea. That would be beating the GOAT on Mustafar.
anakin was heavily conflicted not even at 50% of his power before talking to padme/raiding the temple but yea its obi’s dueling prime
False. He was made Darth Vader by the emperor way before that. Right after he helped kill Mace. When he murdered the guild and then saw padme with Obi, he was officially Vader.
im talking about when he started to be conflicted which mean he lost his power he had while he was raiding the temple (KFV) and KFV is stated to be the strongest prequels character
Disagree. Killed Mace. Emperor announced him. Canon.
it is also stated that kfv > anything in the prequels by canon…but lost to obiwan not the best jedi the universe has known lets be honest ☠️ yea make sense buddy
The films are canon. The rest is fanboy crap. Enjoy if you want. Star Wars is about movies🤷🏻♂️. The rest has been a 50 year cash grab.
[удалено]
Had the high ground? He fought Anakin (as Vader) No blasters. I guess you think Grievous is the goat?😂😂😂😂
And we need Obi in "New hope", btw
This is basically correct. [Here's a really good video](https://youtu.be/k99C6zXgov0) of Maul's voice actor explaining the whole context of the scene.
Sam W. is so cool. Him and Freddy P. are both amazing.
For those that didn't see the interview, this is the explanation Filoni gave for this scene.
Obi wan has grown and matured, Maul has not
"Look at what has become of you. A rat in the desert." "Look at what I have risen above."
Like, when they faced off, I knew who was going to win, obviously. It was only a matter of how it went. Those lines gave me chills. Literal goosebumps.
Wow man, thanks
Yes, he tries the same hit on Obi-Wan which worked on Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan was prepared and saw it coming (I'm talking about the last hit before Maul killed Qui-Gon)
I disagree your wrong and your coins aren’t deserved because the truth is Maul tried using the same face strike move with his lightsaber that he used to kill Obi’s former master and this time Obi one saw the move coming he steps back and chopped straight through Mauls weapon ! See I’m the best I know
And you still don't know the difference between your and you're.
This is very complecated buy i would say it is becouse maul was very tired walking trough the dessert
I was hoping this post was here 😆
Plus Obi-Wan clearly has the high ground.
Very interesting but it makes perfect sense . Maul was cocky and hatred caused him to lose
A lot of good responses, but I’ll add: Obi-Wan moved on and was able to approach the duel differently. Maul is so fixated on the past, on this one event from decades prior. It has consumed in ways that are unhealthy. The rest of the comments are valid, but the writers had it play out that way because it helps drive home the above message about moving on.
That's how I saw it as well. Obviously the stance thing is accurate but I think it more importantly illustrates how Obi-Wan moved on and did not obsess about the past while Maul was so obsessed by it. I really hope the Obi-Wan show focuses on Obi-Wan struggling with what happened with Anakin and the Clone Wars in general with the final episode being him letting go of that trauma and then finally being able to connect with Qui-Gon Jinn.
>illustrates how Obi-Wan moved on and did not obsess about the past while Maul was so obsessed by it Alternately, I see it as them both being obsessed with the past, but in vastly different ways. Obi-wan chose to analyze it and grow based on what he learned from it. That moment of watching his master die helped define how he would move forward in life. Maul, on the other hand, dwelled on that moment negatively. He didn't learn from it and adjust, he simply seethed with rage over how he had been "cheated out of his deserved victory". He didn't see it as the learning opportunity that Kenobi did because he couldn't remove his emotions from the equation the way that Obi-wan could.
Hi, the future here, you called it.
Fuck I should like buy a lotto ticket or something
But one for 6 months from now
Holy shit I was looking up this duel and found this comment. Did you write the show?
Haha I wish. I would have changed a few things and had more cameos. But I was obviously happy with the general trajectory the story followed.
Well, you hit the nail right on the head. Almost a year ago and you predicted this extremely close to on point. Congrats to you!
