If there’s one thing that Star Wars fans have learned over the years, it’s that death isn’t always the end. Star Wars is infamous for bringing back supposedly deceased characters. So if you don’t see a character lying dead or taking their last breath, then don’t assume they are dead.

Perhaps the most infamous Star Wars character rising from the dead is the Emperor himself. At the end of Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader throws him down the shaft of the Death Star, and he seemingly perishes in a burst of blue light.

For years, we assumed that was the end of the Sith Lord. But in The Rise of Skywalker, it’s revealed that the Emperor was alive all along, although in bad shape, and was the one behind the rise of the First Order and the creation of Supreme Leader Snoke.

Another villain who was supposed to have met his demise is Darth Maul. He was famously sliced in half by Obi-wan in The Phantom Menace. However, in the animated series The Clone Wars, Maul returned, sporting robotic legs and terrorizing the Mandalorians—even becoming one of the most feared gangsters in the galaxy.

But what about Mace Windu? Why can’t a Jedi return from the dead? In Revenge of the Sith, Windu engages in an intense battle with Palpatine. However, just as he was about to end Palpatine, Anakin sliced his hand off, giving the Sith Lord an opening.

Windu is shocked by Palpatine’s force lightning and falls, seemingly to his death. But, as with so many other Star Wars characters, fans have long speculated that Windu might have somehow survived. It’s certainly plausible.

Why do the Sith get to come back and not a Jedi? Windu was one of the most powerful Jedi in the Star Wars universe. His skills and mastery of the Force put him on par with Yoda, so it’s safe to say that a fall like that wouldn’t have killed him.

In fact, some fans have even theorized that Windu may have used his own mastery of the Force to cushion his fall and survive. Maybe he saw the writing on the wall and used the fall as an excuse to disappear. And like a lot of Star Wars characters, he probably lived on a farm somewhere.

Star Wars canon has addressed Windu’s fate since Revenge of the Sith. We know for a fact that he’s no longer among the living. In The Rise of Skywalker, which took place 54 years after his supposed demise, he was one of the voices that spoke to Rey during her final battle with Palpatine.

But the question is, if it wasn’t at the hands of Palpatine, when did he become a force ghost? Was it at some point in the 19 years BBY? or sometime during the 35 years ABY? When The Rise of Skywalker took place.

Star Wars has a long history of resurrecting characters, so it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that Windu could make a surprise return in a future Star Wars project.

In the end, if you don’t see a character take their last breath, don’t assume they’re gone for good. The Star Wars universe is full of surprises, and anything is possible when it comes to the fate of its dead characters.