Anakin severs Mace's lightsaber arm upholding the Jedi code and his duties of Chancellor's Bodyguard and Defender of the Republic.
Anakin severed Mace's arm in defense of his selfish desire to save Padme.
Right or wrong, Anakin was not acting out of a belief in the Jedi Order when he was 'defending' the Chancellor. Should he have defended the Chancellor? Yes, in my opinon, but he wasn't doing it for God and Country as much as he was for me and mine.

What K-f said. I just can't figure out why Mace's lightsaber was purple and noone else has one that is purple...

What would have happened if anakin had let mace kill palpatine????? would peace be restored and all the jedi existed??? but then again wheres the fun in that????

would peace be restored and all the jedi existed???
A battle still would have ensued...JEDI VS. JEDI with the Republic suffering the consequences.

Kenobi..
Mace instructs Anakin to stay behind.. Your situation is too dangerous..
My thought was Anakin (even though wrong) justifies his actions by stating to Mace (diplomacy) the Jedi Code to Mace while Mace is justifying his case to kill the Sith..and deliver swift Jedi Justice..
In the novelization. Mace reminds Anakin of Dooku's fate.
Anakin is a defensive stance in the duel. But Anakin just being there... solidifies his position with Palps, Republic, and Sith.

i think that what ever mace was going to do was the right thing for the jedi and the republic. and he knew that if anakin was there alot of bad things would happen and alot did, so i think what anakin did was not the jedi way and mace was right.
and with no doubt what anakin did wasn't because it was the jedi way it was only because he thought that the Chancellor was going to save padme.
and i have no idea about the purple lightsaber thing but it is a good point.

It seems Mace is driven to the darkside by his vendetta to rid the Sith from the Galaxy..

Is it really the 'Dark Side'? Or would it be more classified as the Living Force? I'm not yet into the SW books, I'm basing this off of the ROTS movie. I think Mace was right in what he was trying to do: kill the Sith Lord. Yeah, even without facing a trial; even if it wasn't 'the Jedi way.' Since Palpatine was in control over the Senate, so to speak, he was too dangerous to be kept alive. Anakin was not right in cutting off Mace's arms.. without a doubt. Like Kenobi-fan suggested, it was for his own selfish desire.

Like many people already said anakin defended palp. because he believed palp coucd save padme. Anakin was nervous that padme would die and he would do anything even kill (or atleast slice off maces arm..... *sob sob* favorite character). And one more thing i dont really think anakin wanted to kill mace., only block his attack.

Darth RexO,
Mace's lightsaber is purple because Samuel L. Jackson wanted a purple blade for two reasons....
1. he wanted to stand out during the battle of Genosis scenes in AOTC
2. purple is his favorite color
no one else has this color because Lucas has stated once that the Jedi use blue & green blades and the Sith use red (I think I read somewhere that he didn't really care for the wider variety of blade colors used in the EU)
in regards to the Anakin chopping Mace's arm scene, I do recall Anakin hesetating to act until Palps says something about saving Padme, while lying "helplessly", before Mace raises his arm to strike him down, so I agree with the others that he wasn't acting according to the Jedi code

In KOTOR terms, Mace would definitely be a Gaurdian, not a Consular. He's really not the wisest, but he is very powerful. Did you see the Clone Wars cartoon?

Mace screws up a few times. He doesn't handle Anakin well. When facing Sidious, he does get angry, and you can see it in his face during a saber lock in the fight.

And then he unilaterally decides that Sidious must die, which is, as Anakin points out (although not for altruistic reasons) not the Jedi way.
Really, he's right, but given the circumstances, if he had known more about the Anakin/Sidious connection, it would have been better to resolve the matter peacefully rather than forcing Anakin to violent action.

Mace is awfully confident in his abilities and his faith to the Light Side, and doesn't see his own slip, and the error of his actions in front of Anakin.

Let me say this in NO WAY was Anakin's actions in accordance with the Jedi code, K-F is absolutely right, Anakin did what he did out of his selfish desire to save Padme' and that is very clear when he says just before Mace even raises his arm, "e "NO I need him..." endquote.

