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Continuity & Analysis

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Revival (2012) [S5E1]
Strength of character can defeat strength in numbers.
"Death and destruction! Darth Maul and Savage Opress spread chaos as they descend on the Outer Rim.
After rescuing his brother from despair, Savage and Maul murder and pillage at every turn.
Fueled by rage and vengeance, they search for meaning in their new alliance as reports of
their brutal attacks spread across the galaxy..."
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Eminence (2013) [S5E14]
One vision can have many interpretations.
"Evil alliance! Darth Maul and Savage Opress escape Obi-Wan Kenobi's assault once again.
With their plan to build a crime organization in peril, the brothers' fate is about to be changed
forever as they drift barely alive, through unknown space..."
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Shades of Reason (2013) [S5E15]
Alliances can stall true intentions.
"Villainy swells! With an army of the galaxy's most vicious criminals, Darth Maul and Savage Opress
conspire with Pre Vizsla and the Death Watch to topple Duchess Satine, ruler of Mandalore.
While the conspirators prepare to attack the Mandalorian capital Sundari from a base on
Zanbar, the fate of 2,000 other neutral systems is under threat as Darth Maul moves closer
to establishing a vast criminal empire..."
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lawless (2013) [S5E16]
Morality separates heroes from villains.
"Neutral star systems in peril! Darth Maul and Savage Opress command the planet Mandalore through
the puppet Prime Minister, Almec, while they expand their criminal enterprise. With the Death Watch
removed from power, and the Jedi unaware of the villainous plot, nothing stands in the way of
Darth Maul's vision for a vast criminal empire. We now find Duchess Satine imprisoned,
as her few remaining loyal subjects make a desperate attempt to rescue her..."




CONTINUITY
These four episodes form a single storyline about Maul and Savage. The chronological order of episodes is as given by Lucasfilm,
and follows their release order. 'Revival' was released as the first episode of the season, but doesn't take place until this time.
The moon Zanbar is seen for the first time. Seven worlds are seen in these episodes:

The last three episodes of this storyline are an adaptation of the book The Clone Wars: Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy.
'The Lawless' is dedicated to the memory of Ian Abercrombie, the prolific actor who voiced Palpatine in this series.
Some of Palpatine's lines in this storyline are voiced by Tim Curry, who will continue to voice him in future episodes.

- It has been about three months since Savage and Maul were last seen in 'Revenge' (S4E22). They have apparently been openly pillaging and murdering, and
are being actively hunted by the Jedi. In one instance, they were confronted by Twi'lek Jedi Finn Ertay, and an unidentified Nikto Jedi. Ertay was killed by Maul
while attempting to save her fellow Jedi's life, who was also killed.


- Cybloc Transfer Station, in the Cybloc system of the Meridian Sector in the Outer Rim, is a space station of the InterGalactic Banking Clan.

- Credit chips can be locked, which makes them unable to be used other than by their encoded owner. Locked chips can be spent or transferred by owner through
ordinary banking means, which leaves a record of their use. Unlocked credit chips can be spent anonymously, which makes them untraceable.

- Adi Gallia is unfamiliar with the Sertar Sector. It is a relatively minor sector, despite its proximity to the Perlemian Trade Route. It is not surprising that she has
no specific knowledge about it, however it is historically notable, and contains several planets that others might be familiar with.


When Adi Gallia asks what is in the Sertar Sector, Obi-Wan thinks of Florrum immediately for no good reason. How did
he figure out that the brothers went to one desolate planet with almost no population that he has visited before? There
are thousands of potential destinations in the sector that are of note, and yet he picks the right answer out without even
offering another suggestion. He didn't mention longstanding Republic ordnance worlds like Ord Dalet or Ord Torrenze,
nor did he mention Sembla, the homeworld of the Vurks, and an important member of the interstellar community.
Other worlds in the sector are homeworlds of species, or are known for their riches, or have large enough populations
to make them potential places for the brothers to visit. Obi-Wan must have seen through the Force that the creators
of SW are intent on having the same few hundred people constantly meet in a galaxy with trillions of people in it.
Main Article: Galactic Population



- The scanners on the pirate frigate are able to scan another vessel, and detect lifeforms, the status of the main reactor and hyperdrive, and the status of their
communications system. It was not specific about the type of lifeform or its species.
Main Article: Scanners, Sensors, and Cloaking Devices

- Sansanna spice is a valuable substance ingested as a drug, and potentially used in medical applications.

