Mace Windu
Mace Windu (72 BBY - 19 BBY) is a fictional character in the Star Wars Universe. He was portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the Star Wars prequels Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
Windu is a Jedi Master of legendary status and one of the last members of the Jedi Council before the Great Jedi Purge. He possesses extensive knowledge of Jedi history and philosophy. A diplomat by nature, Master Windu is the Council's primary liaison to the Supreme Chancellor, although the Clone Wars cause him to question his firmest held beliefs. A respected Jedi on par with the venerable Master Yoda, though eight centuries his junior, Windu is a senior member of the Jedi Council. His wisdom and power are legendary, as is the weight of his words. He is an excellent chief mentor and considered a wise and powerful Jedi Consular/Guardian Master of the Jedi Order.
In addition to his reputation for wisdom and power, Windu is among the finest swordsmen in the Jedi Order besides Yoda. He created Vaapad, a dueling technique within the seventh form of lightsaber combat which contained certain elements of dark side practices. Only Windu, his former student Depa Billaba, and legendary lightsaber instructor Sora Bulq ever mastered this eclectic form, though both Bulq and Billaba fell to the dark side of the Force. It is said that Yoda and Count Dooku were the only ones who could ever outspar him. There is speculation by some, however, that Windu may have been outsparred as a teenager by his older and more experienced Jedi friends, like Ki-Adi-Mundi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Plo Koon. And by his own admission, he considered Obi-Wan Kenobi "the" master of Soresu.
History
The story goes that Mace Windu was once ambushed by fourteen Gank killers, who surrounded him with weapons drawn. Not even a Jedi Master could deflect that many blaster bolts at once, but Windu slowly turned to make eye contact with each Gank, placed one hand on the lightsaber hanging at his hip, and spoke only three words: 'It's your decision.' One by one, the Ganks lay their weapons on the ground.
Mace Windu is originally from the planet Haruun Kal, as revealed in Matthew Stover's novel Shatterpoint. After the death of his parents when he was a mere six months old, he was turned over to the Jedi Order. He was appointed to the Jedi Council at the age of twenty-eight, at the time the youngest Jedi ever to be promoted to the Council (although, years later, the unorthodox promotion of Anakin Skywalker, then 23, broke this record.) Throughout his Jedi career, Windu trained Jedi Purge survivor Echuu Shen-Jon, fellow council member Depa Billaba, and many more, though the latter two were the most notable of his padawans.
In 32 BBY, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi appear before the Council with Anakin Skywalker, a young slave from Tatooine, whom they claim is the Chosen One, foretold of in Jedi prophecy, who will bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith. Along with Yoda, Windu has grave misgivings, sensing a dark cloud around the boy's future, and forbids the two Jedi to train him. They relent, however, when Jinn is killed by Darth Maul during the Battle of Naboo, and Kenobi says that he would train the boy with or without the Council's permission. Yoda and Windu are greatly disturbed by the resurface of a Sith Lord, an enemy who had not troubled the galaxy in a millennium.
During the ten-year period in between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, Windu constructs a special electrum lightsaber, which only a senior member of the High Council could possess, with a rare amethyst-colored crystal.
In the events leading up to the Battle of Geonosis, Windu discovers, to his great dismay, that his former mentor and friend, Count Dooku, has turned against the Jedi and kidnapped Kenobi, the now-adult Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala, the former Queen of Naboo turned senator. Windu leads about 200 Jedi to rescue them from a Geonosian style execution administered by Count Dooku. Windu confronts Dooku on a balcony overlooking the arena, but is driven off by his bodyguard, the bounty hunter Jango Fett. During the ensuing battle however, Windu beheads Fett, who had already killed several Jedi, including Coleman Trebor. Windu goes on to lead the Clone army in the Battle of Geonosis
With the Clone Wars in full swing, Master Windu returns to his homeworld to track down his missing former Padawan, Depa Billaba. There, he experiences firsthand the horrors of war, and is pitted against the deadly Kar Vastor. Although Windu survives, the memories of his return to Haruun Kal haunt him for a long time afterward.
