Full Series TCW writers wanted to kill Maul in TCW Season 5

True, you didn't hear it wrong;

''StarWars.com: Was there ever any talk of Savage surviving the duel?

Dave Filoni: Yeah, I'll say it first. The writers, we were all very much in the "let's kill Maul" camp, but George [Lucas] didn't want to kill Maul because we'd just gone through such great lengths to get him back. So Savage then became the odd man out.
Sidious can't show up and have people walk out of the room. It's just not gonna happen. As soon as he shows up, people are going to die, bad things are going to happen. Yoda barely escapes [when he fights Sidious in Revenge of the Sith]. So, Savage had to pay the price, and I felt bad for Clancy [Brown] because he did such a great job as Savage. But yeah, he had to go. [Laughs].''
https://www.starwars.com/news/interview-dave-filoni-on-star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-five-part-2

So not only the writers didn't want bring Maul back in TCW Tv show, they also wanted to kill Maul inside of 1 season appearance only. If Lucas agreed to their idea, Maul's Season 4 and Season 5 appearances would probably considered as an extended cameo appearance, not something taken seriously as today. But Lucas said no to that, then we had Son of Dathomir storyline, Rebels TV show story, Solo movie Crimson Dawn cameo, TCW Season 7 story, and now Maul Shadow Lord TV series.

 

I really liked Maul in TCW season 5. I agree that it wouldn't have been as emotional if he was killed off.

 

What would they have done with Savage if he lived?

 

Possibly a lot of the same stuff they'd have done with Maul, though without the Kenobi obsession since not only did he not kill Maul, but he has the person actually responsible for his death. I don't see him showing up in Rebels or Solo.

 

Perhaps Savage would take over Shadow Collective and Crimson Dawn instead Maul if Maul died and if Savage survived. But Savage isn't as smart as Maul and his Sith training isn't complete, Savage would rely on Mother Talzin more than Maul, but I don't know how Savage could lead Criminal Syndicates and Mandalorians without Maul's leadership, Talzin would help but I don't think it would be enough.

True, Lucas was definitely right to keep Maul alive. Because without Maul, there is no long history Kenobi connection, no lon history Sidious connection, and no long history Talzin connection, Savage also wasn't trained well as a Sith his training wasn't complete plus isn't as smart as Maul.

Lucas probably wouldn't let them kill Maul in Rebels TV show as well, as he was planning to use Maul for the Sequel but when Lucas sold Star Wars they finally find the opportunity to kill Maul lol.

 

Maul dying changes how TCW ends but outside of that not much. The only reason he returns in rebels is to die. Solo leads to nothing.

 

Rebels really didn't do anything with Ezra being tempted by the dark side after the season 3 premiere

 

Plus even if they were they could have used an original character to do the same

 

They could have Talzin tell savage what to do as to run the criminal organisation.