Very little is known about Darth Maul's mysterious past. He obviously trained under Darth Sideous, learning the esoteric art of fighting with a double-bladed lightsaber. In addition, it is likely that he undertook various covert missions for his master, although he did not confront any Jedi prior to his first meeting with Qui-Gon Jinn on Tatooine.
It is known that Sidious dispatched Maul to kill Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan kenobi and recapture Queen Amidala. Maul, who longed for his chance to battle the Jedi, pursued his quarry relentlessly. He appeared on Tatooine, locating Qui-Gon with the aid of his Sith probe droids, and attacked. Although Qui-Gon escaped, Maul faced the Jedi again on Naboo, where he fought against both the Master and his apprentice, Obi-Wan. Though a careful balance of defensive tactics and savage attacks, Maul gained the upper hand and struck down Qui-Gon.
Although he proved victorious against Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan presented a much greater challenge. Maul did, once again, seemingly defeat the Jedi, but Obi-Wan relied upon the power of the Force to vanquish the Sith warrior. After losing his own lightsaber, Obi-Wan found himself dangling within the mouth of a deep melting pit. Using the Force, he leapt from the pit and called Qui-Gon's weapon to his hand. The move caught Maul by surprise, and a momentary pause resulted in his defeat. He was severed in two and sent plummeting into the melting pit.
While alive, Maul utilized a variety of tools in the service of his master. Chief among these was his Sith Infiltrator, a deadly starship with a cloaking device. His weapon of choice, of course was the double-bladed lightsaber, which he would wield effectively with either or both blades ignited. During scouting missions and pursuits, he mounted a sith speeder, while a small group of Sith probe droids aided him in his clandestine adventures.