During the early months of the war, a small dissident Jedi schism, led by Sora Bulq, asks Windu to talk with them alone on the planet Ruul. Members of the schism think that acting as generals in the war is against the Jedi Code. However, both Mace and the renegade Jedi are betrayed by Bulq, who has joined Count Dooku already. Windu confronts both Bulq and Asajj Ventress on Ruul, but fails to destroy or stop either of them. Members of the schism agree to return to the Order afterwards.
As a Jedi General in charge of clone forces of the Grand Army of the Republic, he also fights against and defeated many Separatist incursions, including a powerful seismic tank on Dantooine.
In the second season of Star Wars: Clone Wars (the George Lucas/Cartoon Network animated series), wherein events mostly take place just prior to Revenge of the Sith), Windu briefly fights General Grievous when the general and his forces overpower the Jedi and capture Chancellor Palpatine. Windu crushes Grievous' chest with a powerful Force push, leaving the general with the asthmatic cough that plagues him for the rest of his life. Just as the Battle of Coruscant begins, Windu battles Grievous blade-to-blade on top of a train, a duel that ends in a stalemate.
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
In the closing years of the Clone Wars, the Jedi begin investigating the mysterious and elusive Sith Lord Darth Sidious. This investigation leads Windu to believe that the Sith Lord is in fact a member of Chancelor Palpatine's inner circle.
In the novelization Labyrinth of Evil, wherein events also take place just prior to Revenge of the Sith, Windu leads a squad of Jedi, Republic Intelligence and Clone Troopers to storm Sidious' lair in The Works, finding intelligence on the Sith Lord that the squad traces back to 500 Republica, residence of the most powerful people in the galaxy.
At Palpatine's insistence, Skywalker is placed on the Jedi Council as his representative. Largely at Windu's instigation, the Council orders Skywalker to spy on Palpatine. Windu is also instrumental in refusing Skywalker the rank of Master, which greatly angers and embitters the young Jedi, and makes him more susceptible to Palpatine's denunciations of the Jedi philosophy. Palpatine also manipulates Skywalker's fear for Padmé, now his wife and pregnant, by hinting that embracing the dark side is the only way to save her from dying in childbirth.
When Skywalker returns to the Council and reveals that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same, Windu decides to take action and arrest the Chancellor. Along with Masters Kit Fisto, Saesee Tiin, and Agen Kolar, he storms past Royal Guards and into the Chancellor's office. Palpatine does not go quietly.
Resisting arrest, Palpatine ignites his red lightsaber and engages the Jedi in battle. He kills Kolar, Tiin and, with a bit more effort, Fisto. Windu is quickly forced onto the defensive by Palpatine. As their battle progresses, Windu seemingly disarms Palpatine with a kick to the jaw.
At Mace's apparent moment of victory, however, Skywalker arrives and insists that Windu not destroy the seemingly "defeated" Sith Lord. Using their disagreement as a distraction, Palpatine blasts Windu with torrents of Force lightning. Windu is able to deflect the bolts with his lightsaber, and redirects the energy back at Palpatine, twisting and contorting his features to reveal the visage of a decrepit human being. Realizing that Palpatine is too dangerous to be kept alive (he controls the courts and the Senate), Windu decides to kill him and destroy the Sith once and for all. However, before he could deal the killing blow, an emotionally confused and weak Skywalker (believing that Palpatine was the only one with the knowledge to save Padme and convinced the Jedi were betraying the Republic) cuts off the Jedi Master's Lightsaber hand.
Windu, howling in pain, becomes a sitting duck for Palpatine, who "miraculously" springs to life and, using a full dose blast of Force Lightning, defenestrates Windu, hurtling the Jedi Master out the window to his death on the city street far below.
Realizing the full enormity of his actions, Skywalker knows there is no turning back, and so pledges himself fully to Palpatine's teaching, thinking it is the only way to save his wife, Padmé. Renamed Darth Vader by his new Sith Master, Skywalker slaughters scores of Jedi (including Youngling children) and begins a reign of terror that brings about the birth of the Galactic Empire, as well as the near extinction of the Jedi Order.
