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Lucasfilm has released an official teaser for Maul – Shadow Lord, the upcoming Star Wars TV series that will explore Maul’s story in the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign. It’s a(nother) stunning look at Shadow Lord‘s incredible animation, but it’s most notable for a Sith mantra that Maul repeats as he battles Inquisitors. “I master the Force, and the Force serves me,” he repeats. It isn’t a quote from the Sith Code, but the formula matches with it, perfectly expressing the Sith ideology. It’s reasonable to assume this is part of the wider Sith Code, or perhaps an older version of it.
Darth Maul’s Sith Mantra Is a Homage to Rogue One
Maul’s mantra is a corruption of one introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This introduced a light side Force cult known as the Guardians of the Whills, who had a Jedi-like mantra; “I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me.” Star Wars tie-ins have revealed this was shared between the Guardians and the Jedi; the latter used it frequently during the High Republic Era, centuries before the Skywalker saga, and it’s been implied to be part of earlier versions of the Jedi Code. Maul’s mantra follows the same format, subverting it in the darkest possible way.
Notice the difference between the two philosophies. The Jedi seek union with the Force, the knowledge that the Force is with them; their goal is harmony and cooperation. In contrast, the Sith pursue mastery, seeking to bend the Force to their own will; their goal is nothing less than domination. Ironically, the way Maul uses that mantra proves he has not quite mastered the Force after all. He wouldn’t need to remind himself, to focus his thoughts and strive for domination if he had already achieved it.
Viewers are likely familiar with the traditional Sith Code: “Peace is a lie. There is only Passion. Through Passion, I gain Strength. Through Strength, I gain Power. Through Power, I gain Victory. Through Victory my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.” As ominous as that may be, it’s always seemed a little too passive for the Sith, because it still portrays a Sith as a recipient of freedom rather than one who claims what they perceive as freedom through their own aggression. This mantra feels like a distinct improvement.
Maul – Shadow Lord is a unique Star Wars TV show. It’s what The Acolyte promised to be, a villain-led story that dives into the depths of the dark side. As such, it’s so very fitting that it is giving us a fresh glimpse of the Sith, the Sith Code and its associated mantras, and the nature of the dark side itself. That’s part of the series’ attraction, and it makes sense for Lucasfilm to emphasize it in the show’s marketing.
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