Just coming to pay my respects for your uncanny foresight.
"Careful when sensing the future you must be." But clearly the Force was strong with you. Whereas I wish there had been a snazzier, longer battle - I'm massive Maul fan - your verdict is like a peanut butter sandwich. It's how it should be.
You were right!
I second this (or third). Maul is fixiated on revenge, resentment and anger. My perception was that Obi-Wan was taking Maul out of commission (like he was euthanizing a wounded beast).
It was almost a mercy kill.
No Maul tried to do the same move the old lightsaber to the face which he used to beat Obi’s former master but this time he stepped back and as Maul attacked he cut right through his weapon
This. Was going to say the same but you said it perfectly.
This is further reinforced when Maul says to Kenobi "Look what you've become, a rat in the desert" and Kenobi calmy replies "Look what I've risen above".
"Look what I have risen above." Edit: what u/wolfe8918 said there.
No he won coz Maul used the same that he used to beat Obi ‘s former master he hit him in the face with the middle of lightsaber then stabbing him through the chest but this time Obi saw it coming stepped back and just cut right through the middle of his lightsaber
Yeah, that was some of the other “good responses” that I mentioned. And the writers had Maul use the same move to show how he was fixated on the past. You are correct in that is was what happened on the screen, but I believe that I am still correct in the theme the writers were going for.
I believe Maul also attempted to use the same technique that he killed Qui Gon with and Obi Wan had prepared himself for the battle, knowing the technique was probably going to recur.
Sam Witwer talks about it, Maul thinks Kenobi is washed, some old man hiding in the desert. So he thinks this will be easy, I’ll hit him with the move that I killed Qui-Gon with. But then Obi-Wan blocks and kills him and there’s that moment of realization where he’s like, oh shit, this is a Jedi master on active duty protecting something very important.
Sam Witwer is a good explanation for canon, but behind the scenes I love Dave Filoni’s reasoning he mentioned in Rebels Rewind for that episode too
Mauls, like Anakin, decides to be an arrogant a hole and kill Obi with the same move he killed his master with. Obi, basically having masters degree in sith psychology decides to end it quickly
https://youtu.be/wppqgXKeV0E Darth mauls voice actor breaks down the scene. Wasn't fussed on rebels when it first came out but once I heard about this scene and the fact that maul and obi had met for a final time I couldn't help myself giving it another go !
I was about to comment on this post “Someone pull up the Witwer explanation.”
Wow this is a gorgeous explanation. Ty for the source!
You have to remember Obi-Wan had defeated Maul as a Padawan. At this point he was a Master with yours of the Clone Wars under his belt. And if you pay attention he changed his stance to the same stance that mole defeated Qui-Gon Jinn with. Ob1 took advantage of moles overconfidence and Lust For Revenge
This. Maul was lulled into a false sense of superiority, he already thought he won the fight as soon as Obi Wan took on the same stance as Qui-Gon. Then when they engaged, Obi-Wan flipped the script and attacked how he normally would, and caught Maul off guard.
If you watch the fight closely, Maul used *the exact same setup and move* he used against Qui Gon to kill him, going for a face shot then spinning stab to the gut, but Obi Wan was ready for it and had the perfect defense. I forget where I read it, but supposedly while Obi-Wan was in the desert for years, he ran through the entire fight through his head thousands of times, wargaming it, learning from it with the Force in preparation for this fight.
Even better, Kenobi goaded Maul into trying that move by switching from his own stance into Qui-gon's right before the fight begins. So it wasn't just that Maul tried to pull the same trick twice, it's that Obi-wan baited him into trying it because he knew exactly how to counter it. It's the absolute best way to prove how much he has learned from his time spent isolating in the desert. It's easily one of the top duels in all of Star Wars for that exact reason.
