Mara Jade

[Lobo]

As I've been on a SW binge lately, the more I thought about sequels, and potential spinoffs etc. I think Mara Jade is the best candidate for her own film. She's a bounty hunter/smuggler/pirate/emperors personal assassin. You could have a movie where she's on a mission from Palpatine and comes across some familiar faces from the SW universe Lando, Chewie, Boba, Jabba etc. No Skywallker's in the beginning. At the end she learns of Palpatine and Vader's deaths. I'd have it set at the same time as Jedi

I'd have a second film with her on a quest to kill Luke, finding him and him sensing her undeveloped connection to the force. She's struggle with the Emperor's final command and feelings she develops for Luke.

As for casting. The only one who comes to mind for me at the moment is Jessica Chastain (though I'm sure SW/Disney would casta bit younger)

[James]

As much as Star Wars fans would enjoy it (and I think the idea of setting it parallel to the original trilogy is really neat) I don't think the general public, or even casual fans, would be keen. Perhaps later on if we see an older Mara in the films, a spin-off/prequel of her character might be marketable if she's popular enough. At this stage I can't see Disney taking the gamble though.

Jessica Chastain is a great choice. Heck, even if she doesn't show up as Mara Jade it'd be great to see her having some major role in any of the new films.

[Bim]

I personally dont care for Mara Jade at all, so my hope is that she isnt featured in any of the movies at all, much less a spin-off film... sorry lol

[Destructus86]

eh...i'm kind of with Bim. I hope she doesn't get a spin-off. Infact...i'd like to keep the EU as far away from the films as possible.

[Gianakin_]

I love MJ, one of my favorite SW characters, however she's only part of the EU. Nobody will care for a spinoff film. Get her in Eps7-9, and if she does well, THEN give her her own flick.

[Lobo]

What if it was an animated feature a la clone wars?

Personally I hope she does make the cut for episode VII.

[hippie_hunter]

The spin-off films should be based on someone who has already been introduced in the films like Bobba Fett and Darth Vader, not a book character that only the most die-hard of Star Wars fans know of. I say put her in the films to explain who Luke got married to and gave birth to any offspring of his, but she really has no place for a solo spin-off film until she gets established in Episode VII.

And dare I say if they put her on film, she should be an older actress who looks like she's comparable to Luke's age. Julianne Moore is the first thought in my mind.

[johnrain]

Mara Jade is a Mary Sue.

[Hamill-Joker]

Direct-to-Video animated movie.

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by johnrain

Mara Jade is a Mary Sue.

Do you have anything better to contribute other than calling multiple female Star Wars characters Mary Sues? Do you even know what a Mary Sue is? Because again....doesn't really apply here.

[OptimusPrime114]

Originally Posted by johnrain

Mara Jade is a Mary Sue.

Seriously?

Mara Jade is Black Widow with a lightsaber.

[johnrain]

Originally Posted by hippie_hunter

Do you have anything better to contribute other than calling multiple female Star Wars characters Mary Sues? Do you even know what a Mary Sue is? Because again....doesn't really apply here.

"The prototypical Mary Sue is an original female character in a fanfic who obviously serves as an idealized version of the author mainly for the purpose of Wish Fulfillment. She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye color, and has a similarly cool and exotic name. She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting. She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing." - tvtropes.org

1. Zahn's work is professional fanfic.
2. Mara is exotically beautiful with red hair and green eyes
3. She has a cool and exotic name
4. She's been the Emperor's Hand, smuggler, and Jedi Master
5. The Main Cast all like her.
6. She married the Main character

[James]

That entire theory tends to fall apart in the first sentence, given Timothy Zahn is a man.

[Han Solo]

Originally Posted by Bim

I personally dont care for Mara Jade at all, so my hope is that she isnt featured in any of the movies at all, much less a spin-off film... sorry lol

I agree. Luke needs to take on the Ben Kenobi/Yoda aspect in these next films. And for that, Mara Jade wouldn't be needed.

[Spider-Gnome]

And I'm not big on having EU characters, but if they go the Mara Jade route, I could see Joanne Whalley playing it. She played Sorsha in Willow (also Lucasfilm) and if they made an Heir to the Empire around 88 (five years after Jedi), she would have been the right age. So, she would work now with Hamill.Oh, and this is actually in regards to Episode VII.

