Mace Windu/Legends

"For the Order and the Republic, I will give anything and everything, including my life."

- Mace Windu

Mace Windu was a male Korun Jedi Master of legendary status who was the Master of the Order in the days leading up to the Battle of Geonosis, after which he gave the title to Grand Master Yoda. Hailing from the world of Haruun Kal, Mace Windu served as one of the last members of the Jedi High Council before the Great Jedi Purge. Serving on the Council, Windu was often regarded as second only to the Grand Master Yoda, though Windu was eight centuries Yoda's junior. Windu's wisdom and power were legendary, as were the weight of his words.

Widely considered one of the best swordsmen in the Jedi Order, Windu created Vaapad, the modern seventh form of lightsaber combat, and was one of only two people to fully master it, and the only one of those two not to fall to the dark side. It was said that the only opponents with a chance to out spar him were Yoda and Count Dooku.

Mace Windu served the Jedi Order his entire life, training numerous Jedi, including Depa Billaba, Echuu Shen-Jon, and Iguni. It was Master Windu who led 212 Jedi into combat at the Battle of Geonosis and defeated the infamous bounty hunter Jango Fett. He continued to serve the Republic throughout the Clone Wars, often on the frontlines of fierce fighting, where he led Republic forces as a High Jedi General. In the final days of the war, Windu confronted and defeated Darth Sidious in a difficult duel. Before he could finish off Sidious, however, he was ultimately betrayed by Anakin Skywalker and subsequently killed by Sidious, falling to his death from the window of Sidious's office.

Early life
"I knew I would succeed. After all, I had my wits, and the Force, and my feet."

- Mace Windu, on Hurikane

Mace Windu was originally from the planet Haruun Kal, where he was born into the Ghôsh Windu. Jedi anthropologists, who were studying the fact that all the Korunnai could touch the force, asked the Windu clan if they might take a child back to the Jedi Order to regain the Korunnai's connection to the force. Since his parents had already died in the jungles, Windu was given to the Jedi when he was six standard months old. Having not been old enough for his naming day within the tribe, the Order bestowed upon him a name as he entered the Academy. Like all in the Order, the young Korun boy was taught by Master Yoda when he was a learner, and eventually went on to become a Padawan to another Jedi. Windu trained under Master T'ra Saa at one point, though the extent of that training is unknown.

At a very early age, Windu learned of his unusual ability to see shatterpoints in the Force and how they would affect all of his future actions as well as the vulnerabilities of his opponents. With these unique abilities, he had glimpses of parts of his future, such as the lightsaber he would eventually build.

By age fourteen, the Jedi Council was concerned with Windu, for even though he was at the top of his class, he still could not construct the lightsaber that came to him in visions multiple times. He informed the Council that he wanted a true challenge in order to find the best pieces for his lightsaber. After considering this, the Council sent Windu on his own to the world of Hurikane. While on this mission, Windu was at first chased away by the natives that resided there, but was easily able to resist them using the Force. When he caused one of the fragile natives to shatter, he sobered, and painstakingly restored it using the Force. Learning a valuable lesson about being a Jedi, the natives rewarded him with a violet-colored special crystal. He used this crystal to construct the lightsaber he had seen in his visions and it produced its distinctive violet blade. He would alternate between this weapon and a blue lightsaber he created himself. He also used Eeth Koth's lightsaber, which he obtained when the two Jedi Masters exchanged their sabers during the sacred Concordance of Fealty.

Over the next decade and a half, Windu went on many notable missions that included his first visit to his homeworld, Haruun Kal (during which he learned his native Korun language), and one where he tracked down and defeated the killer Uda-Khalid. During his career, Windu trained many to be Jedi, including Echuu Shen-Jon (who ultimately survived the Great Jedi Purge), and fellow Council member Depa Billaba. He also discovered Darrus Jeht as a very young child after an incident involving the boy's parents. Windu ensured he was tested and placed in a training class, and later trained him for a time, although Jeht was never formally his Padawan.

Jedi Master
"I created Vaapad to answer my weakness: it channels my own darkness into a weapon of the light."

- Mace Windu, to Obi-Wan Kenobi

Prodigiously talented in the Force, Windu passed the trials early, and continued to progress through the ranks of the order by achieving the title of Jedi Master and, at the remarkably young age of twenty-eight, was appointed to the Jedi Council. The Council's invitation came after Windu's exploits during the Arkanian Revolution where he fought the cyborg Gorm the Dissolver. As a senior member of the Council, his lightsaber hilt would be uniquely decorated with electrum, a precious metal. He eventually rose to take the title of Master of the Order; making him the leader of the Council, and the second highest ranking member of the Order, behind Grand Master Yoda.

As well as his incredible combat abilities, Windu also possessed a rare gift. He had a unique form of Force perception which allowed him to see the shatterpoint in situations, beings and circumstances. These shatterpoints revealed points upon which other things were reliant. Shatterpoints could form links between beings, creatures, planets, or other vessels, and if destroyed or utilized, these shatterpoints could hold the key to averting disaster, sealing fate, winning battles and fulfilling the very will of the Force itself.

In addition to being a legendary warrior and remarkably Force-sensitive, Windu possessed extensive knowledge of Jedi history and philosophy, and was known for his diplomatic abilities. Windu was the Council's primary liaison to the Chancellor, although the Clone Wars caused him to question his firmest beliefs.

