May the 4th be with you! Today is Star Wars Day, a day to celebrate George Lucas’ epic tale set in a galaxy far, far away. Last year, we published a Star Wars Omnibus reading order. This time, we shine the spotlight on a character: Darth Maul. Or just Maul. But ‘Darth’ sounds cooler, so I like to use the title, even though Maul is no longer a Sith.
Maul first appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Ray Park. He had just two lines and was on screen for less than ten minutes, but that was enough to make a big impression on viewers and catapult him to fan favourite status.
But… Spoiler alert! There was one problem: Darth Maul died in one of the franchise’s most memorable death scenes! The character couldn’t come back, could he? At least, not until George Lucas asked co-creator Dave Filoni to resurrect him for the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. From that point on, Sam Witwer would become the voice of Darth Maul.
The show would go on to reveal how he survived, explore his backstory, and launch the character on his own journey. Very much alive, Darth Maul has since appeared in several media, including some books and several comic book series.
Today, we pull our double-bladed lightsaber to (re)live Darth Maul’s journey in the Star Wars Universe with our special Darth Maul Reading (and Watching) Order!
Star Wars: Darth Maul Reading and Watching Order
Darth Mauth is Part of the Star Wars Universe. If you want to expand your reading (and watching) experience, you can check out our Star Wars Canon Comics Reading order.
Darth Maul’s early days. Although Darth Maul first appeared in The Phantom Menace, his story began earlier. Several comics have covered his years before the film, depicting missions assigned to him by Palpatine.
- Star Wars: Darth Maul – Black, White & Red – An anthology series focused on Darth Maul, telling stories set between 40 BBY and 32 BBY. Also available in Treasury Edition. [Star Wars: Darth Maul – Black, White & Red (2024) #1-4]
- Star Wars: Darth Maul – From Cullen Bunn and Luke Ross comes this Darth Maul story set before The Phantom Menace, exploring the character’s early days. [Darth Maul (2017) #1-5]
- Darth Maul #1 has been adapted into a short story for young readers as Darth Maul and the Rathtars, published in Galactic Adventures Storybook Collection.
- Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Darth Maul #1 (One-Shot) – From Jody Houser and Luke Ross, this one-shot is a follow-up to Darth Maul (2017) and acts as a sort of epilogue. Collected in Star Wars: Age of Republic – Villains.
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (Movie) – Darth Maul’s first appearance in the Star Wars Universe! You can also choose to read the Graphic Novel Adaptation.
The Clone Wars Era. Darth Maul made his official return in the Star Wars Universe in the Animated television series. You dont have to watch the whole series if you are only interested in Darth Maul and simply focus on the episodes he appears in. During this period, the character also headlined a comic miniseries.
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Movie) – Darth Maul doesn’t appear in this movie. You can rewatch it for more context or skip it.
- The Clone Wars (Animated Series) – Maul appears in:
- Season 4, Episodes 21-22 (Brothers and Revenge). The two episodes were adapted into a short story called “Dark Vengeance,” published in The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark collection.
- Season 5, Episode 1 (Revival)
- Season 5, Episode 14-16 (Eminence, Shades of Reason, and The Lawless). The last episode was adapted into a short story called “Kenobi’s Shadow,” also published in The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark collection.
- Return to Vader’s Castle #1 – Optional story where Maul appears in the flashbacks. The story is set before the Clone Wars, but we think it’s better to read it after Maul’s official reintroduction, at least the first time around. Collected in Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle.
- Tales of Villainy: The Hostage – Short comic story placing Maul against a crime lord on the planet Balah. Collected in Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1: The Light and the Dark.
- Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir – From Jeremy Barlow and Juan Frigeri, this 4-issue miniseries is an adaptation of unproduced scripts from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and continues Maul’s story from the show, telling you what happens to him between seasons 5 & 7. [Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #1-4]
- The Clone Wars (Animated Series) Continues and Concludes here.
- Season 7, Episodes 9-12 (Old Friends Not Forgotten, The Phantom Apprentice, Shattered, and Victory and Death)
- The Clone Wars: Ahsoka vs. Maul is a graphic novel adaptation of episodes 9 & 10.
- Star Wars: Episode II: Revenge of the Sith (Movie) – Once again, Darth Maul doesn’t appear. You can rewatch it for more context or skip it.
Maul – Shadow Lord! Set around a year after the Clone Wars and in the direct aftermath of Revenge of the Sith, former Sith lord Maul rebuilds his criminal syndicate and seeks a new apprentice on the planet Janix during the reign of the Galactic Empire.
- Star Wars: Shadow of Maul – A 2026 comic book miniseries and prequel to the Disney+ series from Benjamin Percy and Madibek Musabekov [Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1-4]
- Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord – A 10-episode animated Disney+ series from Dave Filoni.
Beyond Maul – Shadow Lord… Discover what happens to former Sith lord Maul after the Disney+ series by (re)watching Solo and some Rebels episodes that continue his story.
- “The Ghosts of Maul” – Short Story written by Michael Moreci, published in the Stories of Jedi and Sith collection.
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (Movie) – Maul’s return on the big screen after 19 years.
- Star Wars: Rebels (Animated Series) – Maul appears in:
- Season 2, Episodes 21-22 (Twilight of the Apprentice)
- Season 3, Episode 3 (The Holocrons of Fate)
- Season 3, Episode 11 (Visions and Voices)
- Season 3, Episode 20 (Twin Suns)
More Darth Maul stories… in Star Wars Legends
The following stories are part of Star Wars Legends, also known as the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Since Disney bought the Star Wars franchise in 2014, these tales have not been considered part of the official Star Wars canon, but part of another continuity. Darth Maul was one of the main characters in several books and comics from the Legends series, which you can still read today!
- Darth Maul: Saboteur – Short story set around 33 BBY, before Lockdown.
- Maul: Lockdown – Novel written by Joe Schreiber set one year before the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (33 BBY)
- Star Wars: Darth Maul (2000) – 4 issue comic miniseries by Ron Marz and Jan Duursema, set 6 months before Naboo.
- Cloak of Deception – Novel written by James Luceno, taking place less than a year before Episode I
- Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter – Novel written by Michael Reaves and serving as a prequel story for the character before the movie.
- Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace happens here!
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars starts around here.
- The Wrath of Darth Maul – Junior novel written by Ryder Windham. The main action is set in 21 BBY, with flashbacks to earlier years.
- The Clone Wars: The Sith Hunters – digest-sized comics set shortly after the Star Wars: Clone Wars Episode “Revenge (4.22)
- Star Wars: Darth Maul – Death Sentence – By Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo. Set in 20 BBY, before the Episode “Revival” (5.01)