[Lobo]

I want this but only if she is in episode VII. I'm hoping Ben Skywalker is the lead in that. Mara just has a ton of potential IMO.

As for who could play her opposite Hamill, before my prequel idea? Moore seems a pretty good choice

[Project862006]

if they want younger how about Jane Levy(Evil Dead)

[hippie_hunter]

Originally Posted by johnrain

"The prototypical Mary Sue is an original female character in a fanfic who obviously serves as an idealized version of the author mainly for the purpose of Wish Fulfillment. She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye color, and has a similarly cool and exotic name. She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting. She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing." - tvtropes.org

1. Zahn's work is professional fanfic.
2. Mara is exotically beautiful with red hair and green eyes
3. She has a cool and exotic name
4. She's been the Emperor's Hand, smuggler, and Jedi Master
5. The Main Cast all like her.
6. She married the Main character

1. Timothy Zahn is a man, so therefore he cannot be an idolized version of the author. An example of an author providing an idolized version of themselves would be Stephanie Meyer and Bella Swan or Marv Wolfman and Terry Long

2. Zahn's work is not professional fan fiction. It is an authorized expansion of the Star Wars universe approved by Lucasfilm. And Lucas has used elements of Zahn's works into his movies. An example of professional fan fiction would be 50 Shades of Grey.

3. Exotic names for Star Wars characters are quite common. Padme Amidala, Leia Organa, Palpatine, Chewbacca, etc.

4. Beautiful people are quite common in all forms fiction. Nobody likes reading about out of shape, old, and ugly people.

5. Those careers you mention show how flawed Mara actually is. She started off working for the bad guys as opposed to being Little Miss Perfect like Mary Sues are supposed to be. Her flaws are not meant to be endearing like a Mary Sue's "flaws."

6. The Main Cast eventually comes to like her, she earns their respect as opposed to just everyone gushing over her automatically.

7. She married the main character after HOW long? A good fifteen years after they met. Luke had other flames as well in between that time period. The relationship between Luke and Mara was actually built up and developed as opposed to them already wanting to bump uglies the moment they met.

[Gianakin_]

F**kin' excellent post.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by johnrain

"The prototypical Mary Sue is an original female character in a fanfic who obviously serves as an idealized version of the author mainly for the purpose of Wish Fulfillment. She's exotically beautiful, often having an unusual hair or eye color, and has a similarly cool and exotic name. She's exceptionally talented in an implausibly wide variety of areas, and may possess skills that are rare or nonexistent in the canon setting. She also lacks any realistic, or at least story-relevant, character flaws — either that or her "flaws" are obviously meant to be endearing." - tvtropes.org

1. Zahn's work is professional fanfic.
2. Mara is exotically beautiful with red hair and green eyes
3. She has a cool and exotic name
4. She's been the Emperor's Hand, smuggler, and Jedi Master
5. The Main Cast all like her.
6. She married the Main character

1. I totally agree most of the EU is professional fan fiction
2. Almost everyone with red hair has green eyes.
3. She has a one syllable first name with a descriptive last name (Mara Jade(beautiful and tough), Han Solo(only cares about himself), Luke Skywalker (dreams big)...)
4. Almost everyone in the EU has done a stupid number of unrelated things. Han killed Palpatine for good, Luke is a Space God, not to mention Leia has done a plethora of unrelated things at dwarfs Mara Jades list.
5. The main cast likes almost everyone after awhile.
6. Eventually, but other authors did that if I recall.

Look theres plenty of reasons not to have Mara Jade at all, and I'm not real big on her either, but you can't call everyone a Mary Sue. I find your other "Mary Sue" Asoka annoying as hell, however I can recognize she's not an idealized version of the author.

[James]

Originally Posted by BenKenobi

3. She has a one syllable first name with a descriptive last name (Mara Jade(beautiful and tough), Han Solo(only cares about himself), Luke Skywalker (dreams big)...)

...no she doesn't?

Ma-ra. Like Lara. La-ra.

[BenKenobi]

Originally Posted by James

...no she doesn't?

Ma-ra. Like Lara. La-ra.

You're right, really wasn't thinking there, but still Ma-ra. Le-ai, still fits with what I was saying.

[James]

All good

[Young Superman]

I'd love to see a Mara Jade solo film.