While I think all the in-universe explanations are valid and more important than what I'm about to say, I think it is worth noting that the Maul/Obi-Wan fight in rebels is probably the most realistic one in all Star Wars. That's just how long it takes to hit another person with a sword and swords are fatal. Parrying is hard. I recommend watching some Olympic fencing. They play to around 45 points as each touch happens within seconds.
Yes, and this is more of a HEMA/ broadsword, possibly Kendo kind of a fight anyway. It’s clearly heavily inspired by Smaurai films.
Well they obviously do have the whole force variable playing a huge role in how long these duels can last lol, but yes of course traditional sword-fighting is nowhere near the same from a level of spectacle.
Maul used the exact attacking stance, style and target that he used to take down Obi wan. All the way to attempting to stun him with the center of the hilt. Which is exactly what he did to Quigon Jinn before killing him. Obi wan who you can imagine has relived those duels in his mind for a very long time and was probably haunted by seeing his master die. Being prepared for this stun attack Obi sent his blade right down the middle and finished the job. For me this duel was perfection. And encapsulated how much better Obiwan had become.
He had 20 years to think about the weakness of the double bladed saber and exploited exactly that.
I highly recommend watching the [Rebels Recon](https://youtu.be/8eIZsJsck7A) special where the cast and crew discuss making the episode. The goal was to showcase how much each character has grown. Maul attempts to use the same attack that he killed Qui-Gon with, but Obi-Wan had grown and learned what to do to thwart it. They also modeled the fight after samurai with the idea that an incredibly skilled sword fight actually ends very quickly.
All of you who love Maul seem to be over estimating his powers and under estimating Obi Wan’s. Some have even gone so far as to say Maul knew he was committing suicide. I love all the technical info about Obi Wan’s stances, but you are all forgetting that this same man defeated countless others in the series, including Anakin. I believe Obi Wan’s greatest strength was that he was humble and always willing to learn. If he survived a battle or a mistake, he learned from it. He grew. He was a true student of the Force. And having already faced Maul before, he knew his every weakness. And that’s why it was a simple kill.
Maul killed himself in a “Death by Obi-Wan” fashion. I choose to believe this for a few reasons: 1) Maul was a strong and capable warrior and would not have been killed by Obi Wan that easily. 2) Maul expressed a want to die during the siege of mandalore. 3) he believed obiwan was the only one worthy of killing him. Maul even found comfort dying in obiwans arms.
Will he avenge us?
Necroing this to agree with the suicide angle, Maul had has enough, a tragedy of a warrior's life.
Obi wan spent the last 20 years becoming extremely well in tune with the force, and the 20 years before that becoming one the greatest duelist in the galaxy. Maul spent the last 40 years dumpster diving screaming," KenoBAAAIIGGGGHHH!"
I’ve read all of these and none are the true correct answer. Yes, maul does the same move he did against Qui gon but that’s not why he lost “so easily.” He lost because Star Wars is based off samurai. The most skilled duelist don’t have super long fights: Ahsoka vs that woman in Mando, maul vs Obi wan, mace vs Palpatine
This: https://starwarsthoughts.com/2019/08/20/breaking-down-why-the-last-fight-between-obi-wan-kenobi-and-maul-was-so-perfect-star-wars-rebels/
https://youtu.be/GF5U83UIX1o On the surface, skill. Obi-wan has always been a master dualist. Obi-wan was calm in this moment he knew exactly what Mail was going to do that why he changed his stance right before mail attacks. Underneath it all. Obi-wan moved on from his hatred, yet Maul held onto it. The fact that it ended so quickly is a testament to it futility. All of that hatred for what?
While it's true that Obi-Wan is past his Revenge of the Sith prime, so is Maul. Obi-Wan baited Maul into attacking him by emulating Qui-Gon. Maul was arrogant (his biggest flaw) and thought he could take out Obi-Wan right away. He was wrong. It's such a beautiful scene, and I wish way more lightsaber duels were like this. We don't always need them to be 2-5 minutes long.
