Star Wars: Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #5

Released in 1999 as the concluding chapter of a six-part limited series, Mara Jade: By the Emperor’s Hand was published by Dark Horse Comics. The series was designed to flesh out the backstory of Mara Jade, a character originally created by Timothy Zahn for his Expanded Universe novels. The narrative explores her transition from the Emperor's secret assassin to a burgeoning hero, bridging the gap between her service to Palpatine and her later life as a central figure in the Star Wars canon.

The writing was provided by Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole, who sought to maintain continuity with their established novels, while the artwork was handled by Carlos Ezquerra. The series was generally well-received by fans of the franchise for its role in grounding Jade’s character development. This specific issue features cover art by Hugh Fleming, who was tasked with capturing the complexity and internal struggle of a character stepping out of the shadow of the Galactic Empire.