George Lucas never made Luke Skywalker a husband in the original Star Wars trilogy. However, in the Expanded Universe, he found the woman of his life. She is such an interesting character that she deserves an appearance in films and series.
Which character is it? In the Expanded Universe, which takes place outside the original film trilogy in books, comics, video games, and other film and series formats, Luke Skywalker is married to Mara Jade Skywalker.
She was first mentioned in 1991 in Timothy Zahn’s novel Heir to the Empire. She carried out missions for Emperor Palpatine and was trained in the ways of the dark side of the Force. Her last mission for the Emperor was to kill Luke Skywalker.
But she couldn’t kill him and instead became his wife. Additionally, she was trained as a Jedi, had their son Ben Skywalker, and received a seat on the Jedi Council. She was indeed a powerful woman who found her own path.
One of the currently less popular series adaptations is The Acolyte:
George Lucas never wanted her in the films
Why did she never appear in the films? Through her development from villainess to heroine, Skywalker is an interesting character. But Lucas has spoken disparagingly about the Expanded Universe, which also includes Mara Jade, in several interviews.
In a 2008 interview, Lucas explained that in the novels that go beyond the events of Episode 4, actions occur that he never would have planned himself (via Star Wars News Net). In the commentary for the original trilogy special edition DVD, he clearly expresses his displeasure:
The stories from the Expanded Universe are another author’s interpretation of what I created and should not be seriously regarded as what actually happens in the Star Wars world.
George Lucas, Flannelled One, March 2008, via Wookieepedia
Lucas therefore did not view the Expanded Universe as part of his vision for Star Wars. Luke Skywalker’s vow of celibacy (a chosen chastity) does not fit with the character of Mara Jade, as former Lucasfilm editor J. W. Rinzler explained (via The Resistance Broadcast).
Could we see Mara Jade in newer series? Thanks to the newer Star Wars adaptations, characters from the Expanded Universe are suddenly appearing. This includes Grand Admiral Thrawn, who appears in Ahsoka. The series fulfilled a nerdy wish from Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen. But Mara Jade has poorer chances since she is incompatible with George Lucas’s original vision due to her marriage.
There are some characters who come close to Mara Jade’s story:
- Shin Hati from Ahsoka has several similarities with Mara Jade. They are both strong fighters with connections to the dark side of the Force.
- Asajj Ventress from The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch also switched sides. She had strong ties to the dark side but then freed herself from her obsession with revenge and became an ally of the Jedi.
However, neither of the two characters could replace Mara Jade. So, it remains to be seen if there could be a series in the future where Mara Jade makes an appearance in a parallel universe.
George Lucas is very strict about his vision for Star Wars. He took legal action against the Chilean version because it featured beer advertisement: In one version of Star Wars, Obi Wan enjoyed a beer – George Lucas had to intervene