And even if he thought he was acting according to the Jedi code, where was this logic when he killed Dooku right after he chopped off both his hands, or when Palps force shocked Mace out the window of his office, Anakin cleary made his choice to serve Palps and himself, not the Jedi order.

it all depends on your point of view
1. it could be that the jedi disobeyed the jedi order and quit following the Republic because it was under a sith lord or
2. it could be that the true republic was the jedi and councillors agreeing in peace, and not under an iron fist, which made Palpatine and Anakin the traitors

I totally agree that what Anakin did was out of selfish desire to save Padme. But I also think that Mace had a lot to do with driving Anakin towards the Dark Side. Almost from the beginning, Mace was the main obstacle between Anakin and what he wanted as a Jedi. It starts in TPM when Mace says that Anakin is too old to be trained. In the movie you see Anakin glare at Mace and you know its on.

As Anakin grows older Mace remains the main opponent of Anakin's training. He has no qualms in allowing Anakin to know that he is not trusted. And remember, feeling that there is no trust between himself and the Jedi is one of the driving forces that justifies in Anakin's mind, all the actions taken against the Jedi.

Just a note: Mace Windu is the only Jedi in a thousand year to face TWO Sith. Well techically anyway, as Anakin was not a Sith yet, though his action in that room lead directly to being named Darth Vader. The only other Jedi we know that did this was Luke Skywalker. We didn't fair too well either once Sidious gets directly involved. Fortunately this same situation is now in reverse...Vader is about to make his last choice and lose to Anakin Skywalker as Anakin lost to Vader the night Windu died.

i disagree, if you think about it, what mace did was the right thing. If he would have let palpy live, and let him stand trial, he would have gotten free. He has control of everything. he would have convinced them not to arrest him and HERE COMES THE EMPIRE. not that i dont like the empire, i love it, its way better than the rebellion. Mace is an amazing jedi, but i can see where you all are coming from, when he says the line, "We must move quickly if the jedi order is to survive" it does sound like he thinks that that is the most important thing, which it wasn't. He is not overconfident of his power. But everyone MUST REMEMBER, EWOKS ARE UGLY AND THAY ARE THE DUMBEST RACE EVER TO LIVE!!!!! By the way, great blog!

I'm currently going to through a Police Academy and if I were Mace after attempting to arrest someone and see 3 of my fellow officers (or Jedi in this case) killed with ease, and Palpatine still showing that he is a threat (with the Force Lightening) Mace was justified to use deadyly force stop Palpatine. Also Anakin was too close to the situation to make a unbiased judgement regarding Palpatine, even if Padme's life wasn't in jeopardy.

mace was justified. he KNEW the power of plapy. knew if he wasnt killed that the galaxy would (as it DID) expereince the deaths of trillions of beings. he knew what the Sith would bring. and for that reason, a Jedi would kill, for the light of the Force. It was the Sith, that made itself look defenseless, a disguise.

I discussed my thoughts on this topic pretty extensively in the comments to a similar blog last week. I love Mace, but I do agree that Mace was prepared to commit a dark side act. However, I believe it is something he would have been able to atone for later, if he could forgive himself. He was right that Palapatine was too dangerous to live, but that didn't justify killing him. If only both Anakin and Mace had been in the right frame of mind at the moment, things would have been different. If they had tried to arrest Palpatine together, I think he would have given up his weak act, and they would have taken him down in self defense.

I agree with Jedi Lord Archangel. People seem to have forgotten that there were three other Jedi Masters with Mace. Palpatine killed them in what seemed like less than a minute after igniting his lightsaber. Mace and the other three Jedi Masters were defending the Republic. Anakin was defending his own selfish desires. Plus, we all know it was no coincidence that Anakin walked in when Mace appeared to have the upper hand. Anakin most likely had more sympathy for Palpatine since he was the one on the ground.

If Palpatine was standing over Mace about to kill him, would Anakin have turned to the Dark Side??

Funny thing; Anakin could have simply blocked Mace's attack....

I still never amazes me anymore to see people have the wrong idea about Star Wars.

Sidious is a Sith, and is trying to destroy the Jedi Order. Mace Windu was trying to protect that by destroying Sidious. Anakin just cared about saving Padme and said all he could to pretend that wasn't his intension. "I need him." Yeah, we know, Anakin.

