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This article is about the Mandalorian known as "Torch". For more uses of Torch, see Torch (disambiguation).

"No such thing as murder in a war. That's part of what makes them so boring. You spend most of your time waiting around between battles, and when they finally happen... it's just a bunch of random killing. I prefer my fights sporting. Or at least interesting."
―Shae Vizla[src]

Shae Vizla, later Mandalore the Avenger, was a female Human Mandalorian who gained notoriety during the Great Galactic War between the Galactic Republic and the resurgent Sith Empire. A ruthless bounty hunter, Vizla was often employed by the Sith Empire, who made use of her martial skills when undertaking the most risk-intensive missions. She assassinated Republic Senator Keenig, was part of the Imperial force attacking the planet of Alderaan, and launched a strike on a Republic political envoy, during which Vizla's brother was killed by the Jedi Master Aurei Eadon, causing her to develop an intense hatred for the Jedi Order. When the Empire launched an attack on the galactic capital of Coruscant, Vizla was contracted to disable the planet's defense grid, located within the Jedi Temple. In conjunction with a frontal assault by the Sith Lord Darth Malgus, Vizla infiltrated the Temple, proceeding to kill several members of the Temple Security Force. She successfully completed her mission to disable the defense grid, allowing Darth Angral's Sith armada to strike at Coruscant, and when the attack was over, utilized her jetpack to fly away from the Temple.

During the Cold War, Vizla retired from Imperial service and settled with her clan on Rishi, cooperating with the Nova Blades pirates to maintain civil relations in Raider's Cove. When the Nova Blades aligned with the Order of Revan, Vizla, nicknamed "Torch" by the locals, broke ties with them and settled on the Tracyn Island to stay clear of the Revanites. Approached by an individual looking for intel on Revanites, Vizla challenged the intruder in combat and only provided the information after she was defeated in a sparring match. Refusing to let her clan join the all-out war, Vizla nevertheless traveled to Yavin IV to join in a fight against reborn Revan himself.

After the Eternal Empire of Zakuul invaded the galaxy and Mandalore the Vindicated was slain in battle, Vizla was chosen as the next Mandalore and reluctantly took up the title Mandalore the Avenger. She united some of the scattered clans and led them in their first victory against Zakuul in many months. Receiving an offer from Theron Shan, the new Mandalore assembled her people for a raid on Darvannis weapons factory to re-arm themselves. With her second-in-command Khomo Fett she met the Commander of the Alliance that opposed Zakuul, assigning him to work with scout Torian Cadera. Disabling the factory's shield, perimeter guns and other defenses, the Mandalorians moved inside the factory, with Vizla leading the assault. They were able to claim a large amount of weapons and deal sufficient damage to the factory before Vizla ordered an organized retreat. After the battle, the Mandalore assigned Torian Cadera to act as her representative and liaison within the Alliance, later joining it herself and making their partnership official.

Biography[]

Bounty hunter[]

Work for the Sith Empire[]

"Another person who would catch our attention later was the Mandalorian bounty hunter Shae Vizla. She was known to have participated in the Battle of Alderaan, and perhaps indeed she was the one who helped Malgus escape. We cannot know for sure, but we can be certain she survived."
Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan[5]
Shae Vizla Korriban

Shae Vizla on Korriban

Shae Vizla was a female Human Mandalorian warrior who spent her youth during the time of the Great Galactic War. In her younger years, she was earning a living as a ruthless bounty hunter, taking high-profile jobs in the pursuit of money, without a care for her employers goals.[1] Following the return of the Sith Empire from their millennia-long era of seclusion, and the start of the Great Galactic War between the resurgent Sith and the Galactic Republic, the Sith Imperials formed an alliance with the Mandalorian warrior clans,[6] one that remained strong under the reign of Mandalore the Vindicated.[7] Vizla's brutal assassination of Senator Keenig caught the attention of Sith Lord Darth Malgus, beginning her a partnership with the Sith Empire.[8] Her exceptional skill[1] earned her a reputation that found Vizla commonly employed by the Imperials for heavy-risk operations of a large and important nature.[9] Vizla's skill and efficiency led her to join the Empire's biggest campaigns against the Republic.[10]

Invasion of Alderaan

Shae Vizla marches alongside Malgus on Alderaan.

In 3667 BBY, during the heat of the Great Galactic War, Shae Vizla took part in the Sith Empire's attack on the peaceful Core World of Alderaan.[5] Led by Darth Malgus, Imperial forces numbering hundreds of Sith warriors, several thousand assault droids,[11] and a multitude of Sith troopers strong, invaded the arboreal world.[12] Despite these odds, the Sith were held off by the combined forces of the Republic's special forces unit, Havoc Squad, and a cadre of Jedi Knights that included Satele Shan.[11] Shan personally engaged Malgus, defeating and wounding the Sith Lord, leaving him beneath the rubble of a shattered rock face.[12] However, Malgus escaped and returned to the war, and Shan theorized that it had been Vizla who was responsible for the Sith Lord's rescue.[5]

Vizla Eadon JMGD

Shae Vizla faces Jedi Master Eadon.

