History Recap / StarWarsRebelsS3E18TwinSuns

* VillainForgotToLevelGrind: Maul confronts Obi-Wan for the first time since the Clone Wars. Unfortunately for Maul, he's not only ''weaker'' than he was back then due to being psychologically broken by Sidious killing everyone he ever cared about, torturing him and leaving him for dead years ago, but Obi-Wan is much ''stronger'' mentally due to age and experience while coming to terms with his past and having hope for the future. The end result is Obi-Wan killing him rather quickly by anticipating and feinting Maul to finally countering with a slash to the chest.

** Some FridgeBrilliance as well: The Sith teach that one should fear death and seek to avoid it at all costs. Darth Maul, who spent nearly his whole life as a Sith Lord and followed their teachings even after renouncing the title, has finally rejected the Sith and their teachings once and for all by facing his own death and accepting it, something that not even Sidious could ever do.

* AmbiguousSyntax: Maul's last words are "He will avenge us." Us as in himself and the ones he's lost, or us as in him and Obi-Wan?

* EurekaMoment: Maul just before the final duel. He asks Obi-Wan directly why he chose Tatooine of all possible worlds to hide upon (and especially given its role in their respective histories). And then, Maul slowly realizes: Obi-Wan ''isn't'' hiding. He has a purpose here. He's ''protecting'' something...or rather ''someone''.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Maul dies believing Luke will avenge those who Sidious wronged. The entire purpose of Luke growing up away from the conflict and without being trained since childhood is so that he could face the Sith without wanting revenge. It's also a nod to how ''Return of the Jedi''[='=]s title was originally slated to be '''''Revenge''' of the Jedi'', but was changed because the Jedi ''aren't'' about revenge.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Obi-Wan is willing to try to talk things out with Maul until the Dark Sider begins dropping hints that he knows about Luke. The dawning look of horror on Obi-Wan's face grows into a subdued OhCrap face, and he immediately draws his lightsaber, knowing now that he can't let Maul live.

* WeWillMeetAgain: Maul promises "his apprentice" Ezra they will see each other again soon as Ezra leaves him and Obi-Wan to their duel. They won't be seeing each other again. Even Ezra realizes this was just an empty threat, and tells the others upon his return to Chopper Base that they won't be seeing Maul again despite not having seen Maul die.

*** As we learn in the ''Kenobi'' series, Obi-Wan is also at peace in a fashion experienced by perhaps no other Jedi in the canon. He knows his successes, he knows his failures, he knows his place, and he knows his opponent. He is in the moment. He is one with the Force.

* TheLastDance: Having failed in his ambitions as a Sith Lord and Crime Lord alike and having his best years behind him, Maul foregoes all other ambitions in favour of settling things once and for all with Obi-Wan.

** By the time Maul and Obi-Wan duel, Maul has been mentally and physically deteriorating for months in the desert. On the other hand, Obi-Wan is ''far'' more experienced than he ''or'' Qui-Gon were during any of their previous duels, as well as physically relaxed and emotionally centered. As such, Obi-Wan is able to kill him rather easily.

* AntiClimax: Instead of the episode ending in a spectacular, acrobatic duel between two aging warriors, an exhausted Maul is defeated in three moves -- and much of the emphasis on the scene involves Maul and Obi-Wan making peace with one another as the former dies. [[WordOfGod Dave Filoni]] has stated that the choice to stage it this way was in part a ShoutOut inspired by ''Film/SevenSamurai'' and Kyouzo the swordsman's introductory duel. A lot of viewers had figured it out as Maul's anxious posturing is almost exactly copied from that film.

* HistoryRepeats: Maul is once more tracking someone down on Tatooine, nearly thirty years after the first instance — though he's having more trouble finding his target this time round.

** Obi-Wan says he'll tend to the "old wound" that is his feud with Maul, [[TitleDrop name-dropping]] the ''Infinities'' comic[[note]]non-canonical even in the Legends continuity[[/note]] about their confrontation on Tatooine, "Old Wounds". This comic was where ''The Clone Wars'' got the idea for Maul's cyborg legs when it turned out that he canonically survived ''The Phantom Menace''.
** The episode closes with Obi-Wan watching over the Skywalker farm, with Aunt Beru calling out his name twice, in the exact same tone and cadence as at the opening of ''A New Hope'', implying that the events of this series coincide with that movie. Since Chopper and the ''Ghost'' both make TheCameo appearances in ''Rogue One'', this is more or less confirmed as canon.

* ADayInTheLimelight: Aside from the fact that Ezra goes after Darth Maul, this is the first episode where the narrative completely revolves around a supporting character and the ''Ghost'' crew are pushed to the sidelines.

** As Ben watches a far-off Luke hurrying home, a part of the original Star Wars theme -- "Binary Sunset" -- is played.

* MythologyGag: Obi-Wan says he'll tend to the "old wound" that is his feud with Maul, [[TitleDrop name-dropping]] the ''Infinities'' comic[[note]]non-canonical even in the Legends continuity[[/note]] about their confrontation on Tatooine, "Old Wounds". This comic was where ''The Clone Wars'' got the idea for Maul's cyborg legs when it turned out that he canonically survived ''The Phantom Menace''.

* WorfHadTheFlu: Maul's easy death at the hands of Ben is attributed to him being mentally and physically broken while Ben is in complete control. WordofGod has clarified even had they went all the way, Maul still would have lost, but the actual gap in strength and skill between them was pretty close, meaning he could have put up a decent fight had he been at full strength and not fallen for Ben's goading.

** During the fight between Obi-Wan and Maul, Maul attempts to use the same move that defeated Qui-Gon in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' (forcing his opponent's lightsaber into a position where he he has the leverage to push said lightsaber away and hit his opponent in the face with his lightsaber's hilt to open them up for a fatal stab), only for Obi-Wan to counter it (first by locking his lightsaber against Maul's initial strike in the maneuver and maintaining control over his lightsaber's orientation and position, allowing him to duck the hilt and counter-attack) and finish the fight with a slash through Maul's lightsaber and chest.

-->'''Maul:''' Look what has become of you; a rat in the desert.\\
'''Obi-Wan:''' [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen Look what I have risen above]].\\
'''Maul:''' I have come to kill you, [[NotWorthKilling but perhaps it's]] ''[[NotWorthKilling worse]]'' [[NotWorthKilling to leave you here]], festering in your squalor.\\

** Also during the duel Obi-Wan shuffles through his old Form I pose and Qui-Gon's Form IV pose. Maul's ReallyDeadMontage has a clip of them to remind the fans.

** [[HereWeGoAgain Picking up where they left off]] during the Clone Wars (Form VI for Maul with a single blade held in front of him, Form III for Obi-Wan).
** [[WhereItAllBegan Going back to the very start]], the duel on Naboo (Maul holding the saber horizontally, igniting the second blade, Obi-Wan in Form I).
** [[ItsPersonal Pinpointing the moment it became personal for both of them]] after Qui-Gon was killed (Maul with the lightsaber behind his back, Obi-Wan using his master's Form IV stance).