Like the aforementioned Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, villain-turned Luke Skywalker's wife is the other big character from the expanded universe we would love to see translated to the big screen. In the books, she was trained by the emperor as a secret weapon, turned smuggler after his death and eventually found her way into the light side, becoming a powerful Jedi in her own right. Like Leia, she is another feisty character and served to be an exciting love interest for Luke Skywalker himself. A spin off movie might be the best way to introduce her into the cinematic Star Wars universe. Her back story - training under Palpatine / Darth Sidious - would be thrilling to watch and offer Ian McDiarmid another chance to play his iconic role. Seeing her fight that darkness and join the good guys would making for an exciting conclusion to the film and set her up to be a key player in future Star Wars films. Star Wars has suffered with a lack of strong female characters. While newcomer Daisy Ridley might be the central focus in the new trilogy, the presence of someone older and skilled like Mara might prove that Star Wars isn't just an all-boys club.