The Lightning Network (LN) represents a pioneering attempt to address Bitcoin’s scalability issues. However, as a layer-2 solution riding atop the unequivocal bedrock that is Bitcoin's blockchain, it also embodies significant challenges and controversies. From a Bitcoin maximalist’s viewpoint, these hurdles necessitate introspection and targeted improvements, strictly within the Bitcoin ecosystem, without resorting to integrations with other blockchains.

A chief concern within the Lightning Network is its operational complexity. Users are required to open and manage payment channels, a process that can be both confusing and daunting for the layperson. This complexity not only slows adoption rates but also contrasts sharply with the straightforward nature of Bitcoin transactions. For broader acceptance and use, the LN must evolve to offer a more user-friendly interface that simplifies these processes, maintaining Bitcoin's ethos of decentralization while becoming accessible to all users, not just the technically adept.

Critics of the LN often point to a creeping centralization, antithetical to Bitcoin’s foundational principles. Large nodes with substantial liquidity become linchpins within the network, contradicting the decentralized utopia envisioned by Bitcoin purists. This centralization not only poses risks of network control by a few powerful entities but also exposes the network to potential failures and attacks, which Bitcoin, in its foundational layer, robustly resists.

The dual challenges of liquidity and scalability persist in plaguing the Lightning Network. Users frequently encounter difficulties in finding routes for their transactions, which can stall or fail if adequate channel capacity isn’t available. Such liquidity issues compound as the network scales, necessitating a robust mechanism to incentivize liquidity provision without compromising on decentralization.

Addressing the technical and systemic challenges in the LN could start with advanced routing algorithms, which could more efficiently manage the flow of transactions, reducing the dependency on central nodes. Innovations like Atomic Multi-Path Payments (AMP) are steps in the right direction, yet more work is needed to refine these solutions and enhance their adoption.

Improving incentives for users to open and maintain channels could help alleviate some liquidity issues. Adjusting transaction fees or rewards for channel funding and maintenance activities could encourage more users to participate, thus enhancing the network’s capacity and reducing the reliance on large nodes.

As a maximalist perspective underscores, any improvement or evolution within the LN must prioritize decentralization. Efforts should be focused on making the network resilient against attempts at centralization and ensuring that it remains a tool for enhancing Bitcoin's utility, rather than a vector for introducing vulnerabilities.

Streamlining the user interface to hide the underlying complexity of channel management can make the Lightning Network more approachable. Wallets and services need to evolve to offer a seamless user experience, where the complexities of LN are abstracted away, much like how users do not need to understand the intricacies of mining to use Bitcoin.

The Lightning Network is an essential part of Bitcoin’s evolution, designed to uphold the promise of fast, cheap, and scalable transactions. While it presents numerous challenges, these are not insurmountable. By focusing strictly on enhancements within the Bitcoin protocol, respecting its principles of decentralization, and improving the incentives and usability of the LN, there is a clear path forward. As Bitcoin continues to mature, the Lightning Network must also evolve to support the growth and widespread adoption of Bitcoin.