Post by Talon Karrde on Jun 21, 2007 17:10:13 GMT -5
Okay, if you haven't read the new Legacy of the Force series of Star Wars books, then you might want to leave this thread as quickly as possible.
Let me start off by saying that Mara Jade has been my favorite character since the Thrawn Trilogy that brought the world of Star Wars novels back to life. I knew from the first book in that series that Mara Jade was the one for Luke Skywalker and that they would eventually become husband and wife. I rooted for this despite Callista and the numerous other women who walked in and out of Luke's life. There could be only one person who would fit Luke's personality completely and that was Mara Jade.
When they got engaged, I was the first to cheer. When they were married, I ran to find the comic book miniseries detailing the nuptuals. When they came out with a Mara Jade action figure, I patrolled Ebay day and night until I could find one (they weren't available in toy stores near me). When Mara got sick in the New Jedi Order series, I hoped and prayed that they would find a cure because I couldn't imagine losing a character that I related so much to. When fans were polled as to what fill-in stories they would want to read about from the older time line, I quickly voted that I wanted to read more about Mara Jade prior to the New Jedi Order.
Mara Jade is a role model for young women out there. Her character proves that you can be human and make mistakes, but you can come back from those mistakes, learn from them and travel the right path again. She was one of the strongest female characters in the Star Wars book series - Leia's strong, don't get me wrong, but the need for her to be politically correct in her former position as Chief of State made her a tad less fun to read than Mara. Mara was just way cool in a rebellious, yet loveable way. The fact that such a strong, fun, intelligent, and swashbuckling character was a female was icing on the cake.
As an anniversary present, I received Sacrifice, a book in the Legacy of the Force series. It was bought for me, even though I hadn't yet bought all of the books leading up to it, because I had pointed out the cover on which Mara Jade is very prominently displayed. However...and this was quite by accident...I learned that this book was to be the last Legacy of the Force book she will be appearing in. Her character will no longer be present in books that follow this timeline. The manner in which she is written out of the series is still unknown to me, but I have the feeling it is definitely a "final" appearance, meaning that a fatality is involved.
While I understand that the original heroes are getting up there in age and can't possibly live forever, I still am saddened by this turn of events. I have no doubt that this will shake up the Star Wars universe almost as much as the death of Chewbacca. I just hope that she went out like she came in - a fighter with tremendous strength and grace that entered the Star Wars universe with a bang, shook things up and made her presence felt in the Force!
Let me start off by saying that Mara Jade has been my favorite character since the Thrawn Trilogy that brought the world of Star Wars novels back to life. I knew from the first book in that series that Mara Jade was the one for Luke Skywalker and that they would eventually become husband and wife. I rooted for this despite Callista and the numerous other women who walked in and out of Luke's life. There could be only one person who would fit Luke's personality completely and that was Mara Jade.
When they got engaged, I was the first to cheer. When they were married, I ran to find the comic book miniseries detailing the nuptuals. When they came out with a Mara Jade action figure, I patrolled Ebay day and night until I could find one (they weren't available in toy stores near me). When Mara got sick in the New Jedi Order series, I hoped and prayed that they would find a cure because I couldn't imagine losing a character that I related so much to. When fans were polled as to what fill-in stories they would want to read about from the older time line, I quickly voted that I wanted to read more about Mara Jade prior to the New Jedi Order.
Mara Jade is a role model for young women out there. Her character proves that you can be human and make mistakes, but you can come back from those mistakes, learn from them and travel the right path again. She was one of the strongest female characters in the Star Wars book series - Leia's strong, don't get me wrong, but the need for her to be politically correct in her former position as Chief of State made her a tad less fun to read than Mara. Mara was just way cool in a rebellious, yet loveable way. The fact that such a strong, fun, intelligent, and swashbuckling character was a female was icing on the cake.
As an anniversary present, I received Sacrifice, a book in the Legacy of the Force series. It was bought for me, even though I hadn't yet bought all of the books leading up to it, because I had pointed out the cover on which Mara Jade is very prominently displayed. However...and this was quite by accident...I learned that this book was to be the last Legacy of the Force book she will be appearing in. Her character will no longer be present in books that follow this timeline. The manner in which she is written out of the series is still unknown to me, but I have the feeling it is definitely a "final" appearance, meaning that a fatality is involved.
While I understand that the original heroes are getting up there in age and can't possibly live forever, I still am saddened by this turn of events. I have no doubt that this will shake up the Star Wars universe almost as much as the death of Chewbacca. I just hope that she went out like she came in - a fighter with tremendous strength and grace that entered the Star Wars universe with a bang, shook things up and made her presence felt in the Force!