Photo credit: Lucasfilm
It is crucial that the voices of the Star Wars fanbase be heard. Here we outline a possible storyline for a standalone Mace Windu film.
As Disney charts its course into the future of Star Wars content, it is vitally important the wishes and desires of its fanbase be appropriately voiced and, consequently, heard.
In this series we will attempt to do just that, by exploring the endless possible paths forward Disney could take. Hopefully, we will make it known precisely which of these paths we would like to see and which we would not.
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One of the more popular characters to emerge from the prequels was Mace Windu, who was flawlessly brought to life by Samuel L. Jackson, one of the biggest stars in the movie industry today.
Despite a seemingly fatal encounter with Darth Sidious and Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith, Jackson has mentioned on several occasions he would love to reprise his role as Master Windu under the new Disney mantle.
This, coupled with the fact George Lucas himself has lent credence to the theory that Mace could have survived, it seems to leave open the possibility Windu could have survived the lengthy fall. After all, force users have been known to survive seemingly impossible falls before (Darth Maul on Naboo, Obi-Wan on Utapau, Luke Skywalker on Bespin, Darth Sidious on the Death Star(?)).
Surely, one of the greatest Jedi masters in the history of the Order would be capable of such a feat as well.
A potential Windu movie could begin several years after the fall. Here’s what I had in mind:
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Samuel L Jackson attends the ‘Incredibles 2’ UK premiere at BFI Southbank on July 8, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Roughly five years after falling into Coruscant’s shadowy underworld, Mace has made a life for himself in the darkest recesses of Coruscant.
While he was initially filled with rage and revenge, Mace found himself struggling to heal his injuries. Upon landing, he was badly burnt from the Force lightning, countless bones broken, and missing an arm. He was found by a young street urchin who took him in and slowly nursed him back to health.
Eventually, Windu salvaged the requisite parts to construct a cybernetic arm to replace the one Vader had taken from him. It was a crude instrument, but functional.
Upon his recovery, Mace is left with deep scarring from the burns and isn’t quite as nimble as he once was, but he still manages to live up to his title of Jedi Master.
With time, Mace comes to realize just how extensively the underworld of Coruscant has been neglected. While he had heard of the horrors, he had never truly experienced it until he was forced to carve out an existence there.
As he was forced to witness terrible crimes, poverty, and corruption, helpless to assist as he recovered, he came to realize that this place was in desperate need of help, as well as just how far the Jedi had truly fallen. Their arrogance had blinded them not only to the rise of the Sith, but also to the suffering of those who they had sworn to protect.
Mace quickly comes to realize his suspicions had been true all along: the way of the Jedi desperately needed to change.
Upon his recovery, Mace begins to take on somewhat of a vigilante role, standing up to the crime syndicates that run this part of Coruscant. Whether it is breaking up slave trades or simply defending civilians against common thieves, Mace truly becomes a local legend.
Eventually, Mace learns of a crime syndicate that is abducting civilians off the streets of the lower levels and selling them into slavery. He sets out to disrupt this network, intent on ensuring that they are unable to claim another innocent life.
Mace is, of course, successful, however he is unaware this particular syndicate is one of the largest suppliers of slaves to the Empire. As such, upon hearing their slave supply has been disrupted by an old man with a purple lightsaber, the Empire quickly takes notice.
LAS VEGAS – MAY 29: Actor Ian McDiarmid’s Emperor Palpatine character from the Star Wars series of films is shown on screen while musicians perform during “Star Wars: In Concert” at the Orleans Arena May 29, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The traveling production features a full symphony orchestra and choir playing music from all six of John Williams’ Star Wars scores synchronized with footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, HD LED screen. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Following an initial report to the ISB by the leaders of the syndicate, this news is quickly relayed up the chain until eventually reaching the Emperor. Immediately he realizes what has happened and informs Lord Vader he and his Inquisitors are to make it their top priority to track down the long lost Master Windu.
Vader leads a team of Inquisitors and purge troopers on a rampage through the underworld of Coruscant, massacring anyone who would not, or could not, give them useful information in the hopes of luring Mace out of hiding.
Eventually, Vader and his team find the urchin who cared for Mace. They slaughter her, destroying her and Mace’s home in the process.
Upon returning, Mace finds the slum he has called home ablaze. He desperately tries to save anyone he can, all in vain. Eventually, he comes across the charred corpse of the urchin who took him in, the only family that he has known since the fall of the Order.
Filled with rage, Windu realizes he cannot bury himself in the underworld any longer. He must confront the evil that has been plaguing the wider galaxy these last several years. And to do that, he must allow himself to dip into the dark side that has existed within him for as long as he can remember.
In spite of a planet-wide search, Mace makes his way to the upper levels of Coruscant, dispatching imperial troops who dare to stand in his way. He emerges to find the Emperor has converted the Jedi temple into his own Imperial Palace.
Mace lets the anger flow through him, channeling it into power unlike anything he has ever experienced before. He sets out for the palace, and is spotted along the way. The Coruscant Guard is alerted, and the full might of the Imperial military is brought to bare against the unleashed Jedi master.
Upon receiving a report Windu has been spotted on the upper levels, Emperor Palpatine is placed on full lockdown within his palace. Inquisitors are summoned, and Lord Vader is called for by the Emperor himself.
Despite hordes of stormtroopers, walkers, and gunships, Mace makes his way to the Imperial palace. He battles his way through the former Jedi temple, doing combat with the troopers, Imperial guards, and Inquisitors that have come to stop him.
Finally, Mace makes it to the Emperor’s throne room. Upon gaining access via forcible entry, he quickly dispatches the Imperial Guards who have mustered there and finds himself face to face with those that had cast him into the underworld so long ago. Summoning all the power he can find, an epic duel between the two Sith Lords and the Jedi Master ensues.
All of Mace’s experience and training has led him to this very moment. The force has guided him here, and he intends to make the most of it.
Comment and share to spread the word that fans would love to see Disney create a film like this. What other characters or stories would you like for Disney to explore in their future Star Wars content? Would you change anything about this story outline?