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Mace Windu is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel films.
Windu is one of the earliest named and created characters in Star Wars history, being the narrator of the original 1973 drafts of the original Star Wars film (later named Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). Through the process of redrafting and copyediting, his character was removed from the original film and its two successors, but he was reintroduced in 1994 when series creator George Lucas began writing the prequel trilogy.
When Lucas offered Samuel L.
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Quotations
I have powers. I can make ten credits appear in your hands.
(Customs Agent)"Let's see it...that was pretty good...let's see it again"
In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, My Lord.
The oppression of the Sith will never return...you have lost!
This party's over!
Take a seat, young Skywalker.
Encyclopedia
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel films.
Character conception and overview
Mace Windu is one of the earliest named and created characters in Star Wars history, being the narrator of the original 1973 drafts of the original Star Wars film (later named Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). Through the process of redrafting and copyediting, his character was removed from the original film and its two successors, but he was reintroduced in 1994 when series creator George Lucas began writing the prequel trilogy.
When Lucas offered Samuel L. Jackson the role of Mace Windu, Jackson signed on, but with certain stipulations on the portrayal of his character. One of the conditions was that his character die in a spectacular fashion, rather than be killed off "like some punk."
Also, according to an interview on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 13, 2005, 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 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones amid all of the other Jedi.
Mace Windu is a Jedi Master and one of the last members of the Jedi Council before the fall of the Galactic Republic. A diplomat by nature, Windu is the Council's primary liaison to the Supreme Chancellor, although the Clone Wars cause him to question his firmest held beliefs. He is the former Grand Master of the Jedi Order, a title which he gave up and gave to Yoda during the Clone Wars.
Etymology and influence of name
Philosophy scientist James Whitlark has suggested that the name Windu appears to come from the word window. An early draft of the original Star Wars script had Mace Windu serving as narrator, and thus the "window" through which the action is viewed.
According to the Star Wars Galaxy Guide #7: Mos Eisley (published by West End Games, 1993), Windu is also the name of the Squib who works at Gungan Traders, a secondhand droid shop located in the town of Otah Gunga on Naboo around the era of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Known for occasionally striking convoluted bargains in lieu of credits, he is something of a headache to the Jawa proprietress, Aguilae. The name was reportedly borrowed by the author of the Guide from an early draft of Lucas' original script for A New Hope.
Appearances in the Star Wars films
The Phantom Menace
Windu first appears in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order . He is present when Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) brings Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) before the Jedi Council, claiming that the young slave is the "Chosen One" who Jedi prophecy foretells will bring balance to the Force. Windu shares the Council's concerns that the boy exhibits a great deal of fear and anger, and agrees with the body's decision to deny Qui-Gon permission to train him as a Jedi. However, following Qui-Gon's death at the hands of the Sith Lord Darth Maul (Ray Park), the Council reconsiders and allows Qui-Gon's former apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), to train Anakin. He is present along with Yoda at Qui-Gon's funeral at which time he confirms with Yoda (Frank Oz) that Qui-Gon's murderer was undoubtedly a Sith.
Attack of the Clones
In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Windu tries to help the Council defeat the growing threat presented by the Separatists, led by renegade Jedi Master Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). He also watches with growing concern as the now-adult Anakin (Hayden Christensen) begins to rebel against Obi-Wan's tutelage. In the film's climatic scene, he leads a large group of Jedi in a battle against Dooku's army. In this battle, Windu kills bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison).
Revenge of the Sith
Windu makes his final film appearance in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. By this point, he has fought in the Clone Wars for three years, during which time he has come to distrust the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). When Palpatine appoints Anakin as his personal representative on the Jedi Council, Windu fears that the move is designed to give the Chancellor a vote in Jedi affairs, and casts a key vote in denying Anakin the full rank of Jedi Master.
Shortly afterwards, Anakin tells Windu he has learned that Palpatine is in fact a Sith Lord. Windu, accompanied by Jedi Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin, goes to the Chancellor's office to confront him. Resisting arrest, Palpatine brandishes a red lightsaber and launches himself at the Jedi, quickly killing all three of Windu's companions and engaging Windu himself in a lightsaber duel. Windu gains the upper hand and disarms the Sith Lord. Anakin arrives while Palpatine, showing exhaustion, begs Anakin for help. Anakin pleads with Windu not to kill the Chancellor, and that he should stand trial before the Senate, insisting that it is the Jedi way. Windu remarks that Palpatine is too dangerous, that he controls both the Senate and the Courts, and that he must die. As Windu prepares to strike, Anakin intervenes and severs Windu's lightsaber hand. Palpatine, now no longer seeming weakened, continues to hit him with another lethal torrent of lightning, forcing Windu out of the chamber window to his death.
Appearances in the Expanded Universe
Mace Windu appears extensively in the Star Wars "Expanded Universe" of novels and comic books. He is a major supporting character in the animated micro-series Star Wars: Clone Wars, which appeared on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005. In the series, he is voiced by T. C. Carson.
In episodes 12 and 13 of Volume One, he is shown defending the grasslands planet Dantooine against a large hovering "fortress", and over the course, he loses his lightsaber, forcing him to instead use a lethal form of unarmed combat powered by the Force. In episode 25, the final episode of Volume Two (and the series), he and Yoda help defend the planet Coruscant from an attack by Dooku's second-in-command, General Grievous. In the midst of the battle, he realizes that the attack is a ruse to distract the Jedi from Grievous' true objective: to kidnap Palpatine. He is too late to save the Chancellor, but uses the Force to crush Grievous' chest, inflicting upon the cyborg general the wheezing, asthmatic cough heard in Revenge of the Sith.
In the 2008 CGI film Star Wars: The Clone Wars Jackson reprised his role by providing the voice for Windu.
Windu is the central character of Matthew Stover's novel Shatterpoint, in which he is called to his home planet of Haruun Kal to defeat his former apprentice, Depa Billaba, who has turned to the dark side. The novel establishes that Windu has the unique talent of seeing "shatterpoints", or faultlines in the Force that could affect the destinies of certain individuals, and indeed the galaxy itself. Stover also referenced this ability in his novelization of Revenge of the Sith.
Besides Shatterpoint, Mace has appeared in other Expanded Universe novels, such as Cloak of Deception, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Rogue Planet, Outbound Flight, The Cestus Deception, Jedi Trial, Yoda: Dark Rendezvous and Labyrinth of Evil. The character was mentioned in Karen Traviss's Republic Commando book series, Alan Dean Foster's The Approaching Storm and James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader.
Lightsaber and combat style
Shatterpoint establishes that Windu is responsible for creating Vaapad (so nicknamed by young Padawan learners), the full seventh form of lightsaber combat. Vaapad creates a superconducting loop that reflects the enemy's attack while allowing for great speed and power. Named after a predatory animal on one of the moons of Sarapin that used multiple tentacles for a blindingly fast attack. Vaapad is a penumbra of the dark side in its requirement for the user to actually enjoy the thrill of the fight, and the thrill of victory.
Further reading
- 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 0-7894-4701-0
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2002. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-8588-5
- Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 0-7869-2876-X
- Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, hardcover, 2002. Michael Mikaelian, Jeff Grubb, Owen K.C. Stephens, James Maliszewski, ISBN 0-7869-2781-X
- Star Wars Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley, softcover, 1993. Martin Wixted, ISBN 0-87431-187-X
- Star Wars Novel: Shatterpoint
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