Star Wars: Mara Jade Cosplay Will Have Fans Begging For Her Live-Action Debut

Viewers of the Star Wars saga films see a very specific version of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) later in life. After aiding the rebels in the triumphant last stand against the Empire, it seems like he would have the whole galaxy ahead of him. Instead, the sequel trilogy portrays him as a recluse who has lost all hope. The novels in the non-canon Legends continuity are another story. In those materials, Luke leads a very different life. It is one full of purpose and even a romantic partner in the form of Mara Jade.

Mara is a fascinating figure in the books, raised under the Galactic Empire to become the Emperor's Hand. As part of the elite squad tasked with carrying out missions for the Emperor, Mara has skills comparable to any Jedi. Though initially on opposite sides, Mara and Luke fall in love, which leads her to a career with a new generation of Jedi. Tragically, Mara never made it to live-action, but one cosplayer is doing their best to rectify that. On Instagram, Rei Kennex showed her version of Mara Jade.

"It's not quite a cosplay," she wrote in the post. "I prefer 'modernized live-action adaptation,' how she would look like on screen, had there been a movie about her." The creator urged fans to read up on Mara Jade, even though it's unlikely we'll see a big-screen interpretation of the character.

Lucasfilm merging with Disney may have given fans the gift of several new movies, TV shows, books, and comics, but it also had a downside. While Disney's titles have incorporated some Legends concepts and characters in canon (like Grand Admiral Thrawn), others haven't been brought over — including Mara Jade. She is just one of several fan-favorite characters who live and die on the pages of Legends publications, an unfortunate turn of events considering her potential.

Mara has an exquisite character arc, which would have been popular fodder for live-action. After the Emperor dies, he gives her one last mission: kill Luke Skywalker. This order sends the two on a collision course where Mara grows, changes, and finds love. By far one of the most popular Expanded Universe figures, fans will likely only see Mara in cosplay form now. The other character fans mourned is Darth Vader's secret apprentice, the infamous Starkiller. Voiced by Sam Witwer in the Force Unleashed games, Galen Marek is another character full of depth who turns to the light side. One can only hope that as the creative director of Star Wars, Dave Filoni could find some way to fit these beloved characters into upcoming canon projects. But given Mara's connection to Luke Skywalker and the events of the sequel trilogy, her possible inclusion is perhaps the least likely.