The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter: April 24, 2026
Reevaluating telling someone that you hate sand
Hello there
Welcome back once again to the Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter. It’s a good one this week, worth the wait. The Death Star HR Podcast returns to talk about The Hunt for Ben Solo, we’re 3/5th of the way through Maul: Shadow Lord and being a teenager is tough in every galaxy. Mara Jade is back in one form but so far not the one people are hoping for. And Mando is going to clog your arteries.
As always, thanks for reading Death Star HR. If you’re reading this and you’re not a subscriber, I’d love it if you entered your email below and smashed that subscribe button. There’s also an official Death Star HR Instagram and an official Death Star HR YouTube page as well and I’d love it if you subscribed there as well.
This Is Where The Fun Begins
Someone at The Onion has been on a Star Wars kick lately.
“Fans of the rich world George Lucas created can expect a consistent output of wildly varying guesses at what might appeal to them,” said Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who noted that the studio’s upcoming slate featured a half dozen or so untitled Star Wars films that would continue the stories of characters that executives sure hoped were beloved, or at the very least well-known.
I mean, the best satire is rooted in truth…
DSHR Podcast - Talking The Hunt for Ben Solo
Not going to lie, I am pretty proud of myself for getting the DSHR Podcast rolling on at least a semi-regular basis. Also not to brag, but it’s definitely the best Star Wars podcast in the history of the internet so you should check it out and subscribe.
This week I’m talking with Jen Davies Gen X Nerd and Kimberly about The Hunt for Ben Solo. The proposed movie that is currently trapped in the World Between Worlds. As you can see from the YouTube thumbnail, we clearly had a lot of fun talking about the latest news on the movie, their experiences at Toronto Comic Con, and what they’d want a Ben Solo movie to look like.
If you’re interested in the movement, check out Save Ben Solo for all the info. There’s two fun events coming up. This Sunday, April 26th, there’s a screening of The Last Jedi at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana and it’s presented by the Save Ben Solo fan campaign. If you’re in Southern California, go check it out. It should be a good time.
And then over May the 4th weekend, Save Ben Solo is hosting a Sequel Trilogy online watch party. Jen is hosting The Force Awakens, Kimberly is hosting The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker is hosted by The Sacred Texts Podcast, one half of which is friend of Death Star HR Reychel of Jakku.
You obviously have to provide your own copy of the movie. Despite what AI would have you believe, copyright law is real and Disney does not mess around. I am going to at least pop in for this, it’s May the 4th weekend and there are some events going on in DFW (more on that in next week’s Death Star HR). It will be a great chance to come together and talk with other Star Wars fans.
Shadow Lord: Talking to Girls is Awkward
Something I’ve really enjoyed so far about Maul: Shadow Lord is normal the non-Maul/Jedi characters are. Sure, Maul is Maul. We’ve got awesome lightsaber skills and Sam Witwer chewing the scenery with his voice acting. Same with Marrok, Devon, and Eeko-Dio Daki. But it’s the regular people on Janix and in the galaxy that are just trying to get by. Lawson has his caf addiction.
The chief just wants to avoid any fallout. Friend of Death Star HR Matthew Freeman wrote about Drea Lawson and how ordinary people find themselves and rationalize working for evil organizations.
Jedi and Sith are what they are. People that would be considered gods in any other circumstances. There’s a great scene in one of the New Jedi Order books where Luke Skywalker and Anakin Solo stage a lightsaber duel to basically distract and calm down a hostile crowd. But Lawson, he’s just a man with a crippling caf addiction trying to get through the day. I mean, look at this. He’s driving and not even using a travel mug.
He manages to survive an Imperial interrogation with an Inquisitor, only to come home and find that his son, Rylee is harboring not one, but two Jedi fugitives. I compared Lawson to Al Pacino in Heat. Which I guess makes Rylee Natalie Portman, it always comes back to Star Wars. Anyway, this is not what Lawson needs. So he and Daki send the kids out of the room so the adults can talk.
Poor Rylee. He’s got a rough homelife with a workaholic dad who might have a thing for a blue/purple-skinned crime boss but can’t be bothered to stay for a whole botekin match and a mom who’s on Coruscant working for the fascists. Not great. But maybe things are looking up. There’s a girl at your house, and she’s a Jedi! Even better, your dad and the weird old dude she’s hanging around with tell you and her to go to your room so they can talk. Only you don’t really know what to say to her.