As a Jedi Master and member of the Council, Windu stayed active, spearheading many diplomatic and peace-keeping missions, including ones to Yinchorr and Malastare. He would also assist in the mediation of the Stark Conflict. In 33 BBY, Windu also met with Chancellor Finis Valorum and advised him about how to deal with the terrorist organization known as The Flail. Another such mission was to Nar Shaddaa, where Windu, accompanied by his former Padawan Depa Billaba, was investigating an animal-smuggling ring. As he was surrounded by a large number of thugs, his former Padawan Depa Billaba arrived to help him, and they made short work of their assailants. They eventually located the source of the smuggling, but only after fighting a number of deranged akk dogs originally from Haruun Kal. Windu and Billaba would eventually end up together on Haruun Kal, with tragic results.

Battle of Geonosis
"This party's over."

- Mace Windu, to Dooku.

In 22 BBY, it became apparent that a full-fledged military conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems would occur. Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi was captured by the Confederacy on Geonosis and prepared to be executed. Having learned of this, Mace Windu, without waiting for the Clone Army to be put at the Republic's disposal, led a Jedi strike force to Geonosis. Windu, along with Luminara Unduli, destroyed Geonosian gun emplacements blocking the way to the arena in his TX-130S fighter tank. When Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé Amidala were brought to the Geonosis arena, Windu and his Jedi revealed themselves to Count Dooku, the leader of the Confederacy, who was personally overseeing the planned execution. A heated but short battle followed, during which Windu decapitated the bounty hunter, Jango Fett, the progenitor of the clone troopers, Fett's death had been predicted millennia ago by Darth Traya in the times of the Old Sith Wars.

Eventually, the Jedi were outnumbered by Separatist battle droids, but Master Yoda and the clone troopers rescued the Jedi. After that, Windu and the other surviving Jedi joined the battle as military commanders. Windu again took the controls of his tank and was moving to intercept Count Dooku when three of Dooku's Dark Acolytes confronted him in their own vehicles. Windu was able to defeat all three of them, but the delay prevented him from reaching Dooku.

In the aftermath of Geonosis, Windu handed the title of Master of the Order to Yoda, who held it in addition to that of Grand Master.

Ruul
Several months after Geonosis, Mace Windu was contacted by his old friend Sora Bulq, who was leading a group of renegade Jedi who protested Jedi involvement in the Clone Wars. In response to Bulq's message, Windu traveled to Bulq's estate on Ruul to meet with them. Unfortunately, just after he arrived, Bulq was ambushed by the Dooku-trained assassin Asajj Ventress, resulting in the death of his Padawan. When the other Jedi, including Windu, involved themselves, Ventress claimed she had been sent by Windu himself, confusing the other Jedi.

While the other Jedi busied themselves, Windu began investigating Ventress' presence, unknowingly followed by the Jedi Rhad Tarn. During his investigations, he found Ventress' ship, and realized that Bulq must have allowed her on the planet, since no one could land on Ruul without Bulq being aware of it. Rushing off to confront Bulq, Windu found him in his estate mourning over the body of his Padawan. When Windu accused Bulq of turning to the Dark Side and joining the Confederacy, Bulq didn't deny it. Bulq went further and revealed that the only reason that he brought Windu here for was to exploit his hardliner reputation and discredit him, using the other Jedi as witnesses, as they were unaware of his plans.

Bulq then drew his lightsaber and shoto and announced his intention to now kill Windu and return to the others alone, claiming Windu betrayed them. Windu drew his own blade and the battle was on. However, as the two engaged one another in a furious duel, Mace Windu sensed that the other Jedi were in danger and swiftly ended the fight by bringing down a pile of boulders upon Bulq. Rushing to Ventress' ship, he found Rhad Tarn dead and the other Jedi who had followed Tarn engaging the Dark Jedi assassin. After involving himself in the lightsaber duel with the assassin, he managed to drive off Ventress.

After Ventress' retreat and Bulq's exposure as a Confederate agent, Windu and the surviving Jedi returned to Coruscant.

High Jedi General
During the Clone Wars, Windu commanded Systems Army Alpha as a High General along with the 187th Legion on many fronts, and won a widely publicized victory at the Battle of Dantooine. He was rumored to have single-handedly defeated an army of B2 super battle droids and a massive seismic tank, using his bare fists for much of the battle. Drawings made by a young boy at the scene would later be used as anti-Imperial propaganda during the Galactic Civil War.

Haruun Kal
"We don't have to win, we only have to fight."

- Mace Windu

Six months after the Battle of Geonosis, Windu returned to his homeworld of Haruun Kal to track down his missing former Padawan, Depa Billaba. He was attacked twice in the capital city of Pelek Baw, but met up with a team sent by Depa to bring him to her. While trekking through the jungle toward Billaba, he managed to defeat three Sienar Turbostorm gunships, destroying two and crippling the third, in a masterful display of the versatility and lethality of Vaapad. Windu, along with his companions Chalk, Lesh, Besh, and Nick Rostu, were frequently in danger from the numerous hazards of the jungle and militia attacks.

