New Star Wars book reframes Mace Windu's duel with Palpatine

For as long as he has been featured in Star Wars, Mace Windu has been known as one of the most powerful Jedi of the Galactic Republic. A new book from Random House Worlds may help explain where the Jedi Master drew so much power from -- and why it was different than tapping into the dark side.

In author Steven Barnes' Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss, out this week, more insight is given into the unique lightsaber form called Vaapad. Vaapad is a variation of another lightsaber form that encourages Jedi to tap into their negative emotions to power their fighting style.

Vaapad specifically, however, allowed Mace to utilize his negative emotions without letting said emotions overwhelm him. This allows us to view the eventual duel between Windu and Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith much differently. While Palpatine was fully immersed in the dark side of the Force as the two fought, Mace Windu likely used his fear and anger to match, if not exceed, the power Palpatine displayed. And he was able to do that without losing control.

Anakin Skywalker sure could have learned a lot from Mace Windu. There's even a flashback scene in the book where Mace is briefly assisting young Anakin in a training exercise, noting his stubborn determination and skill. But the future Darth Vader never learned the art of using his negative emotions to defeat the Sith, and that would directly result in Mace Windu's demise.

It wasn't because Mace Windu wasn't powerful enough. It was because Anakin Skywalker was already too far gone to be able to stop himself from making the wrong choice. Next time you watch this scene, perhaps you will focus on Mace and how he could have saved the galaxy forever.

Star Wars Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss is available now wherever you get your Star Wars books.