The INSIDER Summary:
- Star Wars fans have endlessly debated which Sith Lord is cooler.
- Darth Vader may be the most recognizable character of the two, but Darth Maul is better than Darth Vader for a variety of reasons.
- Both Darth Maul and Darth Vader remain iconic characters to the franchise.
Ever since "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" debuted (for better or worse), fans have endlessly debated on important question: which Sith Lord is cooler?
The original recipe Darth Vader, scourge of the Jedi, murderer of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and father to a pair of Force Sensitive galactic heroes? Or Darth Maul, the mysterious, titular Phantom Menace who strikes from the shadows, wields the coolest lightsaber in "Star Wars" history, and sports devilish red and black tattoos all over his body?
There’s no easy answer to this questions, but that hasn’t stopped fans from arguing the point back and forth over the years and years that have passed since Maul’s very brief appearance in a "Star Wars" movie. While the character is only a brief blip on the cinematic history of the franchise, Darth Maul has turned up in countless comics, video games, and TV shows, all helping to build up his legacy as a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, of course, Darth Vader has continued to be the face of the franchise, appearing in some form or other (even if it’s just as a burnt mask) in every "Star Wars" movie to date (unless you count "Caravan of Courage"). Vader’s fame and notoriety have reached far over the years, and he is without a doubt the more recognizable character of the two.
However, fame isn’t everything, and while Darth Maul’s appearance in the movies is short and sweet, this also means that he’s not weighed down by a cinematic backstory that amounts to little more than character assassination.
With that in mind, here are the 15 Reasons Darth Maul Is Better Than Darth Vader.
15. Darth Maul looks cooler
There are few sights in "Star Wars" lore as instantly recognizable as Darth Vader. The imposing black mask is etched into the minds of fans across the world the moment he first appears on screen in the original "Star Wars: A New Hope," and even his clunky, rattling breathing noise has passed into mainstream cultural legend.
That said, as iconic as Darth Vader might be, Darth Maul genuinely looks cooler. His red and black markings, glowing yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and pointed horns all create a far more eye-catching design.
Even when trying to conceal his face behind a hood, Maul’s striking appearance gleams out from underneath, making for some of the coolest visuals in "The Phantom Menace" (and let’s face it: the visuals are the best thing about that movie).
Darth Maul might not be as instantly recognizable as Darth Vader, but he’s definitely more eye-catching, even for those who might not be familiar with "Star Wars" canon.
14. Darth Maul is motivated by revenge, not mommy issues
One of the big downsides of the prequel trilogy of "Star Wars" films is the backstory that we get for Darth Vader. Once an imposing, terrifying monster who is “more machine now than man,”Vader has been reduced to a figure of ridicule, with many memes bouncing around among fans that center on the character’s hatred of sand, and horrendous insecurities surrounding his mother.
George Lucas attempted to make Vader a tragic figure by building up his family relationship, but all it did was make fans want to punch Anakin Skywalker for being so whiney.
By contrast, Darth Maul’s entire motivation is vengeance – a far more suitable desire for an evil villain. In "The Phantom Menace," Maul is eager to at last have revenge on the Jedi, and when that doesn’t go his way, his subsequent appearances in animated TV shows "Clone Wars" and "Rebels" are defined by a desire for revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Sidious.
It’s easier to root for a villain who wants revenge, than to suffer through watching baby Darth Vader pine for his dead mother.
13. Darth Maul is far more impressive in a fight
Back before the prequel movies, it was easy to see Darth Vader as an exciting, dangerous adversary in a lightsaber fight – his battle with Obi Wan in "A New Hope" felt tense at the time, while his fights with Luke Skywalker, particularly in "The Empire Strikes Back" when Luke is hopelessly outmatched, show Vader as a force to be reckoned with.
Then, of course, that iconic scene in "The Phantom Menace" blew audiences away. Here, instead, we got a Sith Lord who was fast, agile, and very skilled with a double-sided lightsaber, and Vader’s slow, stumbling swordfighting quickly became obsolete in the eyes of many fans.
To this day, Maul’s lightsaber fight is one of the most impressive, well-choreographed fights in the "Star Wars" saga, and it’s safe to say that, without any bulky armor and machinery weighing him down, Maul is far more fun to watch flip and slash his way through a fight scene.
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