Editing Mara Jade

{{short description|Fictional character in Star Wars}}
{{Sources exist|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| name        = Mara Jade Skywalker
| image       = Maralukeben.jpg
| image_size  = 167px
| caption     = Mara Jade (right) and Luke Skywalker with their son Ben Skywalker
| series      = [[Star Wars]]
| first       = ''[[Heir to the Empire]]'' (1991)
| firstgame   = ''[[Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi|Masters of Teras Kasi]]'' (1997)
| last        = ''[[Apocalypse (Star Wars novel)|Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse]]'' (2012)
| creator     = [[Timothy Zahn]]
| occupation  = Emperor's Hand, smuggler, trader, [[Jedi|Jedi Master]]
| species     = [[Humans (Star Wars)|Human]]
| gender      = [[Female]]
| lbl21       = Homeworld
| data21      = Coruscant
| affiliation = [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]]<br>Smugglers' Alliance<br>[[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]]<br>[[Jedi]]<br>Galactic Alliance
| portrayer   = [[Shannon McRandle]]
| voice       = {{plainlist|
* Samantha Bennett ([[Star Wars (radio series)|''Return of the Jedi'' radio drama]])
* [[Edie Mirman]] (''[[Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi]]'')
* Heidi Shannon (''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith]]'', ''[[Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds]]'')
* [[Kath Soucie]] (''[[Star Wars: Empire at War]]'')
}}
| spouse      = [[Luke Skywalker]]
| children    = [[Ben Skywalker]] (son)
| family      = [[Padmé Amidala]] (mother-in-law, deceased)<br>Shmi Skywalker (grandmother-in-law, deceased)<br>[[Anakin Skywalker]] (father in-law, deceased)<br>[[Princess Leia|Leia Organa-Solo]] (sister-in-law)<br>[[Han Solo]] (brother-in-law)<br>[[Jaina Solo]] (niece)<br>[[Jacen Solo]] (nephew, deceased)<br>[[Anakin Solo]] (nephew, deceased)<br>[[Cade Skywalker]] (descendant)
}}
'''Mara Jade Skywalker''' is a [[fiction]]al [[Character (arts)|character]] in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise. She appears in the now non-canon ''[[Star Wars expanded to other media|Legends]]'' continuity as the wife of [[Luke Skywalker]] and mother of [[Ben Skywalker]]. She has been voiced by Heidi Shannon, [[Edie Mirman]] and [[Kath Soucie]] in various [[Star Wars video games|''Star Wars'' video game]]s.

==Concept and development==
Her first appearance was in [[Timothy Zahn]]'s ''[[Heir to the Empire]]'' (1991). Zahn imagined Mara Jade as a strong, complex female character, somebody he thought lacking in the ''Star Wars'' universe. While competent, she is flawed.<ref>{{cite web|quote=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.|url=http://www.echostation.com/interview/zahn.htm|title=Star Wars Per-Zahn-Ified|access-date=2008-03-18|first=Jeff|last=Carter|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908052928/http://www.echostation.com/interview/zahn.htm|archive-date=2012-09-08}}</ref> When the [[Thrawn trilogy|''Thrawn'' trilogy]] ended in 1993 with ''[[The Last Command (novel)|The Last Command]]'', Zahn thought it was the last book for which he would develop the character.<ref name=forcezahn>{{cite web|url=http://theforce.net/jedicouncil/interview/zahn.asp|title=Timothy Zahn|work=Interviews – Face To Face With The Masters|publisher=[[TheForce.Net]]|date=2008-03-13|access-date=2008-03-13|archive-date=2009-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219221001/http://theforce.net/jedicouncil/interview/zahn.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> Asked to write another novel, he established two goals: "to end the war between the [[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]] and the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Empire]], and to get [[Luke Skywalker]] and Mara together."<ref name=forcezahn/> Although [[Lucasfilm]] resisted the idea of Luke marrying Mara, they eventually acquiesced.<ref name=forcezahn/>

