Mace Windu is a massively important, fan-favorite character in Star Wars, but Mace actor Samuel L. Jackson evidently had no idea he was going to play a Jedi in Star Wars movies and TV shows. While Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin may often be regarded as Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi, Mace Windu shouldn’t be overlooked.
Since his debut in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Mace has proven to have great power, wisdom, and influence. In fact, both the prequel trilogy and Star Wars: The Clone Wars reinforced just how significant Mace really was. Yet, Samuel L. Jackson revealed that he initially had no idea he was playing a Jedi at all.
How Samuel Jackson Learned He Was A Jedi
Mace Windu Wielding Purple Lightsaber in Star Wars
Jackson’s love for Star Wars is no secret, and that was true even before he landed a role in the franchise. In fact, per SlashFilm, Jackson was willing to play any Star Wars character—even a stormtrooper—if George Lucas was ready to give him a chance.
More surprising, though, is the fact that the true nature of his role was a secret even to Jackson, until he was on set. In the same article, Jackson is quoted as explaining:
“Once they started fitting Jedi robes on me, I was like, ‘Hey, who is this guy? This is gonna be cool.’ So, there was no way I was not going to do it.”
Knowing how much secrecy often surrounds Star Wars movies, this isn’t a major shock, but it is funny to imagine Samuel L. Jackson having no idea just how important and iconic his character was about to be. However, the full extent of Mace Windu’s power wasn’t yet clear, even in that movie.
Jackson Didn’t Get To Use His Lightsaber Until Attack Of The Clones
Mace Windu holds his purple lightsaber to Jango Fett’s throat on Geonosis in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Although Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber is absolutely iconic now, and remains one of the rarest lightsaber colors in Star Wars, we didn’t actually see Mace Windu with his lightsaber until Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. In The Phantom Menace, Mace was on the Council, and he had several key scenes.
Yet, we didn’t see this brilliant Jedi duelist in action until the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones. Arguably, that also wasn’t even his best lightsaber work, as the confrontation between Mace and Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (in which Mace sadly dies, in the end) remains one of his best character moments.
It’s difficult to imagine Mace Windu being anything other than a Jedi in Star Wars, because he has such power and presence and because we’ve now seen what he can do, yet this was evidently news to Samuel L. Jackson once he’d already signed up for the job.