Throughout his stay on Haruun Kal, Windu was often attacked, beaten, and injured by a variety of opponents. After meeting up with Depa, Windu resolved to bring her back to the Jedi Temple. He also had to deal with the powerful lor pelek Kar Vastor. After the militia launched an all-out attack on the Korunnai that Depa had been leading, he then devised a plan to capture the world for the Republic and battled Kar Vastor, spiritually facing the dark side. Windu would also duel his former Padawan after she succumbed to pelekotan, and won without actually defeating her. Though Windu survived this trial and his strategy was successful, the memories of his return to Haruun Kal would continue to haunt him. Depa later attempted suicide upon realizing her fall to the dark side, and would remain in a coma for an unknown period afterwards.

Mace Windu, in Force-assisted dreams on Haruun Kal, accurately predicted the fall of the Jedi and the destruction of the Temple, in addition to the Yuuzhan Vong terraforming of Coruscant.

Battle of Ryloth
After answering a plea from the Senate, the Council sent Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano to breach the heavy Separatist blockade around the planet of Ryloth so as to make way for a ground assault aimed at freeing the Twi'lek people from Separatist occupation.

When the initial engagement with the blockade proved unsuccessful, resulting in huge losses on the side of the Republic, Master Windu warned Skywalker that he was allocated only a single planetary rotation of Ryloth to breach the blockade, as the invasion needed to move forward with or without having broken the Separatist's defenses. As such, Skywalker and Tano utilized less than conventional tactics to defeat the Separatist warships; making way for the forces led by Masters Windu and Kenobi to begin their ground assault of the oppressed planet.

Kenobi and Ghost Company set off to land on Nabat, which the Jedi planned on using as a landing point. However, proton cannons from below attacked their Acclamator assault ships above, and after Clone Commander CC-6454 reported that the guns were breaking through their shields, Windu ordered Kenobi to destroy the guns and allow the transports to land. Kenobi was later successful, and after the transports landed, the Jedi and the clone troopers set off for the capital city of Lessu to retake it and free the planet.

To accomplish this, Windu was forced to rely on his considerable negotiation skills, as he knew he would require the aid of Cham Syndulla; leader of the Twi'lek Freedom Fighters. However, Syndulla was loathe to negotiate with the Republic as he did not trust Ryloth's Senator Orn Free Taa, whilst Taa himself feared that Syndulla planned to seize power. After learning that the Separatists had begun to bomb innocent Twi'leki villages however, Syndulla at least agreed to talks with Senator Taa.

Windu acted as moderator during the talks, and ultimately was able to form an alliance between the two out of their mutual wish to see their people free. Syndulla then added his forces to Windu's and the pair managed to retake Lessu from Tambor. In addition, Windu managed to capture the fiendish Separatist leader himself.

Juma 9
Afterwards, he was sent to Juma 9 in order to rescue Plo Koon and Obi-Wan Kenobi with Jedi Master Kit Fisto and Clone Private CP-6824, while Commander Ponds fought on the outside. They eventually took over the station once more and the two Jedi were rescued.

Stolen holocron
Following the First Battle of Felucia, Master Windu was present during a meeting of the Jedi Council which heard that Padawan Ahsoka Tano had refused to comply with orders given to her by her superior Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. In punishment for her actions, Tano was appointed as a guard of the Jedi Archives in order to spend time away from the battlefield.

Later, Master Yoda sensed a disturbance in the Force that suggested intruders would attempt to infiltrate the Jedi Temple. As such, the entire Temple was placed on high alert. While Kenobi and Skywalker tracked the intruders through the central ventilation system, Windu monitored the situation with Master Yoda, Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura in the Jedi Temple communication center. As Kenobi and Skywalker tracked the intruders through the Temple's ventilation system, Master Yoda deduced that it was likely that the intruders were receiving assistance from within the Temple considering their ability to avoid the two Jedi trailing them. As such, the diminutive Master contacted Ahsoka Tano in the Archives and cautioned her that he sensed that there was somebody in the Archives impersonating a Jedi. Fortunately, Tano was able to subdue the imposter, a Clawdite changeling named Cato Parasitti, who had been impersonating Master Jocasta Nu and feeding her employer Cad Bane information from the Jedi Archives.

Unfortunately, Bane's scheme worked, as he was able to keep the Jedi off his tail by creating a diversion using his droid Todo 360. Todo had been rigged with a bomb which was set to explode when he entered the communication center; however, Master Windu was able to use the Force to blast Todo back into the vent, saving the lives of the other Jedi present. However, in this time, Bane was able break into the Holocron Chamber and steal a Jedi holocron as ordered by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Unbeknownst to Bane, Parasitti revealed to the Jedi that Bane's next target was Jedi Master Bolla Ropal. This allowed the Jedi to deduce that Bane was after the Kyber memory crystal in Ropal's keeping, which when combined with a holocron would reveal a list of all known Force-sensitive children in the galaxy.

