Bryce Dallas Howard, who has directed episodes of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, has responded to Samuel L. Jackson’s comments about the return of Mace Windu to the Star Wars universe. The fan-favorite Jedi Master met an untimely and painful end at the hands of Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith, fueling Anakin’s transition from Jedi to Sith Lord. Before his demise, the character had appeared in all three of the prequel films, with his story being expanded on in the animated Star Wars: Clone Wars series.
While the character has long been assumed to be dead, Jackson has revealed that he asked Howard about the potential for the return of the Jedi Master. Acknowledging that Mace Windu fits into the Star Wars tradition of characters having limbs chopped off, Jackson stated that he would be more than happy to “learn to lightsaber left-handed.” The actor also shared his belief that the character is alive “somewhere,” though Star Wars canon says otherwise, for the time being.
Now, Howard has reacted to Jackson’s comments about returning as Mace Windu. The director took to social media to post her response, and it’s sure to raise Star Wars fans’ eyebrows. Dallas Howard’s response didn’t come in the form of words and instead was crafted out of a string of "eyes" emojis. Check out her post below:
Click here to view the original tweet.
The director’s response is as vague as possible, while still being maximally provocative. It isn’t a direct confirmation or outright denial that the character could make a return, which many will take as a sign that the move could be possible. However, looking at the slate of upcoming Star Wars releases, it’s hard to see how Mace Windu could fit in to make a comeback. If he were alive, the character could theoretically have some role to play in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series as it isn’t confined to the setting of Tatooine — and the Star Wars production team is good at keeping secrets, as the recent live-action presence of Luke Skywalker has made abundantly clear.
Star Wars has been making it clear for decades that the on-screen death of characters isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. Darth Maul, Boba Fett, and even Emperor Palpatine have all returned from the dead in one way or another, so there is precedent for Mace Windu’s return. The move proved controversial, however, as some fans have increasingly taken issue with a focus on old characters. A section of the Star Wars fanbase has become frustrated with the franchises’ reticence to explore the stories of new characters, and move past old ones, in favor of relying on call-backs, cameos, and resurrections. No matter what the reaction would be, the imminent return of Mace Windu is unlikely. However, with Star Wars, anything is possible.
Source: Bryce Dallas Howard