In 2018, Zahn said Lucasfilm gave him some creative control over the character of Mara Jade: any appearance of Mara in new works requires Zahn's approval. Zahn also explained that Lucasfilm Story Group held the authority to prevent him from incorporating Mara back into the canon, so any appearance of the character must be approved by both parties. Zahn said he would only allow her to appear if she plays an important role in the plot, and he would block any kind of [[cameo appearance]]. Previously, the character of [[Grand Admiral Thrawn]], another Zahn creation, made the jump from ''[[Star Wars expanded to other media|Legends]]'' to canon, albeit with a slightly-reworked story. Subsequently, Zahn said he hoped to find a way to bring Mara into the canon, stating "If there was a generic, or organic, spot for her to fit into a story... I promise people, I will pitch it to the Lucasfilm story group, and then, it's their decision whether to allow it or not."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-mara-jade-timothy-zahn/|title=Mara Jade Creator Hasn't Been Asked To Approve ''Star Wars'' 9 Appearance|date=July 25, 2018|website=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=August 19, 2018|first=Chris|last=Agar|archive-date=August 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818115413/https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-mara-jade-timothy-zahn/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Compared to [[Princess Leia]], Zahn said, "Mara has a sharper and sarcastic manner, and of course, she had to go through the painful realization her service was to an evil cause. But both women are strong without sacrificing their femininity, a balance which I think some authors have trouble writing. Bear in mind, too, 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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.echostation.com/interview/zahn2.htm|title=Star Wars Per Zahn-Ified|access-date=2008-03-18|first=Jeff|last=Carter|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729231117/http://www.echostation.com/interview/zahn2.htm|archive-date=2012-07-29}}</ref>

== Appearances ==
Mara is introduced as [[smuggling|smuggler]] [[Talon Karrde]]'s second-in-command in ''Heir to the Empire''. The novel establishes she was previously an "Emperor's Hand"—a special agent—for [[Palpatine|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 swears to kill to avenge Palpatine's death (Palpatine sent her a faked image of Luke and Vader turning on him together, rather than Vader killing Palpatine, and the demand for Luke's death motivated by Palpatine's desire for revenge against his father rather than Luke's actions).

This was re-inforced by the Emperor's final [[telepathy|telepathic]] command to assassinate Luke, plaguing her thoughts since his death; upon learning this situation, Luke vowed to help Mara break Palpatine's hold on her, regardless of the threat she posed to Luke. Toward the end of the trilogy, she turns against the Empire, and resolves her anger toward Luke, silences the command without killing him and instead killing Luke's ''[[cloning|clone]]''—[[Luuke Skywalker]]<!--NOT A TYPO-->—made by the Dark Jedi [[Joruus C'baoth]] to challenge Luke.

In doing so, she took Luke's lightsaber that was recovered after his initial duel with Darth Vader, and used it to stab C'baoth. At the close of ''The Last Command'', Luke gives her Anakin's lightsaber because he believed she earned it and because he truly wanted her to have it. Over the course of the series, Luke recognizes in Mara an underdeveloped affinity for [[the Force]]; and 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 (Star Wars)|Union]]''.<ref>{{cite comic |title=[[Union (Star Wars)|Union]] |writer=[[Michael A. Stackpole|Stackpole, Michael A.]] |date=1999–2000 |issue=comic series |publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]]}}</ref> She delivers a son, Ben, during ''[[The New Jedi Order]]'' series.

In the ''[[Legacy of the Force]]'' series, Mara is suspicious of her nephew, [[Jacen Solo]], after he sends Ben on several ethically-dubious missions. Upon learning Jacen is a [[Sith]] apprentice, Mara vows to kill him, but Jacen ultimately kills ''her'' in ''[[Sacrifice (Star Wars novel)|Sacrifice]]''. She later appears as a Force ghost, first to Ben then to Luke, in ''[[Revelation (Star Wars novel)|Revelation]]''. She also appears as a Force ghost to [[Cade Skywalker]] in the ''[[Star Wars: Legacy|Legacy]]'' comics, set more than a century after the ''Star Wars'' films.

=== Other appearances ===

Mara also appears in the short story "Sleight of Hand: The Tale of Mara Jade," by [[Timothy Zahn]], in the [[anthology]] ''[[Tales from Jabba's Palace]]''. In this story, she infiltrates [[Jabba the Hutt]]'s palace as a dancing girl to assassinate Luke Skywalker under orders of the Emperor, but misses her chance after Jabba drops him into the [[Rancor]]'s lair then escapes.

