Mara Jade
Encyclopedia
Mara Jade Skywalker is a fictional character in Star Wars
Expanded Universe
books, comic books, and computer games. She is also wife to Luke Skywalker
, and mother to Ben Skywalker. In the different video games, she is voiced by Heidi Shannon and Kath Soucie
.
'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 also is flawed. 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. 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." Although Lucasfilm
initially resisted the idea of Luke marrying Mara, they eventually acquiesced.
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."
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. When asked about the popularity of Mara Jade, Zahn suggested it is because women can identify with her, while men want to have her at their side.
Talon Karrde's second-in-command in Heir to the Empire
. The novel establishes that she previously was 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. At the end of the trilogy, she 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. He 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. 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.
(as Shannon Baksa) on several cards in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game
. Meeting her is also a mission objective in the massively multiplayer online game Star Wars Galaxies
. She is a controllable character in Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
, the Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
, Star Wars: Empire at War
, and some platforms' versions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
. She also narrates the Imperial campaign in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
.
as the 19th top Star Wars character. 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". UGO Networks called the character the seventh top Star Wars Expanded Universe character, calling her complex.
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
books, comic books, and computer games. She is also wife to Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
, and mother to Ben Skywalker. In the different video games, she is voiced by Heidi Shannon and Kath Soucie
Kath Soucie
Katherine Elaine Soucie is an American voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Kath Soucie, Katherine Soucie, Kath Souci, Kath E...
.
Concept and development
Mara Jade was introduced in Timothy ZahnTimothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...
's Heir to the Empire
Heir to the Empire
Heir to the Empire is the first book in a trilogy of novels known as The Thrawn Trilogy, all written by Timothy Zahn.-Description:The book is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi...
(1991). Zahn imagined Jade as a strong, complex female character, which he found was lacking in the Star Wars universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
. While competent, she also is flawed. 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. When Zahn was asked to write another novel, he established two goals: "to end the war between the New Republic
New Republic (Star Wars)
The New Republic is a government in the fictional Star Wars universe.When the Rebel Alliance re-established the Old Galactic Republic after the downfall of the Galactic Empire, it became known as the New Republic, just as the original Galactic Republic had become known as the Old Republic by that...
and the Empire
Galactic Empire (Star Wars)
The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It is a galaxy-spanning regime established by the series' lead villain, Palpatine, to replace the Galactic Republic in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire is introduced in Star Wars...
, and to get Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
and Mara together." Although Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
initially resisted the idea of Luke marrying Mara, they eventually acquiesced.
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."
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. When asked about the popularity of Mara Jade, Zahn suggested it is because women can identify with her, while men want to have her at their side.
Depiction
Mara Jade is introduced as smugglerSmuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
Talon Karrde's second-in-command in Heir to the Empire
Heir to the Empire
Heir to the Empire is the first book in a trilogy of novels known as The Thrawn Trilogy, all written by Timothy Zahn.-Description:The book is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi...
. The novel establishes that she previously was an "Emperor's Hand" — a special agent — for Emperor Palpatine
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
. 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
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
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. At the end of the trilogy, she resolves her anger toward Luke and silences the command without killing Luke, instead killing Luke's clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
— Luuke Skywalker — who had been made by a corrupt Jedi to challenge Luke. He recognizes in Mara an underdeveloped affinity for the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
; although she initially resists Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
training, she eventually becomes a Jedi Master.
Luke and Mara develop a strong bond in Zahn's The Hand of Thrawn Duology
The Hand of Thrawn duology
The Hand of Thrawn are a pair of novels set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe galaxy, which were written by famed Star Wars author Timothy Zahn...
; he proposes marriage, and the two wed in Michael A. Stackpole
Michael A. Stackpole
Michael A. Stackpole is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for his Star Wars and Battletech books. He was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, but raised in Vermont...
's graphic novel Union. She delivers a son, Ben, during The New Jedi Order
The New Jedi Order
The New Jedi Order is a series of nineteen science fiction novels, published from 1999 to 2003, set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The series revolves around the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy 21–26 years after the events depicted in Return of the Jedi...
series. In the Legacy of the Force
Legacy of the Force
The Legacy of the Force is a series of nine science fiction novels set in the Star Wars fictional universe, taking place approximately 40 years after the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope...
series, Mara becomes suspicious of her nephew, Jacen Solo
Jacen Solo
Jacen Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo and the nephew of Luke Skywalker, he is a major character in several Star Wars novels, particularly the Legacy of the Force series. He replaced Lumiya as the main antagonist of the...
, when he sends Ben on several ethically dubious missions. Upon learning that Jacen has become a Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
apprentice, Mara vows to kill him, but Jacen ultimately kills her in Sacrifice
Sacrifice (novel)
Sacrifice is the fifth book in the Legacy of the Force series. The book is written by Karen Traviss and was released on May 29, 2007.-Synopsis:...
. She later appears as a Force ghost, first to Ben and then to Luke, in Revelation
Revelation (Star Wars novel)
Revelation is the eighth novel in the Legacy of the Force series. It is a paperback by Karen Traviss and was released on February 26, 2008.-Story:...
. She also appears as a Force ghost to Cade Skywalker in the Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy is an American comic book series set in the Star Wars universe. The series, published by Dark Horse Comics, is written by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, and illustrated by Duursema and others, with inks by Dan Parsons and color by Brad Anderson...
comics, set more than a century after the Star Wars films.
Other appearances
Mara was portrayed by model Shannon McRandleShannon McRandle
Shannon Lynn McRandle is a professional model and makeup artist chosen by Decipher, Inc. in 1999 to represent Mara Jade in the photos taken for the Star Wars card games. At the time the original photos were taken she was known as Shannon Baksa, her married name from her first marriage...
(as Shannon Baksa) on several cards in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game
Star Wars Customizable Card Game
Star Wars: Customizable Card Game is a customizable card game based on the Star Wars fictional universe. It was created by Decipher, Inc., which also produced the Star Trek Customizable Card Game and The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game. The game was produced from December 1995 until December...
. Meeting her is also a mission objective in the massively multiplayer online game Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies is a Star Wars themed MMORPG for Microsoft Windows developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts.-History:...
. She is a controllable character in Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi is a Lucasarts fighting game released in 1997 and set in the fictional universe of Star Wars. "Teräs Käsi" refers to a martial art used in the game; and, while being in grammatically incorrect form, is Finnish for "steel hand".-Story:Masters of Teräs Käsi takes...
, the Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith is an expansion pack for the first person shooter Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. It was developed and published by LucasArts, and released on January 31, 1998. The expansion includes a single-player mode and fifteen multiplayer maps. The...
, Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Empire at War is a 2006 real-time strategy game developed by Petroglyph Games and published by LucasArts. Set between Episode III and Episode IV, it focuses on the fledgling struggle between the Empire and the Rebels. It uses Petroglyph's game engine Alamo. The most recent patch was...
, and some platforms' versions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a multimedia project developed by LucasArts along with Dark Horse Comics, Lego, Hasbro, and Del Rey Books...
. She also narrates the Imperial campaign in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds is a real-time strategy computer game set in the Star Wars universe.Players have a choice of factions and campaigns. The factions in the original game include the Wookiees, Royal Naboo, the Trade Federation, the Empire, the Rebels, and the Gungans...
.
Reception
Mara Jade was chosen by IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
as the 19th top Star Wars character. 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". UGO Networks called the character the seventh top Star Wars Expanded Universe character, calling her complex.