The Controversial Replacement for Mara Jade in Star Wars Canon

The Fate of Mara Jade in Star Wars Canon

A Star Wars fan has put forth an unconventional replacement for Mara Jade, one of the fandom's most beloved former characters. The suggestion, however, has been met with less than enthusiastic responses from other users. The vast majority of the Expanded Universe Star Wars lore was rendered non-canon and annexed to the Legends continuity when Disney purchased franchise parent company Lucasfilm in 2012, which at that point had licensed out the IP to the tune of hundreds of books, comics, and other related media. While the studio has since gone about building a new canon with the addition of another trilogy and a litany of smaller projects, many features of the former expansive canon have yet to make a return, including one that fans of the franchise were very much attached to - Luke Skywalker's love interest Mara Jade Skywalker.

shin hati flying a spaceship

While Luke Skywalker has taken a backseat in the new canon in favor of Rey Palpatine, his appearance in The Mandalorian has gotten fans talking about a potential Disney Plus series for the beloved Star Wars character and possible story arcs in Disney's continuity, including the potential inclusion of his Legends-era lover. Taking to the general discussion section of the popular r/StarWars Reddit thread, user RagnarokWolves proposed an unexpected fix for the situation, posting the caption, “How would you feel if Canon Luke fell in love with Shin Hati and she was the new Mara Jade?” alongside an image of the character in question. While novel, many other users would take to the comments to disagree with the notion. Shin Hati, who was first introduced to Star Wars canon in the recently concluded first season of Ahsoka, does share one broad similarity with Mara Jade in that both ladies start as adversaries of the Jedi, with Hati being an ally of Baylan Skoll and Mara Jade initially meeting Luke Skywalker after being tasked with his assassination by her benefactor Emperor Palpatine. However, the differences end there, as some in the comments point out, with both characters having vastly different personalities and backstories. Additionally, Mara Jade, while not exactly one of the strongest Star Wars Legends characters, was a far more competent fighter and force user, marking another difference between the two.

Many others also pointed out that the version of Luke Skywalker in Legends did away with many of the teachings of the Jedi Order when reestablishing it, allowing for a more traditional relationship and romance between himself and Mara, even having multiple children that grow up to have their own adventures. The version of Luke Skywalker that attempted to train Grogu in The Book of Boba Fett and met his end in the sequel trilogy made no such decision. So, in addition to a romantic relationship being unlikely, the consensus seems to be that any potential substitute for Mara Jade would be wholly inadequate, even if the character herself is acceptable.

The Unlikelihood of a Substitute for Mara Jade

While the character seems unlikely to jump to the new canon, one Star Wars actor has shown some interest in bringing Mara Jade to life. Vanessa Marshall, who voiced the Star Wars: Rebels character Hera Syndulla, who was recently brought to live-action by Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Ahsoka, has thrown her hat in the ring for a chance to bring Luke Skywalker's Legends lover back to life. Whether or not anyone in charge takes her up on that offer remains to be seen.

The Future of the Star Wars Franchise

The Star Wars franchise is available for streaming on Disney Plus. Fans continue to speculate about the potential paths and developments in the Star Wars canon, including the fate of beloved characters like Mara Jade. As the franchise evolves and expands, unexpected twists and controversial suggestions, such as the replacement of Mara Jade with Shin Hati, will continue to spark discussions and debates among the passionate Star Wars community.