Star Wars Review – Mara Jade Mighty Mugg

Name: Mara Jade
Role: Emperor’s Hand
Accessories: Purple Blade Lightsaber
Bio: Having correctly foreseen Luke Skywalker’s affinity for the Force, Emperor Palpatine dispatches Mara Jade to kill the threat. However, Palpatine is killed Anakin Skywalker aboard the second Death Star, and Luke survives to help start the New Republic. Mara’s mission has not changed, however, and she will use any means necessary to fulfill Palpatine’s final orders.

Okay, you got me. This is not an actual figure. This is a custom Mighty Muggs figure I commissioned Colin Betts, of www.fairplaythings.com, to paint for my wife, Sara, as a birthday present (her birthday’s today). I was so impressed by his work that I decided to hijack the blog for a non-news post. Hey — it’s my site. Indulge me a bit.

Sara’s favorite character in all the Star Wars Expanded Universe is Mara Jade, first introduced as the Emperor’s Hand.   Sara has collected all the comics and books featuring Mara as well as all the toys, statues, and gaming miniatures.  I’d go so far as to say she has all the Mara merchandise available.  So, therefore, a present would have to be a custom job.  Several months ago, I asked some friends who could do a Mighty Muggs custom figure, as my artistic skills are rather lacking in that area.  My friend Jameel pointed me Colin’s way, and after a bit of an E-mail discussion, I sent him some Mighty Muggs figures for use in this custom project.

Mara Jade was created using a Marvel Mighty Muggs Phoenix as the base (as Phoenix is the only Mugg with red hair), a Count Dooku cloak, and a Mace Windu lightsaber (since her blade is purple). Colin was able to take these three Muggs figures and do a full repaint; the only pieces not painted over are the hair and the lightsaber blade. He was even able to repaint the hilt to better match Mara’s.  I sent him as many reference pictures as I could that best illustrate the costume, and he perfectly nailed the look.

I wasn’t sure what to do about a custom Mighty Muggs box, however. I was debating whether or not to hire someone to create new box art or scan in existing Phoenix art and try changing it in a graphics program, when lo and behold, Mara arrived in my mailbox, and I saw that Colin had created a box as well. It’s his first box, he tells me, and it looks fantastic!

So, Colin, my friend, you did an amazing job! Sara absolutely loves the custom figure; you made this present an awesome one. Anyone else looking for custom Mighty Muggs or Munnies work? Head to Colin’s website, www.fairplaythings.com, and tell him Phil sent you. He has a spare Dooku lightsaber to work with….

Oh, and Hasbro?  If you were to bring back the Mighty Muggs and were to make an actual Mara Jade?  Trust me, we’d buy it.

Want more pictures? Check out the full gallery of the Custom Star Wars Mara Jade Mighty Muggs Figure!