A brand-new the Star Wars timeline. Not only did it give Palpatine the ammunition he needed to accuse the Jedi of treason and justify Order 66, but also, this event was the tipping point for Anakin Skywalker. In the end, he chose Palpatine over Mace Windu, sealing his fate and aligning himself with the dark side of the Force.
This attack on Palpatine has always been somewhat surprising for a number of reasons. For one, Mace Windu's attempt to kill Palpatine was seemingly contrary to the Jedi way. For another, Palpatine was able to cut down multiple Jedi with ease in a matter of seconds, yet Mace Windu had him cornered and very near death when Anakin walked in. Mace Windu was no doubt one of Star Wars' most powerful Jedi, but this was still quite the feat. A new Star Wars book has revealed how Mace Windu was able to accomplish this, though, and it is truly surprising.
Mace Windu's Unique Lightsaber Form "Turns Pain Into Power"
Mace Windu is known to have created and used one of the least common and most controversial lightsaber forms, called Vaapad. Vaapad is a variation of another lightsaber combat form, Juyo, which was banned by the Jedi because it encouraged the to tap into their negative emotions, such as anger, and use them to their advantage. This was a major cause for concern for the Jedi because it meant the coming dangerously close to the dark side.
Star Wars: All Lightsaber Combat Forms Explained (& Who Used Which)
The Jedi and the Sith use seven different forms of lightsaber combat in Star Wars - here's all you need to know about them, and who uses which.
Mace Windu adapted this banned form to create Vaapad, controlling and channeling his darker emotions into the fighting style without letting them truly control or consume him. Given how precarious this can be, it's little surprise Vaapad wasn't all that common. The form required a level of self-control that even the most skilled Jedi would struggle with.
The new canon Star Wars book Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss, written by Steven Barnes, has provided even more context for how Vaapad works and what it requires of the . In addition to highlighting that Vaapad is "an advanced and dangerous form," the book explains:
"He practiced now with long, powerful strikes and quick, decisive movements. Each one struck at the cables of grief binding his heart. 'Turn pain into power,' Qui-Gon had once told him."
This description of Vaapad as a way to transform pain is a particularly interesting one because it suggests that channeling one's inner darkness in this way can be a great advantage, but it also highlights an underlying issue.
Purchase: Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss on Amazon
Mace Windu Had A Secret Attachment
Although Mace Windu may have been among the most vocal who had concerns about Anakin Skywalker ing the Jedi Order because of his age and attachments, Mace also struggled with attachments of his own. Unlike the familial and romantic attachments Anakin was affected by, though, Mace Windu's attachment was to the Republic. This is particularly highlighted in the Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith novelization, written by Matthew Stover.
Purchase the Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith novel on Amazon
The novel explains that Mace Windu's connection to the Republic far exceeded a dedication to peace in the galaxy. Shockingly, the book states, "Because Mace, too, has an attachment. Mace has a secret love. Mace Windu loves the Republic." This revelation is truly jarring because it seems so contrary to Mace Windu's nature and all he represented in the Jedi Order, yet it certainly explains his interaction with Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith.
Mace Windu's connection to the Republic far exceeded a dedication to peace in the galaxy.
However justified it was for Mace Windu to want Palpatine executed given the threat he represented, his intentions to kill Palpatine when he was unarmed and begging for mercy were in opposition to the Jedi way. There's no question Palpatine really was too dangerous to be kept alive, as Mace Windu said, but this effort to kill Palpatine still went against the Jedi. This attachment identified in the Revenge of the Sith novelization explains this deviation, though; Palpatine was threatening his attachment, and he reacted accordingly.
Mace Was Never More Powerful Than In Revenge Of The Sith
Although Mace Windu's attachment posed a problem in the way that many attachments do for the Jedi, it was via this attachment and Vaapad that Mace Windu nearly defeated Palpatine. Because Mace Windu felt so strongly about the Republic and the Republic was being threatened, he was able to channel this "pain into power" and become stronger than ever—strong enough to face off against one of Star Wars' most powerful Sith and very nearly destroy him. Had Anakin not intervened (for the worse, to be sure), it's difficult to say what would have happened to Mace.
It's impressive that Mace Windu disarmed Palpatine, but the fact that he was being led by his feelings and attachment suggests this wouldn't have been a positive direction for Mace Windu. Yes, stopping Mace meant Anakin turning to the dark side and led to the initiation of Order 66, but Mace Windu allowing his fear and anger to drive him to kill Palpatine would have caused a whole host of other problems. Mace Windu may have mastered Vaapad in Star Wars, but this lightsaber form and his attachment to the Republic could have easily spelled his downfall.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
- Release Date
- May 19, 2005
- Runtime
- 140 Minutes
- Director
- George Lucas
Cast
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
WHERE TO WATCH
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker's transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin's internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
- Writers
- Jan Duursema
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
- Studio(s)
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century Fox
- Budget
- $113 Million
Your comment has not been saved