survivalthroughhate: ([TCW 84] Put out)
(Darth) Maul ([personal profile] survivalthroughhate) wrote in [community profile] deernet2022-05-23 06:55 pm

Accidental Video; un: darkness

[CW: There is canon-style violence in the clips linked, which include a fight which ends in an implied beheading (not shown directly on-screen) and a character being impaled on a lightsaber.]

[The memory begins as Savage, Maul, and a purple-eyed man walk into a throne room. Maul, in all his dramatic glory, challenges the leader of Death Watch to a fight to the death, something he knows Pre Vizsla can't refuse. Maul is given his lightsaber, gives out an inhuman roar like a big cat would, and the fight begins.

For a while, it seems like Maul has bitten off more than he can chew. Vizsla is giving him a challenge and he's on the defense for a good portion of the fight. But Maul isn't stupid and this has all been planned out. He refrains from using his Force powers and even switches to his right hand, his non-dominant one several times in the fight, to make it a more even playing field. He's deliberately holding himself back. When the Death Watch leader shoots off tiny blades at hi, he laughs and it's clear Maul is enjoying himself. This fight is a lot of fun for him, and while Pre Vizsla may be a tough opponent, he's no match for the Sith Lord.

When Maul decides enough is enough, he grabs hold of the man's arm and brutally breaks it, making him drop his weapon. Then the Sith Lord brutally beats him down, kicking him so hard at one point that a tooth goes flying, until it's clear Maul is the winner. He calls the Darksaber to him. Vizsla, surprisingly, takes his impending death well. "Like you said, only the strongest shall rule," he says just before Maul slices his head cleanly off. He looks up and sees Savage smiling proudly at him, a rare expression to see from the younger Zabrak.

Half of Death Watch is quick to follow but the other half, lead by Vizsla's second-in-command Bo-Katan refuse. Maul orders them executed and the two sides begin to fight. As for Maul himself, he sits back on the throne. He is in command of Mandalore now, and by extension, his power in the galaxy has grown.

As the memory fades out, Maul's voice in the present can be heard as he talks to his Omen.]


Venge, what is that? What are you doi--

[And then it cuts out again as the second memory starts. Maul's in the same throne room but now it's night. He seems a little distracted. "Hmmm, I sense a presence. A presence I haven't felt since--" Then his eyes grow wide as he realizes who has arrived. "--Master!" There's more fear expressed in that one word than two years of living in Pthumerian-run towns could ever produce in Maul.

Then Darth Sidious strolls on in like he owns the place, casually strangling two Mandalorian guards as he does so. It's tempting for anyone who's heard about Sidious to be a little confused. This is the man who inspires such fear in Maul? This little old man wearing a dark robe who isn't even as tall as his adopted son? Maul immediately starts in about having done everything to make his way back to his master's side, hoping to buy time. Unfortunately, Sidious knows Maul far too well and can tell he's lying.

He starts in by using the Force to pin Maul and Savage to the windows before letting them go. Maul glances at Savage. This is going to be their toughest fight ever and they'll need to do their best if they want to have a hope of surviving it. When the three start dueling, it becomes apparent that Sidious has outclassed Maul and Savage just as much as Maul had outclassed Pre Vizsla in the last clip. He's enjoying this fight, smiling and laughing as he toys around with the brothers like they're a pair of novices.

At one point, Maul gets knocked out of the fight and he loses consciousness for about twenty seconds, the screen going dark before he staggers to his feet, his sight blurry and not quick to come back. Unfortunately, this costs him everything he holds dear. Sidious quickly gains the upper hand and impales Savage through the chest. Maul's face is one of devastation. "Brother...." He ignores Sidious and leaps to his brother's side.

Savage gasps out his last words. "Brother...I am an unworthy apprentice....I'm not like you....I never was...." Some people think Maul is a heartless bastard but that is proven incorrect as he looks like his hearts are breaking when his brother dies. All he can do is hold onto him as he slips away, knowing there's nothing he can do to stop it. He can't even bring himself to say how much his brother means to him, struck dumb by grief.

