Han is the only one that appears to be getting older in the new novels. I really liked the way they had him handle Chewies death.

 

As for a good end for Han.... I picture a "Grand Turino" style end for Han when I picture it. A grumpy old fighter that outlived everyone that he loved using his death to get one last win over the bad guys.

That was also how I pictured Han going out. Getting in one last "Up Yours" to the villains of the universe in general.

I understand what you're saying; however there are many good stories where the heroes don't die; and so I agree with Zahn's assessment. I think that the overly heroic, looking at the world through rose colored glasses is what strummed the collective awesome chord in the Star Wars generation. It is representative of the naivete of youth and so it is easy to relate to. I'm looking for blasters and lightsabers, good guys and bad guys. The story loses its charm when you take it to the darker, more serious places. As I've said before, I don't mind those places, I think that they should be explored; but I believe that Star Wars, in its purest sense, is a space-western where the good guy ALWAYS rides into the sunset.

I can appreciate that and I understand the idea, but I think we lose one of the key themes of Star Wars if the authors adhere to the idea that the heroes' triumph always means every protagonist lives:

"There is no death: There is the Force."

It always seemed to me that this theme is difficult to explore if we never actually experience death vicariously through the characters. What is the purpose of the myth if it doesn't portray that which begs the deepest questions of humankind? Or teaches us the lesson that death is not to be feared, but that fear of death is a stronger enemy to the psyche? I just feel like Star Wars, which many credit with the rebirth of mythical storytelling in Hollywood, is restricted from continuing to be mythical because of this approach.

On a personal, tangent note, I think death for the "big three" (Luke, Han, and Leia) is necessary because retirement to a moisture farm appears to be a non-option for the EU writers, who fall back too much on the film characters. Our heroes without finished arcs can't ride off into the sunset because Luke, Han, and Leia are blocking their path, metaphorically knocking them off their horse so they can get yet another heroic accolade. For these characters, the natural cycle of death would restore balance to the expanded universe.

I am starting to think StarWar Hardcore fans are nutz .

 

Mara died because it was the best way to hurt Luke by his own nephew ! Characters die and so do real people , life goes on ! Happen StarWars is not much like DC or Marvel or everyone who died would eventually rise again .

 

Eventually Luke will die , be happy that hasn't happen yet or the Luke fans would go into a rampage destroying their parents house from the basements !

 

I think the writer sumed it up the best I have seen , some fans are crazy and act like the own the place . Normally I would aggree that Fans Pay the Bills but then no loved character would ever die or lose in a fight and nothing is good about that .

*cough* Women in refrigerators *cough* *cough*

*cough* demeaning females to further the male's story *cough*

*cough* *cough* death for the sake of death has no meaning *cough*

*cough* don't use Game of Thrones' model of death as a shield *cough*

*cough* don't use "realism" as a defense *cough* *cough*

But that aside, I do hope she appears in the new canon now that they all but said "if it contradicts the new stuff coming out, it's not canon."

Killing her....who really thought that was a good idea?

Jeez. Thanks. Where was the spoiler alert?

Jeez. Thanks. Where was the spoiler alert?

You expect people to put spoiler tag on something that's 7 years old?

Its always a spoiler to those that haven't read it.

I myself just start to read those books and find Mara Jade very interesting. Sucks to find out she is killed later on.. though I will never read it so to me she will always be alive. lol

Its always a spoiler to those that haven't read it.

I myself just start to read those books and find Mara Jade very interesting. Sucks to find out she is killed later on.. though I will never read it so to me she will always be alive. lol

Ofc it's a spoiler for those, but you can't expect people to put spoiler tag about it after 7 years. I mean it's like saying Vader is Luke's father is a spoiler.

Ofc it's a spoiler for those, but you can't expect people to put spoiler tag about it after 7 years. I mean it's like saying Vader is Luke's father is a spoiler.

HE IS!!!!!

:eek::eek:

HE IS!!!!!

 

:eek::eek:

Sorry, didn't mean to spoil it

Sorry, didn't mean to spoil it

Rude...