10 pirates and smugglers who made history in Star Wars

Node Star Wars galaxy, Han Solo is far from the only smuggler who made galactic history. There are many pirates and more selfish bandits in Star Wars Galaxy. However, a few have managed to make big waves in the timeline, having made some huge impacts (inadvertently or not).

Without a doubt, Han Solo is one of the Star Wars most famous smugglers, having become one of the most legendary heroes of the galaxy’s Rebellion. Solo made galactic history in many ways, including destroying the Death Stars and the First Order’s Starkiller Base, Princess Leia’s husband, and also Ben Solo’s (the future Kylo Ren) father. That said, here are 10 other smugglers, pirates, and bandits who also had a significant impact on Star Wars history.

10

Hondo Ohnaka

The Clone Wars Jedi Frenemy

Debuting for the first time in The Clone Wars animated series, pirate captain Hondo Ohnaka made more than one appearance during the war between the Republic and the Separatists, most notably taking Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku hostage at the same time and intending to rescue them for whatever reason. side that could pay more credits. However, Hando had a charming relationship with Skywalker and Kenobi, and his relationship with Jedi would only continue during the Dark Times as a friend to Ezra Bridger. Although he loves profit, Hondo’s rare aid to the Jedi and the start of the Rebellion certainly left its mark Star Wars history.

9

Marchion Ro

Ro’s Nihil conquered part of the galaxy

During the High Republic Era, Marchion Ro managed to organize the marauding Nihil into a true force to be reckoned with. Harnessing dangerous technologies like Path Engines and Stormwall, the Nihil has isolated an entire sector of space from the rest of the galaxy known as the Occlusion Zone. Likewise, Ro also had control over the Force predators known as The Nameless, fearsome creatures capable of draining a Jedi’s energy while they remained paralyzed by hallucinogenic fear. Openly defying the Republic during an era of peace and prosperity, Marchion Ro and his influence were quite vast centuries before the Skywalker saga.

8

Doctor Afra

A dishonest archaeologist

Operating during the Galactic Civil War and beyond, Dr. Chelli Aphra was a rogue archaeologist who sought out valuable artifacts and relics, particularly the name of fortune and glory. Aphra is essentially the anti-Indiana Jones in Star Wars Galaxy. Although she was originally in the service of Darth Vader, Aphra ended up aiding the Rebellion and even helped delay the Empire in discovering Echo Base on Hoth. Likewise, Doctor Aphra also became an uneasy ally to Luke Skywalker, and the pair had some adventures amid the young Jedi’s quest through history, leading to the founding of his Jedi academy between the original and sequel trilogies.

7

Crimson Jack

Star Wars Legends’ first pirate and Han Solo’s rival

The first pirate to be introduced into Star Wars canon, Crimson Jack was an important rival to Han Solo among A New Hope and Empire strikes backas seen in the Marvel original Star Wars comics in 1977. After Jack kidnaps Princess Leia, the feud ends with Han Solo killing Crimson Jack, who was in the employ of Jabba the Hutt. As such, the pirate’s death caused Jabba to increase his bounty on Solo’s head.

Since 2012, these original Marvel comics have become non-canon legends. That being said, a new version of Crimson Jack debuted on Star Wars Canon right before the sequel trilogy, as seen in the Marvel film Quiet legacy comics, trying to sell Resistance secrets to the First Order. That being said, Crimson Jack’s ultimate fate and story outside of the attack The Halcyon remains unknown.

6

Tobias Beckett

Han Solo’s Mentor

Famous smuggler and gunslinger who famously killed bounty hunter Aurra Sing, Tobias Beckett made his first appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Working for Crimson Dawn, Beckett assembled a team that inadvertently saw young Han Solo and Chewbacca joining them. To that end, Beckett became an effective mentor to Han Solo, and even his intention to betray the young man led Solo to learn much from him, having predicted and accounted for the betrayal at the end of the work. Without a doubt, Han Solo wouldn’t have made as much galactic history as he did without Beckett’s role turning him into an effective smuggler and scoundrel.

