Mace Windu

SW Character


name = Mace Windu
bgcolor = #BA55D3
fgcolor = #fff
position = Jedi Master, Jedi Council Member, Jedi High General
species = Korun (Human)
gender = Male
height = 1.88 meters (6 ft 2 in)
hair = Black (Shaved bald)
eyes = Brown
weapon = Electrum Lightsaber (Amethyst Blade)
vehicle = Jedi Starfighter
planet = Haruun Kal
affiliation = Jedi Order, Galactic Republic
portrayer = Samuel L. Jackson

Mace Windu is a character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson throughout the Star Wars movies.

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 "").cite web|url=http://human-threshold-systems.whitlarks.com/bpchp1p10.html|title=Stage Eight in The Star Wars and Harry Potter Series?|author=James Whitlark, Ph.D.|publisher=whitlarks.com|accessdate=2007-09-24] Through the process of redrafting and copyediting, his character was removed from the original film and its two successors, however he was reintroduced in 1994 when George Lucas began writing the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

When series creator George 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 death, rather than be killed off "like some punk." [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000168/bio]

Also, 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", and confirmed in behind the scenes footage released on the Episode II DVD) 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" 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 Chancellor, although the Clone Wars cause him to question his firmest held beliefs. He is a senior member of the Jedi Council, second only to Jedi Master Yoda in authority.

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 "". 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".Fact|date=August 2008

Appearances in the "Star Wars" films

"The Phantom Menace"

Windu first appears in "". He is present when Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn brings Anakin Skywalker 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, the Council reconsiders and allows Qui-Gon's former apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to train Anakin. He is present along with Yoda at Qui-Gon Jinn's funeral at which time he confirms with Yoda that Jinn's murderer was undoubtedly a Sith.

"Attack of the Clones"

In "", Windu tries to help the Council defeat the growing threat presented by the Separatists, led by renegade Jedi Master Count Dooku. He also watches with growing concern as the now-adult Anakin begins to rebel against Obi-Wan's tutelage. In the film's climatic scene, he leads a large group of Jedi and clone troopers in a battle against Dooku's army. The battle is later referred to in Star Wars continuity as the Battle of Geonosis, which is the genesis of the Clone Wars. In this battle, Windu kills noted character Jango Fett.

"Revenge of the Sith"

Windu makes his final film appearance in "." 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. 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, insisting that it is the Jedi way. Windu remarks that Palpatine is too dangerous, 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 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 "", which appeared on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005, and was rebooted in 2008. In the series, he is voiced by T. C. Carson.

In episodes 12 and 13 of Volume One, he is shown defending a 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 manages to use the Force to crush Grievous' chest, inflicting upon the cyborg general the wheezing, asthmatic cough heard in "Revenge of the Sith".

In the CGI film, "" Samuel L. 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 .

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 finally, "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".

Race

In-universe, Windu is a member of the Korun race. The Korunnai are essentially a subspecies of human born on the planet Haruun Kal. All members of the race are force-sensitive and are organized into tribes, each being called a Ghôsh. ["Shatterpoint" - Matthew Stover]

Lightsaber and combat style

"Shatterpoint" establishes that Windu is responsible for creating (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

*" - 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

References

External links

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