Campaign against the Shadow Collective

Back in 54 BBY, on the planet of Dathomir, Maul, a Dathomirian Zabrak Nightbrother, was born to Mother Talzin of the Nightsisters. When Maul was just a child, Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, forged an alliance with Mother Talzin. He visited Dathomir and exchanged secrets of the dark side of the force with her. Sidious promised Talzin that he would make her his apprentice, but instead he chose to take and train her son, Maul. Talzin vowed to exact her revenge in the future.

As the years passed, Sidious molded Maul into a ruthless weapon of the Sith, relentless in his pursuit of enemies. During Maul's training, Sidious brought him to the Sith world of Malachor so that he could inhale the ashes of his fallen Sith brethren, who had been killed by the Jedi long ago. This instilled in Maul a deep-seated desire for vengeance against the Jedi Order. Eventually, in 32 BBY, the Sith put their plan for revenge into motion. During the Invasion of Naboo, Maul engaged in a fierce lightsaber duel against Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Master, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight. Maul succeeded in killing Jinn, but Kenobi managed to slice Maul's lower torso, causing him to fall to his apparent death. Despite the loss of his apprentice, Maul, Sidious continued with his plans, cultivating a reputation as a respected senator among the people of the Galactic Republic. However, Sidious found himself without an apprentice, leading him to choose Count Dooku, a Fallen Jedi, as Palpatine's new apprentice. Dooku was the leader of an anti-Republic organization known as the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Publicly, he rejected any opportunity to speak with Palpatine, unaware to the public that Dooku was Sidious' apprentice.

In 22 BBY, Dooku and his droid army clashed with the Galactic Republic's army of clones on the planet Geonosis in a battle that marked the beginning of the Clone Wars. Two years into the Clone Wars, in 20 BBY, Sidious ordered Dooku to assassinate his personal sith assassin, Asajj Ventress. Despite his initial reluctance, Dooku carried out his master's orders. However, Ventress survived the assassination attempt and returned to her homeworld of Dathomir. Ventress was once a Nightsister, but as a child the clan was forced to give her up to the Siniteen pirate Hal'Sted to protect the clan. Seeking revenge on Dooku, Ventress traveled to the Nightbrother village to find an assassin through the Selection. She found Savage Opress, the brother of Darth Maul, to become Dooku's "apprentice" as offered by the Nightsisters. However, Opress betrayed both Ventress and Dooku, returning to Dathomir and discovering that his long-lost brother, Maul, was still alive. Maul had survived, stranded on the junk planet of Lotho Minor. Through his hate and will to survive after being nearly killed by Kenobi back on Naboo, he used the Force to hang on to an airvent. He eventually made his was to a trash compactor, bringing him to Lotho Minor.

Upon reuniting with his brother, Opress brought Maul back to Dathomir to have his mind restored by Mother Talzin. Talzin restored Maul's mind and provided him with a set of metal legs constructed from the wreckage of battle droids from a massacre of the Nightsisters, orchestrated by Dooku as revenge. Maul and Opress embarked on a rampage, seeking revenge on the Jedi. After a battle against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master Adi Gallia, and the Ohnaka Gang of criminals, the brothers escaped in escape pods. Barely alive, they were rescued by Death Watch, a Mandalorian splinter group. They were taken to the Death Watch camp on Zanbar, where Opress received a prosthetic arm and Maul received new metal legs. Pre Vizsla of Death Watch explained to Maul the mismanagement of the New Mandalorian government. Maul promised Death Watch the ability to retake Mandalore and kill Kenobi. Now allied, they traveled the Galaxy, offering various criminal syndicates a stake in the new criminal alliance. With the allegiance of the Hutt Clan, Pyke Syndicate, and Black Sun, the Shadow Collective was born.

Having amassed the forces necessary to form a formidable army, the Shadow Collective successfully seized control of the Mandalorian city of Sundari. Eventually, Death Watch betrayed the Collective, driving away the criminals and arresting Opress and Maul, claiming rule over Mandalore for themselves. Escaping from prison, the Sith brothers sought a new ally in Almec, the Mandalorian Prime Minister. Maul stormed into the Mandalorian throne room, challenging Pre Visla to a duel. Maul defeated Visla, beheading him with the Darksaber, a black-bladed lightsaber owned by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian Jedi. Maul's victory split Death Watch into two factions, with half remaining loyal to Maul and the other half rebelling against him, led by Bo-Katan Kryze. Almec was reinstated as Prime Minister, and Maul had taken over Mandalore.

