21 years afterStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace,Star Wars: The Clone Warsbrought back Ray Park, the originalDarth Maulactor, in the best way. Darth Maul isn’t necessarily high on the list ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith, but he is absolutely a beloved character. In fact, as Maul has had more appearances inStar Warsmovies and TV shows, he has only become more of a fan favorite. Few may know how brilliant one Darth Maul return really was, though.
A video posted to TikTok byguy_who_loves_star_warsreveals howThe Clone Warsbrought Ray Park back as Darth Maul using motion captureduring season 7. As Dave Filoni himself says in the video, this meant it was"really Maul fighting."
This decision certainly paid off, as the fight scenes between Ahsoka Tano and Darth Maul inThe Clone Warsseason 7 endingare truly stunning.
Ahsoka Tano And Darth Maul’s Battle Is Specifically Among The Best
While some may be surprised,The Clone Warshad some of the best lightsaber duels in all ofStar Wars. AmongStar Wars’best lightsaber duelsare Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s battle on Mustafar inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithand Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Darth Maul’s duel inThe Phantom Menace(making thisClone Warsdecision truly the perfect way to honor Ray Park’s legacy inStar Wars). Impressively, Ahsoka and Maul’s fight on Mandalore gives these iconic duels a run for their money.
Clearly,bringing Ray Park back as Darth Maul for this finale had a major hand in that. With this approach,The Clone Warswas able to recreate everything that made Darth Maul’sPhantom Menacefight so captivating, from his swift lightsaber moves to his incredible flips and spins.The Clone Warshad depicted many thrilling lightsaber duels successfully already, but the fight between Ahsoka and Maul was head and shoulders above the rest.
Darth Maul Explained: Dathomiri Origin, Sith Apprenticeship, & Revenge On Darth Sidious
Though Maul’s legacy was seemingly cut short in The Phantom Menace, the former Sith apprentice has had a massive impact on Star Wars' story.
Our Take On Ray Park’s Return
This Was The Perfect Way To Honor Ray Park
Knowing that it was really Ray Park behind those moves inThe Clone Warsmakes what would have already been brilliant scenes so much better. Park is clearly talented, which is just one aspect of what made this decision such a good one. Another equally important aspect is the fact that it brought Park back in the way he deserved. Although Park was not often the target of the intense backlash to the prequels, those movies were not as celebrated as they should have been at the time.
Having Park return in this way, and making it clear that his talent and legacy in the franchise matter, was a wonderful way forStar Warsto honor the actor. This is just one example of a series of decisionsStar Warshas made in recent years to ameliorate some of the damage done by the scathing criticism of the prequels (Hayden Christensen’s return as Anakin Skywalker and Ahmed Best’s role as Kelleran Beq also among them). It’s truly delightful to see the role Ray Park played in the return ofDarth MaulinStar Wars: The Clone Wars.