Here I’m going to go on a classic Death Star HR digression. George Lucas takes a lot of heat for some of the wooden dialog in the movies. And one of the lines people often point to is Anakin’s “speech” to Padme in Attack of the Clones about how he hates sand. You know the one.
Yes it’s extremely awkward but as I’ve decided over the years, that’s the point. This of this from Anakin’s perspective. He’s had 10 years of building up the image of Padme in his mind. He’s also spent the last 10 years cloistered with a bunch of warrior monks who aren’t exactly encouraging when it comes to relationships. Being in a romantic relationship is not forbidden under the Jedi Code, but it’s definitely more of something you see in the books or cartoons. George’s vision of the Jedi seems to be Catholic priests with laser swords while some of the other media lets them be more like Episcopalians. Anyway, Anakin has had 10 years to think about Padme, he finally gets the chance to hang out with her, and realizes that being at the Jedi Temple might teach you a lot of things, but how to talk to girls isn’t one of them.
Back to Rylee, the kid just can’t catch a break. He gets a girl in his bedroom, only to have the moment interrupted when yet another person with a lightsaber comes barging in. Teen years are not fun.
Mara Jade Is Not the Chosen One
A month or so ago there was an announcement that a Mara Jade Funko Pop! was going to released. I thought I wrote about it for Great Moments in Star Wars Merchandising but it doesn’t look like I did.
For those who don’t know, Mara Jade is probably the second most popular character from Timothy Zahn’s OG Thrawn trilogy from the early 90’s. I know, I know, the Talon Karrde and Joruus C’baoth stans are screaming at me right now, but it’s undeniable. Obviously Grand Admiral Thrawn is the most popular character and has made the jump from Expanded Universe to canon. But Mara Jade has been stuck in Expanded Universe purgatory. She had plenty of appearances in the Expanded Universe, starting out as the former Emperor’s Hand who just wanted to kill Luke Skywalker, to later on the books marrying him and having a kid. Your classic enemies to friends to lovers story. Not only was she in the books, but there was a Mara Jade action figure from the Power of the Force 2 line plus the Star Wars collectable card game and plenty of other appearances.
Despite all of this, Mara hasn’t made her way into canon yet. The reasons aren’t exactly known. Allegedly Uncle George did not like the character. There’s no real confirmation, just suggestions. Per her Wookieepedia page:
In 1988 to the question of why Luke Skywalker didn't get a love interest in the story, Star Wars creator George Lucas responded "You haven't seen the last three yet". After the introduction of the character, according to author Jonathan W. Rinzler and Lucasfilm executive Pablo Hidalgo, Lucas did not hold positive opinion of Mara Jade especially of her marriage to Luke, since it contradicted the monastic lifestyle of a Jedi Knight. The notion about Lucas disliking Jade's character was previously supported by the DVD bonus features for Robot Chicken: Star Wars. In 2008, Lucas stated the story of the Expanded Universe regarding the events after Episode VI "isn't at all what I would have done with it", specifically saying, "Luke doesn't get married."
Here’s the thing though. You will never convince me that Luke and Mara getting married in the EU happened without approval from Lucas. There are hundreds of Expanded Universe novels. Probably thousands of books if you get into the kids, young adult, and comic books. That’s not even getting into other things with plots, like video games that introduced characters that continued on into the books. Obviously Uncle George was not approving every single plot point for a novel. He didn’t have to sign on off say, the Yuuzhan Vong destroying Ithor with a bio-weapon, but he signed off on the Vong killing Chewbacca.
Now, Luke and Mara getting married isn’t on the same level as Chewie getting whacked, but it’s a pretty big deal. Lucas may not have loved the idea of a Jedi getting married. But he was well within his power to stop it and he didn’t1.
I had thought Mara getting a Funko Pop was all the Mara Jade news we’d get, sort of a fun little curiosity from a company might be staring down bankruptcy, turns out there was more Mara Jade news. Headlines popped up a couple weeks ago that Disney/Lucasfilm has been telling writers they can’t bring back everyone’s favorite Star Wars ginger.
