How Obi-Wan Kenobi Beat Darth Maul So Fast

The real reason Obi-Wan won so easily...

by Andrew Pollard
Star Wars Rebels Obi-Wan Maul
Disney XD

For four seasons and a total of 75 episodes, Star Wars Rebels delivered some must-see TV for those with a penchant for all things ‘in a galaxy far, far away’.

While the series introduced audiences to a vast array of new characters, there were also a few familiar faces dropped in across Rebels’ four-year run. And putting a smile on the face of many, we all got to see one more match-up between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul. Only that fight was over before it even began, with Kenobi offing his opponent in mere seconds.

Many have wondered why the death of Maul was such a quick one and why this legendary badass was killed with complete ease, and now Sam Witwer – who voiced the character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story – has given his thoughts on just why Kenobi was able to dispatch of his long-time foe so easily.

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Kenobi adopting his old master’s fighting stance and lulling Darth Maul into a false sense of security makes total sense, yet it’s likely one of those things that you’ve never even picked up on before.

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For those of you who might be scratching your head and murmuring, “Wait, didn’t that snarling Sith end up sliced in two by Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace?!”, you are indeed correct in remembering that final act scene from Episode 1 – and clearly you’re not familiar with Maul post-Menace.

In the years since that 1999 movie, Maul returned in The Clone Wars with some robotic legs. Since then, the nefarious Zabrak has resurfaced in Star Wars Rebels and then briefly in 2018’s Solo.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.