Original Darth Maul design was too terrifying for Star Wars

Virgin Radio

9 Sep 2024, 15:34

The Phantom Menace nearly gave us nightmares with a Darth Maul design straight from the darkest corners of the galaxy.

It’s no secret that Darth Maul is one of the most menacing villains in the Star Wars saga.

From his devilish red and black face to his double-bladed lightsaber, he’s already got enough dark side vibes to give even the toughest Jedi the heebie-jeebies.

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But hold onto your lightsabers, because things could have been a whole lot scarier.

According to The Phantom Menace concept artist Iain McCaig, George Lucas had a vision for Darth Maul that was so terrifying, it nearly pushed the galaxy far, far away into full-on horror territory!

McCaig revealed: "I drew my worst nightmare, which was that face that’s peering in the window at you late at night, and it’s barely alive. Like a cross between a ghost and a serial killer staring in at you."

Yikes! It seems Lucas was all set for a Sith Lord that looked more at home in a horror flick than in a family-friendly Star Wars saga.

McCaig’s initial design was so haunting that Lucas himself was spooked.

Yes, the George Lucas—the man behind the Empire and Ewoks alike—took one look at Maul’s original face and “slammed it shut,” reportedly saying: “Give me your second worst nightmare.”

Now, that’s a plot twist worthy of a Star Wars spin-off. Imagine the galaxy if Lucas had stuck with that ghoulish design.

Would we all have been covering our eyes every time Maul showed up, rather than being on the edge of our seats cheering him on during that epic duel with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi?

While we love the final Maul design (those horns, those eyes, that vibe), it seems we narrowly escaped a Sith Lord that might’ve haunted our dreams rather than our screens.

"Star Wars isn’t a horror," McCaig said, and clearly, Lucas wanted to keep it that way, even if Maul still gives plenty of fans a good old-fashioned chill.

The Phantom Menace introduced us to a whole new realm of Star Wars villains, but Maul’s original design would have steered the series into far darker territory.

"A vision from your worst nightmare" indeed! George Lucas knew when to pump the brakes on the fear factor, proving that even in the vast expanse of the Star Wars universe, sometimes you’ve got to keep things… a little less dark side.