Fans of major franchises like Marvel and Star Wars are always interested in learning details of the official timeline, such as when certain projects are set and the ages of characters. These universes have become so expansive over the years that this information can be vital in keeping track of things, allowing viewers to better understand how each movie and TV show relates to what’s come before. It can also be helpful to know how old specific characters are meant to be, as that can inform the way they are portrayed. This is especially true for characters with several appearances; each project can be an opportunity to show them at a different stage in life.
One Star Wars character who’s made several appearances over the years — perhaps surprisingly — is Maul. The one-time Sith apprentice was introduced as a main villain in the prequel trilogy, was unceremoniously killed at the end of The Phantom Menace, and then subsequently revived in The Clone Wars. Lucasfilm’s animated shows went to great lengths to fully develop Maul’s character, painting him as a tragic and compelling figure. His story gets a new chapter in this year’s Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and viewers are probably wondering how it fits into the overall timeline and how old Maul is meant to be.
Using the traditional Star Wars calendar system (which is based around the Battle of Yavin), here’s how old Maul is in all of his on-screen appearances, leading up to his death in Star Wars Rebels.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – 22 Years Old
Maul was born in 54 BBY (before the Battle of Yavin), information first relayed in a 2015 issue of the magazine Star Wars Jedi Master. Based on that, he would have to be 22 years old during the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The first prequel film takes place in 32 BBY, over three decades prior to A New Hope.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – 34 & 35 Years Old
Maul seemingly died during the Battle of Naboo in The Phantom Menace, but the character made his surprise return in The Clone Wars, where it’s revealed he survived his encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi and has become mad, driven by revenge. Maul’s first episode is “Brothers,” which comes in Season 4. That particular episode is set in 20 BBY, which would make Maul 34 years old.
Maul’s age changes over the course of his Clone Wars appearances. When audiences see him in the Season 5 premiere “Revival,” the former Sith is 35 years old (the episode canonically takes place in 19 BBY). All of Maul’s subsequent Clone Wars episodes are set in the same year.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord – About 37 or 38 Years Old
The new animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is the titular character’s most recent on-screen appearance, but it takes place shortly after The Clone Wars on the official Star Wars timeline. In the first episode, “Chapter 1: The Dark Revenge,” Maul is probably around 37 years old.
This is an estimate on our part, as Shadow Lord‘s exact placement in the timeline has yet to be confirmed. A post on the official Star Wars website notes the first season picks up “a few short years after Order 66,” which happened in 19 BBY during the events of Revenge of the Sith. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume Shadow Lord begins in 17 BBY or 16 BBY at the latest, as that would be “a few short years” following the Clone Wars.
Maul – Shadow Lord has been renewed for a second season, so it’ll be interesting to see if any time jumps are incorporated. Shadow Lord appears to be laying the groundwork for Maul’s eventual takeover of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate.
Solo: A Star Wars Story – 44 Years Old
Maul surprised Star Wars fans once again when he made his return on the big screen in the 2018 spinoff Solo: A Star Wars Story. The film’s main events take place in 10 BBY (the prologue segment is set a few years prior in 13 BBY), which would mean Maul is 44 years old.
Star Wars Rebels – 51 & 52 Years Old
The oldest viewers ever got to see Maul was in Star Wars Rebels. Maul made his first appearance on that animated show in the Season 2 episode “Twilight of the Apprentice,” which takes place in 3 BBY. He later returned for a handful of episodes in Season 3, all set in 2 BBY. This means Maul is 51 years old when he crosses paths with Ezra Bridger, and he is 52 years old when he is (actually) killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the now iconic “Twin Suns” episode.
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