However, fearing Maul's growing power, Sidious traveled to Mandalore to put an end to Maul's rule. Maul, Savage, and Sidious engaged in a duel in the depths of Sundari. Sidious killed Opress and disarmed Maul, sparing him because he needed Maul to eliminate Talzin. Sidious imprisoned Maul in the Spire, a prison on the planet Stygeon Prime. Maul was broken out of the prison by his Mandalorian super commandos, led by Commander Gar Saxon. This marked the beginning of a war between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Shadow Collective.

Following the instructions of Almec, the super commandos brought Maul to the Death Watch camp on Zanbar to meet with his forces. Maul ignited the Darksaber, rallying his army and promising them the war they had been waiting for. At that moment, a Separatist navy fleet led by Grievous began attacking the Shadow Collective forces. The forces had followed Maul to the moon and began invasion. C-9979 landing crafts flew in the skies, and Maul's army began to rain turret fire on the dropships. When the ships landed, the full might of the Separatist droid army was unleashed, with waves of droidekas, B1-series battle droids, and B2-series super battle droids.

As Maul cut through the battle droids, Grievous stood on the landing bridge of his Providence-class Dreadnought. Promising Maul that the end was near, the General sent four IG-100 MagnaGuards to eliminate the Zabrak. Amidst the chaos of battle, Maul swiftly dispatched the MagnaGuards. One Mandalorian attempted to take on Grievous alone but was quickly killed by the Kaleesh warlord. It was at this point that Maul and Grievous finally engaged in a lightsaber duel. Eventually, Grievous kicked Maul to the ground. Maul looked around as his army was massacred by the endless forces of droids. In retaliation, Maul had his gauntlet fighters bomb the droid army. Commando Rook Kast picked up Maul in his personal gauntlet fighter, the Nightbrother. They escaped as flames engulfed the Death Watch camp. Grievous reported to Dooku that he had forced Maul and his forces to flee.

Maul meditated in hyperspace. Talzin contacted Maul through the spirit world, a parallel dimension in Nightsister culture accessible to only a few Nightsisters. Talzin instructed Maul to bring his fleet to the planet Ord Mantell to gather more strength and forces. Entering the Bright Jewel system, the Shadow Collective fleet landed in the Black Sun stronghold in Ord Mantell City. Maul discussed the war with Ziton Moj of the Black Sun and Fife of the Pyke Syndicate. Meanwhile, Confederate spies reported to Dooku and Grievous that Maul's fleet had landed on Ord Mantell. Dooku reminded Grievous not to attack until they had confirmation that Talzin was with them. As if on cue, Tey-Zuka, an ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid, informed them that reconnaissance droids near Dathomir had reported a single transport shuttle leaving the planet. Thus, Dooku and Grievous prepared to attack Ord Mantell.

As the transport ship from Dathomir landed on Ord Mantell, a clan of Nightbrothers emerged, led by Brother Viscus. Maul met with his brethren, preparing for battle. The Separatist fleet exited hyperspace, firing down on the city at Grievous' command. As Separatist forces landed, the two armies engaged in the second battle of their war.

Dooku landed his ship at the battle site, sending out MagnaGuards to find Maul and Talzin. At the same time, Grievous and Tey-Zuka pondered the whereabouts of Maul's Mandalorian warships. Then, Maul sprung a trap on Grievous, attacking his dreadnought and the rest of the droid fleet. As Dooku investigated, Viscus and his Nightbrothers eliminated his MagnaGuards. They then engaged in combat, with Dooku facing overwhelming odds.

Saxon, a Pyke, and a Falleen hid behind rubble as the seemingly endless forces of droids continued their slaughter of the Collective. However, a B2 grapple droid punched through the rubble, seizing the Pyke. As the space battle raged around them, Maul and Saxon landed on Grievous' dreadnought, with Maul using the Darksaber to cut a hole in the side of the ship. The two entered the ship's bridge and used the Force push to send a group of droids flying. Maul tackled Grievous and raised the Darksaber to Grievous' throat.

