Gorian Shard

"Pirate King Gorian Shard's name is familiar to all in this sector."

―High Magistrate Greef Karga, to Vane^[4]

Gorian Shard was a male individual of a plant-like species who served as the Pirate King of a gang of pirates, which included the Nikto Vane, leading the gang from his Cumulus Class Corsair warship. At some point, Shard obtained treasure, and Guild Master Greef Karga used a portion of it to build a cantina on the Outer Rim planet Nevarro.

Around 9 ABY, Vane and other pirates under the pirate king's command traveled to Nevarro to speak with Karga, who had become Nevarro's High Magistrate. Karga and the Mandalorian Din Djarin killed several pirates and spared Vane's life, allowing him to flee to the asteroid fields in the Nevarro system. There, the pirate lured Djarin's starfighter to the gang's Corsair and Shard, who instructed Djarin to surrender in exchange for his life; however, the Mandalorian did not trust the pirate king and escaped. Bringing his Corsair to Nevarro following his confrontation with Djarin, Gorian commenced an aerial bombardment of Nevarro's capital city.

Djarin returned to the planet with other Mandalorians, who attacked the pirate forces on Nevarro while Djarin attacked Shard's Corsair. As the Mandalorian forces obliterated the pirate forces, the condition of the pirate king's vessel worsened and its starfighter squadron was destroyed by Djarin; as a result, Vane fled Nevarro. Shard, however, did not flee, instead attempting to kill the people of Nevarro; however, Djarin and Mandalorian Lady Bo-Katan Kryze's starfighters destroyed the pirate's vessel before he could kill the townspeople, killing Shard.

Biography[]

King of the pirates[]

"Stop where you are, Mandalorian. You're outgunned."
"I have no quarrel with you, Gorian Shard."
"Ha! What a kind sentiment from a man who just destroyed four of my fighters. Surrender your ship and I will spare your life."

―Pirate King Gorian Shard and Din Djarin^[4]

Gorian Shard was a male Pirate King^[2] from a plant-like species^[3] who was the captain of a gang of pirates. He commanded several pirates, including the Kajain'sa'Nikto Vane, from a Cumulus Class Corsair vessel.^[2] At some point, the pirate, who hijacked and ransomed, obtained treasure, a portion of which was used by Bounty Hunters' Guild Master Greef Karga to build a cantina on the^[4] Outer Rim Territories^[5] planet^[6] Nevarro.^[4]

Gorian-Escape — Din Djarin's escape angered Pirate King Gorian Shard, who growled after the Mandalorian escaped.

By 9 ABY,^[1] the pirate's name was familiar to those who lived in Nevarro's sector.^[4] In that year,^[1] Vane and several pirates traveled to Nevarro, where they attempted to drink at the cantina that Karga had built with part of Shard's treasure; however, Karga, who had become a High Magistrate, refused to allow them to drink there, as the establishment had become a school. The pirates confronted Karga, preparing to engage him with their blasters;^[4] however, the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin^[6] and Karga eliminated all of the pirates^[4]—including Shard's helmsman^[2]—except Vane, who left Nevarro for the asteroid field in the planet's star system.^[4]

Setting up an ambush, Shard's Corsair launched several pirate snubfighters, which attacked Djarin's N-1 starfighter after the Mandalorian left Nevarro. Djarin destroyed four pirate starfighters before Vane and other pirates lured^[4] him^[2] to their captain's Corsair. Shard instructed Djarin to stop, as the Corsair's gunwale laser cannons had locked on the Mandalorian's starfighter and had outgunned the Mandalorian. Djarin claimed that he had no quarrel with the pirate king; however, Shard dismissed his claim, offering to spare the Mandalorian's life if he surrendered his ship. Not trusting the Shard, Djarin ran and escaped to hyperspace, prompting Shard to growl on his ship's bridge.^[4]

One last stand[]

Gorian Shard shot first[]

"Believe your ears then, and don't mistake my hospitality for weakness."
"Is that what you call gunning down my helmsman in cold blood? When he let down his guard on your planet."
"He shot first."
"Well, now I will shoot first."

―High Magistrate Greef Karga and Pirate King Gorian Shard^[2]

Sometime after the confrontation with Djarin, Shard moved against Karga.^[2] As his Corsair entered Nevarro's atmosphere, the pirate king communicated with Karga via hologram. Shard was surprised to see the former Guild Master in a nobleman's outfit while he heard the former Bounty Hunters' Guild member's voice, announcing that he was going to attack Nevarro. The high magistrate attempted to scare the pirate with king a bluff, commenting that the New Republic's Spinward patrol passed through the area regularly; however, Shard countered that the New Republic could not protect the Mid Rim from the Pirate Nation. Shard mentioned that Karga had killed his helmsman, and the high magistrate told the pirate king that his helmsman shot first, prompting Shard to commence an aerial bombardment of Nevarro City, the planet's capital, instructing Karga to not hail him again unless he sought to surrender. While the town's people evacuated the city, Karga sent a message to New Republic pilot Carson Teva, asking him to help him defend his world from Shard's forces.^[2]

Gorian-Karga — Pirate King Gorian Shard confronts High Magistrate Greef Karga via hologram.

