It is a great time to be a Star Wars fan. The Book of Boba Fett kicked off the year, and while many fans weren’t pleased with how the series handled nostalgia, it was still a success. Obi-Wan Kenobi is also quickly approaching, and with the new trailer out, fans have been scouring the footage for details about the series. However, all of the sudden, a different Jedi Master unexpectedly hit the news.
Yes, it’s happening again — Star Wars fans are back to debating whether Master Windu survived his fall out of Palpatine’s office. It’s an argument that has come up time and again since Revenge of the Sith came out in 2005. As usual, it’s Master Windu himself (Samuel L. Jackson) who’s fueling rumors that the purple-lightsaber-wielding Jedi Master could make a comeback. Jackson has a legitimate point, but detractors of the “Windu is alive” theory also have a valid case. So, it’s high time that Disney and Lucasfilm gave fans a definitive answer.
Why Star Wars Fans Believe Mace Windu Is Still Alive
Every Star Wars fan knows the fateful scene. Master Windu walked into Palpatine’s office with three Jedi Masters in tow. After announcing that the chancellor was under arrest, Palpatine revealed himself as Darth Sidious, and it was mere seconds before Windu’s three allies were dead. So, he faced the darkness alone and defeated the Sith Lord. He even nearly killed Sidious then and there, but Anakin arrived just in time to save the Sith Lord and sever Windu’s hand from his arm. Reeling from Anakin’s betrayal, Windu wasn’t able to defend himself as Sidious unleashed a deadly blast of Force-lightning, sending the Jedi careening into the depths of Coruscant.
For all intents and purposes, Windu was dead. He didn’t appear in the original trilogy, so it was necessary for him to be gone before the end of Revenge of the Sith. Yet, Jackson held out hope for Windu’s return. In a 2016 Twitter video, Jackson said, “Jedi can fall from amazing distances. And there’s a long history of one-handed Jedi. So why not?” Jackson went on to say that he also shared the theory with George Lucas, who replied, “I’m okay with that. You can be alive.”
Since then, Star Wars fans have cooked up all kinds of ideas for a possible Windu return. From a private confrontation with Vader to rescuing Grogu, many fans want Windu to be alive. Even Temuera Morrison, who plays Boba Fett, wants Master Windu to be alive so that he can be the one to kill the Jedi Master. Recently, though, Jackson began to fuel the rumors again. Except, with George Lucas no longer in charge, he had to look elsewhere for confirmation that Windu is still out there. He told Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz that he asked Bryce Dallas Howard to put him into Season 3 of The Mandalorian. That, of course, sent the rumor mill on fire that Windu could appear alongside Luke Skywalker, Grogu and Ahsoka.
Why It’s Probably Best Mace Windu Stayed Dead
While Master Windu meeting Luke would be exciting, it would open up way too many inconsistencies. For starters, it would be difficult to understand why he wasn’t present during the Original Trilogy. The out-of-universe reason was that his character didn’t exist at that point, but the in-universe reason for his absence would have to be pretty substantial. Unlike Ahsoka, who walked away from the Jedi Order, Master Windu was very involved with Anakin, the Clone Wars and opposing Palpatine. In fact, he even had a bit of a rivalry with Anakin, and losing his hand to the supposed Chosen One would definitely be cause for a major grudge. So, it would be much simpler if Windu just stayed dead.
But theories, logic and hopes aside, the powers that be at Lucasfilm need to take a definitive stand and give fans an answer. Maybe an official ruling will come in a series like Obi-Wan Kenobi or a future Star Wars movie, and maybe it won’t. Either way, to keep all the rampant speculation from continuing, it’s time for a ruling on Windu’s status one way or the other.
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