Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Concept artist Iain McCaig explicate what head to the inspiration for Darth Maul ’s iconic look . The iconic baleful villain was first introduced inStar warfare : Episode I - The Phantom Menace , the first installment in the prequel trilogy . Over the years , Darth Maul stay one of the most popular characters in theStar Warsuniverse , with one grounds being the reference ’s menacing appearance . This includeshis brilliant gold center and his crimson skin with black circuit tattoo , alongside one of the fewStar Warscharacters with a doubled - bladed lightsaber .
" George [ Lucas ] just came up and say , ' Darth Maul , he ’s our young Sith Lord , ' and he walked by . I did n’t have intercourse if Maul was male or female , an alien , anything . It freaked me out at the beginning that I did n’t get much focal point . Then I realized that maybe he cull me because he like my workplace and wanted me to show him what I mean Darth Maul might look like . "
Since Darth Vader was the only Sith Lord who had appeared onscreen at that point , McCaig thought that Maul should attend exchangeable . At first , he contrive on yield the character a similar look but then make up one’s mind to focus on what Maul ’s face would face like . in the beginning , hethought of giving him implant circuitry that would connect Maul ’s soma to a masquerade party .
" Darth Vader was the only Sith Lord we knew back then , so I bear he would be wearing some form of a helmet . month of trying to out - helmet Darth Vader went absolutely nowhere . "
McCaig then try out putting a electrical circuit card on Maul ’s face , butthe circuitry later evolved into tattoo . He said that the figure of the tattoos on Darth Maul ’s look was inspired by the fictional character Rorschach from the DC Comics seriesWatchmen .
" For [ previs supervisor ] David Dozoretz , I literally put a circuit board on his face . By the time I got to our production intriguer , Gavin Bocquet , I had simplify the circuitry to tattoo - probably channeling Rorschach from [ Watchmen ] - and suddenly the intent started to crop . "
by and by , Lucas shared his first draft ofThe Phantom Menace ’s script , whichdescribed the character as " a vision from your worst incubus . “He then suppose about when he worked late at his studio apartment and the feeling of being watched . Visually , he thought of a snowy face star at him , that had glittering optic and sharp metallic element teeth . He then shared an ikon of what he imagined to Lucas , who told McCaig to or else give him his " 2nd worst incubus . " McCaig ’s verbal description of the excogitation can be found below :
" cultivate lately at night in my studio , I had the eerie touch I was being watched . My mental imagery conjured a stagnant white look pressed against the studio windowpane , glittering eyes stare at me . It grin acute alloy teeth as it peered , distorted through run of rain . So I drew that face for George , put it in a folder and slide it across to him at the next meeting . He took one look , pipe up , and slapped it close again . ' Give me your second bad nightmare , ' he said . "
He then thought abouthow the painted expression on clowns scare himbecause they do n’t show what the clown is actually thinking . The artist even share that he was frightened of Bozo the Clown as a kid . He then decided to use the marking on Darth Maul ’s face to show the characters having emotion that contradicted each other .
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
" Do n’t get me unseasonable , I love goof . But something about those painted expression scares me , because who recognise what they ’re really thinking ? So I used the markings on Maul ’s boldness to conjure contradictory emotion : malice , but joy ; scowling but grinning like a skull . "
An example that McCaig used was the conniption where Maul is about to battle Qui - Gon Jinn and Obi - Wan Kenobi . Although the two Jedi are physically gravid than him , Maul ’s look shows how excited he is about fighting them . McCaig ’s description of the scene can be recover below :
" you’re able to see that in the iconic view where he confronts Obi - Wan Kenobi and Qui - Gon Jinn . TwoJedi , both bigger than him , and Maul looks like he ’s just win the drawing . He does n’t give a Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya about the Trade Federation . He just want to kick some Jedi keister . "
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
What Darth Maul’s Iconic Designs Means For Star Wars
The Sith Lord Made A Memorable Impression On Viewers
Even though Darth Maul has a smaller role inThe Phantom Menacecompared to other reference , his iconic appearance hashelped him become one of the most iconic characters of the enfranchisement . He is also one of the scariest - lookingcharacters in theStar Warsuniverse , which bestow more to how much of a threat the fictional character is to Qui - Gon and Obi - Wan in the pic .
Though Darth Maul has only had one significant alive - action appearance , his legacy in Star Wars is no less impressive . These are his unspoilt moment .
Darth Maul’slook also tot up miscellany to how a Sith Lord looks , so they do n’t all bet like Darth Vader . By not wearing a mask like Darth Vader , or later Kylo Ren , it also allowed Darth Maul to show the aspect that McCaig babble about , which he would n’t have been able-bodied to otherwise . The fact that his actual face is so terrific , and he ’s not just have on a masquerade party , also adds to how scary the character reference is .
Our Take On Darth Maul’s Iconic Design
One Of Star Wars' Best-Looking Villains
TheStar Warsfranchise has had a passel of smashing designs for characters , include Darth Vader and Boba Fett . Darth Maul ’s conception is one of the best looks to come out of the franchise . give him such an iconic look made Darth Maul endure out as one of the most memorable characters inStar War : Episode I - The Phantom Menace . He became so iconic , that even though he appeared to die at the goal of the pic , he has been brought back many time .
seed : StarWars.com
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Cast
Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace is set up in a wandflower face political turmoil , as Jedi Knights Qui - Gon Jinn and Obi - Wan Kenobi essay peace while encountering Anakin Skywalker , a striver with great potential in the Force . Meanwhile , the Sith begin their resurgence , threatening the constancy of the Republic .
