"Star Wars Rebels," a few years removed from its finale, has earned its place within the pantheon of all-time great storytelling within this legendary franchise. For those that have taken in the tale of Ezra Bridger and the Ghost crew at the dawn of the Rebellion, it is unquestionably, at its best, what "Star Wars" can and should be. The show also gave us some all-time classic moments, including a rematch for the ages between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Maul, something many of us had been waiting for ever since the Jedi cut the Sith in half at the end of "The Phantom Menace."

That rematch would come in the penultimate episode of the show's third season, "Twin Suns." It is widely-regarded as one of the series' finest moments, though, for some, the battle left something to be desired, as it was surprisingly brief. But this was very much by design, according to writer and co-executive producer, Henry Gilroy. He co-wrote the episode with series head honcho Dave Filoni, in which, Maul arrives on Tatooine seeking revenge against his nemesis, Obi-Wan, while Ezra heads to the planet in the hopes of warning the Jedi Master first.

So, why was it that this long-awaited confrontation lasted mere seconds? /Film's own Rafael Motamayor spoke with Gilroy in a wide-ranging interview where they touched on the topic. For the animation guru, it came down to the fact that a whole lot of time had passed and, naturally, that changed things:

"We saw these guys at their peak in 'Clone Wars' when they were fast and sharp. And now they're these older guys and they're just not … It's not going to be the same thing."

Poetry, The Star Wars Way

Henry Gilroy added, "Most of the fighting is being done in their head before they actually ever fight." Indeed, both Obi-Wan and Maul had years and years to map out this moment in their heads, unlike the first time they clashed. Not only that but the battle had much more thematic resonance to it that needs to be taken into account — it's not purely about lightsabers smashing into one another. Sure, that must be part of it, but it has to be about more than that. If it was purely about spectacle and lightsabers, "Attack of the Clones" would probably be considered to be the best "Star Wars" movie out there.

The way the duel unfolds brings this loop to a close in poetic, "Star Wars" fashion. Yes, the actual fight is swift, with Obi-Wan using his wits and slightly less flashy fighting style to best Maul. All of those years of rage, in the end, didn't help Maul when the time came. Yet, even after all of the bitterness between them, the whole thing concludes with an oddly touching moment. It's not only resonant, but it's deeply unexpected. For those who can embrace the jarring nature of how short the actual fight was, it's a chef's kiss moment.

For all of the praise the episode has received over the years though, Gilroy is pretty humble in speaking about his contribution. "I don't think about my part in it so much. I'm glad that people are touched by this and like it," he said.

"Star Wars Rebels" is currently streaming on Disney+.

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The post Why Obi-Wan And Maul's Rematch In Star Wars Rebels Was Intentionally Straightforward [Exclusive] appeared first on /Film.