Good lord, threading the needle between "sympathetic villain" and "misunderstood baby uwu" is a dangerous danger line but I'm so glad Maul is a successful version of this.

Because you see where he came from. You see what broke him and twisted him into what he is today. And there is sorrow there for his pain. Mercy and forgiveness and redemption too.

(Oh hi, is this me crying over The Catch again? Uh. Yeah.)

But Star Wars never ever absolves him of responsibility for how he took that pain and then carved a path of blood across the galaxy. There's no demand that the audience feel that sympathy, no manipulations or gotcha!reveals to say "oh but you just misunderstood him!"

Maul is raw and honest in his pain and in his cruelty. If anything he does is a bridge too far for you as an audience member, the show (TCW and Rebels alike) let's it be a bridge too far for you. If anything he does resonates with you, the show lets it resonate.

Star Wars doesn't shame you for recognizing yourself with Maul or for recognizing Maul as someone who hurt you. Maul is allowed to weep and to cry and to have Obi-Wan catch him. But characters like Ezra are allowed to distrust and reject him.

It's a stunning balance that no other Star Wars villain has achieved.