Is Mara right for Luke?

First of all, let me state that I'm not looking to start a flame war here, I'm just in search of some intelligent debate and discussion.

So my question is this: am I the only person here who believes that Mara Jade is not right for Luke? Granted, I've never liked Mara, even before I read 'Children of the Jedi' and became a Callista fan, but I'm trying to look at the topic from an unbiased standpoint. Mara's conversion from a headstrong, rather cold, sarcastic woman to the practically warm-fuzzly person I saw in 'Vector Prime' just doesn't ring right to me. Personally, I liked her better before she softened up--I thought she was more interesting that way. And she and Luke, as a couple, have never felt right to me either. Friends, yes, but married, no.

I do feel that Callista was best suited to Luke, and I'm fairly upset that she had to be written out of the EU [and that Kevin J. Anderson essentially degraded her in the abomination that is 'Darksaber'], because I felt that she was a very interesting, complex character that could have developed into someone truly remarkable. I guess I'll always wonder what became of her, since it looks like she won't be turning up in the NJO.

Any thoughts/comments?


-CR

 

Of course Mara is right for Luke.

Callista would have worked, but she passed on the chance because she has issues. I dug Callista at the time, but she bailed to "find herself".

 

I liked her in CotJ, until she took over Cray's body. And then began to whine about not being able to use the Force.

Then she was just a whiny brat. Really, I didn't really want them to get together.

If it hadn't been Mara, Gaeriel was cool. But I like Mara. She and Luke are different in many ways, but they fit together. Although, I miss their sarcastic back and forth banter since they got married.

 

I don't want to sound cold, but I don't think it matters if we as individual fans like Mara or not. Fact is, according to LFL, Luke really really likes Mara and the two are right for each other. If they weren't, they wouldn't have gotten married or their marriage would have dissolved by now.

On a personal note, I do like Mara. I think she's really cool and really fun (in a used-to-be-the-emperor's-hand sort of way). She and Luke work the same way Han and Leia work. They have seemingly opposite ways of doing things, and they compliment each other nicely.

But, that's just my crazy opinion...

 

No. Luke has turned into a mass of Jello under Mara's spell. He can't seem to do anything without his force bonded twin who shares the same brain with him. I think without their manufactured "force-bond" that no other two married Jedi have, they would still be friends. Because they have nothing in common.

Luke just isn't the same with Mara as his wife. It was IMHO disastrous from the beginning. esp the nauseating: "You're more than I deserve, all I ever wanted, and all I ever will need." Gag. She's more than he deseves? What's she done that makes her so great? He has no self-esteem left at all. All his happiness, normalcy, and sense of well being hinges on Mara. He is less of a person with her. For years, until the ameoba moment, he was sure of himself, independent, dedicated, and strong. Now is a meek weakling that reminds me of a guy that has to ask his wife's persmission to go to the store.

Luke is henpecked.

 

um...that's called finding your soul mate or at least someone who you're pretty damn in love or lust with. So much so that your world changes completely and it all hinges on that one person. That's how I'd interpret what's happening...

 

Nope. Mara's a -----, and Luke's a nice man.

 

I was disappointed about how the Callista storyline ended. I really liked her character and the way their relationship was developing. It just seemed to me that it was an abandoned storyline, and that was unfortunate.

However, I think Luke and Mara have worked together more than they've been bad. I don't understand the "anti-Mara" sentiments that I've seen on these threads. She's not that bad. And I think they do compliment one another.

Although, there have been elements were Mara's been made out to be smarter and/or stronger than Luke, which I don't think were necessary or accurate.

 

No. She isn't right for Luke. She dominates him to the point where he wouldn't sneeze without her permission. He sits/stands there like the vornskr got his tongue while she rips him or his sister up one side and down the other for past or present errors, when her own past, and present, is hardly spotless. While she rants about how she'd kill anyone who harmed Ben, Luke sits there in awe of her, never questioning his decision to name her a Jedi master despite her being grossly unqualified. Luke, where is your spine? And your brain? And your cojones?

While I don't object to Luke's spouse keeping him grounded, I also think that that said spouse should be kept grounded as well, especially if said spouse is Mara. Luke won't, perhaps can't, stand up to her -- and it infuriates me. This is a guy who confronted Vader, who stood unafraid before Palpatine, who destroyed the Death Star, who saved his father...yet he doesn't stand up to a former Imperial pop tart. He makes a feeble attempt and she snarls, "You listen to me, farmboy!" How I wished he'd snap back with, "When DON'T I listen to you? Why don't YOU listen to ME for a change?" But he didn't. When Mara snarls at him after he says "Trust in the Force," does he question, even briefly, his decision to make her a Jedi master? No, he envelopes her in his love.

