2003 | please don't steal
No affiliation with George Lucas or Lucasfilm. The Jade Sabre is an
unofficial fan site.
"Sleight of Hand" [by Timothy Zahn]
"Sleight of Hand" appeared in Tales from Jabba's Palace, which was printed in 1996. My Review: When I read this story, I was impressed by the way Zahn weaves the thread of Mara's story so seamlessly into the plot of Return of the Jedi. There are never any instances when I thought, "Why didn't I see here there?" It makes it seem possible that Lucas had actually put Mara Jade into the movie! Set at the beginning of Return of the Jedi, Mara Jade poses as one of Jabba's dancers. Her mission as the Emperor's Hand: to kill Luke Skywalker. She watches all the players come in--the droids, Leia, Chewie, and finally Skywalker himself. At each turn her attempts to murder him are fumbled, and she forces herself to believe that Jabba can take care of him. Finally, when Jabba has failed to kill Skywalker with his rancor, Mara tries to come on the sail barge with him, to finish off Skywalker there. But Jabba refuses her, and for the first time in her servitude of the Emperor, she has failed him. Mara vows that she will meet with Skywalker again, and this time she will kill him. BACK TO SHORT STORIES |