Count Dooku held his own against the Nightbrothers, unleashing volleys of Force lightning at them. As the droids surrounded the Shadow Collective, they were forced to surrender. However, Maul's takeover of the Providence gunship caused all the droids to deactivate, giving them time to tear apart the droid army. Dooku used the Force to slam Brother Viscus into the ground. However, before he could kill Viscus, the survivors of the Collective captured him.

The events at Ord Mantell drew the attention of the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order. Via hologram, Jedi Master Mace Windu informed Chancellor Palpatine of the ongoing battles. A Jedi investigation group, including Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Tiplee, and Aayla Secura, was sent to Ord Mantell after the battle. Their investigation led them to discover a Mandalorian super commando helmet, leading them to believe that the battle had taken place between Dooku and the Shadow Collective. The group then prepared to travel to a nearby Mandalorian supply outpost known as Vizsla Keep 09.

Meanwhile, at Vizsla Keep 09, having captured Dooku and Grievous, Maul showed Sidious a hologram of the two. Speaking on behalf of Mother Talzin, Maul reminded Sidious of his history with the Dathomirian witch. Sidious told Maul to kill both of them, as he no longer needed them. Turning off his holocommunications, Maul and Rook placed Grievous in the ship's brig while Maul conversed with the Count.

Using Maul as a vessel, Talzin appeared to Dooku through the spirit world. The witch explained her history with Sidious and how he had taken her son, Maul. Talzin asked Dooku to join her and Maul, explaining how Sidious would eventually betray him. While they were conversing, Commander Saxon notified Maul of incoming Republic ships, and Maul ordered him to block their transmissions. However, in the commotion, Dooku used the Force to press a button, releasing Grievous from his cell.

The Galactic Republic Navy fleet slowly approached the space station. As the troops prepared for an invasion, the Shadow Collective launched gauntlet fighters. As the rest of the ships engaged in combat, a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry ship carrying Kenobi, Tiplee, and the 212th Attack Battalion landed in the rings of Phelbos. During the commotion, Grievous slipped out of Visla Keep 09 through an escape pod.

Maul returned his lightsaber to Dooku, teaming up with him to escape alive. The Jedi and Sith engaged in a standoff in which Dooku killed Master Tiplee. Rook Kast used the missile on her Z-6 jetpack, rendering Secura and Windu unconscious. Maul, Dooku, Kast, and Saxon escaped in the Nightbrother, living to fight another day. The clone troopers arrested the Mandalorians left at the station, and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine demanded to speak with the now conscious Windu. Windu believed that Dooku had been Maul's master and that the Battle of Ord Mantell had been a deception. However, Palpatine believed that the battle could spell disaster for the Republic.

En route to Dathomir, Maul received a hologram from Moj and Fife. They believed that Maul's Collective was becoming his own crusade and pointed out the casualties it had cost them. Maul reassured them that the galaxy would soon be theirs for the taking. Landing in the cliffside Nightbrother village, Maul presented Brother Viscus with Count Dooku. Preparing for Mother Talzin's return, Maul escorted Dooku into a large building and placed his hand on a large stone panel, where he began to recite a prayer to his mother. Talzin's reflection appeared in the stone, and soon her spirit began to emanate from it, possessing the Count. Meanwhile, Sidious and Grievous remained in orbit above the planet in the Scimitar, a heavily modified Star Courier that Maul had piloted during his apprenticeship to Sidious. Having tracked Count Dooku's signal, Sidious ordered Grievous to jam their communications and put the ship into cloaking mode. Viscus and the Nightbrothers left to prepare Talzin's chambers while Maul watched as the Count became possessed. Maul explained the process Dooku's body was undergoing. However, Grievous exploded through one of the building's walls, with Sidious in tow.

During the events on Dathomir, Separatist armadas laid siege to Black Sun and Pyke Syndicate forces. Fife and Ziton Moj hologrammed Maul again but were instead met by Rook Kast. The crime lords demanded to speak with Maul, but Kast instead instructed them to follow their orders. The Black Sun and the Pyke Syndicate both withdrew from the Shadow Collective, leaving Maul and Death Watch alone.

