A popular fan theory that's plagued Revenge of the Sith. Though the Jedi Master has not appeared since that (possibly) fatal scene in the prequel trilogy's third film, that hasn't stopped some from speculating that Windu might still be alive and well somewhere in the galaxy.
If Mace Windu were to return in any of the new Star Wars series, it would be a logical continuation of the direction that the franchise has now been led to under Disney. The sequel trilogy received an overall negative response from both critics and the fanbase largely because they effectively ignored much of the history and world-building set up by the prequel trilogy. Should The Mandalorian to give legitimacy to the prequel trilogy.
A Mace Windu reveal isn't such a farfetched idea, either, and it wouldn't necessarily retcon anything stemming from his last scene in Revenge of the Sith. Under the creative eye of Dave Filoni, who did his fair share of adding to Windu's character background and relationships in The Clone Wars, the Jedi Master's return might provide the missing link that could connect multiple storylines in the Star Wars galaxy.
How Mace Windu "Died" In Revenge of the Sith
Close to the end of Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker informs Mace Windu that Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord that the Jedi Council has been searching for. Alarmed, Windu rushes to confront and arrest Palpatine. Refusing to go down without a fight, Palpatine unsheathes his lightsaber and rushes at Windu, and what follows is an intense, window-shattering duel on a high floor overlooking the Coruscant city skyline. Eventually, Windu ends up besting Palpatine, leaving the Sith lord saber-less and groveling on the ground.
Suddenly, Anakin appears - just in time to witness Palpatine (or perhaps Darth Sidious, at this point) attempt to strike Mace Windu down with Force lightning. Mace Windu deflects it with his lightsaber, which severely weakens and horribly disfigures Darth Sidious. Then, Windu declares, "I am going to end this, once and for all," implying that he plans to execute Sidious then and there. Anakin rebuffs him, stating that Sidious must stand trial first. Windu insists that Sidious is too dangerous to be kept alive, since he has total control of the courts and senate, and moves to kill the chancellor. At the critical moment, Anakin disarms Mace by slicing his arm off with his lightsaber, and Sidious strikes Windu with Force lightning. A stunned and weakened Windu is thrown out of the window, supposedly falling to his demise.
George Lucas and Samuel L. Jackson Agree Mace Survived
Both George Lucas and Attack of the Clones that talented Jedi can find ways of using the Force to ride out falls from dizzying heights.
In that same interview with EW, Jackson also revealed that he approached George Lucas with his theory. The result: "George is like, ‘I’m okay with that. You can be alive.’" Although Lucas has since sold the rights to the Star Wars franchise to Disney, it's clear that some Disney executives are still taking Lucas' ideas into . After all, several characters from the Clone Wars animated series have cropped up throughout The Mandalorian, like Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan Kryze.
How Could Mace Return In Star Wars' Future?
With from both fans and creators, the return of Mace Windu could be just on the horizon. In time, there could be up to 10 potential Star Wars series streaming on Disney+, so there are plenty of opportunities for Mace Windu to finally reappear. Since Samuel L. Jackson is enthusiastic about playing the character again and already has a working relationship with Disney after playing Nick Fury in the MCU, landing the right actor again shouldn't be a problem. At this point, it's a question of when - not if - Mace Windu will show up again. Just under a week ago, Disney published a cryptic Instagram post of Mace Windu to celebrate Samuel L. Jackson's birthday, with the caption reading: "The party isn't over, it's just beginning!" Since Disney could've just as easily posted a picture of Jackson playing Nick Fury, this seems to imply that Windu is set to reappear soon.
There are different implications for Mace's return depending on which series he shows up in. If Mace returns in Patty Jenkins' Luke Skywalker is trying accomplish.
Mace Windu surviving Revenge of the Sith and making his way back into the franchise could help bring the prequel, original, and sequel trilogies full circle. It'd also be a nod to the die-hard fans who are dedicated to the history of the galaxy. With several Star Wars series set for release on Disney+, Mace Windu's grand return might come sooner than expected.