Teva, who believed that the pirate king's attack on Nevarro was connected with Imperial Moff Gideon's occupation of the planet and that the two incidents were part of a growing danger,^[2] which was true, as Gideon sought to use the pirate siege to attack the New Republic,^[7] traveled to the^[2] New Republic member planet^[8] Coruscant in an attempt to gather more forces with which he planned to confront Shard; however, as Nevarro was not a member of the New Republic, the government was unable to provide any aid. As Shard's pirates pillaged the city, Teva recruited Djarin and other Mandalorians to fight Shard's forces.^[2]

Djarin's N-1 and Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze's Kom'rk Class fighter transport arrived at Nevarro and moved to attack Shard's Corsair. After Djarin fired at the pirate vessel, Shard commanded his crew to man the gunwales and launch Vane's snubfighter squadron. Djarin destroyed several fighters and the Corsair proceeded to follow the attacking vessel, leaving Nevarro's capital.^[2]

In a puffer's pig eye[]

"Sir, we're down to our last engine. We have to retreat."
"In a puffer pig's eye."

―A pirate and Pirate King Gorian Shard^[2]

While Vane's squadron pursued Djarin's starfighter to the lava flats under Shard's directive, Kryze's fighter transport arrived over the city, and two teams of Mandalorian warriors jumped from the ship, falling to the city below and attacking the pirate forces in the settlement. Kryze used^[2] her^[9] vessel's cannons to attack the pirate Corsair, destroying one of its engines.^[2]

An Ugnaught coxswain reported the condition of the vessel to Shard, who commanded the other to instruct Vane and the other snubfighters to reform for a counter attack. As the Mandalorian warriors eliminated the pirate forces in the city, Kryze and Djarin engaged Vane's squadron, destroying snubfighters, one of which crashed into the Corsair, destroying another engine and damaging the vessel's deflector shields. After the coxswain announced the damage the Corsair had suffered, Shard exclaimed the phrase dank farrik.^[2]

Gorian-Helm — Gorian Shard removed a pirate from the helm and moved the Corsair to the location of Nevarro's townspeople in an attempt to kill them.

The Mandalorians circled the remaining pirates and forced them to surrender, and Vane proceeded to flee, telling his pirate king that it had been a pleasure to serve him. As all but one of the Corsair's engines had been destroyed, a pirate crewmember warned that they should retreat; however, Shard removed a Warthog pirate from the Corsair's helm and moved the vessel to the location of the townspeople, seeking to kill them. However, the Mandalorian vessels destroyed the pirate warship's last engine, and the Corsair began to fall to Nevarro's surface, with Shard screaming as his vessel crashed.^[2]

Personality and traits[]

"Gorian Shard. I knew that Corsair looked familiar."
"I don't believe my eyes. The voice sounds like Greef Karga, Guild Master of the Nevarro Hunters, but all I see before me is a pampered nobleman dressed for the pomp of his wedding feast."

―High Magistrate Greef Karga and Pirate King Gorian Shard^[2]

Gorian-Death — Gorian Shard screamed as his Corsair crashed.

A male alien pirate^[4] with a moss-haired face, Shard grimaced^[10] when Djarin escaped from Nevarro's asteroid fields.^[4] He had green hair, green skin, and red eyes.^[4]

The pirate king laughed at Djarin when the Mandalorian remarked that he had no quarrel with the pirate king, considering it a "kind sentiment." Vane considered his fellow pirates as his brothers;^[4] Shard, however, threw a Warthog pirate away from the helm of the Corsair.^[2]

When he confronted Karga via hologram, Shard did not believe his eyes, as he saw a pampered nobleman instead of one of the Bounty Hunters' Guild's Guild Masters. After a pirate remarked that they should retreat during the battle on Nevarro, Shard was not willing to retreat, dismissing the other's suggestions by saying "in a puffer pig's eye."^[2]

Equipment[]

While sitting on a chair on his Corsair's bridge, Shard held a black staff. He wore a pair of brown boots, a black undershirt, and a brown, ornate shirt decorated with a red band. His shirt's left shoulder was decorated with a black pauldron.^[4]

Behind the scenes[]

"Meet the new character I play in @themandalorian His name is Gorian Shard. Some say he looks like swamp thing. What do you think? Its [sic] such fun to be part of!"

―Nonso Anozie on Instagram^[11]

Gorian Shard concept art MandoS3 — Gorian Shard concept art by Aaron McBride

Gorian Shard first appeared in Chapter 17: The Apostate, the seventeenth episode of the live-action series The Mandalorian's third season,^[4] which aired on March 1, 2023.^[12] He was voiced by Nonso Anozie, with Carey Jones being the performance artist.^[4] Executive producers Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau chose to add Gorian Shard into the story.^[13] On an Instagram post Anozie posted on March 2 of that year, Anozie said that some say Shard looks like Swamp Thing,^[11] a DC Comics character,^[14] and that it was "such fun to be part of."^[11] Aaron McBride drew two pieces of concept art of Shard on his flagship's bridge.^[15]