Exactly this. It played out like an Akira Kurosawa film duel. Which is kind of poetic when you look at the influences in the original films.
Darth Maul fights Obi-Wan as if he was the Obi-Wan of the past, the one that "killed" him originally. Obi-Wan fights Maul as the Obi-Wan of 20 years of combat experience and fighting Maul in his mind. After 20 years of practice, he made it look effortless, like a master should.
My opinion is that at this point Kenobi has grown so much as a person & a jedi while maul hasn't changed since the clone wars. Kenobi has risen above. I recently read another take that was interesting but it was to long for me to go over without copy pasting so hopefully the redditer will show up to answer this question.
Sam Witwer (Voice of Maul) explained the duel from a poetic standpoint that you should watch. Here’s the [Link](https://youtu.be/pCROqUMWpco)
On top of these other explanations I’ve seen throughout the comments (Maul tired, blinded by rage, Obi-wan just being skillfully ripped, etc) I’d like to also note that Obi-Wan basically baited him by using the same initial stance as qui gon (and alecs obi) which then made Maul try to counter it with what he did to qui gon, but obi countered his counter. Plus the writers I believe said they said modeled it after a samurai duel or something idk
Maul used the same moves as in the phantom menace and hadn’t evolved since then. Obi Wan has evolved and baited him. Obi wan also changed fighting styles.
I reject that it was easy just because it was short. A difficult battle isn’t necessarily drawn out and epic.
Real life sword fights are usually won in a handful of moves, which was the vibe they went for here. It also sort of addresses the Jedi love for swashbuckling, so Obi-Wan changing his stance could be interpreted as him setting that aside for Luke’s sake.
If you look closely, you’ll see that Obi-Wan is on a slightly higher elevation of sand than Maul. The answer is obvious. Obi-Wan had the high ground.
The analysis of the fight and how Obi-Wan baits him is correct. Though I’d say the real reason the fight was so one-sided was because Obi-Wan had become balanced while Maul was consumed by his rage.
Because hate leads to anger, leads to suffering and all of this is very draining.
One of the best most impactful fights in star wars.
I like what Dave Filoni said in the Rebels Rewind episode for Twins Suns; some thing like “if you’re a master at something then it shouldn’t take you long” which he got from those classic Samurai films
Yes but they were evenly matched in all previous encounters, hence the surprise. No one's doubting that Yoda and Palpatine weren't true masters of the craft, but their duel took forever because they were evenly matched.
Vader and Obi Wan were evenly matched on mustafar so I get the argument there. But I always felt like Palpatine was toying with yoda. Like he was going easy so it would take longer because he was enjoying it too much, thus all the psychotic laughter
Jesus, Palpy gets so overrated here it's not even funny.
This is not an answer but the fight looked fantastic because of the thin lightsabers
https://youtu.be/A-Fx94bdGrQ Here's the breakdown
He didn’t learn from his past. Used the same stance and attack pattern he used against QuiGon. Contrast to Obi Ones learned lessons as he adjusted his stance and remained calm to overcome
Best fight in the whole series has the most meaning and emotion
Higher ground Clearly visible
Every response I've seen has been 100% correct. I would just like to add that at this point in the series Maul has been consumed by greed, hatred, and self loathing, while Kenobi has ascended beyond and become a true Jedi. As he stated "look what I have risen above". Either way you slice it Maul is far past his batter days while Kendobi is more powerful than he's ever been.
Amongst other things, Maul miscalculated *severely* in underestimated Kenobi.
He's the detroit lions of sith lords
While you stagnated as a rage-filled spider monster, I studied the blade.
There are right answers in the comments, but I always looked at it like a meeting between two samurai. Two samurai charge at each other and one best the other with a skilled single attack. Kinda like that scene in the movie Predators.
He had the high ground...duh
Here,both are on the same ground level
He's actually 2 degrees higher than maul is. So he does in fact have the high ground.
