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Mara Jade

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Mara Jade Skywalker
Star Wars character
Luke Skywalker (left) and Mara Jade (right)
First appearanceHeir to the Empire
Last appearanceFate of the Jedi: Apocalypse
Created byTimothy Zahn
Portrayed byShannon McRandle (for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game)
Voiced by
In-universe information
SpeciesHuman
GenderFemale
OccupationEmperor's Hand, smuggler, trader, Jedi Master
AffiliationGalactic Empire
Smugglers' Alliance
New Republic
Jedi
Galactic Alliance
FamilyLeia Organa Solo (sister-in-law)
Han Solo (brother-in-law)
SpouseLuke Skywalker
ChildrenBen Skywalker (son)
HomeworldCoruscant

Mara Jade Skywalker is a fictional character in Star Wars expanded universe books, comic books, and computer games. She is the wife of Luke Skywalker and mother of Ben Skywalker. In the different video games, she is voiced by Heidi Shannon, Edie Mirman and Kath Soucie.

Concept and development

Mara Jade was introduced in Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire (1991). Zahn imagined Jade as a strong, complex female character, which he found was lacking in the Star Wars universe. While competent, she is also flawed.[1] When the Thrawn Trilogy ended in 1993 with The Last Command, Zahn thought it was the last book for which he would develop the character.[2] When Zahn was asked to write another novel, he established two goals: "to end the war between the New Republic and the Empire, and to get Luke Skywalker and Mara together."[2] Although Lucasfilm initially resisted the idea of Luke marrying Mara, they eventually acquiesced.[2]

Compared to Star Wars' sole iconic female character, Princess Leia, Zahn said, "Mara has a sharper and more sarcastic manner, and of course, she had to go through the painful realization that her service had been to an evil cause. But they're both women who are strong without sacrificing their femininity, a balance which I think some authors have trouble writing. Bear in mind too, that Leia was one of the first people in the New Republic who decided Mara could be trusted, which perhaps says something about their understanding of each other."[3]

In 2006, Zahn called Mara and Grand Admiral Thrawn his favorite characters out of those he created, saying that "Mara, with her attitude and her Jedi skills, is just plain fun to write, especially when she's in opposition—or in partnership—with Luke."[4] In a 1998 Star Wars Insider poll of fans' favorite Star Wars characters, Mara Jade was the only expanded universe character to break the top 20.

Depiction

Mara Jade is introduced as smuggler Talon Karrde's second-in-command in Heir to the Empire. The novel establishes that she was previously an "Emperor's Hand"—a special agent—for Emperor Palpatine. Several stories depict Jade before the events in Heir to the Empire, showing her training under Palpatine and executing his orders. The Thrawn trilogy depicts Mara's first confrontation with Luke Skywalker, whom she has sworn to kill to avenge Palpatine's death. This was reinforced by the Emperor's final telepathic command to assassinate Luke, which had plagued her thoughts since his death; upon learning this situation, Luke vowed to help Mara break Palpatine's hold on her, regardless of the danger she posed to him. Towards the end of the trilogy, she turns against the Empire and resolves her anger toward Luke and silences the command without killing Luke, instead killing Luke's clone—Luuke Skywalker—who had been made by a corrupt Jedi to challenge Luke. In doing so, she took Anakin Skywalker's blue lightsaber (which Luke was using), and used it instead of Luke's green lightsaber, which she kept because she did not trust Luke. Luke recognizes in Mara an underdeveloped affinity for the Force; although she initially resists Jedi training, she eventually becomes a Jedi Master.

Luke and Mara develop a strong bond in Zahn's The Hand of Thrawn Duology; he proposes marriage, and the two wed in Michael A. Stackpole's graphic novel Union.[5] She delivers a son, Ben, during The New Jedi Order series. In the Legacy of the Force series, Mara becomes suspicious of her nephew, Jacen Solo, when he sends Ben on several ethically dubious missions. Upon learning that Jacen has become a Sith apprentice, Mara vows to kill him, but Jacen ultimately kills her in Sacrifice. She later appears as a Force ghost, first to Ben and then to Luke, in Revelation. She also appears as a Force ghost to Cade Skywalker in the Legacy comics, set more than a century after the Star Wars films.

Other appearances

Mara was portrayed by model Shannon McRandle (as Shannon Baksa) on several cards in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. Meeting her was also a mission objective in the now defunct massively multiplayer online game Star Wars Galaxies. She is a controllable character in Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi,. Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, Star Wars: Empire at War and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. She also narrates the Imperial campaign in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. [citation needed]

Reception

Mara Jade was chosen by IGN as the 19th top Star Wars character.[6] IGN's Jesse Schedeen also listed the character as the top 10th Star Wars hero, noting that she "entered the Expanded Universe early, and she's stuck around for so long because she's just a great character".[7] UGO Networks called the character the seventh top Star Wars Expanded Universe character, calling her complex.[8] In 2006, Zahn called Mara and Thrawn his favorite characters out of those he created.[4]

Merchandise

Mara Jade was one of the first Expanded Universe characters to receive a Hasbro action figure and a Gentle Giant bust. The first Hasbro figure did not use Shannon McRandle's likeness, but the Gentle Giant product did. Additionally, a Mara Jade's lightsaber replica was produced in a limited edition run by Master Replicas and the item rapidly sold out.[105] In August 2007, a second Mara Jade action figure was released by Hasbro as part of their Comic Packs line, consisting of two figures and a comic book reprint. Jade was packed with a Luke Skywalker figure, and issue #5 of Heir to the Empire by Dark Horse Comics. Another Mara Jade action figure has been released as part of Hasbro's 4" Black Series, in 2013. Wizards of the Coast produced five Mara Jade figures for Star Wars Miniatures collectible board game. The first set, Rebel Storm contained an Imperial version, Mara Jade, Emperor's Hand. This was later reprinted in a full reprint set, Rebels and Imperials. The next one was a New Republic version, Mara Jade, Jedi in Alliance and Empire, a 30th anniversary set. The fourth was an older New Republic version, Mara Jade Skywalker in the Legacy of the Force set. The fifth was an Imperial version again, Arica in the Imperial Entanglements set.

Novels

Thrawn trilogy
The Hand of Thrawn
Legacy of the Force
Hand of Judgement
Other

Comics

  • Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand; graphic novel (1999)
  • Mara Jade: A Night on the Town, comic in Star Wars Tales 1

References

  1. ^ Carter, Jeff. "Star Wars Per-Zahn-Ified". Retrieved 2008-03-18. Mara [is] a strong female character (which were few and far between in the Star Wars movies), but she's also flawed and searching and—dare we say it?—human. At the same time, she's highly competent at her job.
  2. ^ a b c "Timothy Zahn". Interviews – Face To Face With The Masters. TheForce.Net. 2008-03-13.
  3. ^ Carter, Jeff. "Star Wars Per Zahn-Ified". Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  4. ^ a b "Timothy Zahn: Outbound Flight Arrival". StarWars.com. January 31, 2006. Archived from the original on February 4, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Stackpole, Michael A. (w). Union, no. comic series (1999–2000). Dark Horse Comics.
  6. ^ "Top 100 Star Wars Characters". IGN. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  7. ^ Jesse Schedeen (14 August 2008). "Top 25 Star Wars Heroes: Day 4". IGN. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  8. ^ Adam Rosenburg (1 July 2008). "Top 50 Star Wars Expanded Universe Characters". UGO Networks. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
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