Not many other beings have a past steeped in as much mystery as Mara. All that is really known is that she used to work for Emperor Palpatine, under the code-name the ‘Emperor’s Hand’. Rumours abound about how and when she was taken by Palpatine. It is thought that she was young, and in order to sever all ties with her family, her parents were killed. Since Palpatine barely ventured beyond his own personal sanctum, he desired a personal assassin, one who could do his bidding anywhere in the galaxy. The person would of course have to be Force-sensitive, and Mara fitted the bill perfectly.
The Emperor himself taught her rudimentary Force powers, and how to wield a lightsaber. Her hand-to-hand combat was taught to her by the best Imperial protectors, as was her superb marksmanship. Her abilities were rounded off with spy techniques and political intrigue.
Mara was dispatched to planets throughout the galaxy, to places where stormtroopers or other Imperial troops could not perform the desired task. Wherever she was in the galaxy, Jade would be able to hear the Emperor’s voice. This was without doubt her most useful Force talent. Through her, Palpatine discovered traitors who then either discredited or killed. The latter was the preferred method. Small Imperial governors who felt that they could channel Imperial funds into their own accounts soon found staring down a blaster barrel, with a beautiful red-and-golden-haired woman squeezing the trigger. It was said that there were worse sights to see before one dies.
Although Mara was seen with Palpatine, very few people in the Empire knew who she really was. But these sightings with the ruler of the galaxy had benefits for Mara. They brought her prestige and respect, influence and power. Some thought she was Palpatine’s lover, but she would never have stooped that low. She did not love the self-proclaimed Emperor, or the Empire itself for that matter. She had power, respect, and anything in the galaxy she wanted. Now that’s a good job.
Mara’s biggest opponent for Palpatine’s attention was the Dark Lord of the Sith. Vader was the Emperor’s public servant; he stood for the Empire, and was Palpatine’s voice. Jade was merely in the background, a tool for the Emperor’s personal needs. For this reason Mara stayed out of Vader’s way as much as she could. She just carried out her orders, and lived a life of utter luxury. Nothing could take that away from her. The Empire was indestructible.
At the time she was believing this, it was probably true. Who could have foreseen what would follow? Mara’s dream was about to be shattered. It all started when Han was captured and taken to Jabba on Tatooine. Palpatine wanted Luke Skywalker dead, and knew that the young Jedi would go to rescue his smuggler friend. Once again Mara was sent out, and she took up the position of one of Jabba’s dancers. She called herself Arica, and passed her audition with the great worm easily. The Emperor’s prediction came true, and Luke came to Jabba. But before Mara could act, the Hutt had Skywalker, Solo, and their friends taken to the Sarlacc. The Emperor’s Hand had failed, and she knew it. His disappointment touched her mind, and told her that they would discuss it on Svivren after her next mission.
That discussion never took place, for a few days later Palpatine was killed over the moon of Endor, betrayed by Vader. Mara lost everything in the bat of an eyelid. Her life was now worthless, even her Force powers had diminished with the Emperor's demise. No-one knew who she was , she would not be able to claim any place in the Empire. As far as the Empire was concerned, she barely existed. The only thing that was left of her Imperial life was Palpatine’s final message to his Hand: "You will kill Luke Skywalker"
Practically destitute, Mara roamed the galaxy for the next four and a half years taking any jobs she could. She barely scraped together to live off. Her Force talents had virtually disappeared with the Emperor’s demise, and she did not know enough to train herself. Wanting to put her past life behind her, Mara became Karrinna Janisih. Under this name she was a serving girls in a Phorliss cantina. Once that job was through, she became Marellis, a member of a Caprioril swoop gang; and finally Celina Marniss, a mechanic on Tropis-on-Varont.
It was here that destiny gave her a break. Two humans landed, going by the names of Syndic Pandis Hart, from the Sif-Uwana council, and Captain Seoul. They needed their hyperdrive to be repaired, and Mara accepted the job. While this was going on, they were encouraged to go on a Morodin safari hunt. Before the safari, Hart and Mara exchanged words, and they realised that neither was who or what they seemed.
In fact the two humans were interested in safaris as a business venture, and were checking out the profitability of them. They had been accompanied by employees of the Krish crime lord Gamgalon. When the humans stuck their noses in slightly to deep, Seoul was killed, and Mara had to come to Hart’s rescue. They boarded Hart’s ship and flew off together. It was then that they introduced themselves to each other, using their real names. Hart was in actual fact the smuggler Talon Karrde, and Seoul had been Karrde’s second-in-command Tapper Quelev.
Jade asked for a job, and ended up staying with Karrde and his association for the next five and a half months. During this time, she rose through the ranks, and became an indispensable member of the group. In fact, Karrde started to groom her to be his replacement. Like many before, Karrde found that Mara concealed her feelings. He tried to ask her questions, but she never gave a complete answer. Beneath her beauty, lay huge steel doors, which trapped her past and never let anything in or out.
Her life with the smugglers was full and enjoyable, but at night she was plagued by nightmares of the Emperor, and his final message kept reminding her of her past failure. Mara always thought that she would never see Luke Skywalker again, and get the chance to fulfil her master’s dying wish. But when they found his crippled X-Wing in the middle of space, she knew what she had to do.
In the end though, she ended up saving Luke’s life on several occasions. When she did fulfil Palpatine’s last wish, however, she ended up killing Luuke Skywalker, a clone of the young Jedi. She also killed Joruus C’Baoth, and was finally free of her past.
Luke recognised that she would be a great Jedi, of only she trained. He gave her his father’s lightsaber, the one he had lost on Bespin because of Vader. Luuke had been using it, and Skywalker had retrieved it. At the same time he asked her to join the New Republic.
Mara knew in her heart that she would one day join, but at that moment there was too much else to do. Eventually Talon retired, but only after forming the Smuggler’s Alliance, which was made up of all the smugglers he had been able to persuade to join. When Karrde retired, he handed the reigns over to Mara. Over the years, she aided the New Republic in numerous ways, although most notably by flying in the Millennium Falcon as it faced the Death Star prototype in the Maw cluster.
She and the Smuggler’s Alliance then teamed up with Lando, who had taken over the spice mines on Kessel, and helped to distribute the spice throughout the galaxy. Lando made romantic advances on Mara, but she refused….. the first time.
But Lando lost Mara to Luke. The two Jedi had found love in each other, and eventually married. It was a match made in heaven. They had each wandered the galaxy alone for so long, and had given in to the inevitable.
The man who had destroyed her old life with Palpatine, was the start of her new life with the New Republic and the Jedi. Their circles were at last complete.
