Introduced in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Maz Kanata is one of the more memorable characters created for the Star Wars sequel trilogy. After meeting protagonists Rey and Finn, Han Solo takes the duo to Maz Kanata’s castle-turned-watering hole, which is where Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber calls out to Rey, leading her down the path of the Jedi.
Despite her limited screen time, Maz Kanata is a key figure in the Star Wars universe, linking many people and important events together. Over the centuries, she has earned many names, from Maz Kanata the Usurper to Kanata the Benevolent, but her reputation as a “pirate queen” likely supersedes all of those other monikers. Here’s what to know about Star Wars’ Maz Kanata.
How Old Is Maz Kanata?
According to Star Wars Canon, Maz Kanata was born in 973 BBY. (That is, 973 Before the Battle of Yavin, which takes place at the end of A New Hope when Luke Skywalker takes out the Empire’s planet-destroying Death Star.) This means Maz was born over a millennium before the war between the First Order and the Resistance, as chronicled in the sequel trilogy in which she is introduced.
All of this said, Maz Kanata is at least 1,000 years old. This makes her one of the oldest organics featured in Star Wars Canon. In fact, Maz Kanata is older than Yoda. When the Jedi Master trains Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, he’s the ripe old age of 899 years old. A year later, Yoda passes away during the events of Return of the Jedi. Before becoming one with the Force, Yoda is an impressive 900 years old. Still, the pirate queen has the Jedi beat. Maz Kanata is not only older than Yoda, but she has several more decades under her belt.
What Planet Is Maz Kanata On?
When viewers meet Maz Kanata in The Force Awakens, she’s the proprietor of an interstellar bar — a waypoint for smugglers and all those trying to fly under the radar. Before settling in the lakeside castle on the planet Takodana, Maz’s homeworld, she gained a reputation as “pirate queen.” Comfortable in the criminal underworld, Kanata provided credits, equipment, and advice to young smugglers and pirates, even allowing them a place of refuge — as long as they stayed out of warfare and political conflicts.
Home to the ancient protocol droid ME-8D9, or "Emmie,” Maz Kanata’s castle on Takodana was once a battleground between ancient Jedi and Sith. Given Maz’s style, from the banners to the giant statue made in her image, the castle doesn’t look like much of a battlefield — well, until the First Order tracks Rey, Finn, Han Solo, and Chewbacca to Takodana, and ends up in a skirmish with General Leia’s Resistance forces, leaving Maz’s homeworld worse for wear.
Is Maz Kanata Force Sensitive?
“I am no Jedi, but I know the Force.”
This quote from Maz alludes to her connection with the Force, all but outright stating that she is indeed Force sensitive. During the High Republic Era, Maz Kanata knew members of the Jedi Order, and harnessed her Force connection for protection on her adventures. However, after Darth Sidious issued Order 66, rose to power, and formed the Galactic Empire, Maz hid her Force sensitivity. Even so, the Empire managed to collect information about the Force sensitive being.
In Star Wars Rebels, Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger visits the World Between Worlds a year or so before the Battle of Yavin. While in the Force plane, which exists outside of space and time, Ezra hears Maz Kanata’s voice, speaking to him through the Force. And in The Force Awakens, it’s clear that Maz Kanata understands the importance of Anakin’s lightsaber — a potential Force vergence.
Why Did Maz Kanata Have The Lightsaber?
While Maz Kanata gained a reputation as a pirate and smuggler, she also had an interest in collecting curios and antiquities from across the galaxy. Thankfully, her castle home had the means to store all of these valuables. As viewers learn in The Force Awakens, Maz was drawn to items that “spoke to her” through the Force.
As someone with such an incredible lifespan, Maz Kanata understood that the ways the past — in the form of these objects — could influence the future. It’s not clear when she happened upon Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber, which had last been wielded by his son, Luke Skywalker, on Bespin. But sensing the lightsaber’s weighty history, Maz kept it safe on Takodana, storing the weapon in an ancient curio box alongside other relics. When the lightsaber calls out to Rey, Maz Kanata explains the importance of the Jedi weapon, which a reluctant Rey eventually wields.
Is Maz Kanata In The Original Trilogy?
While Maz Kanata doesn’t appear in the original Star Wars trilogy, she has been worked into the Star Wars Canon pretty seamlessly. The animated miniseries, Star Wars: The Forces of Destiny, even sheds some light on what Maz is up to during Return of the Jedi. As viewers likely recall, the film opens with the protagonists’ daring rescue of Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. To sneak into Jabba’s Palace undetected, Leia Organa disguises herself as a bounty hunter, complete with a face- and voice-obscuring helmet.
In the Season 2 episode “Bounty Hunted,” Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 head to Ord Mantell, a planet that serves as the home base for a criminal syndicate known as the Black Sun. There, they meet the mysterious Maz Kanata — and are almost immediately attacked by the bounty hunter Boushh. Viewers will recognize Boushh’s look as the one Leia adopts to infiltrate Jabba’s Palace, something Maz encourages.
Who Plays Maz Kanata In Star Wars?
Known for her roles in other massive movies like Jordan Peele’s Us (2019) and Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther (2018), Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o brings Maz Kanata to life in the Star Wars universe. In addition to voicing the CGI character, Nyong'o acted out every single movement of Maz Kanata’s, using the then-latest motion-capture tech that Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) had to offer.
Before recording her character’s scenes, Nyong’o got some advice from Star Wars co-star and mo-cap expert Andy Serkis, who redefined the art with his portrayal of Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In addition to reprising her role in the subsequent sequel trilogy films, Nyong’o voices Maz in Forces of Destiny (2017). No matter the medium, Lupita Nyong’o's performance makes Maz Kanata one of the franchise’s most memorable characters.