There's no time to mourn, however, for Sidious start taunting him. Maul turns back to his brother's killer and he's shaking with rage. This time when he goes after Sidious, the old man isn't smiling anymore. He's not just toying around as Maul fights him, he's actually having to put forth effort. He's pushed his former apprentice over the edge and this time Maul's determined to make him hurt. Those who know lightsaber forms will realize Maul's style of Jar'Kai, using two lightsabers at once, mirrors of that of Sidious' exactly. It was where he learned it, after all.

But his advantage doesn't last for long as Sidious overwhelms him once again. "Have mercy! Please! Please!" For those who know Maul, they might find it odd he's begging for mercy, his tone like that of a scared child. It's unlike the Sith Lord to ask an opponent to spare him. But that's not what he's asking. The mercy he wants is for Sidious to kill him, for he knows that anything the Sith Lord has planned for him is far worse than the sweet release of death would be. But he doesn't get it as Sidious tells him there is no mercy and continues to torture him with Force Lightning. The memory ends with Maul screaming in terror and pain.

Once again, Maul's voice in the present speaks up. This time, he's more aware of what has happened.]


What. Was. That?! Venge, how did that even happen? What did you do? Turn it off! Turn it--!

[And finally the feed cuts out.]

[OOC: An opening post to get the ball rolling for the player plot going on right now!]
ezra_of_lothal: (ooooooh by malagraphic)

Re: [Private]

[personal profile] ezra_of_lothal 2022-05-24 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ezra just...stares for a moment, before he says, with sincere emphasis-]

Tory, that's amazing. [Then he blinks and shakes his head.] That Maul was willing to listen and open to learning more, I mean. He's told me recently that he seeks balance rather than everything he was taught as a Sith, but still. You must have made a really good pitch.

And I hear you on living with anger and learning how to deal with it being a work in progress. I. Uh. Well, I don't think older Maul would have ever wanted me as an apprentice if he didn't see enough anger in me to draw power from.

Which I have done, and told myself it was ok, because I was only using it against Imperial soldiers. But with powers like mine - and maybe yours, it sounds like? It's not that simple.
abornfighter: (looking down)

[Private]

[personal profile] abornfighter 2022-05-30 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
My first conversation with him was about anger, and how hard it can be to change. It started off with him offering name suggestions for my omen and kind of developed from there.

Back home, I didn't have any powers. Here? I can make things exist. Reality warping. I've got telekinesis, too. When I'm angry, weapons appear. And since this bug infestation started, so do wasps. Mix that with telekinesis and...yeah. A bad combo if it's not under control.
ezra_of_lothal: (Default)

[Private]

[personal profile] ezra_of_lothal 2022-06-05 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
So, your...anger management teachers. What do they suggest?
abornfighter: (pause)

[Private]

[personal profile] abornfighter 2022-06-10 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
Well, one of the things is to take that energy from your anger and put it into something nonviolent. Whether it's cleaning, working on art, going for a jog, or whatever. Where you accept your anger is there and that you have good reasons to feel it, but make sure you're not taking it out on people. And when you put it into a positive thing, it helps to bring the anger down to a more manageable level.

ezra_of_lothal: (rubbing back of neck by malagraphic)

[Private]

[personal profile] ezra_of_lothal 2022-06-15 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
That all makes sense. For a while, I poured a lot of my anger into saber practice, as if that were somehow different from real combat. But I think that was a bad habit. For me, at least.

Cleaning. Gardening. Those have been my go to's lately.
abornfighter: (calm)

[Private]

[personal profile] abornfighter 2022-06-22 01:22 am (UTC)(link)
So...if I go and visit you and see your home is extremely clean, that's a good sign to check in with you?
ezra_of_lothal: (heh by malagraphic)

Re: [Private]

[personal profile] ezra_of_lothal 2022-06-27 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Well. Obi-wan and I are generally reasonably tidy?

But yeah, signs of top to bottom cleaning, could be a good reason to ask what's up.