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In 2014 Lucasfilm announced a new direction for Star Wars media. All previous novels, comics, and video games were rebranded as Legends and deemed non-canon. This gave Lucasfilm the freedom to chart their own course for the Star Wars timeline with its sequel trilogy. Subsequent Star Wars novels, comics, and video games were part of a new canon.

(To be clear, the movies and the Clone Wars television series were always canon).

While the new canon has gone in its own direction, it has borrowed elements from Legends. For example, Star Wars: Rebels introduced a canon version of Grand Admiral Thrawn. This opens the door for other Legends characters to return… if Lucasfilm approves it.

During a panel at Dragon Con, Thrawn creator and renowned author Timothy Zahn was asked which Legends character he would like to see in the new canon. “The obvious one, Mara Jade. I keep nudging Lucasfilm, asking them if I could write a book. The answers come back basically some place between ‘no’ and ‘heck no.’”

Mara Jade is a character created by Zahn, introduced in his 1991 novel Heir to the Empire. Mara was a former agent of the Emperor who later became an ally of the New Republic. She married Luke Skywalker, and was the mother of his son Ben. Mara lost her life when she was killed by her nephew Jacen Solo, who had turned to the Dark Side.  

Judging from Zahn’s response, Lucasfilm seems adamant about introducing a canon version of Mara Jade. It’s a shame, because she’s one of the more popular Legends characters. Maybe if Zahn learns a Jedi mind trick he could try pitching again….

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