In some of the earliest iterations ofStar Wars, Mace Windu was the hero, not Luke Skywalker or Anakin. The story that would eventually becomeA New Hopewent through numerous drafts and rewrites before becoming the pop culture phenomenon viewers are familiar with today, yet many large and small details from these early story concepts would find their way into the canonicalStar Warsfranchise. Case in point: Mace Windu, a keycharacter in theStar Warsprequel trilogywho owes his name and several basic character details to George Lucas’s early story concepts.
In the context of the live-actionStar Warsmovies, Mace Windu is a Jedi Master who also holds the title of Master of the Order, meaning that he presides over the Jedi Council. Mace Windu was also one of the most powerful and influential members of the Jedi Order during the prequel era and was thus one of the first Jedi to die when Palpatine (secretly Darth Sidious) executed his totalitarian coup. Although Mace Windu plays a major role in the films and stars in numerous non-movie materials, he is not the main hero of the original six saga films.
George Lucas' “Journal Of The Whills” Starred Jedi Bendu Master Mace Windy
During the early development of what would becomeStar Wars, George Lucas wrote a two-page story concept calledJournal of the Whills, Part Iin 1973.The story’s main character is known as Mace Windy, and he is a Jedi-Benduwho serves the Chairman of the Alliance of Independent Systems. With some perceiving Windy as being more powerful than the Emperor, Windy is booted from the Jedi-Bendu through a conspiracy, though he continues to mentor C.J. Thorpe, his apprentice.
Even as a two-page story concept,Journal of the Whillshad a huge influence on the eventual canonicalStar Warssaga. Of course, Mace Windy’s name would be slightly altered for the prequel-era Jedi Master Mace Windu, but the similarities do not end there.Both Maces are Jedi and both suffer from conspiracies to remove them from power, though the canonical Mace Windu is far more ill-fated.
Star Wars: Everything We Know About Mace Windu’s Life Before The Phantom Menace
Before the events of The Phantom Menace, Star Wars canon and Legends stories explored the history of the legendary Jedi Master Mace Windu.
Journal of the Whillsnot only provided inspiration for Mace Windubut also key elements of theStar Warsprequel trilogy itself. The story concept prominently features political intrigue and corruption within the Jedi as an institution and the government they serve. The name Alliance of Independent Systems also, notably, combines the respective names of both theRebel Allianceand the Confederacy of Independent Systems, two major factions in the original sixStar Warssaga films.
The first canonicalStar Warscharacter to be named Mace is not Mace Windu, but Mace Towani, a major character in the Legends continuity’sEwoksmovies.
July 12, 2025
Mace Windu
One of the most prominent Jedi during the prequel era, Mace Windu served as a crucial member of the Jedi Council, considered second only to Yoda himself. Windu was a remarkable figure among the Jedi, having turned his own temptation toward the dark side to his advantage, even creating a new lightsaber form known as Vaapad. Mace ultimately failed in his mission to protect the Jedi, apparently killed by Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker at the end of the Clone Wars.
