As a lifelong scoundrel at heart, I've been counting down the days to finally stepping into the boots of Kay Vess. The galaxy between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi has always fascinated me—a time when the Empire's grip was tightening, the Rebellion was scrambling, and the criminal underworld saw its golden opportunity. That's exactly where I find myself now, in 2026, diving headfirst into the open-world adventure of Star Wars Outlaws. The latest trailers and reveals have painted a vivid picture of this lawless era, and I'm here to share the story of the characters who will shape my journey from a nobody to a legend of the Outer Rim.

My story begins with Kay Vess, a scoundrel voiced with such captivating grit by Humberly González. She's not your typical hero; she's a survivor, making her way through a galaxy that's quick to chew you up and spit you out. But she's never alone. By her side is Nix, her Merqaal companion. This little creature, inspired by an axolotl and brought to life by the legendary Dee Bradley Baker, is more than just cute. He's my partner in crime—fetching weapons, causing distractions during tense moments, and offering silent companionship during long hyperspace jumps. He reminds me of the bond between a Mandalorian and his foundling, or a Jedi and his droid, but forged in the gritty reality of the underworld.

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Then there's ND-5. If Nix is the heart, ND-5 is the armored fist. This BX-series droid commando, always clad in that distinctive trench coat, is my guardian. He has the unwavering loyalty of a Chewbacca but the cold, calculated efficiency of a veteran soldier. I first met him when things got hot—a bounty hunter named Vail was closing in on me during a salvage op on Toshara. Just as I thought I was cornered, ND-5 intervened, his blaster firing with precision. The voice of Jay Rincon gives him a gravelly, no-nonsense tone that commands respect. And if you look closely, you can see a scar across his chassis that looks suspiciously like a lightsaber mark. It makes me wonder about his past in the Clone Wars and what led a battle droid to the Droid Gotra.

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The underworld, however, is not a place for making friends easily. It's a web of deals, threats, and shifting allegiances. My path was irrevocably altered when Jaylen Vrax boarded my ship. He had the smooth talk of a Victor Sullivan but the eyes of a man who'd sell you out for half a credit. His proposition was simple, and terrifying: rob the Zerek Besh syndicate blind to buy my freedom. He dangled the one thing every scoundrel dreams of—a clean slate—but the price was stealing from one of the most dangerous organizations in the galaxy. He set me on this collision course, and his true motives remain shrouded in mystery.

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To pull off a heist of this magnitude, you need allies in shadowy places. That's where Danka comes in. This Mon Calamari, a new face in the canon, operates out of a dusty bar called Jaunta's Hope on Toshara. Walking into her establishment felt like stepping into Pyloon's Saloon—a hub of information and illicit work. She's my Greef Karga, the one who provides the jobs that keep the credits flowing. Our history goes back; I once stole a precious artifact from the Pyke Syndicate for her. She represents the network of outlaws you need to survive, the one who knows everyone and everything worth knowing in the sector.

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Of course, for every ally, there are a dozen enemies. At the top of that list sits Sliro. The story trailer opens with him in a lavish meeting on Canto Bight, calmly discussing business with representatives from the Pyke Syndicate, Crimson Dawn, and the Hutt Cartel. Voiced with chilling calm by Caolan Byrne, Sliro believes this is a "golden age for the underworld" with the Empire distracted by the Rebellion. He sees opportunity where others see chaos. And he sees me, Kay Vess, as a minor irritation that needs to be eliminated. The Zerek Besh is his empire, and my mission is to burn it to the ground.

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To that end, he hired the best: Vail. This bounty hunter is a force of nature. Her armor, possibly beskar, and her cold demeanor immediately draw comparisons to the legendary Mandalorians. She hunts with a relentless efficiency that makes every shadow in Toshara's canyons feel threatening. Our first encounter ended with ND-5's timely rescue, but I know she's still out there, a specter on my trail. In an era defined by Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, Vail is carving out her own terrifying legacy.

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My journey inevitably leads to the heavyweights of galactic crime. The crimson banner of Lady Qi'ra's syndicate was present at Sliro's meeting. While Emilia Clarke won't be voicing her this time, seeing Qi'ra's in-game model sent a chill down my spine. This is the woman who worked for Maul, who was Han Solo's first love, and who commands the shadowy Crimson Dawn. Crossover with her is inevitable. Given the canon stories of Crimson Dawn auctioning a certain frozen smuggler, my path might just intertwine with one of the galaxy's most famous prisoners.

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And that prisoner brings me to the heart of the Hutt Cartel: Jabba's Palace on Tatooine. Walking into that throne room is a moment I'll never forget. The heat, the stench, the oppressive atmosphere. There he was, Jabba the Hutt, a mountain of greed and power, with the cackling Salacious B. Crumb by his side. Just as Luke Skywalker would later stand here, I approached the dais, knowing one wrong word could end with me being a rancor's snack. By Jabba's side was his ever-present majordomo, Bib Fortuna. Seeing this pale, red-eyed Twi'lek in his prime, before his fateful meeting with Boba Fett, adds a layer of tragic history to every slimy word he whispers to his master.

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Then I saw it. In a dimly lit chamber, a slab of carbonite hung on the wall. Inside was Han Solo, frozen in time, a trophy for Jabba and a symbol of the Empire's cruelty. Getting so close to him was a surreal experience. This isn't just a backdrop; it's a living piece of history. The palace feels alive, explorable. I can't help but wonder if I'll cross paths with a disguised Lando Calrissian or hear whispers of Princess Leia's desperate plan. My story is a small thread in a much larger tapestry, and seeing Han there reminds me that the galaxy's fate is being decided on multiple fronts—on the battlefields of the Rebellion and in the shadowy deals of the underworld.

So here I am, Kay Vess, a scoundrel caught between galactic superpowers and criminal syndicates. My crew is small but steadfast: a loyal droid with a past and a creature who is my constant companion. My mission is impossible, my enemies are legion, and my allies are motivated by profit more than principle. But in the golden age of the underworld, that's exactly where a legend is born. This is my story, and it's just beginning. The heist of the century awaits, and every choice I make will echo through the corridors of Jabba's Palace and the boardrooms of the Crimson Dawn. Let's see if this outlaw can steal a future from the most dangerous beings in the galaxy. 🚀✨