ST Mara Jade in Episode IX?

https://io9.gizmodo.com/yes-its-already-time-for-some-really-wild-star-wars-e-1825454796

First big "grain-o-salt" rumor from Episode IX...Mara Jade? I'd say there's a 95% probability this is a red herring, but still...

 

It both feels too obvious to be what it might suggest and too cruel to prank the fans with a character so well-liked.

 

So the ST in a nutshell.

 

Not Mara Jade (at least not the one from legends), but we are meant to think she is.

 

I remember when TFA was in the fairly early stages of development, there was an article about a red wig being made for it, and of course the immediate assumption was "Mara Jade's gonna be in Episode 7!" (I'm embarrassed to say I even started a thread about that wig.) Now I wonder what character that red wig was actually for. It was probably some background alien that ended up on the cutting room floor.

Anyway, I'd be all for Mara Jade making an appearance, though I have little faith in this rumor at this point.

 

iO9: "a site that nobody heard before claimed that..."

 

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"...And with that, ladies and gentlemen, good night to you..."

 

I did wish Mara Jade was in this trilogy when it started. Maybe if we didn't find out the identity of Phasma, I would have like Mara to be undercover as her or something. But obviously that didn't happen, and this trilogy is more about Han and Leia's family and legacy than it is Luke's. So she really wouldn't fit into this story.

But with that being said I would like to see her become canon again, even if it's an animated series set after RotJ. I think that would make a lot of fans happy. Or even some EU movie that they do. If there is a 10-12, there could always center around Luke's child, and then maybe she can play some kind of role as an older person. Nothing to me suggests Luke didn't have a kid so if the Skywalker saga did continue, they could always pull that card.

 

I think at this point EU fanservice would be an awkward fit for the ST. I never really liked the fanservice Lucas added to the PT either.

I suppose it's possible that this is a new character inspired by Mara, but that seems unlikely coming from the current creative team.

And like people are saying it could just be BS

 

It's pointless to introduce Mara Jade now anyway since Luke is already dead. It'd be a gigantic anti-climax imo.

 

Luke is not dead. Mara was in the ship that was seen in one of the suns and beamed him up

 

...she will bring Luke to Charles Xavier

 

Actual Mara Jade as she was seems unlikely and fairly pointless at this stage. I’m still
Not convinced there is any truth to this casting call, but if there is then
I’m guessing the name is a self-aware codename. I could see a new character bearing traits to the old Mara - maybe one of Snoke’s key enforcers, Rey’s mother, even a KoR rival of Kylo’s. But I can’t see her being Luke’s wife/ Rey’s mother all in one.

 

No one wants this anymore. The ST is so far separated from Mara's Star Wars that she couldn't possibly be the same character, and her inclusion certainly wouldn't convince Legends fans to watch the movie. It's completely pointless now.

 

Also trying to introduce such a big character/antagonist, who's never even been remotely hinted at in the first two films at all, in the final film of the trilogy, would feel awkward and shoehorned in.

 

Yeah. I don’t think it’s happening at all.


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amazing it is even being discussed. the original story was clickbait of the highest order. surely we are wise to this now.

 

Well I think there's only like a 0.1% chance this is Mara Jade for all the reasons people have stated but I'm still intrigued by who it could be (if the casting call is real). Maybe a new character meant to fill Leia's role as a mentor figure in the Resistance? Or the same on the side of the FO. Both sides are light on older authority figures so this could help IX feel less like a bunch of young'uns blowing each other up.

 

Wasn't there a loud voice in the fandom asking for Mara Jade before the ST? Now that they cast a MARA no one wants her.
I'd like the idea. On top she could appear with five children. One from the Emperor, one from Darth Vader, one from Snoke and twins from Luke. That would be a bummer

 

Hey now, if Lucasfilm is going to troll the fandom they should go for broke and make her have absolutely no connection to Luke.

I definitely want Mara to be re-canonized but I don't see how it makes much sense at this point in the ST. Introducing her in a post-ROTJ novel or TV series seems like it would be a better fit.

 

Why, Lando, Greivious, Snoke, Dooku, etc. came as well from nowhere.
JJ could explain her background afterwards in hundred something interviews

 

Agree. The ST has gone down a different direction.

 

If they bring her into this story this late 3 things comes to mind:

1) Her story would be changed fundamentally obviously. No kids with Luke.

2) Dramatically, I think the only reason to include her this late would be to extend the temple night flashback to include her as one of the teachers at the Temple in order to setup the Knights of Ren as new villains who would then be returning on a week long mission. We’d see more of the temple night and realize that Snoke had directed Ben and the other Knights of Ren to destroy the temple in advance and Luke had detected their scheming. We’d see Ben arguing with another of them who will later become the new primary villain.

Luke would tell Mara about it and perhaps they’d imply that these two teachers are in fact romantic.

Luke decides to check on Ben. Mara goes to check on the eventual Knights of Ren with one who would end up killing her. The one who would kill her would then become the Killmonger-ish alpha who thinks Ben Solo is too kind still and who works with Hux to stage a coup along with the others. Hux would be the one who fires on a building or ship where it would be suggested Leia was alive and receiving treatment near the start of IX. These two acts would establish the new evil for the finale.

3) Ben Solo would then become an uneasy ally of Rey versus the K of R and the FO with the question looming of whether he’s doing what he’s doing strictly out of revenge, anger or to get the throne back or if he’s truly changed. There could then be a Force ghost training scene with Mara, Yoda and Luke preparing Rey for the threat of the Knights of Ren that Ben can’t see because he’s still full of hate and anger. Only after he’s done more selfless acts for the Resistance, including helping Poe and Finn, would Mara and Luke appear and begin to guide him as well. First in voice over and then later he’d see them again following his atonement and regret prior to the finale.

Rey and Ben end up fighting the K of R in the end. Finn ends up fighting and beating Hux who pleads for his life telling him he’ll tell him about his past. Ben Solo tells him he’ll help him find the archives regardless and Finn gives some nice line to Hux about “How this is for every kid you enslaved from their home world!” Some troopers then try to shoot Finn in the back but their bolts are held in mid air. It isn’t Rey who saved Finn’s life this time. It’s Ben! Ben sends them back into the troopers but rather than killing Hux... Rey convinces them of a different fate. Ben Solo stares at the throne one last time. Pulls out th golden dice he’s since picked up from the Falcon. Looks down at it and then uses the Force to topple Snoke’s and his former throne.

IX ends with an epilogue. Finn’s dad is helping him build something. We suddenly see building materials floating toward Finn’s dad that are being Force levitated by Ben Solo who’s simultaneously building as well. Rey then jokes that’s cheating. We see that all of them are rebuilding a temple in Luke and Mara Jade’s honor together!

The shot continues to pull out and we see the Force ghosts of Luke, Mara, Yoda and Anakin looking down at them. A new unexpected balance.

A child’s voice is heard. “Excuse me.” he asks, “Are you Rey?” It’s Temeri Blagg!

“Yes. Can I help you?”

“I don’t know how to explain this but something has guided me here and I don’t know why.”

Rey asks, “This place? You’ve seen this place?”

“Only in dreams.”

End credits.

 

What, why? Didn't we see Luke being portrayed as a charming philanderer in TLJ? I must have missed something.