Whilst Skywalker and Tano were dispatched to protect Master Ropal they were ultimately too late; Ropal was captured and died under torture, refusing to use the Force to help Bane unite the holocron and Kyber crystal. However, the Jedi believed that Bane himself was killed during the Battle of Devaron, though he later proved to have survived. Unfortunately, prior to faking his death Bane was able to coerce Skywalker into uniting the holocron and memory crystal giving him access to the names of the most Force-sensitive children in the Republic. After Bane's escape, Master Windu participated in a meditation session, along with Masters Yoda and Kenobi, and Jedi Skywalker. During this session, they used the Force to sense which children Bane would target. While Yoda sensed that children would be abducted from both Rodia and Naboo, Master Windu felt that a child on Glee Anselm was in danger. Unfortunately, Yoda revealed that he had sensed that particular child disappear into the darkness, meaning that Bane had already captured him. Whilst Kenobi was dispatched to protect the Rodian child and Skywalker was sent to Naboo to safeguard the Force-sensitive Gungan, Windu and Yoda remained at the Temple to continue using the Force to search out those children who were in danger.

Unfortunately, Kenobi arrived too late to rescue the Rodian child, Wee Dunn, however, Skywalker and his apprentice successfully protected their Gungan charge and apprehended Bane. Masters Windu and Kenobi then proceeded to interrogate Bane as to the whereabouts of the two children he had abducted, along with the Jedi holocron, however, he refused to talk; causing Windu to conclude that the bounty hunters fear of his employer outweighed his fear of the Jedi. Windu, Kenobi and Skywalker then decided to use the Force on Bane's mind simultaneously to force him to co-operate. This interrogation method nearly destroyed the bounty hunters mind, however, it proved successful as he agreed to take the Jedi to both the children and the holocron. Chancellor Palpatine later requested a report on the situation, however, both Kenobi and Windu felt that as an internal Jedi affair, there was no need for the Chancellor to be involved. However, Skywalker disagreed, and as such, Windu had the younger Jedi be the one to report to Palpatine, whilst he and Kenobi travelled to Black Stall Station with Bane acting as their guide.

At the station, neither Jedi Master could sense the children in the Force. Bane assured them that the children were safe and that he had brought them there to retrieve the holocron. When Windu stopped the bounty hunter from personally bringing them the holocron, and made to retrieve it himself, he accidentally set off Banes security measures. In the ensuing chaos, Bane proved able to escape, though both Jedi Masters survived the ordeal and reclaimed the holocron. Fortunately, through an examination of Banes ship, Skywalker and Tano had discovered the location of the facility where the children were held, and managed to rescue them.

Following Bane's escape, Windu took the time to attempt to console Ropal's apprentice, Tyzen Xebec. Windu urged Xebec to view his master's death as an honorable service to the Republic, but his words didn't have much of an impact on the Padawan.

Separatist droid foundry
Masters Windu and Yoda later came to suspect that Senator Rush Clovis of Scipio, a member of the Banking Clan, was tied to the Separatists. As any sign of the Jedi's suspicions would cause a major incident, the Masters felt that a member of the Senate would have to investigate him in their stead; the Council ultimately decided that the perfect candidate for the mission was Senator Amidala of Naboo, who was both a long-time ally of the Jedi and had previously been close to Clovis. Unfortunately, Amidala rebuffed Yoda's initial attempts to recruit her, as he did not specify that the Council believed Clovis to be in league with the Separatists.

Later, under the request of the Council, Anakin Skywalker approached Amidala about the mission and inadvertently persuaded her to accept it. Amidala traveled to Cato Neimoidia with Clovis, and ultimately discovered that he was aiding the Separatists to create the largest droid foundry in the galaxy on Geonosis; where the Clone Wars began. Despite a nearly fatal attempt on her life, Senator Amidala was able to successfully warn the Council and flee Cato Neimoidia, her mission successful.

The Council then dispatched a huge force led by Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi to Geonosis in the hopes of destroying Poggle the Lesser's new droid foundry.

Planet Killer
At some point, Windu went on a successful mission to disable a Separatist weapon known as the Planet Killer.The spherical device had been designed to destroy the planet which it was detonated upon, however, Windu deactivated it moments before it was scheduled to be tested by a scientist hoping to sell it to Count Dooku. Unfortunately, despite Windu's success, these events prompted Dooku to carry on work with the creation of his very own "Planet Killer".

Null
As of the seventeenth month of the war, Null had become a battle zone between Republic and Separatist forces. A triage unit overseen by Jedi Healers was set up behind Republic lines, though by this point, it was in danger of being over-run by enemy forces.

While attempting to heal wounded clone troopers and Jedi, Windu's former teacher T'ra Saa and the young Barriss Offee were caught in an unexpected attack by bounty hunters working for the Crimson Nova chapter of the Bounty Hunters Guild. The hunters, riding speeder bikes, opened fire on the Jedi, killing some and setting fire to the surrounding forest. During the fight, T'ra Saa's lightsaber was knocked from her hand and collected by one of the hunters, who ultimately fled the encroaching fires. Left with no alternative against the blaze, Saa used the Force to pull trees down over the survivors, effectively trapping them away from the flames.

A rainstorm soon doused the fires, and Mace arrived on the scene to rescue the survivors. He uncovered Offee, the clones and an unconscious Saa, who had been wounded during her valiant attempt to save the group. Windu raced her to a waiting gunship along with Offee, even as Separatists were spotted approaching their location. The Jedi healer informed Windu of the details of the unexpected battle, and the senior Council member resolved to put an end to the Crimson Nova's activities with a mission to the Rig, their base of operations.

