This article contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka episode 7.
Summary
- Ahsoka introduced Shin Hati as a new character, sparking a theory that she could be a canon replacement for Mara Jade in a Thrawn trilogy adaptation.
- Shin and Mara share similarities, such as being young female Force users working as hired guns and having a tough exterior with a lot of heart.
- While it would be exciting for Mara to return, having Shin fill her role brings back elements of Legends while creating a new character, which is ultimately better for the franchise.
Ahsoka introduced Shin Hati as a new character, but a compelling Star Wars theory suggests she is also a canon replacement for Mara Jade. While there are several differences between the two, there are also noticeable similarities that hint at Shin filling Mara's role in what is shaping up to be a canon adaptation of the Thrawn trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This would continue Ahsoka's pattern of balancing old and new ideas as Star Wars moves toward its upcoming slate of movies. It also leaves room to speculate on how much of Mara's story will become part of Shin's in Ahsoka and beyond.
Mara first appeared in 1991's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire, the first book of the Thrawn trilogy that introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn. She was once the Emperor's Hand and served Palpatine without question, but after he died at the Battle of Endor, she went into hiding and became a smuggler. Although Palpatine's last command was for Mara to kill Luke Skywalker, she begrudgingly helped him against Thrawn, and eventually, the two fell in love and were married. Mara's story may be exclusive to the Legends continuity, but there are many ways for Shin to replace her in canon after Ahsoka.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Shin Hati's Similarities With Mara Jade Explained 
Shin and Mara are young female Force users who work as hired guns in the post-original trilogy timeline, with Shin as a mercenary and Mara as a smuggler. They also serve older, more powerful masters as Shin follows Baylan Skoll on his quest to end the galaxy's cycle of war. Talon Karde is not more powerful than Mara in a literal sense, but he did take over the remnants of Jabba the Hutt's criminal empire. Finally, Shin and Mara are trained to use the dark side but aren't stuck in it, and they both have a tough exterior with a lot of heart underneath.