- Morlimur Snugg, the superintendent of Cybloc Transfer Station, assumes the Sith were "Jedi gone rogue" because they had lightsabers. The pirates think
the same thing, and despite their aggression, never question that assumption due to their use of the Force. They don't understand why Jedi would hire
pirates, showing that they clearly know something of what the Jedi are about, even if it is only that they are on the side of law enforcement. The Sith
don't usually brag about being Sith unless it serves their purposes, and in this case they identify themselves as "crimelords". The Sith do like to be regarded
as lords, even if those addressing them don't understand the significance in the Sith religion. These pirates have no concept of whom the Sith are.
Main Article: Awareness of the Jedi and the Sith

- Hondo's base is still in a severely destroyed state from Grievous' takeover in 'A Necessary Bond' (S5E9), which occurred only a month or so earlier. The sign
on the fortress says in Aurebesh "Hondo's Salvage - Prices Slashed." The wreckage of some of Hondo's equipment, as well as pieces of the Jedi starship
Crucible, which crashed nearby during those events, can be seen heaped up for sale.

- Adi Gallia, an important member of the Jedi Council, is killed in a duel with Savage. She will be succeeded on the Council by Stass Allie before Episode III.
Gallia had been on the Council since before Episode I, over thirteen years. When she is killed, Maul is battling Obi-Wan on top of the wreckage of
the Crucible, the ancient Jedi starship which represented the timelessness of the Order, foreshadowing their coming fall.

- Obi-Wan has his third duel with Maul, with Obi-Wan having won their first, but retreating in their second. He must eventually face both Maul and Savage
alone, where Maul suggests he is no match for a Sith Lord and his Acolyte apprentice. While possibly true sometimes, in this instance this statement is
mere intimidation, as Obi-Wan proves that a Jedi Master is too powerful for them when the Force is with him. In his first duel, Maul got the upper hand
when he was angry, and only when he centered himself and concentrated through the Force did he find victory. In his second duel, besides being beat
up, he was also enraged, which led to unbalance and his possible defeat. In this fight with the brothers, Obi-Wan is centered, focused, and allowing
himself to be a conduit for the Force to guide his actions and respond to his command. After Savage loses an arm, Maul ends their confrontation
so the brothers can make their escape, before either of them loses additional limbs.


- The Jedi lament that crime has had far too much free rein during the war. Ordinarily, the Jedi's efforts against organized crime and large-scale exploitation
consume a large percentage of their time and resources. As a result, the underworld of the Republic must limit the size and nature of its profile, to avoid
drawing the attention of the Jedi. With the majority of Jedi now occupied with war and diplomacy, their role in policing has declined considerably.

- Zanbar is a planetary moon with an agreeable climate and an extensive ecosystem. It is a rocky world which features jungles, forests, swamps, and rivers.
It is located in the Mandalore Sector, in the Trans-Hydian region of the Outer Rim, and is considered Mandalorian territory, although no permanent
settlement is known. The Death Watch have made it their primary base after having left Carlac after 'A Friend in Need' (S4E14), about a half-year earlier.


