Greetings, Rebelscum fans! This week on the site, we’re once again looking at Star Wars gaming history with an exploration into the Jedi Knight, Dark Forces, Jedi Outcast, and Jedi Academy games. Make sure to read our “Expand Your Mind” article first to get a guide to all the games in the series, but stay tuned throughout the week for more content. We’ll be updating with new articles, insights, videos, and information about all the best merchandising content you’ll want to look out for.


While the Jedi Knight games primarily centered around the new hero Kyle Katarn, Mysteries of the Sith finally gave fans the chance to play as one of the most popular characters in the Expanded Universe: Mara Jade. Mara Jade was first introduced by Timothy Zahn in The Thrawn Trilogy, and she had an exciting history that continued for the next twenty years of publishing. Mara Jade may no longer be part of canon, but she’s one of the greatest characters in the history of the franchise.


Mara Jade is first trained as one of Emperor Palpatine’s dark acolytes during the Dark Times before the destruction of the Death Star. A teenager learning the ways of the Force, Mara Jade grows under Palpatine and even trades blows with Darth Vader at one point. She serves as a lethal assassin for the Empire, but following the events of Return of the Jedi she abandons the Dark side to become a bounty hunter.


It’s during her mercenary days that Mara Jade meets the man she would eventually marry: Luke Skywalker. Luke and Mara Jade are forced to work together during the events of The Thrawn Trilogy as the Imperial Remnant threatens to overthrow the New Republic. It's a critical early bond in which Luke and Mara Jade initially part ways; while Lando Calrissian tries to win her heart, Mara Jade remains interested in Luke.


Luke and Mara continue to remain allies throughout the events of the Galactic Civil War as he trains her to become a Jedi. Their relationship grows, and the pair finally get their concluding relationship in Timothy Zahn’s duology Specter of the Past and Visions of the Future. As the Empire officially surrenders and begins a new era of peace, Luke and Mara Jade finally get married.


Their courtship is later tested during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion that combats all of the New Republic heroes against a mysterious alien threat from another galaxy. However, its during this chaotic period in which Mara Jade bears Luke’s son, who they name Ben Skywalker. Ben would grow into a beloved Expanded Universe character of his own, and a close ally to his cousin Jacen Solo.


Unfortunately, it's also Jacen Solo who brings Mara Jade’s demise. After the Dark Jedi Lumiya trains him in the Dark side, Jacen becomes the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. One of his first acts of villainy is killing his aunt using a saberdart. It’s one of the darkest moments in the Legacy of the Force series and in the Expanded Universe period, and it showed Luke at some of his lowest moments in the entire franchise.

What do you think, Rebelscum fans? Do you want to see Mara Jade brought into canon? Who would you like to see play her? Let us know in the forums, and as always, may the Force be with you!

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