Compared to Star Wars sole iconic female character, Princess Leia, Zahn said, "Mara has a sharper and more sarcastic manner, and of course, she had to go through the painful realization that her service had been to an evil cause.
In 2006, Zahn called Mara and Grand Admiral Thrawn his favorite characters out of those he created, saying that "Mara, with her attitude and her Jedi skills, is just plain fun to write, especially when she's in opposition-or in partnership-with Luke."[REF]