5

Talon Karrde

The Smuggler King and Ally of the New Republic

In Legends, Talon Karrde was in a prime position to rise to power after Jabba the Hutt’s death in Return of the Jedi. An accomplished smuggler and information broker, Karrde and his Smugglers Alliance eventually became allies of Luke Skywalker, the Solos, and the New Republic in general during their conflict with Grand Admiral Thrawn. He also served as a mediator following the peace treaty between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant, and Luke Skywalker’s future wife Mara Jade originally served as his second-in-command. Despite her neutrality, Kaarde eventually became one of the Jedi Order’s strongest allies.

4

Xim the despot

An important pirate warlord of the Old Republic

In Legends, Xim the Despot was a pirate warlord who ruled a vast empire during the Old Republic Era before his reign came to an end due to the rise of the Hutt clans. That said, elements of Xim and his story persisted in the established setting. Star Wars canon, and it has been theorized that his legendary lost treasure could be a key plot point in the upcoming series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. According to Legends, Xim’s empire existed shortly before the founding of the Republic itself.

3

Dash render

Shadows of the Empire

Debuting in 1996 Shadows of the Empire multimedia event, Dash Rendar is a notorious smuggler in Legends who clashed with Prince Xizor of the Black Sun and piloted The Outsidera YT-2400 light freighter. Essentially serving as a stand-in for Han Solo, who at first was similarly motivated by money rather than loyalty to the Rebellion, Dash Rendar still gained his own popularity as Star Wars on your own. Although Dash was originally written out of canon and relegated to non-canon legends, Dash was surprisingly re-canonized in 2018 thanks to Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Details of Dash Rendar’s story are still scarce in the established world Star Wars canon. However, Jason Fry Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor featured a quote from Dash that spoke of his history with Han and Chewbacca. That said, Legends saw Dash helping Lando and Leia track down Han after his capture in The Empire Strikes Back along with the rest of his adventures, as seen in Shadows of the Empire.

2

Maz Kanata

The Pirate Queen

Based on Takodana, Maz Kanata was a Force-sensitive pirate queen whose castle served as a refuge for all manner of pirates and smugglers. Having been born a millennium before the sequel trilogy, Maz Kanata has seen and witnessed quite a bit across the world. Star Wars timeline. During the Galactic Civil War, Kanata helped the Rebels prepare for their rescue mission to save Han from Jabba the Hutt, and it was Maz who suggested that Leia disguise herself as the bounty hunter Boushh.

During the events of the sequel trilogy, Maz reunites with Han and Chewbacca on Takodana, who have brought Rey and Finn with them. The Force Awakens. Although the details remain a mystery, Maz somehow obtained the lightsaber built by Anakin Skywalker and wielded by his son Luke before he lost the weapon during the father-son duel in The Empire Strikes Back. After Rey finds the weapon and receives a Force vision, Kanata attempts to give it to the Force-sensitive young woman.

However, Maz ultimately gives the weapon to Finn after Rey refuses, although the lightsaber still ends up in Rey’s hands at the end of the trilogy’s first film sequence. Likewise, Maz would continue helping the Resistance as seen in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Although it remains largely in the background, Maz’s impact on galactic history is still quite significant.

1

Terrik Reinforcement

Commander of the Wandering Enterprise

Hailing from Corellia, Booster Terrik is a smuggler and classic gamer who originally debuted in Legends with the X-Wing novels by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston. To that end, Booster’s claim to fame was that he was the only civilian in the Star Wars galaxy for having owned a personal Imperial Star Destroyer, The wandering enterprise. Having converted it into a mobile gambling den, Booster had his impressive ship painted red to differentiate it from other ISDs during the New Republic Era. He also remained a frequent ally of Rogue Squadron pilots.

Ultimately, Booster Terrik remains part of the non-canon legends. However, The wandering enterprise itself and its status as a major mobile gambling den has surprisingly been re-canonized, having been visited by Lando Calrissian in the 2022 novel Shadows of the Sith by Adam Christopher. As such, it can be assumed that a canonical version of Booster also exists, although it has not yet been confirmed.