Mara Jade

Mara Jade is a major character, and one of the main protagonists, in the Star Wars Legends tie-in novels. Created by author Timothy Zahn, her first appearance was in the 1991 novel Heir to the Empire. 
A fan favorite--particularly among female fans--Mara Jade was the only non-movie character to make the top 20 in a 1997 Star Wars Insider poll. 
==Canon==
===Old Expanded Universe (Legends)===
===New Expanded Universe (Disney)===
Mara Jade has not appeared in the sequel trilogy, any of the Disney material or the new Star Wars Legends, and is not considered canon in the new continuity. Despite this, the possibility of her return has been wildly-debated in fan circles, especially after a similar re-introduction of Legends favorite Grand Admiral Thrawn and use of the title "Emperor's Hand" in Star Wars Rebels. After Lucasfilm reportedly issued a casting call for a female lead age 40-50, named Mara, many fans speculated it meant a character with that name would appear in The Rise of Skywalker. However, Keri Russell's character in the released film was the smuggler Zorii Bliss, with little or nothing in common with Mara Jade. 
The appearance of bathroom graffiti at the Star Wars Galaxy section of Disneyland in September 2019 proclaiming "MARA JADE LIVES" further fanned the flames, as its origins were not initially clear. It was later confirmed to be the work of an anonymous fan and not an officially sanctioned Easter egg as many outlets initially reported. 
Fan reactions to the continued rumors around Mara's return to canon have been mixed. Many were excited, but others were ambivalent or even outright hostile at the prospect. 
==Fan Appeal==
 
==Fandom Tropes==
*Tsundere
*BAMF
*Protective
*Families of Choice
In fanworks blending old and new EU elements, Mara Jade is often depicted as Rey's mother. 
Popular fancasts for Mara include Scarlett Johansson (especially her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff), Jessica Chastain, Emily Beecham, and Ming Na Wen. 
Mara Jade is frequently depicted in a black catsuit in both official art and fanart (usually, but not always drawn by male artists). However, many female fans have a strong dislike for this outfit, and prefer other costumes for Mara - either Jedi robes, or more practical smuggler's garb similar to Han Solo's. She may also appear with a scarf and goggles, or disguised as "Arica" in a skintight blue dancer's outfit.
When she serves as the Emperor's Hand, Mara's lightsaber is purple. After the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn, Luke Skywalker later offers her the blue lightsaber that originally belonged to Anakin Skywalker, which she accepts and uses thereafter. This is a popular trope among shippers for this pairing. In fanworks where Mara constructs her own lightsaber, it is usually one of these two colors. 
==Relationships==
As in canon, Luke Skywalker is the most popular partner for Mara in fanworks. Shipping fics frequently show her as rival to or jealous of Luke's other love interests, particularly Callista Masana. However, Mara is occasionally shipped with other characters such as Lando Calrissian. Femslash with Mara is relatively rare, and she is usually paired with Leia Organa in place of or in addition to Luke. 
Fanworks also show Mara considering smuggler chieftain Talon Karrde's organization as family, particularly Karrde and the awkward slicer Ghent. Depending on the fic, she may have strong friendships with Leia Organa and Han Solo, or they may be suspicious of her Imperial past and discourage Luke from pursuing a romantic relationship with her. Mara is especially close to Jaina Solo and frequently serves as her mentor in Jaina-centered fanworks. 
==Fanworks==
===Fanfic===
===Fan art===
*Cosmos by raye-minamino
*Mara Jade Skywalker by SoCalTrojan
===Fan Films===
*The Dark Redemption (1999) 
*The Distant Echo (2017) (cameo) 
===Cosplay===
*Mara Jade cosplay by caysera
*Even Mara Jade needs her caffeine fix in the mornings by caysera
===Miscellaneous===
*Mara Jade Theme by unchronology
===Communities===
*Club Jade
=== Archives ===
* Skywalker, Jade, and Family - author page focussing on Luke/Jade, among others. (1999-2005)
===Meta===
*Dressing your Imperial assassin by teagrl.
*Why The “Leia Organa Doesn’t Like Mara Jade For Luke” Trope (Almost) Never Works For Me by JediMordsith.
*It’s cold in that fridge (the case of Mara Jade) by Jadelotusflower.
==References==
Category:Star Wars Characters
Category:Star Wars: Expanded Universe