I shudder to think that Mara is Luke's "soul mate"...that Padme gave him up to protect him, that Ben and Yoda trained him, that Anakin sacrificed his life for him -- all so he could end up the whipped lapdog of Mara Jade.

"You're more than I deserve, all I ever wanted..." Blech! What makes Mara so incredible, that Luke of all people would tell her she's more than he deserves? And all he ever wanted? If all Luke ever wanted was a woman who would dominate him and steamroll over everyone in her path and be automatically promoted to lofty positions without earning them, then he isn't a tenth of the man I thought he was.

 

I definately think Mara belongs with Luke. When I read HttE (this was before HoT was written) I was convinced they belonged together, and she wanted to kill him at the time! There was just a chemistry there that wasn't there with Callista. Along those lines, I don't think Callista was a good match for him. I will agree, though, that some of the NJO authors really ruined Mara's character, compared to the way Zahn wrote her. The Mara that Luke originally married was strong and independent, and I personally like the fact that there are times when she one-up's Luke.

~Inyri

 

Absolutely not!

I would have loved to have seen Gaeriel with Luke or even Callista.

I liked how they started out with Mara hating him and all that and the chemistry that sparked from there but Mara turned into a whiney woman and then into a cold hearted *****

~Crystal~

 

Mara belongs in some AA meeting or something, that'd explain the mood swings

She's arrogant like nothing else, a prima donna, and simply acts like a spoiled brat most of the time. I used to like her charecter back in the Thrawn Trilogy, but in the NJO she's completely different and Luke is nothing like her.

A usual conversation for Luke and Mara:
Luke- "Hi"

Mara- "Shut up farmboy, did you do the list of chores I gave for you to do while I'm out somehow single handedly bringing down an entire alien intelligence organization?"

Luke- "Yea I just finished it"

Mara- "Just? What took you so long, go make me some tea"

 

No.

And it is obvious that Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Bantam didn't think so either. Years ago, Barbara Hambly gave an interview for the Jedi Soulmates website where she was asked about the origins of Callista:

"JS: How much "elbow-room" did you have to develop your storyline for your own SW contributions? Was there a general story arc you were asked to follow, or were you able to follow your own story ideas?

BH: At the time I wrote the SW novels, we were told to sort of pick a time - how far out from the movies? -- and to familiarize ourselves with the plots of the books that came before "our" time. The editor told me to put in the love of Luke's life.... We could then come up with whatever story we wanted, but had to check it out with the editor and then with the Lucasfilm folks."

---

"[b]JS: You created a such beautiful and memorable character in Callista: a rare heroine who not only had great strength and honor, but warmth and humor as well (very much a female version of Luke! :-)). Did you have any particular inspirations for her character, either in personality or appearance? Also, one of the fun discussions we Callista fans have had among ourselves is which actress would be ideal to portray her, should she ever be "brought to life" (so far Ashley Judd seems to be winning the poll :-)). I read somewhere that you had pictured her much like Uma Thurman in your mind. Would she be your choice to play Callie?[/b]

BH: In creating Callista I wanted to create someone who was Luke's spiritual partner. Who has the same sort of background as he does, and understands him as others don't because she understands the spiritual dimension of the Force. Someone who, like Luke, will be wise in old age; who is striving for wisdom rather than power. And who is basicly sweet-natured. As I've said before, I pictured a young Uma Thurman in the role: I'm not familiar enough with Ashley Judd (I'm not sure I've even seen her - I don't get out to movies often) to say yes or no. Winona Ryder could probably do it: somebody both tough and sweet."[/ul]It is obvious that when it comes to the person who is Luke's spiritual partner or "soulmate," that person is not Mara Jade.

What Luke got in the form of Mara Jade was a poor imitation of Han Solo.

 

Thanks for the excerpt, Genghis. So much for Zahn's assertion that Mara was always earmarked as Luke's mate, and so much for the idea that the NJO (what else?) has put forward more than once: that Mara is the love of Luke's life, he never knew love before he married her, blah blah.

And yes, Mara is a poor imitation of Han Solo. That is, she has Han's smart mouth and smuggler background, but she lacks his decency, heart, and soul.

 

*applause*

 

I bet Taselda from PoT would make a better wife than Mara.

 

Mara, in a way, has become the female Jedi character that Leia could never be allowed to become (except for the ESB Infinities universe) due to her political responsibilities. So she's filling a double role in the grand scheme of things, and I can appreciate that.