The Rig
In the aftermath of the Battle of Null, the Jedi Council learned that a bounty had been posted on the Jedi, and that members of the Crimson Nova bounty hunters guild were attempting to collect. Rather than have his Jedi be targets on and off the battlefield, Master Windu assembled a team of the most powerful Jedi available&mdash;Jedi Masters Kit Fisto, Saesee Tiin and Agen Kolar, the same Jedi that would later fight with him against Palpatine&mdash;and infiltrated the Crimson Nova headquarters on The Rig space station.

Windu's team successfully breached The Rig's security. Mace himself remained fully visible to the bounty hunters, deflecting attention from the other Jedi. Kolar posed as Argent Kole, a bounty hunter looking to collect credits for his "captive", Kit Fisto. While Fisto incited riots among the prisoners, Tiin, in the guise of a smuggler, set off an explosion in the hangar bays.

With The Rig in turmoil, the Jedi executed their show of force, fighting their way into the command center and ensuring the deaths of the guild leaders. The bounties were rescinded, and the originator, Kh'aris Fenn, was later executed by Quinlan Vos.

Energy vampire
Later, Windu embarked on a rescue mission to locate the MIA soldiers of the Alpha-2 Squad, encountering the Countess Rajine, an energy vampire. The Countess used zombies of many different species, including the members of the dead Alpha-2 Squad, to capture Windu. With the help of the droid Z-18, he was able to subdue the countess by using the holocron of fallen Jedi Samuro who had trapped Rajine on the planet hundreds of years before.

Boz Pity
After Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered a Separatist presence on the planet of Boz Pity the forces of the Republic engaged the CIS on the planet's surface, led by Jedi Generals; Mace Windu foremost among them. They targeted the Separatist's medical facility. Masters Adi Gallia and Soon Bayts were in the first wave with their clones, and were both killed by General Grievous, though Alpha-17 was merely impaled and survived. Windu then dropped a STAP on the General, disabling him for the duration of the battle.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi infiltrated the CIS medical center. He discovered Asajj Ventress in a bacta tank and Count Dooku watching her. After a short conversation with Dooku, Asajj destroyed her bacta tank and engaged Obi-Wan. Their battle brought them back onto the battlefield, where Anakin Skywalker joined in. Obi-Wan sabotaged Anakin's attempts to kill Asajj, though, believing she could still be redeemed.

Dooku also left the medical center, but was attacked by Mace Windu. Dooku was outmaneuvered by Mace after a short duel, however his MagnaGuards grappled the Jedi, disarming him and dragging him into a pit while Dooku headed for the evacuation point, rescuing the damaged Grievous.

Asajj disengaged from Obi-Wan and Anakin, and headed for the CIS shuttles also. However, Dooku, not wishing her to delay his escape, ordered her shot, and left her behind as a distraction. Asajj attempted to kill Obi-Wan, but was thwarted by Anakin. She then expressed some measure of repentance and appeared to die. Obi-Wan had her body transported to Coruscant. The blockade apparently retreated or was dispersed.

Almas
On one occasion, Master Windu traveled to the Almas Academy in the Cularin system at the request of Master Lanius Qel-Bertuk. Qel-Bertuk sought an explanation of the history of his new staff member Darrus Jeht which Windu was able to supply given his knowledge of Jeht's history. Such was Windu's urgency to return to his troops that he left the planet immediately on conclusion of the conversation.

Battle of Coruscant
"A very, very wise Jedi once said to me, ''we don't have to win. All we have to do is fight."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi, on Mace Windu

"The answer is in the question."

- Mace Windu

Towards the end of the Clone Wars General Grievous orchestrated a surprise attack on Coruscant itself. During the battle Windu piloted his personal ship around the capital and destroyed huge numbers of the Separatist's forces. However, he was eventually forced to abandon his craft and took control of a droid ship; using it to take down several of its fellows. After this, Windu apparently dueled Grievous himself atop a moving train and defeated the notorious cyborg; knocking him from the train. Windu subsequently joined Yoda and aided him to hold the Republic's line against the masses of Separatist battle droids. The two highest ranking members among the Order soon began to question why Grievous had launched such an attack without trying to capture the Jedi Temple or the Senate. It soon became clear that he had orchestrated the attack as a ruse to hide his true objective; the capture of Chancellor Palpatine.

Grievous successfully captured Palpatine, though before he tried to take the captive Chancellor back to his ship, the Invisible Hand, he was confronted by Mace Windu. Using Force Crush, Mace Windu devastated Grievous' armor and organs (the lungs in particular). This accounts for the coughing fits the cyborg would face during the end of his life. Force Crush is one of the darkest Force maneuvers known to the Jedi, and perhaps even the Sith, so Windu's use of such a dark mutilation was most unusual. However, the general survived and escaped with Palpatine; though Kenobi and Skywalker would ultimately rescue him, and kill Count Dooku himself.

