Mace Windu: Intriguing Character or Unfulfilled Potential?

As a big fan of the prequels (they make me more excited than the OT), I must admit that I don't really know what to think about the character of Mace Windu.

This has nothing to do with Jackson's performances in TPM and AOTC. Whenever he is onscreen in these movies he is a commanding presence.

But I'm just not really sure why Mace Windu in these movies. Is his function merely to be someone with whom Yoda can converse when the protagonists are off advancing plot? Is he there just because Samuel Jackson wanted to be in the movies? Or does Mace Windu have some greater significance yet to be revealed in ep. 3?

Watching AOTC last night I was intrigued by Mace's attitude toward the creation of an army at the beginning of the movie. During the conversation in Palpatine's office, he asserts that the Jedi are NOT soldiers. Is this to say that if Palpatine's negotiations with the seperatists fail, then Mace would be in favor of creating an army? Then as the loyalist committee enters Palpatine's office, the camera lingers on Mace, whose facial expressions make it clear that he is deeply concerned about the violence which is sure to erupt when the seperatists break away from the Republic. Then it is Windu who reassures Senator Amidala that Dooku could not possibly be behind the assassination attempt, since he was once a Jedi.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily in the "Mace-Windu-is-a-traitor" camp, but when I think about Mace Windu's importance to the saga as a whole I am mystified, and his ambiguous portrayal throughout AOTC leads me to think that there is something important going on with this character that will be revealed in ep. 3.

Thoughts?

 

I am in the "Mace Windu is a traitor" camp simply because I can see no other reason for his character to be in the PT.

Simply, he's given way more screen time than, say, Plo Koon or Ki-Adi Mundi, but not enough to give him any real character. We know he's going to die in III. I just don't see his death having an emotional impact based on what we've seen of him so far, but a betrayal is a way to instantly infuse him with alot of character/emotional weight without having to invest alot of screen time.

If that holds to be true, I think Mace would be an especially cool character used to his full potential. I won't go so far as to say that if Mace isn't a traitor he's a wasted character, but if the only thing that happens to him in III is a death, I would say that is a waste.

 

I think Mace is supposed to be the Han Solo of the PT. He's the no nonsense leader of the Jedi. I also think that seeing him in action in AOTC is important because we'll probably get to gauge the potential of Anakin when he turns on the Jedi and possible kills Mace(if he does, we'll have to wait and see.)

 

He seems to be a decent action hero. He survives many battles. But, we don't really know him as a person. Where did he come from? Why is he such a good pal with Yoda? Why was chosen to be a Jedi Council member?

Anyway, he's an interesting Jedi.

 

I have a strange theory about it:

Somehow we could divide the Jedi Academy in two "teams": The "brains" and the "fighters". In the first one, we have Yoda, Jocasta Nu, Ki-Adi-Mundi; in the second one, Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kit Fisto...

Well, notice that this division can clearly be related to characters' ages - the "old men" are more into wisdom, and the youngest ones go fighting more often.

In the PT - or at least in PM and AOTC -, Mace Windu represents a "bridge", an intersection of these two "teams". He is Yoda's main man to deliberate and also an excellent example of fighter. He's not exactly the "PT's Han Solo", but wisdom+strenght equally balanced in an almost-middle-aged man. And, finally, Yoda had to have someone with a strong personality to be his "right arm".

A good metaphoric image could be the following: Battle of Geonosis beginning with the command of two leaders - Yoda coming from the skies in a ship, setting the strategy; and Windu, by feet, stating that "party was over".

Ok, ok, just my two cents.

 

That's good, Landlocked!

 

Bravo.

I think it demonstrates the very different ideas that we as fans have aobut the Jedi. Older fans of the OT believed that the Jedi were more of a religious sect, like Yoda, Mundi and Nu. The PT shows them as the 'musketeers' of the Republic.
(Which may be a reason why older fans may not like the PT) Mace is cool because he does actually act as a bridge between the thinkers and men of action of the Jedi council. Good job Landlocked!

