Post by Krisa on May 3, 2003 20:55:27 GMT -5
Hmm. Few things to say.
First: About Mara. I totally agree with Toryn. Mara was a great character in Zahn's books- I even admired her. But then I think I completely missed the part that explained why she and Luke were good together. (Was that in there at all or am I just dumb or something?) It seemed to me like they skipped directly from hate to neutral and then all of a sudden they were in love. (Okay, maybe there was grudging admiration in there, but where do they suddenly decide they're soulmates?) I mean, I know she's a bit of a puny character by some people's standards (not that I could ever see why) but I think I understood Callista and Luke far better than Mara and Luke. To continue my little ramble: the NJO kind of glosses over the missing 'falling in love' part of their relationship and they seem like any other couple. But it's always bothered me that I didn't understand the original 'getting together' part. Maybe it's just me...feel free to prove to me that they do belong together- the NJO will make a lot more sense to me! And, of course, Mara is way too perfect in the NJO. Since when does she get the right to criticize everybody and be good at everything? Being a nutso Leia fan, I would reserve that right for Leia! Which moves me to my second point:
In answer to starwarsfan68's comment about Leia with the training/lightsaber issue, here is my own personal theory on that. (Note: I would have been just as thrilled as anyone else if Leia's Force skills had been as fully developed as her brother's. I just made this theory up to console myself on that issue.) I always thought the reason that the EU didn't develop Leia's Force skills was because the author's had something against her. Maybe the women author's were jealous of her or maybe the men authors were just being sexist. But that was when I was about thirteen and first reading the EU series. I've since decided that particular theory was more than a little childish. So, after some very deep and profound and prolonged thinking, I decided that maybe it's better after all that Leia didn't reach her full potential as a Jedi because then she would be sort of similar to why everyone criticizes Mara. I mean, she has brilliant diplomatic skills that seem to save her butt every time she and Han and Luke get into some righteous trouble in all the EU books, she's a loving mother who does her best (though the way they portray her in NJO, that would be one of her failings rather than accomplishments. I personally think she was a superb mother who worked hard so that her kids could live in a better galaxy. cliche, I know, I know...) and she's a loving wife, and a hard worker, and (until recently) an idealist, and determined, and the list goes on. I think the Force thing was one of the issues that reduced her back to a believable character.
Now, just to do a little 'on the other hand'...on the other hand, I personally would not at all mind seeing Leia as the perfect mother, wife, Chief-of-State and a powerful Jedi Master and lightsaber dueler besides, but...guess that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Well, that was my little rant for the day! Boy, am I enjoying discussing SW with other fans. My brother stopped being willing to 'talk SW' as we used to call it a looong time ago, and it's good to be doing it again!!!
First: About Mara. I totally agree with Toryn. Mara was a great character in Zahn's books- I even admired her. But then I think I completely missed the part that explained why she and Luke were good together. (Was that in there at all or am I just dumb or something?) It seemed to me like they skipped directly from hate to neutral and then all of a sudden they were in love. (Okay, maybe there was grudging admiration in there, but where do they suddenly decide they're soulmates?) I mean, I know she's a bit of a puny character by some people's standards (not that I could ever see why) but I think I understood Callista and Luke far better than Mara and Luke. To continue my little ramble: the NJO kind of glosses over the missing 'falling in love' part of their relationship and they seem like any other couple. But it's always bothered me that I didn't understand the original 'getting together' part. Maybe it's just me...feel free to prove to me that they do belong together- the NJO will make a lot more sense to me! And, of course, Mara is way too perfect in the NJO. Since when does she get the right to criticize everybody and be good at everything? Being a nutso Leia fan, I would reserve that right for Leia! Which moves me to my second point:
In answer to starwarsfan68's comment about Leia with the training/lightsaber issue, here is my own personal theory on that. (Note: I would have been just as thrilled as anyone else if Leia's Force skills had been as fully developed as her brother's. I just made this theory up to console myself on that issue.) I always thought the reason that the EU didn't develop Leia's Force skills was because the author's had something against her. Maybe the women author's were jealous of her or maybe the men authors were just being sexist. But that was when I was about thirteen and first reading the EU series. I've since decided that particular theory was more than a little childish. So, after some very deep and profound and prolonged thinking, I decided that maybe it's better after all that Leia didn't reach her full potential as a Jedi because then she would be sort of similar to why everyone criticizes Mara. I mean, she has brilliant diplomatic skills that seem to save her butt every time she and Han and Luke get into some righteous trouble in all the EU books, she's a loving mother who does her best (though the way they portray her in NJO, that would be one of her failings rather than accomplishments. I personally think she was a superb mother who worked hard so that her kids could live in a better galaxy. cliche, I know, I know...) and she's a loving wife, and a hard worker, and (until recently) an idealist, and determined, and the list goes on. I think the Force thing was one of the issues that reduced her back to a believable character.
Now, just to do a little 'on the other hand'...on the other hand, I personally would not at all mind seeing Leia as the perfect mother, wife, Chief-of-State and a powerful Jedi Master and lightsaber dueler besides, but...guess that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Well, that was my little rant for the day! Boy, am I enjoying discussing SW with other fans. My brother stopped being willing to 'talk SW' as we used to call it a looong time ago, and it's good to be doing it again!!!