Revelation
The Clone Wars had divided the Republic not only within its territorial sovereignty, but also at its highest level of authority. Near the end of the conflict, the masters of the Jedi High Council became increasingly alarmed at the rapid transforming of the Supreme Chancellor into the position of a virtual dictator. As the Senate gradually surrendered many of its executive powers to the Chancellor, Master Windu came to question Chancellor Palpatine's motives. The war was ending, yet Palpatine was implementing stronger measures of political and social control over the Republic. Even the Senate itself was becoming little more than an advisory board and a rubber stamp for passing Palpatine's draconian laws. By the aftermath of the Battle of Coruscant, the Jedi were on the lookout for ways of "peacefully" removing Palpatine from office, first by stating that the war would end with the death of Count Dooku, and then by vowing to carry out the destruction General Grievous so that the Chancellor would no longer have a valid excuse to hold on to his emergency powers. Relations became so strained between the Council and the Chancellor that by the near end of the Clone Wars, Ki-Adi-Mundi declared that unless Palpatine stepped down after General Kenobi killed Grievous, then the Jedi would have no other choice but to remove the Chancellor from office by force. Thinking pragmatically, Windu concluded that the Jedi Council would have to seize control of the Senate in order to secure a peaceful transition of power from the Office of Supreme Chancellor to the Jedi High Council. Master Yoda feared where this line of thought would lead the Jedi Order, but even Yoda himself was weary of the Chancellor's actions and goals and seemed to agree, albeit reluctantly, with the idea of arresting Palpatine and stripping him of his office.

When news of Kenobi's victory reached Coruscant, Windu felt ready to demand that Chancellor Palpatine relinquish his emergency powers at last. As Windu prepared for a meeting with the Senate Chair to bring him news of the elimination of General Grievous, a distraught Anakin Skywalker arrived and confirmed the Jedi Council's greatest fear: the elected leader of the Galactic Republic was in fact the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Master Windu ordered Anakin to wait in the Jedi Council Chamber for his return and boarded a gunship along with the Nautolan Jedi Master Kit Fisto, the Iktotchi Jedi Master Saesee Tiin, and the Zabrak Jedi Master Agen Kolar. They departed to confront the Chancellor.

The final battle
"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest, Chancellor."

- Mace Windu, declaring the arrest of Palpatine

The Jedi marched into Palpatine's office and Windu promptly announced that the Chancellor was under arrest. He reported the end of the Clone Wars and demanded the Chancellor step down and face a trial in the Senate. "I am the Senate," Palpatine snarled. Windu retorted with strong words&mdash;"Not yet." Now the elected ruler of the Galactic Republic revealed his true colors; "It's treason, then," the Chancellor said. He ignited his crimson lightsaber and, with a battle cry more animal than Human, flew through the air and stabbed Agen Kolar. Before he could react, Saesee Tiin was also struck down. Masters Windu and Fisto managed to defend against the initial assaults, but even Fisto's mastery of Shii-Cho was overwhelmed by the intensity of Palpatine's swordplay. Fisto was slashed across the waist and died with his signature smile, leaving Mace Windu to fight Palpatine alone. His mastery of Vaapad served him well in countering Palpatine's dark side mastery.

The two viciously battled through Palpatine's private office and lounging room into his main office. Driving Palpatine back with an offensive march, Windu steered the battle towards the office bay-window, which was promptly shattered by their whirling blades. By bringing the duel to the ledge of the window-sill above the sheer drop of the Coruscant cityscape, Windu prompted Palpatine to channel more energy into a Force-powered grip on the ledge, and less into the Force powered speed that he was using against Windu. Palpatine's slight drop in speed allowed Windu to defeat the Sith Lord with a well-placed kick to the face, which caused him to drop his saber into the streets below.

Mace had the upper hand but the fight was not over. A grueling battle ensued, and Anakin Skywalker appeared just as Windu cornered Palpatine and again stated that he was under arrest. With a flash of his unique insight Windu sensed Palpatine's shatterpoint: Anakin Skywalker. As the Jedi realized the depth of the Sith Lord's trust in Anakin, Palpatine unleashed his full power. The Sith used Force lightning against Windu, driving him back. Grunting with exertion, Windu redirected the lightning back with his lightsaber, melting away the Chancellor's features in a display of the "superconducting loop" of Vaapad. Horrified, Skywalker watched the Jedi Master seemingly cause agonizing pain to the apparently helpless Palpatine.

As they struggled, they each implored Anakin to help them, each trying to convince him of the other's treachery. Eventually Palpatine ceased his barrage, claiming he could no longer maintain his attack against Windu, exclaiming that he had become too weak. Anakin believed that if Palpatine died, any chance of saving Padmé from certain death would be lost. Anakin told Windu that the Sith Lord should stand trial and that killing him was not the Jedi way, but Windu determined that Palpatine was too dangerous to be kept alive because he had control of the Galactic Senate and the Courts. Perhaps he saw a shatterpoint in Palpatine, a hinge of fate that would alter history. Palpatine pleaded for Anakin's help, as Windu moved to strike the Dark Lord.

With Windu's attention focused entirely on Palpatine, he failed to foresee Anakin's intervention. Anakin ignited his own lightsaber and severed the Jedi Master's lightsaber hand, leaving him defenseless against the full power of Palpatine's Force lightning. Shocked, Windu realized he had been too focused on Palpatine, he had failed to sense Anakin's shatterpoint. As the Chancellor ranted, he once again unleashed his rage, sending raw dark side energy through Windu's body. Windu tried blocking the attack with one good hand, but it was too much for him and sent him hurtling out the window into the cityscape far below, where he would certainly have been killed upon hitting the surface miles below.