It set all the Nerd News sites into a tizzy. Or at least sent them all a flutter. As Gizmodo notes:
“A couple of times I was like, ‘Really? Really, no Mara Jade?’ And they were like, ‘[Stern voice] Nope,’” Claudia Gray, who’s written several canon Star Wars novels, including the Leia-focused Bloodlines as well as several entries in the High Republic publishing initiative, revealed during the “Writing the Star Wars Universe” panel at MegaCon 2026 recently (via PopVerse).
“I asked them too,” Zahn added in reply, although that’s not the first time Mara’s creator has been on the record as saying he’s attempted. A few years ago at Dragoncon 2024, Zahn described his pitches to bring Mara Jade back into continuity being met with answers from Lucasfilm ranging “some place between ‘no’ and ‘heck no.’”
There are two possible and logical reasons for this.
Uncle George really does hate Mara Jade and included something in the contract with Disney that Mara never comes back. I have long speculated that Lucas included some clauses in the contract restricting Disney’s ability to do certain things. Such as showing the original, non-Special Edition versions of the movies. Maybe he really hated the Mara Jade character so much he told Disney a condition of the sale would be that Mara Jade would never appear in canon again. Possible. It would be a weird hill to die on. But you never know.
Mara Jade is coming back. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But eventually. Lucasfilm has a plan for her. Or to borrow the vernacular of our current (very stupid) timeline, there is a concept of a plan for her.
If I were to bet my hard earned Republic Credits, I’d go with option two. Mara Jade will return at some point. There’s an obvious spot for her right now, there were rumors last year when it was announced Amy Adams was going to be in Starfighter that she’d be playing Mara Jade. I didn’t believe that at all for two reasons. First off, the timeline wouldn’t match. Starfighter is going to take place in 40 ABY. Mara was born in 17 ABY, which would make her 57 in Starfighter. That’s not that much older than Amy Adams who is 51. And Hollywood regularly has people who are in their mid 20’s playing high schoolers, so a 51 year old playing a 57 year old makes sense.
But what I mean by the timeline is by 40 ABY, Luke Skywalker is dead, having died at the end of The Last Jedi. I know, I know; I say all the time that nobody really dies in Star Wars. You can watch a podcast of me talking about Ben Solo who isn’t getting another movie because Bob Iger says “isn’t he dead?” Mark Hamill has pretty much ruled out ever returning as Luke. So bringing back Mara Jade in a timeline where she’s a widow is not at all what people want to see. They want to see the Luke/Mara relationship.
Mara Jade is the type of character that’s Dave Filoni catnip though. A popular Expanded Universe character that can be brought back? It wouldn’t surprise me if Cowboy Dave already has a script in his desk. The only question is how could they bring her back? Especially since there haven’t been any hints of Mara Jade in the last 11 years of Lucasfilm. Based on the current, meager, list of known Star Wars projects there’s not an obvious place for her. Maybe you could sneak a hint of her into season 2 of Ahsoka and then give Mara a grand debut in the Filoniverse movie.
And this goes back to why the current crop of Star Wars authors can’t use Mara Jade. It’s one thing to have Mara’s whole story spelled out in the Expanded Universe and Disney being able to hand wave it away. It’s another to allow Claudia Gray and Timothy Zahn to come up with a new story for Mara Jade and not have it jive with whatever Filoni and company are planning on doing with Mara Jade. Death Star HR is staking its claim that we’ll get Mara Jade sometime soonish. Unless we don’t.
Garazeb Orrelios Is Ready For His Closeup
We are less than a month from the first Star Wars movie on the big screen since 2019! Do you have your tickets? I certainly do. The slow yet steady drip of clips/teasers/interviews from The Mandalorian and Grogu continues. First off, everyone’s favorite Lasat is back and we finally get to see him kicking ass. I know Zeb officially made his live-action debut in season 3 of The Mandalorian, but let’s be honest. It might have been live, but there wasn’t any action. It was just Zeb sitting in the New Republic cantina. Well, now we get all the action.
Oh Grogu, you’re so silly. And speaking of Grogu being silly, I can’t help but love the bit when people treat Grogu like he’s real. It’s like Michael Caine in A Muppet Christmas Carol2 where he absolutely plays it straight.
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Also putting these here since it’s tied in. Jon Favreau, director of The Mandalorian and Grogu, has been hitting the talk show/con/podcast circuit.
