15 greatest Star Wars rivalries of all time

4. Mace Windu and Sheev Palpatine

Let’s not forget who was the first to take a long-awaited swing at Sheev Palpatine. Mace Windu’s battle with the Sith Lord was not only a turning point for the Jedi Nights and their relationship with the Senate, it was also the moment fans saw Anakin make his first choice between serving the Jedi and serving The Dark Side.

But this rivalry was frustrating for many reasons. In true Samuel L. Jackson form, Mace Windu’s character was never timid with his skepticism or disapprovals when it came to both the Senate and Anakin becoming a Jedi. Mace Windu always held a strong position in the council and seemed larger than life as a Jedi Master: wise, confident and tough as nails. Not to mention his trademark purple lightsaber.

Mace Windu seemed like the one Jedi on the council, other than Yoda, whom nothing could get past. He faced a whole slew of clones and took them out with no trouble. So was it frustrating that Windu didn’t expect the Sith Lord to be clever enough to sneak by the Jedi unnoticed? Yes. Was it frustrating that Palpatine took out three trained Jedi in the first 15 seconds of Windu announcing his arrest? Very.

Either way, Windu and Palpatine’s rivalry and battle is also extremely important, since it foreshadows the fate of both Anakin and his impending battle with his son Luke, both of whom are overtaken by Darth Sidious and Anakin saving his son from the electrocution that killed Mace Windu. Of course, Anakin had a part to play by slicing off Windu’s hand and allowing him to fall to his demise.