The Jedi fell from power during the Star Wars prequel trilogy. One Jedi who doesn’t get his fair share of the blame is Mace Windu.
The Star Wars prequel trilogy showed the Jedi’s fall from power. There were many reasons why this happened. They became prideful as a group in whole and believed they were all-powerful. They also were tricked by a masterful plan set by arguably the strongest Dark Side wielder of the Force of all time.
While the group as a whole can be blamed for the fall, individual Jedi also need to share the blame. One who rarely gets the finger pointed at him when talking about the Jedi’s fall is Mace Windu.
He was one of the leaders of the Jedi council and through his arrogance and hubris, it can be argued he was just as bit as responsible if not more, than any other Jedi.
Mace Windu in The Phantom Menace
We first meet Mace Windu inThe Phantom Menace when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn bring Anakin before the council. Windu displays his most obvious trait in this scene and that is his extreme arrogance.
He at first acts almost offended that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan even dare talk to him. He clearly portrays a sense of entitlement and there is an air about him that he is much more important than these simple Jedi Knights who dare step into his presence. He is quick to brush off the notion that Anakin could be the chosen one and gives Yoda a look that says, “Can you believe this crap?”
When Anakin is brought before the council and put to the test, a test which he actually nails, Mace Windu is almost excited to tell Qui-Gon that Anakin won’t be trained. Perhaps he senses that Anakin possesses the potential to become an even stronger Jedi than Mace himself and it’s this jealousy that causes the quick brush off.
This uncomfortable beginning sets the tone between Anakin and Mace’s tense relationship and one that could ultimately be looked at as a major cause of the fall of the Jedi.
Mace Windu in Attack of the Clones
Mace Windu is a little bit better attitude-wise in Attack of the Clones. He doesn’t share much screen time with Anakin and perhaps that’s why his mood seems to be improved. However, in this film, Windu gets a chance to physically end the war and perhaps prevent the fall of the Jedi but came up short.
Late in the movie, the Jedi come to rescue Obi-Wan and Anakin from the Colosseum on Geonosis. Once the fight begins, Windu sneaks out on the balcony and holds a lightsaber to the throat of Jango Fett. He tells Dooku that “This party’s over” but then is bombarded by a battalion of super battle droids that come parading down the dark corridor.
If Mace Windu was truly as great as he believes himself to be, he would’ve found a way to ward off the battle droids, kill Jango Fett and take Dooku hostage. Instead, he begins deflecting blaster bolts and jumps off the balcony when Jango lights his robe on fire.
A Jedi master as powerful as Windu, should’ve found a way to win in this situation and not flee for his life. If he could’ve, then perhaps the war would’ve ended before it began and the Jedi never would’ve fallen from power.
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Mace Windu in Revenge of the Sith
The arrogant ass that is Mace Windu comes to a head in Revenge of the Sith. After the chancellor asks Anakin to be on the Jedi Council to be his eyes and ears, Mace Windu is almost excited to tell Anakin that while he’s on the council he is not a master. He knows this will enrage Anakin and it does, and he’s more than willing to aggressively tell Anakin to take a seat, almost daring him to lash out even further.
Around the midpoint of the film is the part in the saga where Mace Windu really should be blamed for the fall of the Jedi. After Anakin finds out Palpatine is the Sith Lord they’ve been looking for, Mace refuses to believe him. He also tells Anakin to stay put while he and a bunch of generic Jedi go and confront the Chancellor and see for himself, and if he’s right then he’ll have earned Windu’s trust. Anakin warns him that he’ll need his help but Windu in his arrogance brushes Anakin off for the final time.
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Windu then goes to confront Palpatine with his Jedi posse and they are quickly wiped out. Windu attempts to capture Palpatine and the two battle until Anakin shows up. When Anakin makes his decision to join Palpatine and cuts off Windu’s arm, it’s hard not to blame him. Windu had been nothing but rude to Anakin his entire life, always looking down on him. He chooses to side with the man who showed him friendship and understanding, rather than the one that spoke to him condescendingly, and treated Anakin as if he was a nuisance.
If Mace Windu would’ve shown Anakin a bit of compassion over the years, perhaps things would’ve turned out differently. All Anakin needed, in the end, was one Jedi to trust him and if Windu would have brought Anakin with to confront Darth Sidious, perhaps he wouldn’t have turned. Instead, Windu was blinded by his arrogance, an arrogance which can directly be blamed for the fall of the Jedi.