5. Mara Jade - The Most Powerful Red-Headed Fan Service In The Galaxy
A lot of Star Wars fans are campaigning for a female lead in Episode VII. If that doesn't happen, there's always a Mara Jade spin-off. She's one of the most recognizable female characters in the Star Wars universe, and she would bring in the hardcore fans aplenty. If the film is marketed right, she could bring in The Hunger Games crowd, too. In fact, her character has more than a passing resemblance to Katniss - she's smart, brave, and pragmatic. She's thrown into a life of violence against her will, and she doesn't ponder the morality of her actions until she's the only one left standing. I'm typically not a fan of origin stories, but Disney should focus on Mara Jade's formative years. She's a force-sensitive, kidnapped as a small child by the Emperor and trained to do the more subtle end of his dirty work. Putting Mara Jade into the Star Was equivalent of a spy thriller is an easy fit. It'd be just like a Bond movie - except with more lightsabers and Force Lightening. Mara Jade is also an easy way to get Vader into a spin-off film without it feeling forced. After all, you can't send in a giant cyborg who forgot his inhaler to do anything remotely covert. Having the two play off each other - or against each other - is a great story hook. There's a fine line to walk with the character. I don't want to get into the franchise's gender politics too much - that's just pouring gasoline on the already easily combustible flame war that is Star Wars - but please, Disney, don't objectify the character. Even if you cast a Jennifer Lawrence or a Scarlet Johansson, don't market the film on how well their, a-hem, god-given gifts fit into tight outfits. We need a strong female protagonist in Star Wars again. I'm sorry, but the two biggest female characters in the last decade of Star Wars have been the barefoot and pregnant Padmé and a petulant teenage padawan in a tube-top and miniskirt. As with Scarlet Johansson in The Avengers, there's always a risk of letting the black leather speak louder than the clever dialog. I don't know if young girls (and boys) need a strong female role model out of Star Wars, but I know they don't need a bad one. Now, in order to mitigate the possibility of sounding morally superior, I'll say this: Christina Hendricks as Mara Jade. I'll be in my bunk.