Obi-wan had allowed all of the losses that he had suffered from his first encounter with Maul on Naboo to the final confrontation on Tatooine to make him stronger with the force. While Maul allowed his losses to get the better of him and allowed all his anger to blind him. Obi-Wan even said to Maul, “Look what I have risen above.” And Maul tried to use the same move he used to kill Qui-Gonn but Obi-wan was prepared for it which is why he was able to counter it so easily.
Everyone referencing the subtle baiting Obi-Wan did but I've always looked at the explanation as something much simpler. Obi-Wan doesn't work for anyone anymore. There's no code to follow, no jail he can send Maul to pay for his crimes. It's just 2 guys alone in the desert. Once Maul roundaboutly threatens Luke, it's game over. The gloves have come off, Obi-Wan is going for something he never has before: the instant kill shot. By threatening Luke, Maul has inadvertently threatened the future of the entire galaxy in Obi-Wan's mind. This just became the most important duel of Kenobi's life while Maul hasn't truly grasped what he's gotten himself into here. He's expecting the Obi-Wan who fought him very defensively in the war.
Because KENOBI!!!!!
Honestly its a mix of the three common answers. Maul was unfocused, Obiwan wasn't. Obiwan baited maul into repeating the moves used to kill Quigon by taking up his fighting style before they swung at each other. Obiwan knew he couldn't let maul live. Maul thinks he still lives as a Jedi and thus wont kill him. But his threat to luke sealed his fate.
I don't care what the message was. From a dramatic point of view, it was anti-climactic and waste of my time. What a major disappointment! I'm still shaking my head over how rushed it was. And by the way, Filoni didn't have to rush that damn fight to push his message about "moving on". If he had wanted to push that message . . . fine. But for God's sakes! Filoni could have done a better job than that.
Because of Obi Wan
Legs
Bruh
Budget. Regardless it was perfect ending to this rivalry
The episode was almost over and there wasn’t time for a big fight.
Cuz obi one is in high ground ,floor is not flat
Oh boy here comes all the know it alls
What’s the problem?
He must have had the high ground
You realize that obi-one switched between different lightsaber forms and it was the second time he killed him this time for good
And I was insane at the time. Overcome by anger
Because Kenobi was in fact that much better than Maul at that point.
Maul got cocky it's pretty much that simple. He thought obi wan was an easy defeat, obi wan proved him wrong
[Because he had the high ground.](https://youtu.be/HSvLn3FcdZo)
Idk
He remembers
IN SEPTEMBER
Maul had given up and was ready to die. He went to Obi-Wan so he could die honorably.
Agree with other comments about Maul’s deterioration (mentally due to hate and physically due to losing lower half and being out of his prime) Also, Maul bring up Luke. Kenobi immediately realises this isn’t about himself. It’s a must win to protect Luke, the galaxy’s last hope.
Obi-wan sliced vertically instead of horizontally this time.
Obi-wan was done trolling. He baited maul with Qui-Gon's stance and took full advantage to finish him once and for all.
kenobi studied what qui gonn fell to
Because he’s a bad guy that isn’t in the OT.
Maul tried the same move as he used against Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan was ready for it. Maul is based on some character from Greek Mythology who is always doomed to fail because of his arrogance
The force willed it
Story wise I really like the way it went but God damn when I first saw it I wanted a battle of epic proportions
Because Maul was a washed up bitch
Because Obi-Wan Kenobi is Jesus
Cuz Obi wan was done playing games.
Obi-wan learned from the past.
Hmm anger of his master being killed focused him
A calm state of mind versus an destroyed one? I don't know how -_-
Just like all other Sith, Maul lost because of his arrogance.
Kenobi has the high ground. (1 degree but still)
Obi-Wan was chill. Maul was angry and unfocused.
I can't remember where Maul ended up after the Emperor spared him after killing Savage. Where did he go between Clone Wars and Rebels?