Fully expecting Disney to bring out the big guns closer to the release date and send Pedro out there on the late night circuit.
Great Moments in Star Wars Merchandising
If you were alive for The Phantom Menace, then you remember the fast food ties. Lucasfilm struck a deal with YUM! Brands and had plenty of little toys at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. I know I still have a few tucked away in a box somewhere. If you’re in your 40’s on up, this will probably unlock some core memories.
Well, Star Wars is at it again to help raise your cholesterol. This time Burger King is teaming up with Disney for The Mandalorian and Grogu. Just look at this feast.
Fire up your Razor Crest and head to your nearest BK and you can try the BBQ Bounty Whopper, Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake, Grogu's Garlic Chicken Fries, and the Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots. There are also 4 different cups along with some toys that aren’t pictured but available in a kids meal. Am I going to go to Burger King and order something so I can get a cup? Yes. Will it be worth the 3 years that Burger King takes off my life? Also yes.
This Day in Star Wars History
Kind of a mixed bag for April 24th in the galaxy far, far away.
Screenwriter Damon Lindelof was born in 1973. Lindelof is probably best known as a showrunner on Lost. In the Star Wars universe, he’s been one of the 53 writers3 who’ve worked on the Rey New Jedi Order movie.
The final day of Star Wars Celebration III took place in Indianapolis in 2005. Celebration is noted for Uncle George making an appearance and promising A) a live action TV show that Wookieepedia says was supposed to be Underworld. It didn’t happen. And B) Star Tours II.
The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film by J.W. Rinzler was published today in 2007. I have it somewhere in my stacks of Star Wars books. It’s a good read and has a lot of history.
The Expand Universe novel Scourge, by Jeff Grubb was published in paperback on this day in 2012. I have a pretty close to complete collection of Expanded Universe novels, I’m actually not sure I have this one. It would have been one of the last ones published before the sale to Disney. I also always get it confused with the Revan novel because there’s a character in that one named Scourge. But not the same Scourge in this book.
I usually don’t list comic books here simply because there’s so many, but since Galaxy’s Edge 1 was published today in 2019, we’re going for it. Written by Ethan Sacks, who’s written quite a few Star Wars comics, it was written as a tie-in for the recently opened Galaxy’s Edge/Black Spire Outpost.
From the Depths of Wookieepedia
If you’re a long time reader of Death Star HR, you know my holy trinity of articles for FTDOW is A) Food, B) Music, and C) Sports. And as luck would have it, the first time I hit the randomizer, I ended up with Food market A.
Food market A was a location on the Death Star battle station. Food market A was listed on the Death Star Directory in sector 612, and was destroyed alongside the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance at the Battle of Yavin.
What’s fun here is I had assumed this was going to be something from the Expanded Universe novel Death Star, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. Instead, it’s from the Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars crossover. Go figure.
News From the HoloNet
Why Star Wars’ 8-Part Sith Show Is Trending On Streaming
It does make sense that anyone wanting more Sithy content would watch The Acolyte.
Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi Rumored To Return With Luke Skywalker As Its Lead Character
I get the “Tales” shows are kind of a bonus for the fans, but please use those as a chance to showcase new, or at least lesser characters.
Just give Andor all the awards.
That’s it for this week. If you like what I’m doing, please subscribe. I’ll catch you next week, and may the Force be with you.
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This makes it sound like George was at Luke and Mara’s wedding and thought about objecting but didn’t.
It is tradition at Death Star HR HQ that on Christmas Eve, we watch A Muppet Christmas Carol followed by the It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Xmas Special. A study in contrasts.
The number there might be slightly exaggerated.
Burger King is handling the Mando merchandising? Uh oh. The alliance between Burger King and Lucasfilm hasn’t been a thing since “Return of the Jedi” (says the kid who spent the summer of 1980 collecting the very well-done “Empire Strikes Back” glasses), and for the last 35 years, Burger King tie-ins were and are warnings that a film is in trouble. I truly legitimately hope I’m wrong, but I had souvenir Burger King “Last Action Hero” cups for years that said otherwise. (Oh, and I have stories about the massive Pepsico tie-in blitz from 1999: I was a technical writer at Frito-Lay in 2000 up in the VP suite, and I heard STORIES.)