Mara has become the female Jedi character (Jedi master, in fact, a title she does not deserve) that the EU authors and Del Rey have not allowed Leia to become, because they were too busy trying to hoist Mara up above her. Leia was declared a full Jedi at the end of the Bantam series. Then suddenly in the NJO she was half-trained and uncertain in the Force, while Mara was made a Jedi master. And the Mary Sue promotions just keep on coming.

Callista wasn't my favorite of Luke's love interests (Gaeriel was), but I liked her a heck of a lot better than Mara. Too bad Callista had to be ruined and then eliminated in order to clear the path for Mara. How many characters must be ruined for Mara's aggrandizement?

 

Personally, I liked Gaeriel from TAB more with Luke than Mara. But the later has grown on me after the NJO.

 

Yes, i think they complement each other nicely.

I like Mara's character.

and I HOPE THIS WON"T TURN INTO ANOTHER MARA JADE LOVERS/HATERS DEBATE. personally, i'm sick of those.

 

Well she's with Luke now

Yes she is right for Luke, as far as i'm concerned she doesn't dominate Luke, they act like an old couple.

^ Yes no more bashing of the red haired one please

 

What Luke got in the form of Mara Jade was a poor imitation of Han Solo.

LOL! I like that one!


Okay... I do think Hambley was more successful at creating the love of Luke's life. Callista was a grounded and well rounded character. And, I think Hambley was able to set out Callista's 'leaving' Luke as more of a noble act in POT. I also liked the way she interacted with Leia.

Mara went from an interesting character with an edge to 'dud.' I don't hate her, but I liked her better in the old days. As a soul mate for Luke though...

We never saw Luke/Mara in their early marriage. We have a huge period of time passing after VOTF, and then, blam, we get THIS Mara, who's nothing like she was way back when.

Can't say... I simply don't think Mara's character was developed well enough to convince me of why she is who she is now...

My two cents...

 

Hey everyone--

I'm glad to see that this has sparked intelligent debate, and not a flame in sight yet. I'll try to respond to all the good points I've read so far.

GENERAL_FEL: I'm interested in your opinions on why Mara is right for Luke--you didn't elaborate.

Guinastasia: In my opinion, Callista didn't start whining until KJA made her that way. Her thoughts at the end of COTJ seemed realistic to me. I just wish that Barbara Hambly had been allowed to write the next book instead of KJA. And I miss Luke and Mara's sarcastic banter, too.

Tiershon Fett: *lol!* I haven't read the NJO yet--I only just got myself to read Vector Prime--but I could already sense a hint of what you said. And it just seems unrealistic to me that Luke would say such things to Mara--it's as if such feelings came out of nowhere.

CeeWolf: I agree with you that abandoning Callista was unfortunate, and that Mara isn't all that bad. I still don't like her, but she has/had her good points.

Shelley: So who *do* you see as bst for Luke? And I hate to take sides, but after reading Vector Prime, I think I'm starting to agree with your point of view. What happened to the old Mara Jade? Or the old Luke? Am I the only person here who really disliked the characterizations in Vector Prime?

InyriForge: I honestly believe there was a wonderful spark between Callista and Luke, though I suspect it would be of a different sort than the kind that Luke and Mara would have.

Crystal417: I agree--I think Mara's chemistry/relationship with Luke was much better when they were sparring all the time.

Ghengis12: I never thought of it that way, that Mara Jade was sort of a female version of Han Solo, but when you look at it from that angle you're rather right! Do you think it was intentional?

Shelley again: If anyone ever tries to tell me that Luke never knew love before Mara, I might just spontaneously combust. It really gets my goat when people pretend that Callista--or even Gaeriel--never existed. Fact is, she did, and she did have an impact on his life.

And now for more of my rambling:

I'm not trying to start a bashing war, just some thought-out discussion.
So I bring up this theory:
It seems to me that many regard Timothy Zahn and his trilogy as some sort of second coming, but truth be told I've never liked the Thrawn Trilogy much. But does anyone else feel like his personal preferences for the future of the EU were given precedence over others? I just don't like the thought of everything having been set in stone from the beginning, with no room for evolution and development. It seems kinda egotistical to me for Zahn to have assumed [if he did] that his creation would be Luke's one and only.
And I had something else to ramble on, but I forgot what it was so I'll let this stand for now.


-CR

 

Ivylore: Agreed, one hundred percent. PoT may have been wonky, but it wasn't a total waste. And I'm not seeing Mara's evolution as a character, either.


-CR

 

CR -


As a Mara fan, I can sort of explain what happened. As Ivylore said, there are 6 years of missing history from Luke and Mars's early years of marriage.

Mara actually was supposed to have emotional growth after Vision of the Future. It didn't happen.


A LIKEABLE Mara in the New Jedi Order is in Balance Point, if you are interested.