If you read all the blogs since the premiere of episode III you will see that the most talked about issue is this: maces dark side. That Mace was falling we all can tell but that doesnt mean Anakin did the right thing, during the clonewars the jedi were made to rethink and probably all of them came closer to the dark side doing the right thing. When the most powerful and dangerouse man in the galaxy is lieing defensless before you, you wouldent bring him too trial right? Besides the reason to why Anakin cut off Macecs hand was NOT to let justice serve, no it was for his own good, to get power, he did the right thing for the wrong darkside purpose while mace did the wrong thing for the right purpose.

Anakin did believe he was doing the right thing.
Though his perspective was tainted by previous influences and his situation.
I find it too easy of all those Anakinhaters and Macelovers to keep putting blame on 'evil' Anakin. If i had been in his shoes i had done the same.
For HUMAN reasons:

1) My wife is dying possible and the guy lying there might have the solution
2) The guy lying down has been my mentor and best friend for ages. Always backed me up and so far has not shown any evil intent towards me.
3) At the moment i enter, he's 'begging' for his live seemingly. He ressembles an 'old' feeble man.

4) Windu has never been on my top list if i were Anakin. Off all Masters he was probably toughest, most negative and most anti-Anakin at least seemingly so. (some EU novels show the opposite but that's author interpretation i guess)
5) Mace Windu seems to be repeating the Dooku gig like stated in the movie novel
6) Mace Windu is as obsessed with protecting the Republic as Anakin is with protecting Padmé. It really shows.

7) It's basically ruthless pragmatism (let's kill em, is easier) vs idealism (Jedi let everyone live and give second chances). I'd say 1 is better but that also means the difference between Jedi and Sith would become almost nihil. Dark Jedi and Sith Lords have no restraints. Their true power comes from being to do all that is needed for their goal, all powers, all ways are good. (off course each Darksider will retain his own 'boundaries' even honor depending on who but in theory no limits are needed you can be a rampaging psychopath) while the Jedi are limited, defenders, protectors not killers or assassins.
So when Windu proclaims himself Judge, from his perspective he's correct but not Anakin's.

8) It's Mace Windu... his death made the movie 10x better (; lol sorry

In any case it's perspective.
As usual these blogs just end up in bumping heads. Pro Anakin vs Pro Mace. With some neutrals in between. And no solution. As it's interpretation. Personally for the most part i like Stover's interpretation of it all.

Mace Windu is upholding service to the Republic by removing a treasonous ruler, and the man behind the war, because as soon as Palpatine's identity is learned, Mace doesnt need to serve him, and the Chancellor has no power or reason to be spared anymore.
Anakin should have realised and he simply gave into selfish desire, and didnt think at all.
Anakin didnt know that Palpatine could use lightning, as he seemed helpless, and probaby only wanted to stop Palpatines death, not kill Mace, Palpatine is the one who killed him.

Anakin states to Mace that finishing off Palp is not the Jedi way (against the Jedi code), he also states earlier that spying on the Chancelor is (against the Jedi code). However he doesn't mind going against the code himself.(getting married, killing Dooku, ect.). I understand Palps was pushing him to kill Dooku but he had been going against the code with Padme for years. He doesn't mind going against the code for his own reasons, does he?
In my opinion, when he says this to Mace it comes off as an empty statement. He needs Palps to live for his own reasons.

Anakin states to Mace that finishing off Palp is not the Jedi way (against the Jedi code), he also states earlier that spying on the Chancelor is (against the Jedi code). However he doesn't mind going against the code himself.(getting married, killing Dooku, ect.). I understand Palps was pushing him to kill Dooku but he had been going against the code with Padme for years. He doesn't mind going against the code for his own reasons, does he?
In my opinion, when he says this to Mace it comes off as an empty statement. He needs Palps to live for his own reasons.

I had an In-Universe answer to Mace's saber being purple. His fighting style walks the Light & Dark side of the force line. Jedis have Blue & Sith have Red, Blend the 2 together & you get...PURPLE! It's just a thought, Might have even been done Subconciencely.

Okay guys this purple lightsaber problem is easy to sort out, Samuel L Jackson asked Lucas if he could have a purple lightsaber, and after much arguing over it Lucas gave in and let Jackson have the purple lightsaber.
Don't ask me where i know this from but i know its true.
MTFBWY...A

My question is: why is Mace's lightsaber crooked at the hilt on the picture above?

