by Chris Snellgrove
| Published
As a child of the 80s, I grew up during that interesting time period in between Return of the Jedi and The imaginary threat. It was a time when new Star Wars content came in the form of books, comics, and video games.
This led to the creation of some great original characters, including two fan favorites from writer Timothy Zahn: Grand Admiral Thrawn and Mara Jade. After Disney destroyed the past (Kylo Ren would be proud) by removing the Star Wars Expanded Universe from canon, they brought Thrawn back in a big way, but if Disney hopes to save Star Wars, they also need to bring back Mara Jade.
Who is Mara Jade, you ask? Made in beech Heir to the empireJade is a gifted woman whose intelligence and Force sensitivity lead her into Imperial service as the Emperor's Hand. Her life is thrown into chaos when the Emperor dies, and she is later forced to reluctantly work for him Luke Skywalker (whom she blames for Palpatine's death) against Thrawn and his rising Imperial forces.
Jade's popularity among fans helped make her one of the most prominent Star Wars EU characters, and she became Luke's wife and mother to his child. Now, based on everything we know about Luke's life after that Return of the Jediit seems that the hermit-like Jedi Master has no time for love. But Disney+ could easily adapt the rest of Mara Jade's story for future shows and movies, and that kind of olive branch for older fans may be all that can save Star Wars.
As for why a Star Wars movie needs saving, where do we start? The Sequel Trilogy was a muddled mess that left most fans unsatisfied, and most Disney+ TV shows have ranged from mildly disappointing (Boba Fett book(to offensively gentle)assistant). Now that the Rey solo film has lost writer Steve Knight, it seems more clear than ever that Disney doesn't really know what to do with the franchise it paid billions to secure from George Lucas.
However, making Mara Jade the center of her solo films and TV shows could help right this sinking SpacecraftAnd this isn't just talking about my fans' nostalgia. Jade like Grand Admiral Thrawn Since it is a known quantity. Really personal He has legions of fans thanks to her amazing background. It's a fair bet that her story will attract new fans as well, thanks to her fascinating connection to both Palpatine and The Force.
Additionally, reintroducing Mara Jade back into Star Wars canon means Disney has a strong female character, something the franchise has struggled with recently. Daisy Ridley's Rey was supposed to be that employee, but her character divided audiences rather than united them. With the production difficulties of Rey's solo film potentially jeopardizing the release of that film, there's no better time than the present for Star Wars to focus on a female hero without too much controversy or baggage.
Since Mara Jade was an Imperial spy long before she became a smuggler, it would be easy to slot her into any Star Wars time period. For example, it can be easily introduced AndorFinal season as an Imperial agent since she was recruited by Palpatine when she was a young child. Alternatively, they can appear in the timeslot of shows such as The Mandalorian As a weigh-in for the Empire, she once served proudly against the tattered Remnant she had become.
Talk about The Mandaloriansome fans believe the show has already secretly introduced Jade in the form of Elia Kane (Kate M. O'Brian), someone whose name and apparent loyalty to Moff Gideon could serve as cover stories. While this may require a slight adjustment to Jade's background from the books, Disney would be lucky to have a talented artist like O'Brien (known for his stellar performances). Love lies bleeding) plays one of the most famous characters in Star Wars.
No matter who plays her or how she's introduced, Mara Jade needs to become an official part of Star Wars canon again. She's a fascinating character with limitless storytelling potential, who has won over audiences long before the prequels even existed. With it on the roster, Disney might be able to do something that now seems nearly impossible: create good Star Wars content again.