Three years later, in 3664 BBY, Vizla was tasked with assaulting a Republic political envoy. During the course of the attack, Vizla's brother was slain by Jedi Master Aurei Eadon. The Mandalorian mercenary challenged Eadon to a duel, seeking to avenge her brother's death, but Eadon refused.[5] This event caused Vizla to develop an intense hatred for the Jedi, though she kept the reasons behind her bitter feelings to herself.[1]

The Sacking of Coruscant[]

"As this unthinkable battle scene unfolded below, the Mandalorian was navigating the Temple's upper levels and disposing of security personnel. It is unclear how the Imperials knew that Coruscant's security grid mainframe was located in the Temple, but the Mandalorian was most definitely working with extremely accurate intelligence."
Jedi Master Gnost-Dural[5]
ShaeShooting

Shae Vizla infiltrates the Jedi Temple.

In 3653 BBY, twenty-eight years after the start of the Great Galactic War, Sith forces contacted the Republic, expressing a desire to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the war. As delegates from both sides met on the planet Alderaan to form a peace agreement,[13] Shae Vizla was contracted by the Sith Empire to aid in their surprise assault on the galactic capital world of Coruscant.[1] Tasked with neutralizing Coruscant's defense grid, located within the Jedi Temple,[5] Vizla found herself again working with Darth Malgus, in addition to his Twi'lek attendant, Eleena Daru. Once all three were in position at the Temple, and upon receiving Malgus' order, Vizla infiltrated the ancient ziggurat via a high window over the Temple's main entrance.[1]

SWTOR BountyFireAll

Vizla uses her flamethrowers against Temple Security Forces.

At the same time, a Republic shuttle that had been co-opted by the Sith slammed into the Temple's main hall and the Sith warriors within had rushed out to engage the Temple's Jedi defenders,[2] in what may have been little more than a distraction designed to allow the Mandalorian infiltrator to go unnoticed.[5] Inside, Vizla shot and killed several members of the Temple Security Force as she made her way to the security grid mainframe. There, she brought down Coruscant's defenses and allowed for the Sith fleet commanded by Darth Angral to begin a planet-wide attack on Coruscant. Following the takedown of the defense mainframe, Vizla flew into the fray in the Temple's lower levels using her jetpack, where she was responsible for numerous other deaths, of both Temple Security guards[2] and Republic soldiers alike.[1]

DeathFromAbove

Using her jetpack, Shae Vizla fires her wrist rockets on enemies from the air.

In the aftermath of the battle for the Jedi Temple, and as the Sith stood victorious over the Jedi, Shae Vizla lingered outside the ruined entrance to the Temple, surveying the damage with her helmet off and held beneath her arm. When she was approached by Malgus, the two nodded to each other in turn. Recognized for her work, Vizla donned her helmet again, and flew away from the burning temple to await her payment from the Empire for services rendered.[1]

Retirement on Rishi[]

"I wouldn't mind it a bit if you chased the Revanites out of Rishi. Off-the-radar is just how we like it here."
―Shae Vizla[src]
Shae Vizla on Yavin 4

Shae Vizla

The Sacking of Coruscant led the Republic to sign the Treaty of Coruscant, marking the beginning of a Cold War, which lasted for over a decade.[13] Vizla continued the mercenary work, over decades becoming top-tier in her profession, and her list of victories eventually surpassed that of Mandalore the Vindicated himself. Following years of success, Shae started taking fewer and fewer contracts as she became the leader of Clan Vizla. By the time hostilities between the Republic and the Sith Empire erupted in a new Galactic War, Vizla and her clan had almost completely withdrawn from galactic events, settling on the remote planet of Rishi.[10]

Shae Vizla on Tracyn Island

Shae Vizla on Rishi

The Mandalorians have established a base on the Tracyn Island, on which the warriors could train against each other in the arenas or against the local beasts in the wilderness.[14] Vizla carefully avoided the war and distanced herself from other Mandalorians, although their presence on Rishi was not a secret to the locals, who nicknamed her "Torch."[8] Clan Vizla helped the Nova Blades pirates have a good relationship with the people of Raider's Cove and later, when the Order of Revan came to Rishi at some point after 3642 BBY, briefly allied with them. Vizla and her clan introduced the Revanites to Nova Blades and helped them win a few small engagements, but as their motives to manipulate the Empire-Republic war to their own end came to light, Vizla withdrew her clan from the partnership.[10]

VizlaBloodHunt

Shae Vizla became known as the "Torch" among Rishi locals

By 3637 BBY[15] the Revanites and the Nova Blades had amassed an entire fleet of warships on Rishi. An associate of Theron Shan and Lana Beniko, who were working against the Revanites, learned about the involvement of "Torch" from the files of Dael Margok, the Nova Blades captain, and traveled to Tracyn Island to ask her for more information. The shuttle was shut down on the approach, and Vizla observed as the outsider set foot on the island, sending a team of her warriors against them. To her surprise, the intruder prevailed and made it inside her Clan's compound, so Vizla set them against several of the beasts her Clan had kept in there. The outsider prevailed once more, and Vizla ordered a Mandalorian couple of Jos and Valk Beroya to test them in the arena.[14]

Shae Vizla on Rishi

Shae Vizla meets her challenger in the arena.

