I, on the other hand, don’t understand why everyone loves that final confrontation between Maul and Kenobi. Maul obsessed with picking a fight with Kenobi was such a waste of a story arc.
I think Maul obsessed with fighting Kenobi was the only fitting story arc they could have given him. Ever since Maul was brought back from death in The Clone Wars, his purpose has been revenge. He swears to “start with revenge” against Obi-Wan and Sidious, then presumably gain as much power as he can, but the tragedy of Darth Maul is that he can’t even accomplish that. I think his final moments indicate that his wanting to kill Kenobi wasn’t a logical decision; he knows he’s probably wrong in wanting it, especially since Obi-Wan is now an outcast like he is, and knows he himself is a broken man. It’s just that, an obsession and a compulsion. Ever since he fell down a reactor shaft and was stripped of all his potential, Maul’s story has always been directly tied with Obi-wan, and I think it’s one of the best stories told in Star Wars.