| Mace Windu | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu[a] | |
| First appearance | The Phantom Menace |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by | Samuel L. Jackson |
| Voiced by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Jedi Master Jedi General |
| Affiliation | Jedi Order Galactic Republic |
| Masters | |
| Apprentice | Depa Billaba |
| Homeworld | Haruun Kal |
Mace Windu is a fictional character in theStar Wars franchise. He was introduced in theprequel trilogy as aJedi Master who sits on theJedi High Council during the final years of theGalactic Republic. He is portrayed bySamuel L. Jackson in all three prequel films. Windu also appears in the 2008 animated filmThe Clone Wars, thetelevision series of the same name, and in novels, comics, and video games.
Windu wields a unique purple-bladedlightsaber, and is regarded as one of the most powerful Jedi of his time, second only toYoda. During theClone Wars, Windu becomes a Jedi General. He initially believes thatAnakin Skywalker should not be trained as a Jedi, which leads to an antagonistic relationship between the two. Windu later participates in denying Anakin the rank of Jedi Master. Anakin eventually betrays Windu to protect theSith LordDarth Sidious, who subsequently kills Windu.
Several early incarnations of the character were present inGeorge Lucas's originalStar Wars drafts. They included a narrator,Princess Leia's brother andLuke Skywalker's friend.[3] The character was ultimately removed from theoriginal film trilogy, but it resurfaced in 1994 when Lucas began writing theprequel trilogy.
Although his weapon was not seen onscreen untilAttack of the Clones, action figures released forThe Phantom Menace paired Windu with a blue lightsaber.[4] During the production ofAttack of the Clones, Jackson asked Lucas if his character could wield a purple lightsaber to make him easily distinguishable in large battle scenes.[5] According to Jackson, the lightsaber's hilt was engraved with the phrase "bad motherfucker", which is a reference to his role inPulp Fiction. The engraving is not visible in the films.[6] Even though Windu dies inRevenge of the Sith, Jackson has called for the character's return in futureStar Wars media.[7]
Windu first appeared inThe Phantom Menace (1999), the first film of the prequel trilogy. He is portrayed by Jackson in all three prequel films. InThe Phantom Menace, the Jedi MasterQui-Gon Jinn comes before the Jedi High Council and requests that nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker be trained, believing he is the Chosen One of Jedi prophecy destined to bring balance tothe Force. Windu and the other Council members deny the request, believing Anakin is too old and full of fear. When the Council realizes that the Sith have returned, they reluctantly allowObi-Wan Kenobi to train Anakin.[8]
Windu returns inAttack of the Clones (2002), which is set ten years after the previous film.[9] He initially refuses to believe that the assassination attempt on SenatorPadmé Amidala was authorized by the former Jedi MasterCount Dooku, who is now the leader of a Separatist movement. After Obi-Wan is captured onGeonosis while investigating the Separatists, Windu leads a cadre of Jedi to rescue him. In the ensuing battle, Windu kills thebounty hunterJango Fett and leads a clone army to victory against Dooku's forces. As the Clone Wars begin, Windu resolves to keep an eye on the increasingly corrupt Galactic Senate.[10]
Revenge of the Sith (2005) takes place three years after the beginning of the Clone Wars.[9] Windu and the other members of the Jedi Council are concerned that the Republic's Supreme Chancellor,Palpatine, may not relinquish hisemergency powers when the Wars end. Their suspicions grow when the Senate grants Palpatine a vote on the Council by appointing Anakin as his personal representative. Although Anakin is granted Council membership, Windu notifies him that he will not be granted the rank of Jedi Master. This infuriates Anakin and diminishes his trust in the Council.
