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I think most people here believe SOD was Maul's prime. We obviously know it wasn't Rebels, as confirmed by Matt Martin. But couldn't it be argued that Maul declined after TPM since he lost his legs and basically became a mad man for years until he was found by Opress. Therefore this makes me look at TPM where he was duelling Obi Wan and Qui Gon (two of the best Jedi in the order's history) at the same time while doing acrobatic kicks, and all sorts of martial arts moves. There is also Maul duelling Qui Gon while injured on Tatooine, and still gaining the advantage against him.Also Filoni likened TCW Maul to Vader in the sense that he was broken and possibly not as powerful as he once was before. So is it possible that TPM Maul could replicate those feats that he performed against Aayla and Mace to an even greater extent? Could TPM Maul ragdoll Kenobi etc.?

TPM-era Maul also struggled to defeat that other Padawan(Eldra Kaitis.)

Originally posted by Zenwolf
TPM Maul has been kinda meh D Canon wise. Unless he gets something more than it's weird he goes from that to fighting a Master/Padawan duo. Clearly TPM Kenobi and Qui-Gon just weren't that good.

ermmhappy

Why? Contending with TCW Kenobi is far more impressive then what he did in TPM.

Originally posted by Galan007
TPM-era Maul also struggled to defeat that other Padawan(Eldra Kaitis.)
That was atleast a few years before TPM, which gives Maul more time to grow

Was it set that long before TPM? Didn't know that.

Source?

TPM Maul was his prime if youre looking at it from a potential perspective; SOD was his prime as far as success though

Originally posted by Galan007
Was it set that long before TPM? Didn't know that.

Source?


Nor was there evidence it was right before TPM.

All we know is it was prior to TPM. Hence any comparison of parity to TPM Maul is kinda moot.

Also its not like he lost to that padawan. Anakin struggled against Barriss, Grievous against Ahsoka and Vader against Luke. Padawans can be tough sometimes.

I mean, it certainly didn't read like it was set very long before the events of TPM, given the overall portrayal of Palpatine and Maul, along with the fact that they had already allied themselves with the Trade Federation by the time of this series. /shrug

Also, I didn't say Maul lost to Eldra, but she did give him a very good fight.

^ I know, just pointing out a few facts. Cant call him TPM Maul until that is confirmed as the time frame.

Heck even if its a few months earlier, Maul could have significantly improved in that time, given his age and apprentice status.

Indeed there are a lot of 'could haves' and 'maybes' we could shuffle through here. Just saying that the comics read like they were set shortly before the events of TPM... At least in my opinion. /shrug

Originally posted by Galan007
Indeed there are a lot of 'could haves' and 'maybes' we could shuffle through here. Just saying that the comics read like they were set shortly before the events of TPM... At least in my opinion. /shrug

The crawls even say at times, it grows close for them to enact their revenge. So can't imagine it'd be too far away.

TPM Maul. Of course being in his prime didn't save from getting dabbed on by an angry apprentice.

Originally posted by Zenwolf
The crawls even say at times, it grows close for them to enact their revenge. So can't imagine it'd be too far away.


Yeah but look how much Anankin grew in a few months between AOTC and TCW, or in the few months prior to ROTS.

Given Mauls age and level, he was likely continuously improving up until his bisection.


Also growing closer to the time of TPM or being set shortly before TPM, could still be a couple of years out.

Yeesh. I certainly wouldn't compare Maul's potential for growth to Anakin's...

Originally posted by Galan007
Yeesh. I certainly wouldn't compare Maul's potential for growth to Anakin's...
Why not? As of TPM, while still in his early 20s he was already comparable in power to AOTC Dooku, who was the unparalleled prodigy in the Jedi Order until Anakin came along, and had about seven decades of Jedi training and another decade of training under Sidious.

I'd say Maul was certainly comparable, especially before he was bisected.

Originally posted by Galan007
Yeesh. I certainly wouldn't compare Maul's potential for growth to Anakin's...


Principle is the same. Hes at that point in his training where even a few months can make a big difference. Let alone a couple of years.

Originally posted by Unbowed
Why not? As of TPM, while still in his early 20s he was already comparable in power to AOTC Dooku, who was the unparalleled prodigy in the Jedi Order until Anakin came along, and had about seven decades of Jedi training and another decade of training under Sidious.

I'd say Maul was certainly comparable, especially before he was bisected. You think Maul's potential was on par with Anakin's? Really?

I said comparable. And sure, why not? Sidious picked Maul under the premise that he was strong enough to succeed him.

Maul was very powerful and capable as of TPM, and remember that a big chunk of his training was outsourced to the Orsis academy and things like that. But even in his early 20s he was already comparable to people like Mace or Dooku.

Then he got bisected, which, given what we know of Anakin, should lessen his potential tremendously. Then he spent a decade as a madman, with no training or use of the Force whatsoever.

After Talzin heals him he is enough of a threat that both Yoda and Dooku sense him through the Force and are greatly concerned. And in a short while he becomes powerful enough that Sidious steps up and nips the threat in the bud.

Can you honestly say that if Maul hadn't lost half his body and had the benefit of a full 30-40 year apprenticeship, that he wouldn't have surpassed Sidious?

Even if we go by Lucas' now irrelevant "full potential Anakin is twice as strong as the emperor" quote, that would still make a full potential Maul comparable, assuming he caps at 120-140% of Sidious' power.

