While the Star Wars franchise’s main conflicts are primarily fought between the forces of democracy and the scourge of authoritarian regimes, powerful criminal organizations wreak havoc from behind the scenes. The Jedi and Sith may receive the most focus in the Star Wars canon and Legends timelines, but syndicates like Jabba the Hutt’s criminal empire and Maul’s Crimson Dawn are often a chaotic and greedy third party, working with or against whoever they must to make a profit. The underworld of the Star Wars franchise includes many crime syndicates with several exceptionally dangerous and influential groups.
The Star Wars galaxy is vast, and even massive institutions like the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire cannot govern every world. The lawlessness of the Outer Rim Territories in particular allows for criminal organizations to rise to power and spread their corrupt influence to even the Core Worlds. As shown in the Star Wars films themselves, from Return of the Jedi to Solo: A Star Wars Story, the various crime syndicates of both canon and Legends are prominent enough to directly impact the events of the Skywalker saga itself. Here are 12 the most dangerous crime syndicates in the Star Wars franchise’s continuities.