- When learning that Maul is a Sith, Vizsla asks him if he serves Dooku, as he is known by Death Watch to be a Sith Lord, while Darth Sidious is unknown to
most in the galaxy. Vizsla knows of the Rule of Two, saying "I thought there could only be two Sith, a master and an apprentice." Vizsla is clearly better
educated and more worldly than the average person, and also has some personal experience with the Sith, and thus has some knowledge of who they are
and what their religion is about. Those that know of them seem to see the Sith as unscrupulous Jedi, and to assume they aren't much more of a threat.
Main Article: Awareness of the Jedi and the Sith

- The Black Sun Clan, usually called Black Sun, is a crime syndicate, primarily dominated by Falleen. Their importance has apparently grown during
the Clone Wars, and they are feared, being known for their ruthlessness. Their leadership is operating out of their base on Mustafar.



How did the Pykes locate Death Watch on Zanbar? This is their secret base, and yet Vizsla doesn't seem surprised
that they showed up, or concerned that they could be found so easily. His first comments suggest he may have
known they were coming, but their statements suggest their visit was unannounced. They are a resourceful group,
and perhaps they even called the Black Sun to ask where the party was, but this is still a serious security breach.


- The Pyke Syndicate is a powerful member of the Spice Cartel, and are connected to all the major crime families of Coruscant. As spice dealers,
they are connected heavily to Kessel and the trade in illicit substances, as well as the pharmaceuticals and medical industries.

- The Hutt's augment their personal security with skilled bounty hunters as a matter of practice. At this time, the Hutt Council is being protected by
several bounty hunters known from other adventures in this series, Embo and Sugi, who have been seen working together, as well as Latts Razzi
and Dengar, who have been seen working with Boba Fett and Bossk.


- Oruba the Hutt is killed, although the other four members of the Hutt Council seem to have survived Maul's takeover of their organization. Maul forms
his "new galactic underworld", in the form of an overarching organization known as the Shadow Collective. While the Hutts are initially members,
being the most powerful organization to have been forced into the Shadow Collective, they will be the first to reassert their independence.


Is Bo-Katan alright with the idea of killing her sister? She seems to be into Pre Vizsla's overbearing cult of personality,
and may believe in what they are doing so much that she would be willing to sacrifice her sister. She also does seem
to have a less than jovial expression on her face when Vizsla states that she will be dead explicitly. Satine can be
removed from power without being killed, after all, which is clearly possible since they imprison her at the first
opportunity, without having yet invented false murder charges against her. As it doesn't seem like killing her is
essential, Bo-Katan has really been absorbing Vizsla's no mercy philosophy if she doesn't have reservations about this.


- Some kind of shield is being projected in a geometric shape by the cargo ship, and is being used to lower cargo down to cranes at the Sundari docks.
It appears to be a plasma shield of some kind, as it is holding a solid object in place. These types of projectors do help explain how objects are accessed
by ships at certain times in SW when it is not shown, and yet also raises questions about why this technology isn't applied more often.
Main Article: Shields, Deflectors, and Ray Shields


- According to the conversation of the two captured Mandalorian guards, the Duchess' forces are being overrun across the planet. This is a refreshing
reference to the fact that there are things going on around a populated planet, and that the capital city isn't the only location of importance. This also
demonstrates that despite her obsession with pacifism and conflict avoidance, Satine's security forces constitute a small army of officers trained and
empowered to use violence and their skills as warriors to defend the public good, a policy she claims to oppose. If her forces were more formidable,
her peaceloving government could have been successfully defended, and her planet not have descended into another cycle of conflict.

- Almec and Satine discuss the merits of using the black market to prop up her regime versus the willingness of people to make sacrifices for their ideals,
hearkening back to the events and debate of 'The Academy' (S3E6), over a year earlier. Almec's premise is once again valid to a point, as lack of supply
insecurity could have helped somewhat in preventing this, although only somewhat. Satine's suggestion ignores how easily many people will abandon
their principles for comfort, ease, power, or wealth, especially when they are afraid or in need. This is the very quality of people's nature that Maul has
targeted during this successful coup, in this case a desire for security. Neither strategy they propose addresses the need for better security forces.

