Mara Jade Skywalker, one time Emperor's Hand become Jedi Master. Wife of Luke, mother of Ben. We first met her in Tim Zahn's Heir to the Empire in 1991, and over the past 16 years we've seen alot of her, had many great adventures. Both during her service to Emperor Palpatine, as a top smuggler, and as Jedi Knight and wife of Luke Skywalker. All memorable.

She was probably first Expanded Universe character to really grab the attention of the fans. She came on the scene hating Luke Skywalker for his role in the Emperor's death. She hated him and his father, Darth Vader, for years. All the while grudgingly assisting Luke in his fight against both the deranged clone Joruus C'Baoth and Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ultimately she realized that Palpatine wasn't the man she thought he was, and his last moments didn't proceed as she had been led to believe. Mara made peace with Luke Skywalker and became a trusted friend for years to come.

Eventually the two realized the Force destined them to be together, and they realized their shared love. Luke proposed and they married. Shortly after the Yuuzhan Vong invaded and Mara had been poisoned by a mysterious Yuuzhan Vong disease. She fought it constantly, and also fought on the frontlines of the war. She helped to train Luke's neice and nephews, Han and Leia's children.

Her and Luke concieved a child, and that child was delivered during the war with the Yuuzhan Vong. Ben Skywalker. Somehow his power in the Force, combined with his parents', cleansed Mara of the disease during childbirth. Years after the war Mara and Luke decided to let Jacen Solo informally apprentice Ben and help him to come to terms with the Force. And the boy did. Little did they know some of the things Jacen was doing, and how he was keeping Ben from recalling them. Little did they know that Jacen would eventually start down the Sith path, and attempt to groom Ben as he Sith apprentice.

Recently, in Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice, Mara Jade Skywalker persued her quarry relentlessly to protect her beloved son. When she found out her true quarry was her own estranged, Sith-to-be nephew that pursuit became more relentless. Seeking to rid her family of the threat of Lumiya, she found out Jacen Solo was in cahoots with the Sith woman.

Mara Jade Skywalker, as she had in her youth, put up a fight that nobody expected to come from her. She nearly killed Jacen, but for a dirty trick illusion used to confuse her for a split second... and split second in which Jacen poisoned her. She died vowing not to let Ben be turned by Jacen, and that Luke would crush him.

Mara Jade Skywalker will be missed. She maybe gone... but she is not forgotten.

There is no death, there is the Force.