Star Wars Women (Film) Fans May Have Missed

There are usually two kinds of Star Wars fans. Those who stick purely to the films, and those who dive into as many Star Wars books, TV shows, comics, etc. as they can get their hands on. The seventh Star Wars film, The Force Awakens, has been promoting the increased visibility of strong and diverse female characters for months. The original six films had Princess Leia, Padme Amidala, and small glimpses of other interesting female characters (Mon Mothma, Aayla Secura). But women were primarily in the background, or even an afterthought in these films.

As amazing as Princess Leia was as a character – and let’s face it, Leia was THE female hero to a generation of girls and women – it’s an exciting prospect to see a new Star Wars film with multiple strong female characters. Especially some that look to be embracing the dark side.

For those of you who haven’t experienced anything Star Wars beyond the six feature films, there is a long list of female Star Wars characters you may have missed. From Jedi, to Sith apprenctices, to resistance fighters, to senators, to bounty hunters – the women in Star Wars productions (both Canon and Legends) are worth discovering.

Here are just a few of the women in the Star Wars universe beyond the films. For a look at all the women (literally) in the original Star Wars trilogy check out my series on Fan Girl Blog.

Legends Novels

Before the creation of the Lucasfilm Story Group, there were dozens of books, comics, and video games that used to be referred to as the Star Wars Extended Universe (EU), but are now referred to as “Legends”. But don’t let the fact that these items are no longer a part of the “official” Star Wars storyline keep you from embracing them.

Two of the most beloved female characters from Legends materials are Mara Jade and Jaina Solo.

Mara Jade

Mara Jade was introduced in Timothy Zahn’s novel Heir to the Empire in 1991. Jade was a unique female Star Wars character from her debut. She was initially introduced as a smuggler who had previously worked for Emperor Palpatine as an assassin tasked to kill Luke Skywalker. Jade was a fan favorite from the get-go and appeared in numerous Legends books and video games. Following her story arc is a great way to dip your feet into Star Wars Legends.

Jaina Solo

Does that last name sound familiar? I thought it might. Jaina Solo is the daughter of Leia Organa and yes, Han Solo. Like her mother, she also had a twin brother (Jacen) in addition to a younger one (Anakin). Unlike many Star Wars characters, readers were able to follow Jaina from the time she was a small child to an adult Jedi Knight in numerous novels such as the Young Jedi Knights and Legacy of the Force book series.

Canon Comics

Since the creation of the Star Wars canon there have been numerous comic series for Star Wars lovers to devour while waiting for The Force Awakens. Some of these comics include Star Wars, Star Wars: Darth Vader, and Star Wars: Shattered Empire.

Evaan Verlaine

Evaan Verlaine appeared in the five part comic series Star Wars: Princess Leia. Evaan was a rebel pilot during the battle of Yavin who like, Leia, was raised on Alderaan. In the comics, Evaan and Leia partner up to help rescue other Alderaanians from the Empire after the Battle of Yavin. Evaan and Leia don’t start off on good terms, in a nice twist, but eventually grow to respect each other throughout their rescue mission.

The Clone Wars

In 2008 the animated film Star Wars: Clone Wars debuted. Later that year the first of six seasons of The Clone Wars series began airing. The series, that took place between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, included a bevy of fascinating female characters. Some of these characters included female Jedi that appeared briefly in the films (Shaak Tii, Luminara Unduli), but the female character that had the largest role was brand new.

Ahsoka Tano

 

Ahsoka Tano was introduced in the Clone Wars movie as Anakin Skwalker’s Jedi Padawan learner. Ahsoka was initially a divisive character to many Star Wars fans, who saw her as annoying and a bit of a whiner (kind of like a certain other young Jedi, right?). However, by the end of The Clone Wars series, Ahsoka won over even her biggest detractors.

Some of the most memorable story arcs from The Clone Wars included Ahsoka trying to find her way as a Jedi, while also keeping true to herself. Luckily for Ahsoka fans, her story did not end with the cancellation of The Clone Wars.

