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Summary
TheStar Warsfranchise had the perfect opportunity to add a Legends - epoch type to the original trilogy , which would have had major ramifications for the advanced canon . Before theStar Warsfranchise undergo a partial reboot in 2014 to prepare for the continuation trilogy , what is now known as Legends was the officialStar Warstimeline , with its various properties comprising the expand Universe . The original and prequel trilogy moving picture carried over into the modernStar Warscanon , but hadReturn of the Jediincluded one Legends - exclusivecharacter as an Easter eggs , the raw persistence could have been immensely ameliorate .
insert in Timothy Zahn ’s novelHeir to the Empire , Mara Jade quickly became a favorite of theStar Warsfranchise ’s followers , thanks to her complex characterization . While Mara Jade is well known for her marriage to Luke Skywalker , there is so much more to her character and in - universe history than her romance with Luke . Mara Jade was once a lethal , dark side - trained Emperor ’s Handbefore becoming a contrabandist and finally a Jedi Master . Fascinatingly , Mara Jade was also in Jabba the Hutt ’s Palace during the events ofReturn of the Jedi , though she is unseen in the movie itself .
Here ’s every upcoming Star Wars movie in exploitation - including Rey ’s New Jedi Order , the Dawn of the Jedi , and The Mandalorian & Grogu !
How Mara Jade Tied To Return of the Jedi
As revealed in various Legends - era fabric , Mara Jade was on a missionary station for Emperor Palpatine inReturn of the Jedi’sfirst human action and was disguised as one of the criminal offence lord ’s many entertainer in Jabba ’s Palace . Mara Jade – under the assumed name of Arica – even interacted with C-3PO in theReturn of the Jediradio play , yetshe was interrogatively not added to the picture in its 1997 Special Edition rerelease , despite the newfangled footage it added to the movie ’s first deed . Mara Jade even had the staring performing artist to play her : Shannon McRandle , who portrayed Mara in still image .
Mara Jade ’s missionary post to Jabba ’s Palace is shown from her perspective in the short storySleight of Hand : The Tale of Mara Jadeby Timothy Zahn and the comic seriesMara Jade – By the Emperor ’s Hand , by Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole .
The cause forReturn of the Jedi’sspecial edition not adding Mara Jade to its drawn-out first turn is unknown , thoughA New Hope’srerelease notably add together other Expanded Universe content , such as the Outrider fromShadows of the Empire . George Lucas reportedly dislike Mara Jade , despite her prominent office in the originalStar Warscontinuity , and this might have influenced her exclusion fromReturn of the Jedi . In any case , if Mara Jade had been include inReturn of the Jedi , there would have been little encroachment on the Legends timeline but major possible changes to the New canon .
Mara Jade Would Have Added Another Layer Of Tragedy To Luke’s Exile…
SinceReturn of the Jediis a Legends - geological era property that carried over into the modernStar Warscanon , this would mean that Mara Jade might have been brought into the novel timeline as well . Of naturally , the Lucasfilm Story Group could have mitt - waved McRandle ’s character as nothing more than one of Jabba ’s entertainer , but after mostly cleaning their slating in preparation for the continuation trilogy , they had a probability to reimagine her . Had Mara Jade been include inReturn of the Jediand had Lucasfilm acknowledged her as such , they would have to integrate her into the sequel trilogy era .
Mara Jade would likely be among the many casualties of Kylo Ren ( formerly Ben Solo ) .
The modernStar Warscanon ’s traditional knowledge is unlike from that ofStar WarsLegends , but ifMara Jade married Luke Skywalkerin the New continuity like her original twin , Luke Skywalker ’s exile in the sequel trilogy would be far more tragical . Mara Jade would likely be among the many casualties of Kylo Ren ( formerly Ben Solo ) , and while this would , alas , be an exercise of the figure of speech know as “ fridging,”it would tally to Luke ’s motivation for entering a ego - imposed exile . Moreover , this would have further ramifications for Luke ’s new coevals of Jedi .
But Mara Would Have Meant Luke’s Jedi Order Was Very Different
As it stands , one of the modernStar Warscanon ’s biggest mistakes in how it handled Luke Skywalker ’s delineation is its depiction of his new generation of Jedi . Luke ’s original trilogy grapheme electric arc has him refuse the traditions of the prequel - era Jedi Order , ransom his sire and overcome Emperor Palpatine by comprehend healthy attachment instead of forgoing all adherence or succumbing to the dark side . This put Luke in the effective possible position to reconstruct the Jedi Order with a multitude of betterment , but he did nothing of the sort , as uncover in the sequels .
In legend , by demarcation , Luke did not reconstruct the prequel - epoch Jedi but instead established the New Jedi Order , a significantly reformed successor that ignored the problematic and emotionally unhealthy traditions of its predecessor . Had the modernStar Warscanon include Mara Jade from the start and established that she and Luke hook up with like their original iteration , this would strongly entail that Luke ’s new generation of Jedi made major reforms to the Jedi way , like the Legends - era New Jedi Order . This would also necessitate that Luke be qualify more accurately in theStar Warssequel trilogy .
Of all the approaching Star Wars film and TV shows , and with Mara Jade ’s return feeling inevitable , where could the rogue plough Jedi show up first ?
A Canon Mara Jade Would’ve Added Another Hook To The Mandalorian Era
In this scenario , Mara Jade would be dead before the events of theStar Warssequel trilogy , but there would be plenty of room to explore her chronicle in the modern canon . Her past tense as Palpatine ’s bravo would have to be rewritten in the original trilogy era , as would her post - Return of the Jediescapades . With the early New Republic earned run average being explored in TV shows likeThe MandalorianandAhsoka , Mara Jade would inescapably have to appear and eventually meet Luke Skywalker .
TheThrawntrilogy has already influenced much of the modernStar Warscanon , particularly its New Republic epoch , soMara ’s inclusion in the Disney+ shows would have made sense in this scenario . Dave Filoni ’s forthcoming New Republic - eraStar Warsmovie is not only set to conclude the corporate stories of the epoch ’s TV display , but it is also speculate to be a escaped adaptation of theThrawntrilogy itself , align for the modern canyon , of course . Whether Mara Jade ’s storey can be told in the New canon in actuality , however , is another matter .
It’s Too Late To Tell Mara’s Star Wars Story Now
Considering Mara Jade ’s popularity and the modernStar Warscanon ’s trend to repurpose and reimagine lore from the Legends persistence , her foundation into the current continuity seems almost inevitable . An argument can be made , however , that Mara Jade ought to rest exclusive to the Legends timeline , asthe forward-looking canon ’s lore prevents much of Mara Jade ’s story from legend from fit into canon . Despite this , Mara Jade can inspire the modernStar Warscanon ’s Emperor ’s Hands with standardized fib , such as one who reforms and leaves the Empire .