But leaving all that aside, in case you haven't noticed the Chosen One's potential doesn't mean much these days, with the rise of Rey and Kylo Ren.

Both experienced an insane rise in power way faster than Anakin did. Of course, Luke already did the same, so that's nothing new.

The Chosen One has lost his luster a long time ago.

Yeah since this is all Disney Canon, even a few hours of training can make all the difference apparently.

Not that theres anything to suggest that comic takes place literally hours before TPM. Just the fact that Sidiois sends him to battle against both a seasoned master and padawan (and believing they would be no match for him), suggests some time has past since the days where a solo padawan was a challenge for him.

Meh, there is more evidence to suggest that the comics are set very close to the events of TPM, then there is to suggest otherwise...

Aside from the overall depiction of Maul and Palpatine, the opening crawls/intro pages for a few of the issues are indicative of such:
https://i.imgur.com/iucH2hK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sLYD8fO.jpg
"The moment of revenge is close at hand..."

https://i.imgur.com/0dQQHoA.jpg
"The Jedi's days are numbered..."


We also know that by the time of these issues, Palpatine had already allied himself with the Trade Federation:
https://i.imgur.com/eBEAYyH.jpg

And had already set his plans against the Jedi in motion:
https://i.imgur.com/eTONyMj.jpg



So yeah. srug

^ None of those are quantitive though and could still be 1 or 2 years out.


Anyway heres the official interview with the author:

https://www.starwars.com/news/exclusive-cullen-bunn-talks-marvels-darth-maul-series-plus-a-first-look-at-new-variant-covers


He does confirm it takes place shortly before the events of TPM, but he also confirms Maul is younger here than in any of his on screen appearances.

And I personally doubt a few weeks to a month prior would be considered younger. In fact from that statement, I would guess its at least a year prior.

Agreed with Darth Thor. A couple weeks to a month earlier is doubtful that he'd be considered younger. He might even be considered older if anything.

Originally posted by Darth Thor
He does confirm it takes place shortly before the events of TPM, but he also confirms Maul is younger here than in any of his on screen appearances.

And I personally doubt a few weeks to a month prior would be considered younger. In fact from that statement, I would guess its at least a year prior. Lol, wut? It could take a place a day before TPM, and Maul would still technically be 'younger' than he was on screen.

Where in the heckfire are you getting a year prior from? Given the evidence I posted above, along with the writer himself stating that the series is set shortly before TPM, and I'd say we're talking about a few weeks here at the most. ermm

So he pointed out that he was a younger by a few weeks lol. Who would say that.

I said a year, because younger usually refer to at least a year lol.

Would be like saying Revenge Maul was younger than Revival Maul. Though technically true, Like who would say that lol.


Originally posted by Galan007
the writer himself stating that the series is set shortly before TPM,

Yes, I already told you that.

This is the exact quote (for context before you give more technicalities):

hes younger than he was in ANY of his on screen appearances, but there are still shades of the man HE WILL BECOME....

The man he will become next week? Yeah sure.

Originally posted by Darth Thor
So he pointed out that he was a younger by a few weeks lol. Who would say that.

I said a year, because younger usually refer to at least a year lol.

Would be like saying Revenge Maul was younger than Revival Maul. Though technically true, Like who would say that lol. That's...one heck of a reach.

"The moment of revenge is CLOSE AT HAND..."
"The Jedi's DAYS ARE NUMBERED..."
"This series takes place SHORTLY BEFORE the events of TPM..."

Couple that with Palpatine being allied with the Trade Federation, AND stating that his plans against the Jedi were "already IN MOTION", and you honestly think this is the writer's way of describing "at least" a year gap? C'mon, man. ermm

Originally posted by Darth Thor
This is the exact quote (for context before you give more technicalities):

hes younger than he was in ANY of his on screen appearances, but there are still shades of the man HE WILL BECOME....

The man he will become next week? Yeah sure. "The man he will become" is likely in reference to Maul's revival/portrayal in TCW(and beyond), because we were hardly given any information at all about "the man he was" during TPM itself. Heck, all the film really told us about Maul is that he was Palpatine's apprentice... It was only during TCW/SoD/Rebels that we learned anything deeper about his character(in canon, at least.) /shrug

So yes, ALL the evidence points to the comics being set right before TPM -- likely just a matter of weeks at most. I don't understand how this is even debatable, tbh.

Originally posted by TheIndyJedi
I think most people here believe SOD was Maul's prime. We obviously know it wasn't Rebels, as confirmed by Matt Martin. But couldn't it be argued that Maul declined after TPM?
I mean, you could argue that, but it'd be an uphill battle with quotes like these floating around:

Maul had grown more powerful since the last time he'd been in Sidious's presence, before the Neimodian invasion of Naboo had turned diastrous and Obi-Wan had bested him inside the Theed power core. His hermitage on Lotho Minor, his lessons on Umbara, his restoration by Mother Talzin, and his training of Savage had all strengthened him, made him a more worthy vessel for the dark side to fill with its power.
--Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy p.180

^ Probably not canon though.

Originally posted by Darth Thor
^ Probably not canon though.

Naw, only things be Canon are TCW and everything post 2014(unless noted otherwise).

^ Right. So Shadow Conspiracy isnt Canon. And that line (plus the one in Sith Hunters) contracdict a lot of Filonis general comments on Mauls resurrection anyway.