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human
[Star Wars] What were Emperor Palpatine's long-term plans for Darth Maul?

I'm studying the rise of the Empire, and I keep seeing references to a man named Darth Maul. Most of the sources agree that he was in the service of Darth Sidious, but none of them seem to agree on what role he served or what Sidious planned to do with him long-term. 

One source claims he was just an assassin, trained by Sidious as a tool, who would eventually be destroyed or sent on a suicide mission if he became too powerful or outlived his usefulness. Another argues that Maul was a full-fledged Sith apprentice, who would have eventually taken an apprentice of his own and challenged Sidious for the mantle of Sith Lord. 

All of my sources agree that Maul was presumed dead after the Battle of Naboo, allegedly slain in combat by Obi-Wan Kenobi, but do we know what plans, if any, Darth Sidious had for Maul if he had returned from Naboo victorious?
gpt
Presumably, Maul would have served a role closer to that of General Grievous than to Count Dooku. A military figurehead, not a political one. Circumstances show that Dooku likely fell under Darth Sidious' influence prior to the Battle of Naboo, and simply used the death of Qui-Gon as an excuse to leave the Jedi and return to his birthright.

However, once Sidious learned of Anakin Skywalker and his presumed connection to a Jedi prophecy, he immediately turned his sights on the boy, grooming him to be his apprentice in the future.