Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017) has come a long way since its launch, with the modding community breathing new life into the galaxy far, far away. While the official roster sticks to the on-screen canon, players have always craved deeper cuts from the Star Wars Expanded Universe—and this time, it’s Mara Jade making a dramatic entrance.
Yes, the red-haired assassin-turned-Jedi and one-time right hand of Emperor Palpatine is now a playable character thanks to a bold new mod that replaces Kylo Ren with Mara Jade, complete with custom portraits, alternate art, and custom voice lines. This is the crossover nobody at Disney asked for—but everybody who’s ever read a Star Wars novel absolutely wanted.
What Does the Mara Jade Mod Include?
This is far from a basic reskin. The Mara Jade Mod is a full character overhaul built with surprising detail and respect for the character’s legacy in the Expanded Universe. Here’s what’s packed into the download:
- Mara Jade character model replacing Kylo Ren
- Custom portrait art for both the default and alt menus
- Unique voice lines, reworked to reflect Mara’s personality
- Lore-appropriate aesthetic, with her iconic purple lightsaber and battle-ready attire
From the moment you load into a match, it’s clear this mod means business. Whether you’re cutting down troopers in Hero Showdown or storming the halls of the Death Star II, Mara feels right at home—like she’s always been in the game.
Who Is Mara Jade (And Why This Mod Matters)?
If you’re only familiar with the cinematic universe, you may have missed out on Mara Jade—one of the most iconic characters in Star Wars Legends. She first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire trilogy as an Imperial assassin tasked with killing Luke Skywalker. Eventually, she switched sides, became a Jedi Master, and even (briefly) became Luke’s wife in the old continuity.
Bringing her into Battlefront II gives long-time Star Wars readers a piece of nostalgia and lets newcomers see why she became such a fan-favorite. It’s a nod to the sprawling world beyond the screen and a testament to the power of modding to resurrect beloved characters left behind in canon shake-ups.
Why Replace Kylo Ren?
Let’s be honest—if you’re going to sub in Mara Jade, Kylo Ren makes a weird amount of sense. Both characters have strong connections to the dark side, emotional backstories, and complex relationships with the Force. Plus, swapping the tortured son of Han and Leia with the former Hand of the Emperor creates a thematic overlap that somehow works in gameplay.
Also, let’s not pretend modders didn’t get a kick out of watching Mara Jade force-pull Rey into a duel. Alternate timeline, anyone?
Installation Guide
Installing this mod is fairly straightforward if you’ve dipped your toes into Frosty Mod Manager, the go-to tool for Battlefront II modding.
Here’s how to get it running:
- Install and open Frosty Mod Manager.
- Select your Battlefront II executable.
- Import the Mara Jade mod file.
- Enable it in the mod loadout list.
- Launch the game from within the mod manager.
And that’s it—you’re ready to wreak havoc as one of the most formidable Force users from the Legends timeline.
Performance and Compatibility
The mod is optimized for current Battlefront II builds and is compatible with most other character skin mods, provided they don’t overlap with Kylo Ren’s slot. Voice lines and portraits may clash with other Kylo-based replacements, so check your mod load order carefully.
There are no reported bugs, crashes, or performance drops tied to the mod. Textures load cleanly, the rigging is solid, and animations flow naturally, especially during saber combat. This is a polished piece of fan content that feels like it should have shipped with the game.
Bringing Expanded Universe Legends into the Battlefront
Mods like this are doing what no update or sequel has dared—bringing Legends back into the spotlight. With so many Expanded Universe characters lost to time (or canon restructuring), it’s refreshing to see names like Mara Jade being restored through modding.
Much like how Star Wars comics, alternate timelines, and novel adaptations continue to shape the broader universe, this mod allows players to experience that richness inside a fully interactive game world. It’s more than a cosmetic change—it’s a love letter to the deeper lore.
Conclusion
The Mara Jade Mod for Star Wars Battlefront II is more than just a character swap—it’s a celebration of one of the greatest characters the franchise never brought to the big screen. With detailed modeling, custom voice lines, and full integration, it sets a new standard for what fan-made content can be.
Whether you’ve known Mara since the days of Heir to the Empire or you’re just discovering her now, this mod adds depth, charm, and a whole lot of purple lightsaber energy to the battlefield. It’s time to rewrite the Force-sensitive roster—one Legends icon at a time.
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