The latest season ofThe Mandalorianhas scored a great many brownie points withStar Warsfans by featuring appearances from several franchise favorites, from Ashoka Tano to Luke Skywalker. On the occasion of Samuel L. Jackson’s birthday, the official Star Wars Instagram account wished the actor a happy one, and dropped a hint that “the party isn’t over” for Jackson’sStar Warscharacter Mace Windu, who might have a future role in the franchise.
“The party isn’t over, it’s just beginning! Sending a very happy birthday to Samuel L. Jackson.”
For the past two decades, theStar Warsfranchise has relied heavily on nostalgia and the love of fans for the movies in the series helmed by Geoge Lucas to keep audiences engaged. The latest season ofThe Mandalorianwas no exception, with Boba Fett, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Luke Skywalker all appearing in supporting roles, and Ashoka and Boba Fett confirmed to begetting their own TV spinoffs on Disney+.
So canMace Windualso appear in the next season ofThe Mandalorian? While that is perfectly possible, a much more fitting place for the character to show up would be the upcomingObi-Wan Kenobiseries starring Ewan McGregor that is currently in the works.
The first time Mace Windu appeared as the Master of the Jedi Council was in 1999’sThe Phantom Menace. It was there that Qui-Gon Jinn offered to train a young Anakin Skywalker to become a Jedi, an offer which the council refused. At the end of the film, the council finally agreed to let Obi-Wan train Anakin after Jinn passed away.
Mace Windu continued to have a major role in the storyline until 2005’sRevenge of the Sith, where the character apparently died at the hands of Emperor Palpatine. Windu’s final appearance in a live-actionStar Warsfilm was in 2019’sRise of Skywalker. During the climactic showdown between Rey and Palpatine, Windu’s voice can be heard speaking to Rey, encouraging her to rise and fight back as all of the past Jedi are with her.
Thus, it would make a lot of sense for Mace Windu to show up in theObi-Wan Kenobiseries along with Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, who has already been confirmed to be a part of the show. As for how Windu might have survived his fight with Palpatine to fight for another day,Samuel L. Jacksonhad already supplied a theory back in 2016 regarding the matter, which George Lucas apparently agrees with.
“Of course [Mace Windu] is still alive! Jedi can fall from amazing distances. And there’s a long history of one-handed Jedi. So why not?… Only George [Lucas knows about the theory regarding Windu’s fate]. But George doesn’t have anything to do with [Star Wars] anymore. George is like, ‘I’m okay with that. you’re able to be alive.”
And there you have it. The door is wide open for Mace Windu’s triumphant return to theStar Warsuniverse, only this time around, he might be an even more badass, one-handed Jedi who has gone rogue from the council. Jackson’s theory about Windu still being alive appeared atEntertainment Weekly.
