Summary
One of theStar Warsfranchise’s most interesting characters has fans debating their exit from the galaxy far, far away more than a decade later, but another prequel-era star has revealed that his death was originally planned to be much more decisive and meaningful.
Star Warshas grown to be arguably the most important science fiction property ever, with the multimedia franchise putting out content that spans thousands of years and a galaxy brimming with interesting new adventures. While the franchise’s next planned trilogy recentlygot some good news fromStar Wars’leading lady, Daisy Ridley, fans are still heavily invested in characters from previous eras of the narrative. More recently, there’s been a resurgence in appreciation for the prequels and along with it a rekindling of old disagreements and fan theories concerning some of the more prominent figures from that period. Top of the list for speculation is the venerable Mace Windu, played by Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel films and the target of one of the most prevalent fan theories in the franchise: that he survived his seemingly fatal duel with Chancellor Palpatine at the end of the prequel trilogy.
While no one has been able tosettle the disputes in the Star Wars fandom regarding Windu’s duel with Palpatine, another star from the prequels recently explained how this event was initially planned to go very differently. As per a report byPopverse,Star Warsprequel actor Daniel Logan, who played the young Boba Fett inStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones,was on hand to talk to fans at the recent GalaxyCon Richmond event and revealed the original plan for doing away with the Jedi Order’s most powerful fighter. “He should’ve been taken care of, and it should’ve been by me,” Logan insisted, “because the Emperor I don’t think really did that good of a job [imitates Palpatine’s lightning noises]. Darth Maul has come back to life so many times and he was chopped in half like four times,” Logan explained, further revealing that his character was also intended to return, and would have been the one to avenge his fallen father. “George Lucas held me for Revenge of the Sith, and we had ‘Revenge of,’ but they hadn’t finished the title. I believe it was probably going to be Revenge of the Fett, because the storyline, which you can go and see online, there was a storyboard that was already created that Boba Fett was meant to have another arena scene with Mace Windu.”
Mace was going to come at Boba like he did with Jango, but because Boba had already experienced beforehand what had happened, I hit the jetpacks, I fly upside down, or on my back. As I’m flying on my back with the jetpacks along the ground, I pull out Jango’s blasters and I shoot him right between the stomach, and that’s how Mace Windu was meant to die. I was sitting there at Lucasfilm like [makes excited noises]. And they’re like, ‘Okay, we’re holding you for a year.’ And I was like, ‘Okay.’ I kept calling, ‘Is it my turn yet? Is it my turn?’
This direction would have been a real game changer, as it would have been much more conclusive than Windu’s actual on-screen demise at the hands of Palpatine and would have even addressedwhat Boba Fett was up to after Jango died inAttack of the Clones. While some fans had an idea about these plans from the aforementioned storyboards displayed in some companion media, Logan added to that by revealing why the plans were switched in the first place. “Samuel Jackson went into George Lucas’s office and he says, ‘You know, I don’t think that this young kid should have the power to be able to kill someone who sits on the Jedi Council. And plus, I don’t want to be killed by no punk kid.’ I happen to be that punk kid.” While Logan, who was just 15 whenAttack of the Cloneshit theaters and would have still been a minor inRevenge of the Sith,doesn’t hold a grudge concerning Jackson’s decision to veto his big moment, he did offer some humorous suggestions as to how the Hollywood great could make it up to him. “If you’re going to ruin my career on that part, you could’ve at least given me an opportunity in the Marvel series. Like, ‘Hey kid, sorry you didn’t kill me in that, but you could be my friend and, you know, Iron Man, or something.’”
Fans will have to come to terms with the fact thatMace Windu really can’t return toStar Warsat this point, as his return would leave too many holes in the franchise’s already wanting overarching narrative. It’s fun to think that one of the franchise’s biggest unresolved questions wouldn’t even be a conversation if Jackson hadn’t objected so strongly to being taken down by a kid. However, most fans will probably agree that being shot out of a high rise on Coruscant with Sith Lightning after a major betrayal is a bit more fitting an end for someone of Windu’s station.
