Mercenary
During the time of the New Republic Era, Migs Mayfeld operated as a human mercenary.
An individual who engaged in combat for various entities or individuals in exchange for compensation, often in the form of credits, was known as a mercenary. Other terms for this profession included hired gun or soldier of fortune. The Undervine network was sometimes used by mercenaries to find employment. A number of bounty hunters, such as Cad Bane and Boba Fett, functioned similarly to mercenaries, accepting assignments beyond just tracking down individuals with bounties.
Historical Context
Era of the Republic
[Ty Yorrick](/article/ty_yorrick], a former Padawan of the Jedi Order, embraced the life of a mercenary during the High Republic Era, taking on the moniker "saber-for-hire" and working independently as a monster hunter. Yorrick's assignments included acting as a bodyguard for both Mantessa and Klerin Chekkat. Under the leadership of Captain Li Yu, the Silver Knights functioned as a mercenary group. Before her retirement to become an information broker, the bounty hunter Deva Lompop served as a mercenary, working as Avon Starro's bodyguard and as a marauder for the Nihil. However, Jabba the Hutt called her back into service.
General Grievous employed the mercenary droid AD-W4 to oversee the Separatists operations on the planet Hissrich during the Clone Wars, on behalf of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Following the death of Jango Fett, the Galactic Republic contracted the bounty hunters Bric and El-Les to provide training to various clone cadets.
Age of the Empire
During the Imperial Era, Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Echo of the Bad Batch, along with Omega, their young charge, deserted the Empire and became mercenaries. To survive in the rapidly changing galaxy without the Republic, they worked directly for Ciddarin Scaleback, a Trandoshan underworld figure. Despite originating from the peaceful world of Alderaan, Vect Nokru chose the life of a mercenary. [Bode Akuna](/article/bode_akuna], a former Jedi Knight, started working freelance for Lank Denvik as a gunslinger and spy. [Vel Sartha](/article/vel_sartha] referred to Cassian Andor as a mercenary when Luthen Rael recruited him to join the Aldhani rebel infiltration team. Saponza struggled to find mercenary work at one point during the Imperial Era, and he suspected that the issue was widespread. He believed that major syndicates, such as Crimson Dawn and Son-tuul Pride, possessed their own private armies, eliminating their need to hire external mercenaries. Crimson Dawn initially began as a band of merciless mercenaries before evolving into a criminal syndicate.
[Moroff](/article/moroff], a Gigoran mercenary, was associated with Saw Gerrera's Partisans. He remained with the Partisans until the Jedha insurgency. During that conflict, a mercenary provided security for the nomadic market. Leia Organa, frustrated by [Han Solo](/article/han_solo]'s apparent focus on money rather than supporting the Rebel Alliance, once described him as "quite a mercenary." During the Imperial Era, Anton Markox identified himself as a "soldier of fortune" and advertised his services to crime lords in the Smuggler's Guide.
Era of the New Republic
Following its defeat at the Battle of Jakku, the Empire appeared to have fragmented into scattered warlords and mercenary groups.
Din Djarin worked as a mercenary for various groups in the early years of the New Republic Era. [Carasynthia Dune](/article/carasynthia_dune], a shock trooper, entered "early retirement" after realizing that her assignments were not what she had signed up for. Consequently, she left the Republic and became a mercenary. [Ranzar Malk](/article/ranzar_malk], an old acquaintance of Djarin, assembled a team that included [Migs Mayfeld](/article/migs_mayfeld], a former Imperial sharpshooter, Burg, a Devaronian, Xi'an, a Twi'lek, and Q9-0, a droid, to rescue Xi'an's brother Qin from the Bothan-5, a New Republic Correctional Transport. Morgan Elsbeth employed [Lang](/article/lang], a hired gunfighter, as a mercenary. She also hired [Baylan Skoll](/article/baylan_skoll], a former Jedi Knight, and his apprentice, Shin Hati, a pair of enigmatic mercenaries. Both were employed to free her from the New Republic's captivity. She also employed [Marrok](/article/marrok], a former Imperial Inquisitor.
"Bazine Netal", a criminal, functioned as a mercenary and spy for the First Order. Kragan Gorr, a pirate captain, was willing to serve as a mercenary for the First Order. Kendoh Voss, a notorious criminal during the First Order-Resistance War, turned to a life of crime to restore her [Serennian family](/article/kendoh_voss%27_family]'s wealth. As a criminal involved in mercenary work, theft, and bounty hunting, she eventually led a group known as the Kendoh Gang.