- According to the ancient laws of Mandalore, if the leader is defeated in single combat, his soldiers are honor bound to follow the victor. This encapsulates
the whole concept of the Mandalore, the traditional leader of the Mandalorians, who takes the position by virtue of being the strongest warrior.

- Pre Vizsla's duel with Maul highlights how effective a skilled warrior can be against a high level Force wielder, particularly with the aid of the right technology.
Force wielders don't win by default, they must earn their victories, and while aided by the predictive power of the Force, they aren't invulnerable, and can be
defeated or at least successfully opposed by combining tactics and skill. Ultimately, the longer the fight lasts, the greater chance the Force wielder will find victory.


- Almec is reinstalled as Prime Minister of Mandalore, after more than a year in prison for corruption and treason. His past actions are now seen as part of
Satine and her government's agenda against strength and security, as Almec and Death Watch are endorsing the notion that Pre Vizsla appointed him.

- Satine is able to transmit a signal only after leaving the dome of Sundari, due to jamming. Once on the docks, she is outside and is thus able to send clearly.
She transmits to Coruscant with a small personal comlink. Assuming that the hyperspace transmitter in Sundari was not sending, it would seem likely her
message is being transmitted via a different transmitter on the planet. While the message would only need to reach a relay station to be forwarded on
to Coruscant, it would almost certainly be a major continuity issue if a transmission can be sent from a handheld comlink to other planets on its own.
Main Article: Hyperspace Communication

- Ahsoka learned that Death Watch were now enemies of the Separatists in 'A Friend in Need' (S4E14). Without involvement from the Separatists, this coup
is an internal Mandalorian matter, and not considered to be the legal purview of the Jedi or the Republic military. It is possible that something could have
been done with support from the Senate, but Mandalore's neutrality in the war makes this "difficult" according to Master Mundi. Had this happened under
ordinary circumstances, Satine may have been able to garner support in the Senate for the Jedi to take action. Since the neutral systems have chosen not
to take sides in the conflict, asserting a measure of independence, the chances of the Senate taking such steps are unlikely without Separatist involvement.
Main Article: The Galactic Republic and the Neutral Systems

- Obi-Wan borrows the Twilight from Anakin for what will prove to be its last mission. The ship was last seen in 'Children of the Force' (S2E3), but has
clearly seen some action or at least use by Anakin since that time, as it is in need of some attention by a mechanic, and probably some parts.
This will not prove to be necessary, as the ship is destroyed during Obi-Wan and Satine's escape attempt.


- Maul's desired revenge against Obi-Wan has always been to make him suffer before he dies. Originally, he intended to torture Obi-Wan before killing him,
but having learned of Obi-Wan's connection to Satine, has found something that will cause Obi-Wan for more misery than physically hurting him. Like
Padme, Satine's peaceful ways are a relic of a now bygone era, and their personal friendship with the Jedi leads to their fall along with the Republic.


Palpatine must have been gone from Coruscant for most of a day when he was being Darth Sidious on Mandalore.
What would have happened if some matter came up requiring the Chancellor's immediate attention? If the matters
were pressing enough, there would be nothing Mas Amedda could say that would allay suspicion. It is unclear if
the Chancellor ever takes a personal day. We have seen since Episode I that Palpatine has a penthouse in
the 500 Republica building, and also in this series that he goes home sometimes. Perhaps Amedda could say
the Chancellor is mildly ill or some similar excuse, but that would only allay suspicion for so long. Regardless,
it does seem like this was a potential risk that was only undertaken out of necessity.


- Some Mandalorians are seen utilizing personal combat shields, which are a type of plasma shield projected from armor for use in combat. They must have
significant power requirements, or this technology would be more widely used. It may also be somewhat proprietary to the Mandalorians in this era.
Main Article: Shields, Deflectors, and Ray Shields

- Maul tells Sidious that he used his training to survive being cut in half in Episode I. Supplementary material has suggested that this is slightly less fatal to
a Zabrak than it would be to a Human, nevertheless his survival is undoubtedly due in part to the unnatural use of the Force. It seems that Sidious does
in fact know something about preserving life using the Force, and that he passed some of this knowledge to Maul for use in the field.