At fifty-three years of age and after decades of serving the Jedi Council, Master Mace Windu was dead. At a single stroke, Palpatine had removed one of the few Jedi who posed any threat to him and secured the allegiance of the promising Anakin Skywalker. With Windu's death, Anakin was transformed into Darth Vader and the Great Jedi Purge had begun.

Legacy
Windu was scapegoated by the New Order as the primary villain behind the alleged "Jedi Rebellion". Less than a week after his death, various media outlets began circulating The Private Journals of Mace Windu, an alleged first-person account of Windu's many years of scheming to conquer the Republic. In truth the journals were fabrications and Imperial propaganda, in which various portions of Windu's actual journal from the Clone Wars had been included to give them credibility.

In 18 BBY, a Duros sold a broken lightsaber to Senator Sano Sauro claiming it once belonged to Mace Windu. The Duros said he had found it on a street in the lower levels of Coruscant. Sano would later display the lightsaber in his office.

Years after the fall of Palpatine's Galactic Empire and the creation of Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order, Windu was remembered as a hero of the Clone Wars. Several Jedi, most notably Jaina Solo, were known to refer to him as 'a great Jedi Master' and revered his abilities, most notably that of the shatterpoint.

Powers and abilities
"Vaapad is as aggressive and powerful as its namesake, but its power comes at great risk: immersion in Vaapad opens the gates that restrain one's inner darkness. To use Vaapad, a Jedi must allow himself to enjoy the fight; he must give himself over to the thrill of battle. The rush of winning. Vaapad is a path that leads through the penumbra of the dark side...This was Vaapad's ultimate test."

- Mace Windu on Vaapad

Lightsaber duelist: Mace Windu was a formidable warrior and generally considered one of the greatest swordsmen ever produced by the Jedi Order. He began his development of the deadly form of combat known as Vaapad, the seventh form of combat which completed the (to the Jedi) incomplete Juyo form. Vaapad was named after a predator native to the moons of Sarapin.

Mace Windu was the only Jedi to fully master Vaapad. The other two practitioners of the style, Sora Bulq and Depa Billaba, were unable to master it&mdash;instead, it mastered them, driving them insane and leading them to the dark side. Even without his unique fighting style, it is said that only his one-time friend, Dooku, and the venerable Grand Master Yoda could outspar him. When he did use Vaapad, he was virtually unbeatable, as displayed when he defeated Darth Sidious, when even Grand Master Yoda could not. When he went to Haruun Kal in search for his former Padawan, Depa Billaba, he used both his and her lightsabers in a masterful two-bladed variant of Vaapad. During his duel with Palpatine, he and the Sith Lord used a Shien opening stance in the middle of the battle, but it is unknown whether or not Mace Windu employed Form V. A factor that played into Windu's fighting style was his admission that his greatest character flaw was his enjoyment of fighting, and given the nature of the dark side, this was a very dangerous trait for a Jedi to possess. Windu, like Plo Koon, was known to practice powers close to the dark side, even using Force Crush and Force Grip at times. In fact, Windu intentionally created Vaapad to help channel his inner darkness into something more positive.

Force Affinity: Windu went toe-to-toe with Kar Vastor on Haruun Kal, and demonstrated blinding Force enhanced speed by landing six blows to the man's body before he could blink. On Dantooine, having lost his lightsaber, Windu took to tearing super battle droids apart with his bare hands, showing incredible Force strength and resilience as he crushed armor and tore out circuitry with his fingers.

His mastery of the Force was extensive, augmented by his considerable power. Windu was able to perform incredible feats, such as "riding" a landslide of rock and earth weighing hundreds of tons. Windu was known to be able to ponder matters of the dark and light sides of the Force with a clarity perhaps second only to Master Yoda.

Dark Side Resistance:

The Jedi Master also possessed an impressive resistance to the lures of the dark side, channeling his inner darkness into his attacks to help him serve the light. This allowed him to utilize some of the darkest powers known to either Jedi or Sith without succumbing to his aggression, such as the terrible Force Crush. His mastery of the form he created, Vaapad, also proved his devotion to the light side, as the only two other advanced users, Depa Billaba and Sora Bulq, fell to the dark side.

Telekinesis:

Windu was known to use the Force to enhance the capabilities of his body, and as such, was able to leap to great heights and across enormous distances. He demonstrated proficiency in the application of the Force Wave power, and used it to an incredible degree during the battles of Dantooine and Coruscant; hurling an overwhelming number of droids away from him with Force energy alone. The Jedi Master also demonstrated an affinity for using darker telekinetic powers, such as Force Grip and Force Crush, the later of which he used to severely injure the fearsome General Grievous.

The Korun Jedi Master's skill with telekinesis was so extensive that during the Battle of Ryloth he was capable of Force pushing a huge AT-TE walker off of a cliff with apparent ease. He also demonstrated the ability to simultaneously levitate two clone troopers with the Force and move them swiftly across the length of a bridge. In addition, Windu proved able to release a torrent of Force energy capable of blasting several droids backwards and powerful enough to destroy them on impact with the ground.

Shatterpoints: Aiding him was also his shatterpoint ability, a power that he always had a natural affinity for. It allowed him to see weak points in opponents, events, and everyday life. This power also allowed a Jedi to shatter otherwise unbreakable objects by channeling the Force into the places of the object that bound it together.

