SPECULATION Mara Jade in New-Canon discussion thread

There's a whole bunch of reasons. She's got a cool name -- starts out as villain -- looked great -- has kickbutt skills -- and, most importantly, already has a sizable fan following.

In this 'multiverse era' of superhero movie-making, there are many more reasons to bring her into canon than not.

 

If only they had brought Mara into canon soon enough so she could slap some sense into softass Sequel Trilogy Luke.

 

You are playing my song.

 

For halloween this year, I'm asking the wife go as Githany....

I'll be her Bane. She can try to kill me with lipstick poison anytime she likes.

 

Poor Githany, she didn't know what she had until it was gone.

 

Githany got boned by Bane in more ways than one.
​

 

For some, Ahsoka was a new opportunity.


For others, she meant all out war....


As for Disney, she was straight cash, homie.

 

Just saw this interesting theory: This is Mara Jade

 

EXACTLY! Full disclosure, I was never into the stuff that ended up becoming 'Legends" once Disney took over the franchise. But the way I view it is that while there was some weird stuff in there (i.e. Luuuuke anyone?), the change allows creatives like Dave Filoni to take the golden nuggets that existed there (like Thrawn) and 'reintroduce' them back into canon. The franchise could use some more cool villains -- as well as antiheroes like Mara Jade -- in the GFFA.

I can appreciate that take. But I do think the TCW's padawan angle did wonders in 'humanizing' Anakin and making his eventual fall much more heartbreaking. That said, for me it made the TCW Anakin and the PT Anakin feel like different people.

 

I hear you.​

 

What else were they supposed to do with that lost hand of his? Turn into some sort symbolic lesson or something like that? pffft.

Mara Jade will never hold that hand is really the saddest part here.

 

Luke could've been chasing this around the GFFA instead of hiding from his nephew.​

 

Ok, I will give you this... That initial pitch for Ahsoka was probably as much a WTF? as Mara Jade, Starkiller, Jorus C'baoth, etc... However, Filoni was able to seamlessly fit her into the existing story, AND expand her into other side stories. The behind-the-scenes story of Ahsoka is almost as impressive as her in-universe story.

This! 100% Having deep-core fans like Filoni and Favreau creating and influencing projects is such a fortunate situation. There is a plethora of weird and wild stuff in EU/Legends material, and having creators that both care about Canon and know that old material is crucial. They know if, when and how to recycle those Legends things into Canon and they have respect for both. That's the simplest reason that Mara Jade will likely never be made Canon. There is no way to bring that character properly into Canon that would satisfy her fans.

 

She was literally dropped on Anakin's head, during a campaign on Christophsis....


"Hell-Low, Sky-Guy...." - should have been the name of the movie.

It was so seamless; Tano had to tell him that Yoda insisted. ​

 

THIS!!! ^^^

What? YOU HAD ME...until this ^^^^.

The way I see it, Mara Jade is too cool a character, one with a complex personality that's too good to pass over. IMO, her looks, her skills and her sarcastic attitude would generate considerable fan interest with the right storyline and the right actress. I personally don't buy the "she wouldn't satisfy her fans" argument. You could have said the same thing about Luke, Leia, and Han given the way their stories changed from the EU days. But fans were still excited to welcome them back despite all the changes. As with everything, THE KEY to the fans' reaction depends on the quality of the story.

If she was 're-introduced' as an Empire loyalist in a compelling story which gives her an interesting character arc (for example, think Mara as 'Silver Surfer' to Thrawn's 'Galactus,') I suspect a lot of old EU fans---as well as a whole bunch of new ones--would love her.

One last point: In this social media age, just imagine the flood of videos and message board discussions (both good & bad) about bringing Mara Jade into canon versus creating a brand new character. There's no way Lucasfilm could begin to hype a new character that would come anywhere close to matching Mara's built-in star power.

 

Well, what I meant was her overall existence was fit in seamlessly via the Clone Wars series. In other words, her absence in ROTS isn't glaring and knowing Anakin had a Padawan between the second and third episodes IS believable in context. But... I know when I'm beat, because you have basically put me in a situation where I would have to defend the Clone Wars movie. I just can't bring myself to do that. And, I did agree that initially, the idea of Anakin having a previously unknown Padawan was on par with Palpatine having a secret handmaiden and a secret Jedi clone guarding his secret stash, or Vader having a mentally unstable secret apprentice during the OT... It is really difficult to retrofit that type of character into Canon, and I feel like DF did a stellar job of doing so with Ahsoka. Over time, he did in fact work her seamlessly into the fabric of The Saga without disrupting what had come before in any way. She has touched the lives of many major characters in The Saga across what, like four different Eras, and counting...

Back to Mara Jade...

Let me restate, I do not know much of Mara Jade beyond the Heir Trilogy. In my opinion, that's enough to disqualify her from Canon. I do understand she is popular. She hit a particular note at a particular time and place. But that was thirty years ago.

Except they are Legacy Characters. And if I'm not mistaken, little bits and pieces of their EU stories have been tailored and used in Canon. In their cases, the EU was the disruption to their stories and their arcs in post ROTJ Canon merely corrected their stories. The way I see the old EU, by designating them as Legends, they are in no way disposing of them, they are now tales that are told in-universe. That makes it reasonable that there would be exaggeration and embellishments in those stories. Like in-universe mythology that doesn't have to conform to Canon.

So, yes that is an option, but why? Just to use the name? Does that cross a line in regards to "fan service"? If you take away the Palpatine's secret assistant part, take away the Luke/Luuke part of her story, take away the love story. What is left of Mara Jade? Again, I'm coming from a perspective that never bought in to her as a believable character, so...

This almost makes an argument on MY point, buddy! Do we need a bunch of ape-men chest pounding and saying "lookie thur at that hawt chick with the big cans and lightsaber! Itsa bout time."*
If we go all Leslie Knope on this and do a Pros and Cons List, there are far more cons and potential negative aspects. Purist fans of the EU will likely punch holes in a retooled MJ, while the more toxic of the fan base wouldn't care about the story, just be 'amped" for the eye candy. As far as new fans, they don't have any skin in the game, so the name recognition wouldn't mean anything, and once they did any research, it would just cause confusion.

It is entirely possible that Dr. Aphra is in fact the Canon compromise for Mara Jade. Same timeframe, has has worked for and against Vader, interacted with Luke, and she has a complex personality, sarcastic attitude and skills. I would say there is far better chance that Aphra is brought into live-action than Mara brought into Canon.

* This is a broad generalization of ape-men and an attempt at humor. Any defamation or accusation of toxicity or ape-man-ism in regards to any particular person or entity is purely coincidental.

 

I happen to identify as a very large, metal bear gorilla.​

 

Whether we're talking Bo Katan, Boba Fett, Ahsoka, or Mara Jade, what's wrong with fan service if the story they're brought into rocks?

I think a better question is: What's left of "Heir to the Empire"? Are Favreau and Filoni going to do the Luke/Luuuke thing? NO, NO, NO! Are they going to do the love story thing? No Freakin' Way! So, why would we be hearing about them adapting Zahn's book if the only thing they're taking from the story is the Grand Admiral himself? Seems to me, one of the more likely book threads worth adapting is one featuring the conversion of Mara Jade from bad guy to good guy.

And that's a valid argument if that's the way you felt about her.

As we both agree, Disney's SW is set up to take the best characters and the best stories from EU/Legends and rework them as necessary for a reintroduction into canon (ala Grand Admiral Thrawn.) For fans who liked Mara Jade, I believe the upcoming Thrawn 'Heir to the Empire' story may serve as a kick-butt way to bring her into canon.