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Credit: LucasfilmLucasfilm is saying “no” to one of the most iconic romances in the Star Wars franchise.
Romance has long threaded through the Star Wars saga, beginning with the franchise’s most famous pairing: Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). While primarily antagonistic towards each other in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977), their chemistry evolved into one of the trilogy’s defining relationships, culminating in their romance in The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
The prequel trilogy centered heavily on the tragic relationship between Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman). Their secret marriage in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and doomed romance in Revenge of the Sith (2005) ultimately became the emotional catalyst for Anakin’s fall to the dark side.
More recently, the sequel trilogy sparked debate with the dynamic between Kylo Ren/Ben Solo (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), who are revealed to be a “dyad” in the Force in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Some fans embraced the “Reylo” pairing, but others criticized the implication of romance between the two characters, arguing that Kylo’s violent actions toward Rey throughout the trilogy made the relationship feel troubling rather than redemptive.
However, judging by the number of fans rooting for Ben Solo to return in Rey’s standalone film (if it ever happens), the number of pro-Reylos is still pretty significant.
Beyond the screen, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) found romance in the expanded universe with Mara Jade, a former Emperor’s Hand who later became a Jedi. Introduced in Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars novels, the pair eventually married. The relationship proved hugely popular among fans, especially since Luke never received a clear romantic storyline in the films (the less said about that kiss with Leia, the better).
Disney effectively erased Mara Jade’s story when it overhauled the Star Wars timeline. After acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012, the studio restructured the franchise’s continuity, declaring most novels, comics, and games from the Expanded Universe non-canon and rebranding them as Star Wars Legends. That decision removed major storylines — including Mara Jade’s marriage to Luke Skywalker — from the official timeline.
Disney Blocks Mara Jade’s Return to ‘Star Wars’
In recent years, fans have expressed hope that Lucasfilm could eventually rework Mara Jade into the Star Wars universe. But judging by recent comments from Star Wars: Bloodline author Claudia Gray, the studio has a firm anti-Mara Jade stance under The Walt Disney Company.
“A couple of times I was like, ‘Really? Really, no Mara Jade?’ And they were like, ‘[Stern voice] Nope,’” Gray revealed during an appearance on the Writing the Star Wars Universe panel at MegaCon 2026 (via PopVerse).
She’s not the only one.
Zahn, who created the character, added, “I asked them too” – and was also told no.
Notably, George Lucas himself is apparently not-too-keen on Mara Jade. During a panel at Dragon Con in 2024, Zahn claimed that Lucas allegedly had issues with specific parts of the book, including Mara herself.
Zahn explained that he never heard the criticism directly from Lucas, but that it apparently circulated through other sources at Lucasfilm. “I had heard later on from other sources that he didn’t like certain things about the book,” Zahn said. “He didn’t like Mara, didn’t like Ysalamiri and such.”
Even so, Zahn noted that Lucas’ feelings toward the novel remain somewhat unclear. He recalled learning that Lucas had given copies of Heir to the Empire to Lucasfilm employees as a Christmas gift in 1991, suggesting the creator may not have disliked the book as strongly as some reports suggest.
Lucas is no longer directly involved with the Star Wars universe. However, Dave Filoni, co-president of Lucasfilm, is often considered the filmmaker’s protege, and has recently claimed to be integrating several ideas previously discussed with Lucas into the new series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
The situation with Mara Jade has left some Star Wars fans frustrated, primarily because Lucasfilm has selectively restored other Expanded Universe ideas over the years. Grand Admiral Thrawn, originally introduced in Zahn’s novels, was officially reintroduced into canon through the animated series Star Wars Rebels and later appeared in the live-action series Ahsoka. Other Legends elements have quietly resurfaced in books, comics, and television, making Mara Jade’s continued absence even more noticeable.
Does Disney Have Bigger Plans For Mara Jade?
Of course, the fact that Disney has blocked Mara Jade’s return in novels could always suggest that it has bigger plans for the character – or at least wants to keep that door open for the future.
In 2025, rumors hit the internet that Lucasfilm was actively pursuing a Disney+ series focused on Mara Jade. Industry insider My Time to Shine Hello (via Comic Book Movie) reported that the show was in development, with a separate report suggesting that Spider-Man star Zendaya had met with Lucasfilm for the project.
Some fans have theorized that the character will eventually pop up in the MandoVerse. The interconnected storyline spanning The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and related projects takes place in the years after Return of the Jedi, the same general era where Mara Jade’s story unfolded in the Expanded Universe — a period when Luke was rebuilding the Jedi Order and encountering new allies and enemies.
Disney has already integrated a de-aged Luke Skywalker into The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. While Mark Hamill claims his time in the franchise is now over, Disney has also shown a willingness to recast younger versions of legacy characters, as seen with Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo — prompting some fans to suggest that Sebastian Stan could convincingly portray Luke in his 40s.
Would you like to see Mara Jade back in Star Wars canon?