Across the various Star Wars movies, few scenes more heartbreaking than Mace Windu’s death at the hands of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription. The sight of Samuel L. Jackson's Windu flying through a window isn’t easy to forget. Interestingly, it turns out that Mace’s demise was meant to be quite different. In fact, it would’ve involved the powerful Jedi being executed by another antagonist entirely. Quite frankly, I’m glad everything panned out accordingly.
How Was Mace Windu Originally Supposed To Die?
The comments on the original idea for Windu’s demise come from Daniel Logan, who portrayed young Boba Fett in 2002’s Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Logan recently appeared at GalaxyCon Richmond, where he shared BTS stories with fans. It was during the event that the actor expressed his belief that Boba should’ve been the one to kill Mace, given the Jedi killed his father, Jango. From there, Logan revealed that George Lucas actually intended for that to be the case when he began crafting Episode III years ago:
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.
After reading these comments, which come via Popverse, you’re probably wondering just how the diminutive Fett would be able to get the jump on a skilled warrior like Mace. Well, Daniel Logan further alleged that the battle was plotted out in a way that would make sense. And, of course, it has to do with what went down between Jango and Windu (who should’ve appeared in the Prequel Trilogy more) during the events of Attack of the Clones:
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?’
Of course, the New Zealand-born actor – who was nominated for a Young Artist Award for his performance as Boba – didn’t get to play out the scene as planned. And Samuel L. Jackson apparently had something to do with that.
How Samuel L. Jackson Impacted Mace Windu’s Death, And Why I’m Glad About What What Played Out On Screen
Daniel Logan went on to claim that the Pulp Fiction actor took issue with the notion of his character being killed by a child. And, based on Logan’s recollection, the Oscar nominee made his thoughts quite clear to Mr. Lucas:
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.
As blunt as that last part might seem and as much as I appreciate what Daniel Logan brought to Boba Fett, it was certainly the right call to have Mace die by Palpatine’s hand. Windu is an incredibly imposing character and deserved to die at the hands of someone quite powerful like the eventual Emperor of the galaxy far, far away. It’s a tragic scene, for sure, but it feels right for Windu to lose his life while trying to apprehend the sneaky Sith Lord. Quite frankly, the notion of him killed by Boba Fett in the Prequel Trilogy’s defining chapter just feels underwhelming.
Nearly 20 years since Revenge of the Sith hit theaters, Samuel L. Jackson continues to contend that Mace Windu survived the fall and has shared wild Mace-related theories as to how that could be. Around November 2024, it was also rumored that Mace would indeed return in some capacity, and that’s a prospect that gives me mixed feelings. Regardless, Jackson is game for a reprisal and enthusiastically responded to the prospect of leading his own Disney+ show.
As for Daniel Logan’s Boba Fett, the character did return on the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and, during an arc in Season 2, young Fett did indeed try to kill Windu. Logan reprised his role and did so again when the young Fett returned in Season 4. I'm sorry Logan's hopes for Boba didn't pan out, but I stand by my position on Mace’s demise. If there’s any consolation though, Logan’s version of the bounty hunter did manage to leave a mark on the overall franchise, of which the movies are streamable with a Disney+ subscription.
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