Mace was doing the right thing. He was right when he said Palpatine was too dangerous to be kept alive and that he had control over all the courts and the system. Yes,Anakin was upholding his duty to the republic, but now that the Sith, Darth Sidious aka: Chancellor Palpatine, was evil, it also made Anakin turn evil too because he was on the side of the Sith. But murder is not the Jedi way. You are correct in that. But he was too dangerous to be kept alive. When Anakin severed Maces' lightsaber arm, he crosses the line from good and light to dark, selfish, and bad. Remember, he did it all for Padme.

Anakin did go against the Jedi Code!

May the force be with you!

Sith and Jedi. Sworn enemies. Two opposing sides of the same coin. Both destined to destroy each other,. The Sith are vile, evil and bent solely on the oppression of the free peoples of the galaxy and the extermination of the Jedi. It was Mace Windu's duty to save the galaxy and the Jedi order from this grave danger. I don't feel mace fell to the dark side or even came close. Jedi kill Sith, Sith kill Jedi thats what happens.

good blog

mace was definitely doing the right thing... however it was inappropraite for anakin to chop off his hand. the sudden action comes too swiftly and without much thinking on anakin's part. he is completely blinded by his love for padme and follows his instincts on this one. but heck even if palps was killed, the republic was in a pretty screwed up situation anyway and either way, there would have been chaos.
PS- palps had 2 live! Star Wars 4 5 6 had been released years back!

there's too often a very thin line between the light and dark side ways. Anakin was good for keeping up the Jedi Code and saved the "unarmed" chancellor, but horribly worse for his motivations, and even worse for the results of the action. Mace was destroying the Sith threats, but his way of doing it or his motivations were quite unlike how the Jedi code teaches. So really, there was something good in both of their ways, but Mace would have done it for the greater good (even if it was out of rage) and Anakin did it for love and saving Padme, though ultimately that didn't work out well, and I'll let you reminisce about the rest...

one thing is that aren't jedi supposed to be selfless AND NOT HAVE ATTACHEMENTS. irest my case anakin was in the wrong not mace windu.

MTFBWY
Robin

FINALY someone that agrees with me!!!!

RojoTrooper, I say this to my friends, but no one agrees with me! Just because Windu is the almighty no one believes he can fall to the dark side... They are at war, everyone goes insane ina war, EVEN a Jedi

There were some wrongs on both the parts of Anakin and Mace Windu. Anakin was ignorant to believe that Palpatine was lying to him, so he betrayed Mace. And Mace shouldn't have attempted to kill Palpatine. Take a look at the Police force, cops are learned how to shoot to kill in self-defense, not to shoot some bad guy who doesn't have a deadly weapon or shoot a bad guy if he surrenders.

ok heres the thing, the jedi code says that you cant kill an unarmed prisoner. palpatine was definitely armed, he had just been shooting force lightning at windu. that said, mace was in no way going against the jedi code, the same van be said for anakin and dooku on the invisible hand.

I agree that Anakin was wrong. He was wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mace had to kill the palps. because he controled the courts and the trail would have been a joke. look at it from someone who isn't a jedi. From a far it would look like a witch hunt and the jedi turely wanted control of the republic.

Of course, anakin was wrong, he was talking about obeyance and having a pregnant wife at the same time, and about master Windu, he was powerful, and he judged that killing the Sith was the right thing (not so strange in a jedi), when he realized how dangerous Palpatine was, I think it was not anger but duty, even though his face might say something else...

And Anakin did not care about a code he was being selfish enough to allow a Sith to escape if that meant the salvation of a beloved one, so, Anakin can't really talk about a jedi way. That's why he killed Mace Windu.

well ler's see here... palpatine is revealed as a sith lord. he is then persued to be arrested by mace, fisto, tiin, and kolar. upon hearing he's being arrested he flips out his sith blade and wipe's out two of the masters, innitiateing a claim for self defense. therefore, especially after kit fisto is killed, mace is in every jedi right to have killed palpatine.
however when anikan amputates mace's arm he is betraying the jedi and leads to the death's of hundreds of hundreds of jedi, and bear clan members.

And Anakin did not care about a code he was being selfish enough to allow a Sith to escape if that meant the salvation of a beloved one, so, Anakin can't really talk about a jedi way. That's why he killed Mace Windu.