Interesting Notes
The circumstances surrounding Windu's death have led to widespread speculation by fans that he in fact survived (much like the persistent rumors spread amongst fans that Darth Maul would make a return.) Lucas and Jackson have confirmed that Windu was always supposed to die in Episode III and that his death would be part of the official canon of Star Wars movie lore. Whether writers of the Expanded Star Wars Universe will try to bring him back is unknown, but highly unlikely, given that the Star Wars television series Lucas plans on will attempt to cover many of the minor characters' story arcs to bridge the near 20 year gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
According to an interview on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 13 2005 (as well as other interviews dating back to the promotion of Episode I) Windu's purple lightsaber was a personal request from Jackson to Lucas as a quid pro quo for appearing in the films, as well as a way of making the character unique and easily distinguishable. Jackson, a huge Star Wars fan, especially wanted his own color so that his character could be easily spotted and recognizable in the final battle scene of Attack of the Clones amidst all of the other Jedi.
There has been much debate in the Star Wars fan community about whether Mace Windu or Palpatine was winning the duel in Revenge of the Sith before Anakin Skywalker intervened. Some fans believe that Windu had in fact gained the upper hand against Palpatine before Skywalker arrived on the scene. Other fans believe that Palpatine knew Skywalker would show up, and therefore allowed Windu to seemingly gain the upper hand long enough until Skywalker could arrive to witness Palpatine begging for mercy. The character profiles for both Windu and Palpatine on the official Star Wars website describe Windu as gaining the advantage, and make no mention of Palpatine throwing the fight. The entry for Darth Sidious also makes no mention as well, and describes Palpatine finally defeating Windu through the help of Skywalker. Nevertheless, there is significant evidence on both sides, and Lucasfilm officials are not aware of the truth. Pablo Hidalgo once addressed the matter in a special Homing Beacon article, coming to the conclusion that only George Lucas has the answer.
Also, it should be noted that, in the Revenge of the Sith video game, Windu has an alternative death. Instead of cutting off his hand, Anakin blocks Windu's attack and the player ends up dueling the Jedi Master. In the end, Anakin stabs Windu and kicks him out the same window he fell out of in the movie.
Memorable Quotes
- "You refer to the prophecy about the One who'll bring balance to The Force, do you believe it's this... boy?" (Windu to Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace)
- "This party's over." (Windu to Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones)
- "I don't think so." (As a reply to Count Dooku's "You are impossibly outnumbered." in Attack of the Clones)
- "We're keepers of the peace, not soldiers." (Windu to Palpatine in Attack of the Clones)
- "Nevertheless, we should keep a closer eye on the Senate." (Near the end of Attack of the Clones)
- "You're on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master." (Windu to Skywalker, in Revenge of the Sith)
- "Take a seat, young Skywalker." (Windu to Skywalker, referring to his appointment to the Jedi Council by the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith)
- "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor." (Windu to Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith)
- "Not yet!" (As a reply to Palpatine's "I am the Senate!" in Revenge of the Sith)
- "You are under arrest, my lord." (Windu to Palpatine, after disarming the Chancellor in Revenge of the Sith)
- "The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have LOST." (Windu to Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith)
- "I am going to end this, once and for all!" (about to strike Palpatine down)
- "He is too dangerous to be left alive!" (Windu to Skywalker, referring to Palpatine, in Revenge of the Sith)
- "It's very dangerous, putting [Anakin and Palpatine] together. I don't think the boy can handle it." (Revenge of the Sith)
- "Whether or not he is the Chosen One is still to be determined." (Windu to Jedi Council about Skywalker, in reply to Ki-Adi-Mundi's "In this time of need, why do we hold back the chosen one?" in Star Wars: Clone Wars: Micro-series)
- "Jedi do not fight for peace; that is a slogan and is misleading as slogans naturally are. Jedi fight for civilization as civilization creates peace." (Windu in diary in Shatterpoint)
References
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Novelization - Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0-7126-8427-1
- Shatterpoint, 1st edition, 2003. Matthew Woodring Stover, ISBN 0-345-45573-8
- The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0-345-44900-2
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1999. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-789-44701-0
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2002. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-789-48588-5
- Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 0-786-92876-X
- Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, hardcover, 2002. Michael Mikaelian, Jeff Grubb, Owen K.C. Stephens, James Maliszewski, ISBN 0-786-92781-X