Darth Maul - SW [Y/AOTC] - The Clone Wars (CW08)

Darth Maul is healed by Mother Talzin. (European packaging)

Darth Maul is healed by Mother Talzin. The Nightsister magically creates cybernetic legs for Maul and helps him recover his memories. Whole again in mind and body, Maul goes after Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi who defeated him in battle. (North American packaging)

One of the nicest products from the 2012 Star Wars [The Phantom Menace 3D] line look that even arrived in a timely fashion was the Darth Maul Returns TARGET exclusive Battle Packs set. Not only did it contain a long-awaited repack (don’t go there with regards to the missing lightsaber), it contained two all-new sculpts: a brilliant version of an animated cyborg Darth Maul and a controversial Nightsister that some defer calling a realistic interpretation of Mother Talzin while other just call it a Hasbro concept. (The Nightsister figure was based on a canceled Comic Packs figure for the record.) Darth Maul was arguably the most exciting thing to happen to the fourth season of The Clone Wars television show, so it was incredible to see him finally get realized in animated form for the toy line. Without a doubt most collectors would have rather had seen Hasbro make the “spider” version of Darth Maul, but the cyborg legs Mother Talzin gave him were a close second. The last time we saw a cyborg version of Darth Maul was in 2010’s SW [SOTDS] Darth Maul/Owen Lars Comic Packs set, an exclusive release, and that was a realistic interpretation from the comics.

Getting Darth Maul carded as a basic figure was an extremely smart thing to do. The sad thing is that many collectors will not have the opportunity to purchase him in the 2013 “Yoda/Attack Of The Clones” packaging thanks to the indefinite postponement of the remaining 3D films, so it may be all for naught. This foreign exclusive basic figure actually isn’t different from the Battle Packs version. In fact you get less since Hasbro canceled the Galactic Battle Game and eliminated the die, display stand and game card. We looked at the figure from head to toe and couldn’t find anything different to report when compared to the original Battle Packs release. Interestingly, our sample has an error. The factory neglected to paint the black tattoos on the back of his left arm. This of course will personally irritate us since these figures are so hard to secure in America. (It’s not like we can easily replace it.) In hindsight, it seems that Hasbro should have just released Darth Maul as a basic figure from the start. This of course doesn’t mean we we weren’t impressed with the Darth Maul Returns Battle Packs set, it just means that Darth Maul is a big enough of a character to not need multipack support.

Included with Darth Maul is a double bladed lightsaber that breaks down into two halves. The attachment post of the one lightsaber connects firmly in the other half so it won’t be falling apart easily when attempting to pose it in his hands. He also comes with the same Force affect that spins the lightsaber blades. This is great for the kids, but very unnecessary for adult collectors. Despite not being as articulated as many might have hoped, Darth Maul does come with eleven points of articulation. Save for the ball-socket head, Darth Maul comes with all ball-jointed articulation points. You’ll find you’re very limited in how much upper body movement you have. Between the absence of waist and wrist articulation, Darth Maul cannot be configured in a limitless amount of ways. Thankfully the premium articulation he does come with allows you to pose in in some cool ways, especially in “walking” poses and other action types. We have said it time and again already, but what a shame that The Clone Wars animated line is over and that the final wave didn’t even make it to the United States. Hasbro did sort of go out with a bang because the upgrades and character choices are right on the money. If you can find the single-carded Darth Maul, he’s a cool figure to own this way.