Asajj Ventress

In Star Wars episodes I-VI villainous Star Wars women were barely visible. Bounty hunter Aurra Sing was briefly spotted at the pod races in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and Zam Wesell had a few scenes in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but a truly terrifying female villain was no where in sight.

Enter Asajj Ventress.

Ventress was initially introduced as the Sith apprentice of Count Dooku in The Clone Wars. But there was more to Ventress than a villain trying to hunt down Jedi Knights. Ventress’ journey served as an interesting parallel to Ahsoka Tano’s – and the two even briefly worked together near the end of The Clone Wars series. Ventress’s story also introduced the memorable Nightsisters – a clan of women who use magic to increase their power.

Satine Kryze

Dutchess Satine Kryze was a unique female character in the Star Wars universe as she did not align herself with the Republic or the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Satine was introduced in The Clone Wars as the pacifist leader of Mandalore. She was a smart, strong, and thoughtful addition to several storylines throughout the series that often revolved around people choosing sides. Her past with Obi-Wan Kenobi also added an extra layer of intrigue to his well-known character.

Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels is an animated series currently in its second season. The series takes place five years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and follows a group of rebel fighters fighting the Galactic Empire.

Hera Syndulla

In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi one of the minor female characters with the most screen time was a Twi’lek named Oola. Oola was unfortunately nothing more than a captive of Jabba the Hutt and victim of his monstrous rancor. In the prequels (and even more so in The Clone Wars) Aayala Secura showed us that Twi’leks could be powerful Jedi Knights, and not just serve as entertainment for male crime lords.

Hera Syndulla is another female Twi-lek character introduced in the Star Wars Rebels TV series. And Hera easily wins out as the most well-rounded and interesting of them all. Hera grew up during the rise of the Galactic Empire and was inspired to become a rebel by her father. Hera is not only the pilot of ship Ghost on Rebels, she is the leader of a small group of freedom fighters, despite the fact that she is not force sensitive like some of her shipmates.

Sabine Wren

Sabine Wren, like Ahsoka, is a great example of a young female character in the Star Wars universe who cannot be easily defined. Born in war-torn Mandalore, Sabine joined the local Imperial Academy before losing faith in the Empire’s ways. After she left the Academy, Sabine was briefly a bounty hunter before joining Hera’s group of rebel fighters. Sabine is the perfect Star Wars character to introduce to your rebellious daughter. She’s smart, talented, impulsive, and at times, destructive (but luckily usually for a greater good).

A new female character added to the Star Wars Rebels mix in Season 2 is an Inquisitor known as the Seventh Sister, voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Hopefully this character will stick around for a long time to come.

Canon Novels

After the creation of the Lucasfilm Story group, Star Wars fans were treated to new Star Wars stories in a variety of novels. Some of these novels focused on beloved characters from the original films (Heir to the Jedi), characters from Star Wars animated series (Dark Disciple), and books that focused on new characters (Aftermath). Several new female characters play important and dynamic roles in these books.

Rae Sloane

At the same time Hera and Evaan were fighting for the Rebellion, Rae Sloane was working her way up the ranks in the Galactic Empire. Sloane first appeared in the novel A New Dawn and later appeared in Aftermath. In both books, Sloane was a high ranking Imperial Officer on a Star Destroyer.

Even though the Star Wars films that shared the same time period as Evaan and Sloane did not reveal any female Rebel pilots or Imperial officers, their addition to the Star Wars universe was extremely well received by fans.

Ciena Ree

Ciena Ree debuted in the Star Wars young adult novel Lost Stars. The book follows Ciena and her friend Thane Kyrell as they train to become officers in the Imperial Academy. Lost Stars was a hit with fans not only for its untraditional love story, but for its ingenious weaving in and out of classic events from the original Star Wars trilogy.

What’s great about the addition of all of the women listed above into the Star Wars universe is that not only do they give girls and women more characters to identify with, but many of these characters may show up in future Star Wars productions.

Which of these female characters is your favorite?

 

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