As Maul ignited the Darksaber, Talzin had completely taken control of Dooku's physical form. The opposing forces engaged in a lightsaber duel, with Maul battling Grievous while Talzin confronted Sidious. Sidious managed to disarm Talzin and then used Force lightning to shock Dooku's body. Having finally accumulated enough energy, Talzin's spirit departed Dooku's body, and she manifested physically. Simultaneously, a Separatist invasion fleet arrived in the Dathomir system. Maul used the Force to hurl Grievous through a breach in the building's wall. Both Talzin and Sidious unleashed Force lightning at each other, resulting in a dissipation of both energies. Awakening, Dooku augmented Sidious's attack with his own stream of lightning to counter Talzin. Maul placed his hand on his mother's shoulder, offering his assistance. Nevertheless, the Sith's power exceeded that of the Dathomirians. Moreover, Grievous had managed to re-enter the building through the window. Aboard the Nightbrother, Kast and Saxon implored Maul to retreat. Talzin instructed Maul to leave, but Maul remained convinced that they could both escape. In a final act of protection for her son, Talzin used the Force to push Maul away, launching him into his ship. The two Mandalorians restrained Maul as he witnessed Grievous fatally stab his mother. As the three fled in the gauntlet fighter, the invading fleet landed on Dathomir and obliterated the Nightbrother village.

Upon returning to Mandalore, Maul reorganized his Shadow Collective, incorporating the Crimson Dawn under the leadership of Dryden Vos. Maul and his forces fought against the invading army comprised of Bo-Katan's Nite Owls and the Galactic Republic's 332nd Division, commanded by Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Tano captured Maul and imprisoned him aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tribunal. While he was incarcerated on the vessel, Darth Sidious initiated Order 66, a command embedded within the behavioral modification biochip of clone troopers, compelling them to attack all Jedi. To facilitate her own escape, Tano released Maul from his cell just as two shock troopers were preparing to execute him. Maul made his way to the ship's hyperdrive and destroyed it using the Force. After being ejected from hyperspace, the ship was set on a collision course with a moon. In the ship's hangar, Maul commandeered a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle and escaped the doomed vessel. The implementation of Order 66 signified the conclusion of the Clone Wars and Sidious's reformation of the Republic into the Galactic Empire, an event that Maul had foreseen. During the Imperial Era, Maul persisted in his criminal activities through his Crimson Dawn organization. While managing his Crimson Dawn crime syndicate, Maul journeyed to the planet Damanos in search of a Sith castle, hoping to find Sith artifacts. Maul experienced a vision of Grievous, who mocked him about his mother's death during the Second Battle of Dathomir.

Shortly following the events of the Second Battle of Dathomir, the surviving Nightbrothers relocated to the Upper Strangled Cliffs and constructed a new village within the cliffs. During the execution of Order 66, the Jedi Master Taron Malicos crashed his ship into the Swamp of Sacrifice. The Nightbrothers captured Malicos, but he escaped and murdered Brother Viscus. Malicos seized control of the Nightbrothers and collaborated with one of the last Nightsisters, Merrin. In 14 BBY, Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, who had also survived Order 66, travelled to Dathomir with his crew aboard the luxury yacht Stinger Mantis. With Merrin's assistance, Malicos was buried alive. Subsequently, Merrin joined the Mantis crew, leaving the Nightbrothers without a leader.

The campaign against the Shadow Collective was initially presented in the first issue of the four-part Star Wars: Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir comic book series. The series was penned by Jeremy Barlow, with illustrations by penciller Juan Frigeri, inker Mauro Vargas, colorist Wes Dzioba, and cover artist Chris Scalf. Son of Dathomir served as an adaptation of unused scripts originating from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. These scripts were intended for the television show's sixth production season and were part of The Clone Wars Legacy initiative. However, the episodes were ultimately shelved following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. The StarWars.com Databank entry dedicated to Count Dooku identified the war as the "plot to destroy Darth Sidious."

According to the original scripts for the Clone Wars episodes, the war was to have featured a gladiatorial arena battle against a shatterax creature. Daniel Wallace, the author of the Star Wars Insider 149 article that reported this information, noted that this plot element was eventually removed from the final comic book run.