 

I think Windu is only getting the screen time he is simply because SLJ plays him. In TPM, Mace had very little screen time, but with the fans acceptance of the character, George decided to put more in Mace. And he'll probably have more time in E3. If SLJ wasn't playing the character, I don't think Mace would be as important as he is. And I definately don't think Mace is a traitor.

 

Thanks, Valin and Classix!

Just to add some words, I don't believe Mace Windu is a traitor - and I think that, in a way we still don't know yet, his death will have strong consequences in the plot...

best regards, guys!

 

Mace Windu is really a secondary character behind Obi-Wan, Padme, and Anakin. Sam Jackson plays him of course and he brings the character to life. But Mace Windu was always meant to be a high status Jedi with no real story to go along with the character. And there's no story with him at all like there was one with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Luke, Padme, and Master Yoda.

 

Intriguing Character or Unfulfilled Potential

or overrated background Jedi of little importance to the story.

 

overrated background Jedi of little importance to the story.

Agreed.

"This party's over" - I really don't like that line. Not nearly as bad as the Anakin/Padme dialogue throughout AOTC, but it just doesn't fit for me.

My $.02

 

I'm not sure we should be looking for much out of Windu. As ohers have said, he is an example of a "typical" Jedi who we get to see a lot, but is not directly involved in the plot (this allows us to gauge how "normal" the responses of involved Jedi are by comparison). His role as a bridge between the "thinking" and "fighting" Jedi further strengethens this role, as he is, in effect, the ultimate "Every-man Jedi" if you take my meaning.

I do think that his death, like other parts of his role throughout the movies, will be important to the progression of the story (in a sense). But plot-wise, I would say he shoulnd't be looked at as an important character. That is, his in-universe role makes his decisions have important, if indirect/unseen impact on the course of the story.

So pretty much, I think he's just where he ought to be.

 

Landlocked - never considered the "bridge" aspects of Mace - well done.

I agree that Windu's screen time was definitely increased in AOTC.

But in terms of character, I'm in the camp that believes that Mace Windu is supposed to represent a microcosm of the Jedi Order at the time of the PT.

He is compassionate, yet arrogant. Wise, yet strangely ignorant. Confident, yet uncertain.

His death in Episode III will visually/symbolically represent the fall of the Jedi Order.

 

Mace Windu...he's a bad muthahfu...(watch your mouth!) Hey man, I'm jus' talkin' 'bout Mace Windu.

 

I don't know why everbody keeps calling him Mace. I didn't hear them call him that in any of the prequels.

Mr. Windu isn't a background character like the cone head looking Jedi or the extremely ugly one with the dirty fingernails that everyone makes into GODS. he "suppose" to be one of the highest Jedi around.IMO, other than showing that there is a hierachy in the Jedi Order than Yoda, he's useless. I think Luca$ just needed a important Jedi other than Yoda, OB1, and Anakin so Windu was created.He done nothing spectacular to even warrant any interest in him.I hear everyone make a big deal about his death scene but to me if he get's a Porkin's death I could care less.

Now if in Epi3 he does something memorable I will sing a different tune but right now he's 0 for 2.

 

I think he will have some part to play with the clone/empire thing in episode III

 

I loved Mace?s line at the Geonosis arena that tipped the scale for me as a worthwhile character (which I?ll get to in a moment) also being the leader of the Jedi Council and an example of confidence that the Jedi had aplenty.

It was also back in TPM it showed who was the boss as it was his decision to entertain Qui Gon?s insistance of Anakin being examined ?bring him before us then?.

However that being said, it was Mace who suggested that the Senate should be informed about the Jedi?s weakness, as things were getting out of hand with the ordering of Clones.

He eventually set straight the Jedi?s status with the valiant and no nonsense line that put things in perspective of where the Jedi stand as protectors of the Republic - We will not be hostages to be bartered with Dooku .

This ?laying everything on the line? for the sake of the Republic cannot be overlooked.