Despite the darker aspects of his nature and his incredible fighting prowess, Mace Windu was also extremely well-known for his diplomacy, with his use of words and legendary reputation settling many conflicts without incident. This, coupled with his courage, integrity, and skill, garnered him the position as a highly-respected Senior Jedi High Council member.

Personality and traits
"I'm going to end this once and for all!"

- Mace Windu

Mace Windu possessed a unique personality for a Jedi.

Due to his talent as a duelist of Force-user, Windu was very prideful and secure in his own strength. However, he kept his arrogance in check, and humbled himself towards individuals he felt superior, such as Yoda. He was very brave, risking life and limb on numerous occasions for the Republic. Windu was especially well known for a sharp tongue and an occasional sarcastic interface.

Despite his bravery, it should be noted that Windu demonstrated extreme caution and reluctance at times, and chose his friends carefully. He was slow to trust and often came off as remote and intense.

Ultimately, Mace Windu's true motivation for all he did was a divergence from Jedi philosophy. His personal belief system was an extremist viewpoint of peace at all costs. In his mind, peace was created by civilization, and he viewed the Republic as the ultimate civilization, developing an attachment towards the institution. He was ultimately willing to do anything to preserve the Republic, even if it meant violating Jedi philosophy. This proved to be his ultimate downfall, when he resolved to execute the seemingly helpless Chancellor Palpatine, an unarmed opponent, spurring Anakin Skywalker into action.

Character concept
The name "Mace Windu" (or Mace Windy) actually dates back to the earliest incarnation of Star Wars, a 13-page treatment written by George Lucas in 1973 called Journal of the Whills, Part I. The character Windy Marstrap is also derived from early incarnations of Mace Windu, becoming variously a brother of Leia in the rough draft and a friend of Luke's in the third draft. A similar name&mdash;Mace Towani&mdash;appeared in the made-for-television Ewok films Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). An alien in Spare Parts (c. 1994) and Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley (1993) also went by the name of Mace Windu, an abbreviation of his full name Macemillian-winduarté. The name Mace Windu was finally introduced into the films with The Phantom Menace (1999). Although a HoloNet article mentioning Mace Windu's participation in the Battle of Skor II explains Macemillian-winduarté's name, the coexistence of the names "Mace Towani" and "Mace Windu" may imply that "Mace" was a common name throughout the galaxy, or that Towani was simply named after Windu due to Windu's fame (given the fact that the Ewok films take place during the Galactic Civil War).

Early Star Wars Comics (usually ones released around the time Star Wars: Episode I) depict Mace Windu with a blue blade rather than his traditional purple blade.

Portrayal
"Who fights with a purple lightsaber anyway?"

- General Grievous, non-canon quote from the Revenge of the Sith game

Mace Windu was portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in all three films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Voice actor Terrence Carson played Mace Windu in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars video game, the Clone Wars animated series and in the Revenge of the Sith video game. Carson also returned to vocally portray Mace Windu in the 2008 TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Mace Windu was played by voice-actor Kevin Michael Richardson in several video games: Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, Star Wars: Obi-Wan, and Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter. Samuel L. Jackson reprised his role as Mace Windu in the 2008 animated feature Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Samuel L. Jackson is bald in real life, though when starring in films he favors odd wigs. He did not assume a wig while acting in the films, adding even more to the originality of his character. Windu is the only shaved Human Jedi, the only Jedi in the films to carry a violet lightsaber and possesses a darkly creative signature fighting style known as Vaapad. These facts have made Mace Windu one of the most popular and famous characters from the Star Wars prequels.

George Lucas permitted Windu's signature amethyst-bladed lightsaber at the request of Jackson, making Windu the only character in any Star Wars film to have a lightsaber that is not red, green, or blue. In addition, the prop department replaced the activation plate stud with a plate reading "BMF" in reference to Jackson's character in Pulp Fiction, Jules, who has the phrase "Bad Mother Fucker" on his wallet.

Before Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith began production, George Lucas was approached by Samuel L. Jackson who, knowing that Mace Windu was to die in the film, insisted that his character not die "like some punk". While promoting the movie on Conan O'Brien, he revealed his request to Conan, who joked that perhaps Windu would meet his demise by slipping on some soap in the shower.

Since Jackson is notorious for playing loud foul-mouthed characters, the riffers in the RiffTrax commentaries held back from making jokes of that nature until the commentary track for Episode III, where they punctuated most of his dialogue with censor-bleeps.

Continuity
In Children of the Force, Mace Windu is seen in a flashback being taken from his parents by another Jedi. While not a canonical event (Shatterpoint claims he was already an orphan when the Jedi took him to Coruscant and the culture of Haruun Kal would seem to preclude the type of dwelling seen in the image), it does show Mace Windu's parents and himself as a baby and non-contradicting elements, such as the identity of the Jedi taking Windu, may be reintegrated into canon.

Star Wars Galaxies
On Star Wars Galaxies, Jedi who reach the rank of General are rewarded with a violet crystal called "Windu's Guile".

Non-canon appearances
In the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game, the duel between Palpatine and Mace Windu is replaced by one between the latter and Anakin Skywalker.

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Tag & Bink: Revenge of the Clone Menace
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2
 * LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * Tag & Bink Are Dead
 * Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * Tag & Bink Are Dead
 * Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back