Disney may have leaked a huge spoiler from the Mandalorian Season 2 finale
“You can't kill me!”
Don't call him Mr. Glass. Samuel L. Jackson may have played a famously fragile character in M. Night Shyamalan's superhero trilogy, but his Star Wars character might be more unbreakable than you think. Jackson has long argued that Jedi master Mace Windu survived his fight with Emperor Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith, and with an unnamed Jedi expected to appear in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, speculation is mounting that the show could finally confirm Jackson's theory.
For now, it's just a theory, but as one Star Wars fan points out, Lucasfilm may have inadvertently confirmed Mace Windu's return during Disney's investor day presentation on December 10.
Why Star Wars fans think Mace Windu is alive
The last time we saw Mace Windu was in 'The Clone Wars' Season 7.
Ever since Mace Windu fell out that window, fans have been wondering if he was really dead, but those theorists got a big boost in 2016 when Jackson himself said the character was alive. "Jedi can fall from amazing distances," he said in a Twitter video. "And there’s a long history of one-handed Jedi. So why not?”
The actor went on to reveal that he had a conversation with Star Wars creator George Lucas, where Jackson presented his theory and Lucas agreed. For a lot of fans, that's basically confirmation.
Did Disney confirm this Star Wars theory?
However, the biggest clue might have arrived on December 10 during Disney Investor Day, a live-streamed shareholders meeting that was packed full of news for Star Wars fans (along with Marvel and a whole lot more). During a presentation from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Mace Windu wasn't mentioned by name, but there was one subtle clue that Disney isn't done with him yet.
In a lengthy post on the Star Wars Speculation subreddit, u/Kiss_My_Wookiee lays out the evidence that Mace Windu will show up in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale. The killing blow? This screenshot from Disney Investor Day:
As u/Kiss_My_Wookiee points out, everyone in this image has been (or will be) featured in the Disney-owned era of Star Wars with one notable exception: Mace Windu. (To be fair, Windu did show up briefly in the Clone Wars Season 7 earlier this year, but that was the animated version, not the live-action Samuel L. Jackson pictured here.
As the theory also points out, when it comes to which Jedi will show up in The Mandalorian, Windu makes the most sense from Disney's perspective. He's a huge deal that would drive even more interest in the show and Disney+ (especially if they give him a spinoff or a role on Ahsoka). Other options for Baby Yoda's savior like Cal Kestis (from the video game Jedi: Fallen Order) or Ezra Bridge (from the animated series Rebels) might excited hard-core fans, but the broader audience won't care.
As for Luke Skywalker, u/Kiss_My_Wookiee points out that rumors of Sebastian Stan taking on the role only just surfaced recently, which means it's likely way too late to get the character into Season 2. (Luke cameo in Mando Season 3?)
Mace Windu also solves a big Baby Yoda mystery
Will Baby Yoda remember Mace Windu?
Finally, as I've argued before, Mace Windu's return could also answer another question: who saved Grogu from Order 66? We know Baby Yoda was at the Jedi temple during the prequels-era, but we have no idea how he escaped when all the other younglings were killed.
If Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine, it makes sense that his first move would be to rescue the Jedi's best hope for the future (aka, Baby Yoda) and hide him away. And if that's true, Windu showing up in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale could be the biggest Star Wars reunion since Obi-Wan Kenobi fought Darth Vader in A New Hope.
The Mandalorian is streaming now on Disney+.
