Author Mark Oshiro talks about Star Wars: Hunters: Battle for the Arena

StarWars.com: As soon as I heard she was a Corellia charmer, she reminded me of Han Solo. What existing Star Wars characters were you looking for inspiration to capture their charisma and strengths? What about its flaws and difficulties?

Mark Oshiro: As we fleshed out Rieve, I was looking for inspiration from characters like Lando Calrissian, Jango Fett, and even Asajj Ventress from The Clone Wars. I like antagonistic people who have a reason for their antagonism. So I wanted her to be someone who, from another character’s perspective, could almost look like a villain. As an orphan, she’s used to having to watch her back, so one of her biggest flaws is her adamant refusal to trust most people. It’s all part of his drive for self-preservation, but as you’ll see, it’s also doing him a disservice.

StarWars.com: You previously wrote the story of a very friendly wampa searching for his clan in From A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. What attracts you to characters who are not always the center of attention? As a queer, non-binary, Latina person, how does your own life experience translate into your stories?

Mark Oshiro: A lot of it is rooted in what I’ve been through. People like me are so systematically overlooked in mainstream fiction that I tend to be drawn to outsiders. In Rieve’s case, it was so easy to slip into this character who had to deal with feeling alone and abandoned. In particular, thanks to the suggestion and support of Lucasfilm, I was able to write a character dealing with PTSD. Her past has a traumatic incident that directly influences her current state, so dealing with that with care and dignity was very freeing.

StarWars.com: How did you discover Star Wars as a fan? How does it feel to contribute more to the galaxy with your writing?

Mark Oshiro: My parents introduced him to me before I even remember watching them! Return of the Jedi came out just before I was born, and there’s nothing I’ve watched growing up more than that original trilogy. As a teenager, I discovered novelizations and original novels, and disappeared into the Heir to the Empire trilogy. So it’s literally a dream come true to be able to write my own Star Wars story.