Swoop gang/Legends
- "Swoop gangs, please—don't make me laugh! The whole galaxy's afraid of these swoop gangs. Oh no! Save us from the swoopers, Jax! Let me tell you something: these guys are just puffed up womp rats. Make a big noise and they scatter. And this I know from personal experience."
- ―Jaxxon on swoop gangs
Swoop gangs were outlaw organizations or groups of thugs that were known for their use of swoop bikes. Most members of swoop gangs were focused on riding swoops and participating in swoop races, though some were also known to partake of other criminal activities. Two of the most notable swoop gangs were the Black Vulkars and the Hidden Beks, both based on Taris following the Great Sith War. The Hutt crime lord, Jabba Desilijic Tiure, had a swoop gang in his employ on Tatooine during the Galactic Civil War.
Another famous Swoop Gang were the Grave Tuskens, which were the personal strike force for the Dark Jedi Maw. He used them to great effect for pillaging Jedi and Sith tombs and relics. They also guarded the Katarn homestead after Jerec and his Dark Jedi ransacked the house for a secret map to the Valley of the Jedi
Jaden Korr was also pursued by a gang of mercenaries riding Flare-S swoop bikes during his mission to Zonju V in 14 ABY.[2]
At least one Quarren swoop gang was active in Bartyn's Landing (Lamaredd) during the first twelve years of its existence.[3]
Behind the scenes
The concept of swoop gangs was introduced into the Star Wars continuity in The Star Wars Sourcebook. But Serji-X Arrogantus' gang, which appears in Star Wars (1977) 8, has officially been established as a swoop gang in Underworld Appendix: Swoops, Spice, and Wretched Rogues, thus making Star Wars 8 the first appearance of a swoop gang. Serji-X Arrogantus' gang do indeed ride mounts that appear to have the same function as swoops, although they are of a very different design.
