Name: Mara Jade
Role: Emperor’s Hand
Accessories: Purple Blade Lightsaber
Bio: Having correctly foreseen Luke Skywalker’s affinity for the Force, Emperor Palpatine dispatches Mara Jade to kill the threat. However, Palpatine is killed Anakin Skywalker aboard the second Death Star, and Luke survives to help start the New Republic. Mara’s mission has not changed, however, and she will use any means necessary to fulfill Palpatine’s final orders.

Okay, you got me. This is not an actual figure. This is a custom Mighty Muggs figure I commissioned Colin Betts, of www.fairplaythings.com, to paint for my wife, Sara, as a birthday present (her birthday’s today). I was so impressed by his work that I decided to hijack the blog for a non-news post. Hey — it’s my site. Indulge me a bit.

Sara’s favorite character in all the Star Wars Expanded Universe is Mara Jade, first introduced as the Emperor’s Hand.   Sara has collected all the comics and books featuring Mara as well as all the toys, statues, and gaming miniatures.  I’d go so far as to say she has all the Mara merchandise available.  So, therefore, a present would have to be a custom job.  Several months ago, I asked some friends who could do a Mighty Muggs custom figure, as my artistic skills are rather lacking in that area.  My friend Jameel pointed me Colin’s way, and after a bit of an E-mail discussion, I sent him some Mighty Muggs figures for use in this custom project.