One of Anakin Skywalker’s most pivotal moments in Star Wars saga would have been completely changed if he’d saved Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) instead. While Anakin choosing Windu over Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) seems like it would solve every issue in the Star Wars saga, he, the Jedi Order, and the Galactic Republic would still have plenty of issues left to tackle considering the sheer scope of Palpatine’s schemes. As such, Palpatine would be gone, but the ramifications of his near-victory would continue to plague the Star Wars saga’s heroes for years afterward.
Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side was essential to Palpatine’s machinations, with the secret Sith Lord subtly preparing Skywalker to become his Sith apprentice ever since he ed the Jedi Order. As both the Supreme Chancellor and the secret leader of the Separatists as, Darth Sidious, Palpatine already controlled the galaxy by the events of Revenge of the Sith, gradually turning the Republic into an autocratic regime through emergency powers given to him in response to the ever-growing Separatist threat. Already in the position to issue Order 66 and rechristen the Republic as the Galactic Empire, Palpatine merely waited until he had Anakin on his side before enacting his sinister coup.
Palpatine’s plan succeeded in Revenge of the Sith thanks to Anakin’s desperation to save Pé Amidala (Natalie Portman), leading him to turn to the dark side when he felt the Jedi were incapable of granting him the power to keep her alive. The cruel irony of Anakin’s choice is that she likely wouldn’t have died if he’d remained a Jedi. Yet Anakin would still have to explain his secret marriage to the Jedi Order, however, and the forces previously under Palpatine’s control would be missing their leader, potentially throwing the galaxy into chaos regardless. Here's what would have happened to the galaxy in Star Wars if Anakin killed Palpatine and saved Mace Windu during Revenge of the Sith.
Anakin Wouldn't Become Vader & The Sith Would Be Destroyed
The clearest impact of Anakin choosing Mace Windu over Palpatine is that he would immediately fulfill the Chosen One prophecy and destroy the Sith rather than them as Darth Vader. Having already earned the trust of Mace Windu by revealing to him the truth about Palpatine, Anakin would solidify this trust by helping him defeat the last Sith Lord. As shown in both canon and Legends, however, Palpatine is capable of returning from the dead. Since his laboratories to facilitate his resurrection, whether on Byss or Exegol, were constructed during his reign as Emperor, they probably didn’t exist during Revenge of the Sith’s timeline, making his return unlikely.
Anakin Would Still Have Big Problems - Would Pé Still Die?
Anakin’s ultimate desire to save Pé from dying in childbirth would almost certainly become a reality, as he wouldn’t become Darth Vader, which ultimately caused her demise in the film. However, a bigger issue for Anakin would be explaining his secret marriage to Pé and their children to the Jedi Order, who forbid such attachments (aside from rare exceptions, such as Ki-Adi-Mundi in Legends). Considering that Anakin destroyed the Sith, he might be in a position to negotiate to remain a member of the Jedi Order, but he’d have still broken their code and could still be expelled.
The Separatists Would Still Be A Major Threat
The Clone Wars only ended when Palpatine sent Darth Vader to assassinate the Separatist Council and shut down their droid forces. Without Palpatine, the Separatists would continue to plague the galaxy, even with Dooku and Grievous dead. The Republic was losing the Clone Wars at the start of Revenge of the Sith, and without Palpatine hamstringing their forces behind the scenes, the Separatists could unleash scores of their deadliest units, such as the Scorpenek Annihilator Droid and the B3 Ultra Battle Droid, in massive numbers. The Clone Wars might eventually end, but it could drag on for far longer, devastating the galaxy.
The Jedi Would Need To Explain Palpatine's Death
While Mace Windu was completely justified in battling Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith, his actions, from the Republic’s standpoint, would amount to the extrajudicial killing of a politician based on his religion, which would be extremely difficult to explain to the general public. Most beings aren’t familiar with the Sith, and the few that are might not believe them to still exist. Mace Windu or Anakin could be arrested or even executed for Palpatine’s death unless they could prove that he not only killed three Jedi Masters but was also secretly controlling the Separatists - a difficult task with of his inner circle, like Sly Moore and Mas Amedda, holding high positions within the Republic.
The Republic Would Need To Be Reformed
The Jedi would also need to combat the Republic’s corruption since lobbyists and corrupt corporate entities created the conditions that allowed Palpatine to orchestrate the Invasion of Naboo and the Separatist Crisis. In addition to outing Moore and Amedda, the Jedi may have to rely on Republic politicians who fought against corruption before the Clone Wars to help reform the Republic. Leaders like Pé, Mon Mothma, and Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) would be ideal choices to fix Palpatine’s damage to the Republic, along with other of the Delegation of 2000.
Would Yoda Still Lead The Jedi & What Happens To Obi-Wan?
Since Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi were not part of the decision to assassinate Palpatine, they’d likely remain leading of the Jedi Order. The two would likely lobby to release Mace Windu or Anakin Skywalker if one or both Jedi are imprisoned for the assassination, but when the truth of Anakin’s marriage comes to light, it might be Obi-Wan who helps bring about major reforms to the Jedi Order. The Jedi had lost their way in the Star Wars prequels, leading restrictive and emotionally unhealthy lifestyles, which made for a poor environment for people like Anakin, who ed the order as children instead of infants. Obi-Wan, who struggled with an attachment like Anakin in both canon and Legends, could be the one to lead these reforms, perhaps even replacing Yoda as the new Jedi Grandmaster in the long run.
What Would Happen To The Clone Troopers?
Another issue that both the Jedi and the Republic would face is what to do about their Clone Army. Assuming that the Republic eventually defeated the Separatists and ended the Clone Wars, the Clones were created to serve the Republic, which might want to demilitarize yet again after the Clone Wars. The Clones’ true purpose, destroying the Jedi, would also need to be mitigated, with their control chip implants needing to be removed in canon and their indoctrination needing to be somehow reversed in Legends. The general public also struggles to perceive and treat the Clones as sapient beings, necessitating the Jedi to vouch for their basic humanity to what might be an ambivalent populace.
What Would Happen To Luke & Leia If Anakin Wasn't Vader?
Anakin would likely want to raise Luke and Leia, which would cause problems if the Jedi Order isn’t reformed. Anakin might leave the order, perhaps only temporarily, to raise his children with Pé. The Jedi Order might also want to recruit both Luke and Leia upon discovering their Force potential, and it’s difficult to imagine Anakin and Pé allowing this unless the order is significantly reformed. Palpatine may be dead, and the Sith destroyed in this alternate version of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, but Anakin’s choice to save Mace Windu would still leave him with significant dilemmas, even though he’d have made the right decision.
