During the Galactic Empire's reign, Maul, the former Sith Lord and kingpin, wielded a unique double-bladed lightsaber. This weapon projected a pair of crimson-red blades. Its upper grip-guard bore a resemblance to the Inquisitors' lightsabers, though it was visibly damaged, appearing broken and bent outwards. It seemed constructed from salvaged parts of an Inquisitor's weapon. To conceal the hilt, he would attach a piece of wood to it, using it as a walking stick while disguising himself as a frail old man.
Sometime following his escape after his capture on Mandalore and the execution of Order 66, Maul came into possession of the lightsaber. The weapon remained with him by 10 BBY. After Dryden Vos's demise, Qi'ra contacted Maul, who activated the blade while issuing a threat, stating they would be working together more closely moving forward.
He later employed it in combat against both the Inquisitors and the Jedi rebels who had journeyed to Malachor in pursuit of Sith knowledge. Subsequently, Maul utilized it during his hunt for Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, brutally dispatching multiple Tusken Raiders before finally facing his longtime adversary. During this final duel, Kenobi severed the lightsaber in two, mirroring the fate of his first encounter. However, in contrast to their last time, both sections of the lightsaber remained operational, only deactivating as Maul lost his grip while succumbing to his injuries.
The initial appearance of Maul's lightsaber occurred in "Twilight of the Apprentice," which served as the two-part conclusion to Star Wars Rebels' second season. Dave Filoni directed this episode, while Filoni, Simon Kinberg, and Steven Melching collaborated on the writing. It was released on March 30, 2016.
In an interview featured on The Star Wars Show, Sam Witwer revealed that the production team behind the 2018 Anthology film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, had originally intended to bring back Maul's original lightsaber for his scene with Qi'ra. Witwer, who provided the voice for the character in Star Wars Rebels, suggested using an alternative lightsaber linked to Maul, given that he no longer possessed the original one. He proposed either the Darksaber or his Rebels lightsaber, with the latter ultimately being chosen.