- Mandalore has returned to its warrior past for only a number of days, and there is already a small scale civil war going on in the capital. The Mandalorian
predilection for fighting has lead to countless civil wars of various sizes throughout their history, and they resume this tendency at the first opportunity.
Satine's confidence in her society having undergone a shift in attitude regarding violence was clearly never fully rooted in reality.

ANALYSIS
Savage tells Maul that he wants them share their power, having already been used as a subservient enforcer by Ventress and Dooku. Maul explains
the Rule of Two, telling Savage that "always two there are, a master and an apprentice", which in this case is emphasizing that the Sith are
an hierarchical religion based on dominance. As Maul is a Sith Lord, he is the master, and although his power had undoubtedly been reduced by
his time as a dump monster, when he did not keep in practice with his abilities in the Force, he has since grown back to full power, and possibly
beyond. As Maul is no longer consumed with the scheme to destroy the Republic from within, he returns to the classic mold of a Sith Lord, using
their power and knowledge to build his own power base. Months after his return, he already has a small pirate army fighting for him, and is posing
far more of a menace than the petty schemes of greedy criminals. He will continue to use this most basic of Sith pattern, begin by stealing wealth,
use it to gain agents, use them to manipulate events, and rule over it all from the shadows. When Vizsla questions how there can be more than
two Sith, Maul tells him that they are "the true Lords of the Sith", reinstating the classic problem of the Sith which the Rule of Two was invented
to prevent. Competition amongst the Sith inevitably leads to their inability to defeat the Jedi, something Sidious isn't going to allow.

Having learned of his reemergence, Palpatine wants the Jedi to leave Maul alone to cause chaos, and to keep them off of Maul's trail, in the off chance
that Maul could be captured and reveal some clue about him. He needs the Jedi to focus on Dooku, the scarecrow he set up to occupy their vision
and fill their decision-making process with fear and even anger. He does seem quite pleased that Maul is alive and is causing trouble, as he will
undoubtedly have some of the negative effects on peaceful worlds which Dooku and the Separatists are deliberately causing. Based on his statements
to Maul after having subdued him, he is probably most interested in the potential of having Maul under his control once again to use as a weapon.

Maul's alliance with Death Watch is a textbook display of how an intelligence service uses nationalist militias to overthrow sovereign governments.
Like an intelligence service, Maul is only interested in imperialism, first to gain control over the society, and then to use it as a base to forward his
agenda to bring more societies under his control. Like any ultra-nationalist militant group, Death Watch wants control of the planet for the sake
of power, and to promote their philosophy of conflict and competition. If a society is troubled, finding such elements are easy. In a society as
peaceful and prosperous as Mandalore in this time period, it is more difficult, but there are always some people who care enough about their
ideology to form an unpopular militia. If an outside power has sufficient resources, power, and influence, they can bring this group to power
by manipulating events and public opinion. In order to do this, a government must first be provoked. If it is a strong government, its actions
in response to the provocations can be used as evidence of oppression. If it is a lightly armed government, its inability to provide security in
the face of the provocations can be used to provide support for the actions of the militant group to restore order. This is what Maul refers to as
"the true burden of peace", a reference to the necessity for peace to be defended, even by the use of warfare. Like any intelligence service,
Maul must source most of the resources for this operation from illegal trade in order to avoid anything being directly tied back to him or
his allied militia. Crime can provide resources for an insurgent army, and also has the benefit of being an inroad into the targeted society
which can undermine its stability, and is by its nature not well monitored by the authorities. Once the proper conditions have been developed,
the regime change operation can go forward, with Maul and Savage providing targeted provocations which are used as the political theater
which frame the narrative used to justify the actions which will ensue. If Death Watch had moved openly to unseat Satine, the people would
have turned against them, so instead the specter of an evil threat is raised, then the very militia which are comrades in arms with the evil threat
are held up as the only hope of saving the people, thus manufacturing enough public consent for their eventual seizure of the government.

