Trainer as the Emperor Hand’s, Mara Jade is so much more than Luke Skywalker’s wife in the old Star Wars Expanded Universe. Created by legendary Star Wars scribe Timothy Zahn, she’s easily one of the most influential characters in the franchise’s history. Her own story of redemption saw her turn from Palpatine loyalist into a true Jedi Knight.
Disney declared the old EU non-canon (or “Legends”) shortly after acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012. The decision was understandable, because it allowed the House of Mouse to tell new, original stories set after Return of the Jedi without feeling constrained by countless novels and comics.
Some characters have successfully transitioned from Legends to canon (most notably Grand Admiral Thrawn, who made his Legends debut alongside Mara Jade). But Mara is a harder addition than most, because there’s no real room in canon continuity for her story. Or, at least, so we thought – until new rumors began to swirl…
Star Wars Fans Are VERY Excited About Amy Adams
Star Wars fans were thrilled when Amy Adams joined the cast of Star Wars: Starfighter, Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars movie. They were particularly excited because the redhead was confirmed to be a mother to Flynn Gray’s young Force-sensitive character, and many suggested she could be a canon Mara Jade.
Those initial theories were more than a little amusing (those fans are basically looking at any redhead mother as a potential Mara Jade). But industry insiders John Rocha and Daniel Richtman have now shared reports that Adams’ character is a (former?) Jedi, and the speculation has fired up again.
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As excitement builds, some fans have even pointed to further evidence in the most surprising places:
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Amy Adams would certainly be perfectly cast as Mara Jade, and the story potentially fits the timeline fairly well; her character is presumably one who trained in Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Order, but presumably left because she didn’t exactly follow Jedi rules of non-attachment (Jedi don’t tend to have kids, after all).
Amy Adams Is Unlikely To Be Mara Jade (But She Can Still Be Awesome)
It’s easy to see why the Star Wars fandom is getting excited. And yet, the core problems with Mara Jade’s story remain; there’s certainly no room for her iconic relationship with Luke Skywalker, given canon Luke has absorbed the prequel Jedi Order’s views on attachment. Meanwhile, giving Luke a child would minimize Rey, damaging what Lucasfilm view as Star Wars‘ most valuable cinematic ᴀsset.
She may not be Mara Jade, but Amy Adams’ character increasingly feels Mara-coded – the closest thing we’ll get to Mara in Star Wars canon. That would be an awesome way to honor Mara’s legacy, even if its less than the fandom long for.
Mara Jade
- Created By
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Timothy Zahn
- Cast
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Shannon McRandle
- First Appearance
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Star Wars: Heir to the Empire
- Died
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Sacrifice
- Alias
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Emperor’s Hand, Countess Claria, Lianna, Litᴀssa Colay, Arica Pradeux, Agent Green, Chiara Lorn, Karrinna Janish, Baroness Paltonae, Merellis, Celina Marniss, Senni Kiffu, Baroness Muehling
- Alliance
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Empire, Jedi
