Thread:Deathstalker666/@comment-1915529-20120712125232/@comment-1496755-20120721141908

According to some of the Star Wars novels, Mara Jade was initially a Dark Jedi, trained by the Emperor himself. Eventually she rejected the Dark Side and turned to the Light, Kyle becoming her master... but her dark past still haunts her.

So, when she fights Dark Mara, she actually fights an avatar of her own guilt and regrets. At least that's my theory.