Death Watch uses the public fear caused by the attacks to manipulate the people using ultra-nationalist rhetoric. The refrain that since they are
under attack, "there is no time for discussion!" establishes a premise that violence can only be responded to with violence, and undercuts any
attempts to find alternate solutions to a crisis. Satine warns her people that this will cause the end of the peaceful Mandalore they all know,
and while the people may wish for that in retrospect, at the moment they are enthusiastic about the war because they have been attacked,
and want to strike back. Death Watch argues that pacifism encourages aggression, which is the political equivalent of blaming the victims
of bullying for 'asking for it' by being non-threatening. Pacifism doesn't encourage aggression, but it does encourage being victimized by
the opportunistic and the evil. Vizsla is absolutely correct to point out that "the name Mandalore should send fear into the hearts of these
gangsters." Satine's excessive interest in disarmament and pacifism have turned a planet which always had a reputation that would cause
even the toughest criminals concern into a poorly defended target. Vizsla's successful coup doesn't prove the superiority of his beliefs,
rather it proves that Satine's policies were indeed posing a danger to Mandalore now that the galaxy had descended into war and chaos.
During the stability of the Republic before the war, her policies enjoyed the shield of the Jedi and their interstellar community. To preserve
Mandalore's gains, Satine needed to choose a Republic garrison, or raise a sufficient local defense force. Nevertheless, without Maul's
assistance, it is unlikely Mandalore would have faced any threat from the criminal world that their security forces couldn't handle.

Maul plans to create a third independent galactic power out of the neutral systems. Mandalore is the chair of the Council of Neutral Systems,
and Maul intends to use similar schemes to install compliant governments amongst as many of these worlds as possible. These worlds have
made themselves vulnerable by choosing neutrality, and the Republic will likely have to respect their sovereignty in their internal affairs
even if they notice a disturbing pattern of coups and overthrown governments. Maul will then have a significant secret empire, which he
can consolidate and grow while the Republic and Separatists continue to obliterate and weaken one another. Maul would then undoubtedly
enter the war at a time and place of his choosing to deal crippling blows to each side which will ensure his state will emerge from the fighting
in the strongest position. This situation would create three states led by different Sith Lords, one with many historical parallels, only this time
one of those states would be the Republic itself. Maul is trying to engineer a situation where his future power is not dependent on Sidious
or Dooku, or any actions they might take for or against him. His grand plan never comes to fruition, but he does effectively carve out a niche
in the galaxy where he can rule, despite his inability to challenge Sidious, Dooku, or later Vader.

Palpatine senses through the Force that Maul is becoming too powerful. He didn't know Maul had survived until learning of it from the Jedi,
probably from a report three months earlier when Obi-Wan initially encountered him, but if not, he is certainly aware of him by now.
For Sidious, the Rule of Two isn't important because it is Sith doctrine, rather it is a Sith doctrine because it is important to their survival.
The fighting amongst Sith Lords has been undermining their attempts to rule the galaxy for seven millennia. Now that Maul has become
a rival, he must be dealt with, or risk a powerful new Sith disrupting his plans for the galaxy, and potentially one day unseating him as
the Dark Lord. Sidious proves to be too powerful for Maul, and certainly for Savage, who finally reaches the end of his tragic story.
Sidious calls the Rule of Two "the first and only reality of the Sith", as the Sith have very few doctrinal rules, and no other rules which are
considered essential, as this one is only a reality out of pragmatic necessity. While Sidious taunts Maul about having been replaced, he
keeps Maul alive to use as a tool or weapon again. Having an extra dark side warrior around is never a bad strategy for a Sith Lord, as
long as that warrior is under control. Superfluous agents can always be eliminated later, when they are no longer considered necessary.


FURTHER ANALYSIS
Clone Wars Bloopers: Ep. 5.01 "Revival"