After Obi-Wan kills the Separatist leaderGeneral Grievous, Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the mastermind of the war. When Anakin informs Windu of Sidious's treachery, Windu and three other Jedi Masters attempt to arrest Sidious. The Sith Lord easily cuts down Windu's companions and then duels with him, but Windu successfully disarms the Dark Lord. With Windu's victory imminent, Anakin pleads with him to spare Sidious—who, unbeknownst to Windu, has promised to teach Anakin to use the dark side to save his pregnant wife, Padmé Amidala, from dying in childbirth. Windu responds that Sidious is too dangerous to be kept alive, and prepares to execute him. However, desperate to save his wife, Anakin betrays Windu by severing his weapon hand before he can deliver the killing blow. Sidious then blasts Windu withForce lightning, which sends him falling out a window to his death.[11]
Jackson makes a vocal cameo as Windu inThe Rise of Skywalker (2019), the final film of thesequel trilogy, set 54 years after his death inRevenge of the Sith. DuringRey's battle against the resurrected Palpatine, she hears the voices of various deceased Jedi, including Windu.
Jackson voices Windu in the 2008 animated filmThe Clone Wars, which is set shortly after the beginning of the Wars.[9] Like all other Jedi Masters, he is a General in the Grand Army of the Republic.[12] Windu also appears in the animated seriesThe Clone Wars (2008–2014; 2020), which is set between the filmThe Clone Wars andRevenge of the Sith.[9] He is voiced byTerrence C. Carson. In the series, Windu participates in the liberation ofRyloth, encountersBoba Fett as he attempts to avenge the death of his father Jango, and tries to recover a stolen JediHolocron. He also works withJar Jar Binks to rescue the queen of Bardotta, who was captured by a cult led byMother Talzin. In the final season of the series, Windu and Obi-Wan lead the Republic's ground forces in the Anaxes campaign. Windu manages to deactivate a bomb hidden by Admiral Trench. During a meeting of the Jedi Council, Windu ordersAhsoka Tano to deliverMaul to Coruscant.
In 2017,Marvel releasedJedi of the Republic – Mace Windu, a five-issue comic series focused on Windu during the early days of the Clone Wars. He leads a small team of Jedi to a remote planet to investigate a Separatist presence, then battles a mercenary droid hired by General Grievous. One of the Jedi turns on Windu after becoming disillusioned with the Jedi Order's involvement in war.[13] Windu appears in flashbacks in the comic miniseriesStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple.[14]
Following the acquisition ofLucasfilm byThe Walt Disney Company in 2012, most of the licensedStar Wars Expanded Universe material produced between 1977 and 2014 was rebranded asStar Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise. TheLegends works comprise a separate narrative universe.[h]
Windu appears in the novelsCloak of Deception,Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter,Rogue Planet,Outbound Flight,The Cestus Deception,Jedi Trial,Yoda: Dark Rendezvous,Labyrinth of Evil andMatthew Stover'sShatterpoint (2003).[19]
Shatterpoint takes place six months afterAttack of the Clones. It is based onJoseph Conrad's novelHeart of Darkness (1899).[20] In the novel, Windu's formerPadawan and fellow Jedi MasterDepa Billaba has been sent to Windu's homeworld, Haruun Kal, to start a revolution against the Separatist-allied government. After the Jedi Council finds evidence that Billaba has fallen to thedark side of the Force, Windu is sent to find her. After a fight, he puts Billaba under arrest. The Separatists are forced to surrender to the Republic, and Billaba falls into avegetativecoma. A Republic force stays on the planet to police the restive local tribes. The novel explores Windu's unique talent of sensing "shatterpoints"—faultlines in the Force which reveal his enemies' weaknesses. It explains that Windu is the creator and sole master of Vaapad, a form of lightsaber combat which skirts dangerously close to the dark side.[21]
Windu appears in the "Emissaries to Malastare" story arc (1999–2000) of theStar Wars: Republic comic series. He and other Jedi Masters travel toMalastare to establish peace between two rival factions. They subsequently find themselves caught in the middle of a high-stakespodrace. Windu then travels toNar Shaddaa to investigate the trafficking of an animal from his homeworld.
Terrence C. Carson voices Windu in the animated micro-seriesClone Wars (2003–2005) which takes place betweenAttack of the Clones andRevenge of the Sith.[9] In the early chapters, he defends the grasslands planetDantooine against a hovering Separatist fortress. He loses his lightsaber during a battle, which forces him to use a lethal form of unarmed combat powered by the Force. In later chapters, Windu and Yoda help defend Coruscant from an attack by General Grievous, but are unable to prevent him from kidnapping Palpatine.
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