It may have been almost two decades since fans last saw Samuel L. Jackson as the Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, but he remains alive in the minds of many. Though he’s presumed dead after Darth Sidious hits him with a Force lightning that sends him falling out of his office’s window, there’s no evidence of his demise without seeing his lifeless body. That said, the character’s actor, Samuel L. Jackson, insists Windu is still alive, and he wants the Jedi General to have his own series on Disney+.
In an interview with Empire, as part of the Star Wars prequels’ 25th anniversary, Jackson answered the question about Windu’s death scene. “He’s not dead!” he said.
As he gave this intriguing answer, he was asked about the possibility of reprising his role in a Windu-centric spinoff series and what he wanted to do. “Everything, yes!” he continued.
So far, Jackson has yet to reprise his role in any live-action Star Wars project since Revenge of the Sith. However, he lent his voice to an animated version of Windu in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie. He also had a voice cameo in the 2019 Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, talking to Rey (Daisy Ridley) during her final moments on Exegol. The Jedi High Council member’s adventure also continues in the comic Star Wars: Mace Windu, set before the Rise of the Separatists and the Clone Wars, released on February 7.
How can Mace Windu return to Star Wars?
Though Windu is believed to be dead, there are still possibilities that he can return to Star Wars. In fact, in an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast in March 2022, Jackson expressed his interest in reprising his role and becoming a part of the galaxy far, far away again. “There’s a huge history of people with one hand returning in Star Wars,” he said. So, how can that happen?
First, Windu may have indeed survived his fight against Darth Sidious in Revenge of the Sith. Sure, Anakin may have cut his hand off, and Palpatine electrocutes him, resulting in his fall, but his body is never seen. No one even confirms his death. This already happened to Boba Fett in The Mandalorian, so there’s no way it won’t happen again to one of the most powerful Jedi.
If Lucasfilm finds it difficult to explain how Windu survived the fall and the fight against the two powerful Siths, he may return as a Force Ghost. The franchise has been making this move, like when the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi is seen throughout the Star Wars original trilogy. The Force ghosts of Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Anakin also appear in Return of the Jedi, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, and Ahsoka. This is the easiest way for Windu to make his major comeback.
In addition, Jackson may get the chance to reprise the role in the live-action adaptation of The Clone Wars series. Though this seems far-fetched, with the many Star Wars films and series on the lineup, it’s another way for Windu to return by telling a story set in the time when he was still alive.
So far, there are no words about Jackson returning to the Star Wars universe. But as the actor already showed interest in doing so, all he and the fans need is Lucasfilm’s confirmation.