Mara was portrayed by model [[Shannon McRandle]] (as Shannon Baksa) on several cards in the ''[[Star Wars Customizable Card Game]]''.

She is a playable 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]]'' (Wii version). Meeting her was also a mission objective in the defunct massively multiplayer online game ''[[Star Wars Galaxies]]''. She also narrates the Imperial campaign in ''[[Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds]]''. {{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

She was portrayed by Denise Donovan in the [[StarKid Productions|Team Starkid]] musical parody ''[[Ani (musical)|Ani]]''.

== Canonicity ==

In 2008, when franchise creator [[George Lucas]] said there would be no [[Star Wars sequel trilogy|sequel trilogy]], he explained that plot elements from the Expanded Universe were not part of his story, saying, "Luke doesn't get married".<ref>{{cite web |last=Wakeman |first=Gregory |title=George Lucas Was Terrible At Predicting The Future Of Star Wars |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/George-Lucas-Was-Terrible-Predicting-Future-Star-Wars-68506.html |website=Cinema Blend |access-date=November 29, 2019 |date=December 4, 2014 |archive-date=January 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114031020/https://www.cinemablend.com/new/George-Lucas-Was-Terrible-Predicting-Future-Star-Wars-68506.html |url-status=live }}</ref> With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by [[The Walt Disney Company]], most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' were re-branded as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared [[Star Wars canon|non-canon to the franchise]] in April 2014.<ref name="SW Adult">{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |title=Disney and Random House announce relaunch of ''Star Wars'' Adult Fiction line |publisher=StarWars.com |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |archive-date=May 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514073722/http://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="THR Legends">{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 |last=McMilian |first=Graeme |title=Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |archive-date=August 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830203115/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="SW Legends">{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |title=The Legendary ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe Turns a New Page |publisher=[[StarWars.com]] |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |archive-date=September 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910044317/http://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Reception==
Mara Jade was chosen by ''[[IGN]]'' as the 19th top ''Star Wars'' character.<ref name="IGN Top 100">{{cite web |url=http://uk.ign.com/star-wars-characters/19.html |title=Top 100 Star Wars Characters |work=IGN |access-date=28 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817235550/http://uk.ign.com/star-wars-characters/19.html |archive-date=17 August 2010 }}</ref> ''IGN''{{'}}s Jesse Schedeen also listed the character as the top 10th ''Star Wars'' hero, noting she "entered the Expanded Universe early, and she stuck around for so long because she's just a great character".<ref name="TopHero">{{cite web |url=http://uk.stars.ign.com/articles/898/898949p1.html |title=Top 25 Star Wars Heroes: Day 4 |author=Jesse Schedeen |date=14 August 2008 |work=IGN |access-date=16 May 2011 |archive-date=23 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823024224/http://uk.stars.ign.com/articles/898/898949p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[UGO Networks]] called the character the seventh top ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe character, calling her complex.<ref name="TopEU">{{cite web |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/star-wars-expanded-universe-characters-top-50-mara-jade-skywalker |title=Top 50 Star Wars Expanded Universe Characters |author=Adam Rosenburg |date=1 July 2008 |work=[[UGO Networks]] |access-date=16 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827180421/http://www.ugo.com/games/star-wars-expanded-universe-characters-top-50-mara-jade-skywalker |archive-date=27 August 2010 }}</ref> In a 1998 ''[[Star Wars Insider]]'' poll of fans' favorite ''Star Wars'' characters, Mara was the only expanded universe character to break the top 20.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} In 2006, Zahn called Mara and [[Grand Admiral Thrawn]] his favorite characters out of those he created, saying "Mara, with her attitude and her [[Jedi]] skills, is just plain fun to write, especially in opposition—or in partnership—with Luke."<ref name="SW Outbound">{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/eu/lit/novel/f20060131/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060204162725/http://www.starwars.com/eu/lit/novel/f20060131/index.html |date=January 31, 2006 |archive-date=February 4, 2006 |title=Timothy Zahn: ''Outbound Flight'' Arrival |publisher=StarWars.com |access-date=July 21, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Wookieepedia|Mara Jade Skywalker}}

{{Star Wars universe}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jade, Mara}}
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