Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord's Inquisitor Marrok Has a Complicated Legacy

This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, Episodes 5-6, streaming now on Disney+.As Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord continues, Inquisitor Marrok, the First Brother of the Inquisitors has taken a more prominent role as he tries to track down Maul, Jedi Master Eeko-Dio Daki, and Padawan Devon Izara. However, this is hardly Marrok's first appearance in the franchise. From Jedi Knight to Inquisitor to mercenary working for Morgan Elsbeth, Marrok survives until his fatal fight with Ahsoka in Ahsoka Season 1, Episode 4 "Part 4: Fallen Jedi."

Marrok is firmly in his role of First Brother of the Inquisitorius during Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord. However, his later appearances in the franchise may still hold hints of his trajectory in the series. By examining Marrok's past and future, twists in his Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord fate could also be revealed.

Marrok Likely Was a Member of Star Wars' Jedi Order Turned Traitor

While Marrok's past before he became the First Brother of the Inquisitors has not been fully revealed, it is likely that he was once a member of the Jedi Order. Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Season 1, Episode 4, "Devoted" shows Bariss Offee's training to be a member of the Inquisitors after Order 66 and the fall of the Republic. A former Jedi Padawan herself, Barriss' training reflects similar trajectories that the rest of the Inquisitors took to gain their new role. Emperor Palpatine specifically recruited former Jedi and twisted them against their former friends and allies. Who better to track the Jedi, after all, than the some of their own? By the time Barriss joins the Inquisitors at the end of "Devoted," Marrok is already clearly devoted to the cause. Marrok kneels and states the words "Long Live the Empire" without any hesitation once Darth Vader arrives.

Marrok's devotion to the Empire and ruthlessness toward the Jedi is also shown in Marrok's first appearance in Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, Season 1, Episode 5, "Chapter 5: Inquisition." At first, Marrok remains in the shadows, a more secret part of the Empire's occupation of Janix City. When Captain Brander Lawson enters the interrogation room, he notices deep gashes in the table, indicating that Chief Klyce likely put up a struggle during her interrogation, with the strong suggestion that she may not have survived. Then, after Brander sits down, Marrok appears, looming from the shadows, to begin his interrogation.

Marrok's strong tracking abilities and fierce battle prowress are highlighted throughout Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, Season 1, Episode 6, "Chapter 6: Night of the Hunted." Marrok easily tracks Jedi Master Eeko-Dio Daki and Padawan Devon Izara to the Lawson home. He proves a formidable adversary to the Jedi, who barely escape him. His ruthlessness shows that he bears no allegiance or mercy for his former compatriots.

When Marrok tracks down Devon again, his main objective, Maul, becomes clear. Marrok demands that Devon tell him where Maul is, which potentially indicates that Marrok has been holding back in his attacks to keep the Jedi alive so that they can provide him with information. Marrok assumes that Daki and Devon are in league with Maul, which may make them an even higher priority as Marrok's mission continues. Thus, Marrok's treatment of Daki and Devon shows that he currently feels no guilt over hunting down Jedi and remains devoted to the Inquisitors and the Empire's cause.

Marrok's Mercenary Future May Reveal Upcoming Twists in Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

Despite Marrok's current devotion, the Inquisitorius does not last forever. However, Marrok himself does survive past the fall of the Empire. In Star Wars: Ahsoka, Episode 1, "Part 1: Master and Apprentice," Marrok, now a mercenary, works alongside Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati for Morgan Elsbeth, who seeks to help the Nightsisters and the Empire rise again. At first, this role seems similar to Marrok's former role of Inquisitor. He still works toward the goals of the Empire against Jedi like Ahsoka Tano.

However, a key difference is that Marrok is now a mercenary rather than a devoted follower. This role switch may indicate some disillusionment with the Empire and his former role, not necessarily out of guilt or a conscience. Instead, he may feel abandoned by the Empire and the future he was denied. He seems more allied with fallen Jedi Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, whose motivations seem removed from Elspeth's plans. Marrok dies fighting Ahsoka on the planet Seatos, becoming green dust upon his demise.

Still, Marrok's future shows parallels between Marrok and Maul himself. Throughout Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, Maul has been attempting to convince Devon to become his apprentice. Maul's arguments are centered around the personal betrayal he feels because of the future and power he was denied when he was cast aside by the Empire. Maul's arguments, that those with the Force should be the ones in power in the galaxy, appeal to Devon's sense that the Jedi should do more to fight back against the Empire.

However, if Maul and Marrok ever have their own conversation, Maul could become a pivotal influence on Marrok's trajectory from Inquisitor to mercenary. As Maul rebuilt himself from defeat into a force to be reckoned with in the criminal underworld, Marrok could also take similar cues for his future mercenary career. Thus, while Marrok's single-minded focus has been clear throughout Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord so far, Maul may begin to blur the lines for Marrok as well, influencing Marrok away from the Empire, not out of moral responsibility, but instead playing on Marrok's own desire for power.