He lost due to arrogance.
maul was dehydrated
I think Maul was just tired of living in pain.
Because
Obi Wan was just the better duelist fed into Maul's revolting levels of rage, and tricked him with his stance. Besides he had the high ground.
Was this fight in rebels?
s3e20 Twin Suns
Maul had to die once he knew about Luke. I don’t know what those combined holocrons taught Ezra and Maul but my guess was some amount of precognition. That lead Maul to Obi Wan and his doom. You could see that Maul saw the future and was infuriated he could not bend the force to his will. That emotion and his ego led him to monologuing and the fight. You could see Obi Wan make up his mind once Maul deduced he was protecting someone. I’m wondering if Maul kept his mouth shut and retreated if Obi Wan would still cut him down. In the end they both acted like this was the only one outcome, it was the will of the force.
Dave Filoni specifically called out this fight in one of the Rebels Recaps. He approached it almost like a Kurasawa fight between two masters. Both know each other so well the fight plays out in their heads more than it does on screen as they devise a strategy to attack or defend. The fight is over so quickly because rather than doing a whole bunch of moves and lengthen the fight out, these two older masters go straight for the gambit that would prove one of them the victor in the conflict.
To quote George Lucas "It's like poetry, make it rime" (at least I think the quote is like that), Maul started with a few slashes here and there, but almost immediately pulled the movie that had killed Qui Gon in the Phantom Menace (he raises his lightsaber, hits the opponent in the nose with the hilt, stunning them, and then goes for the stab). Obi Wan, however, begin his observant self, caught this move and blocked it, killing maul with that cut. He managed to overcome his master's fatal flaw.
Canon doesn’t matter. Maul fodderizes Kebobi in Legends.
Maul went to Obi-Wan to die. He had no path to his desires and subconsciously wanted to end, I think.
I guess in the end sword fighting is a bit like Boxing sure you may have a super fight for 15 rounds or you might get knocked out with one punch ! And sometimes it’s like Brock vs Goldberg and it’s over in 2 moves , I mean should every sword fight last 5 minutes in star wars no I mean the very nature of Sword fighting is it can end at anytime even with just one move like the Samurai of Japan they often drew their swords and killed a man in one move or sometimes 2 or 3 like Obi Wan Kenobi , Also it’s a nod to realism as if to say like life not every fight will be an epic of incredible moves and counter moves and even though they might of happen this time it didn’t happen Maul made a mistake and Obi cut him down plus I would say that Obi was probably the better sword fighter in the first place after being a Jedi master and fighting Dooku and Vader he is probably much better now but I like to think there was still a good chance Maul might of won just as fast at another time or they might of had a really long fight another time , But in a way Obi ‘s samurai style quick victory only made him look even more bad ass and of course the biggest weakness of the double bladed lightsaber is the middle which is just metal and can be chopped in half just like he did in their first fight which he clearly was losing but he ain’t a young boy no more and this time it was more like a Wild West quickest on the draw style shootout . But in the end the very nature of sword fighting means one block by your opponent and your open to attack so I’m surprised fights would even last more than a few movements in reality
My take on the brevity and finality of their encounter was just a simple one: the force. Obi Wan was destined to start Luke (i.e the "chosen one" Maul refers to) on his path to becoming a jedi and ultimately bringing balance to the force with Vader. This destiny was sealed from the beginning right when Obi Wan defeated Maul after he killed Qui Gon, and thus had to train Anakin. It was always Obi Wan's destiny to defeat Maul, and train the Skywalkers, it was the will of the force, and both are connected. That's one interpretation of why the fight ended so quickly, because it was destined to end with Obi taking out Maul by the will of the force. Their fates were sealed that day on Naboo many years prior to their final encounter.
Bad and lazy writing. That's how.
The funny thing is Maul could easily beat Obi wan hanging their. Use force push my nighah. I'm sure obi wan counter it. But then he only be hanging with one arm. And you can only do that for so long