The Beroyas were defeated, and Vizla, deciding that the fresh face was a worthy challenge for herself, met them at the nearby lava lake, refitted into a battleground. When asked for information about the Revanites and the Nova Blades, Vizla instead demanded a challenge and engaged the intruder. After a prolonged fight, Vizla was beaten, though she complimented her opponent on a decent fight, declaring that it felt good. Feeling that the information was earned, Vizla revealed the existence of the Revanite fleet on Rishi and provided her opponent with a speeder to take them back to Raider's Cove to replace the destroyed shuttle. Before departing, Vizla's opponent asked her to join the fight against the Revanites, but the Mandalorian declined, explaining that she had her fill of war and preferred going toe-to-toe against single strong opponents.[14]

Shae Vizla and Darth Marr

Shae Vizla with Darth Marr on Yavin 4

Vizla's information soon caused the Battle of Rishi, in which the Revanite fleet was neutralized and a Coalition between Imperial and Republic forces was formed to take down Revan himself. Learning about this, Vizla traveled to the moon of Yavin 4, where she arrived just in time to join an unlikely union of people such as Grand Master of the Jedi Order Satele Shan and Dark Council member Darth Marr in a stand against Revan. A prolonged fight ensued, in which Revan was defeated and subsequently became one with the Force, though this also led to the revival of the Sith Emperor. Vizla then departed from Yavin, though not before renegotiating her Imperial contract with Darth Marr, telling him to let her know where the next fight would be.[16]

Mandalore the Avenger[]

War against Zakuul[]

"Eternal fleet kept us under siege on the heartworlds. I picked up the title along the way."
―Shae Vizla[src]
Mandalore the Avenger on Darvannis

Shae Vizla, Mandalore the Avenger

The Coalition led by Darth Marr continued its hunt for the former Sith Emperor, which led to the first skirmish with the Eternal Fleet and the subsequent Zakuulan Eternal Empire conquest of the galaxy. The Mandalorians fought back, and Clan Lok was hit hard in return, as Mandalore the Vindicated himself led his forces on the front lines and was ultimately killed in combat with the Skytroopers. After the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire signed treaties with the Eternal Empire, many of the Core Worlds were blockaded by the Eternal Fleet and the Star Fortresses, trapping almost half of Mandalorian clans on those worlds. Most of the other clans had scattered, with Clan Vizla surviving better than most. Her reputation legendary even by Mandalorian standards, Shae Vizla was chosen by leaderless Mandalorians as their new commander and "Mandalore the Avenger," a title she reluctantly accepted.[4]

Shae Vizla Mandalore the Avenger

Mandalore the Avenger in her command tent on Darvannis

The new position was not an easy one for Vizla, who had spent most of her life as a lone hunter and had very little experience leading people, much less an entire culture. She had to quickly adapt to bring together her people who were beaten down after years of opposing Zakuul, yet her very first battle as Mandalore the Avenger was the clans' first victory in six months. In 3630 BBY Vizla was contacted by an old acquaintance, Theron Shan from the Mestani sector, who offered her and the clans a chance to strike against Zakuul by assembling a raid on Darvannis weapons factory, the taking of which would allow the Mandalorians to re-arm themselves for the first time in years. Assembling a dozen clans, including Fett, Chorn, Beroya and her own, Mandalore Vizla traveled to Darvannis and laid siege to the factory, placing rotating assault teams of two hundred commandos each around it.[4]

Khomo Shae

Mandalore the Avenger and Khomo Fett plan the assault on the factory.

Vizla and her second-in-command Khomo Fett were joined by the Commander of the Alliance that opposed Zakuul—Vizla's old acquaintance from Rishi. Vizla asked the scout Torian Cadera to join the Commander in the recapturing of the factory's perimeter guns, while the forward team led by Breyer Chorn went to take down the energy shield. That wave of assault alone took the lives of twenty-eight warriors, but in the end the factory's shields went down and the inner ring of defenses suffered severe damage. The day coming to close, Mandalorians held a Kote ky'ram for the fallen, while celebrating their own survival during the night. The next morning, Shae Vizla and Khomo Fett planned an assault on the factory's power stations, after which they were ready to move inside the factory itself. Vizla shared her battle plan with the Alliance Commander, who added to it by providing the factory's inner schematics, recently procured by Theron Shan.[4]

Shae Vizla on Darvannis

Mandalore the Avenger rallies her troops before the assault.

Vizla gave a rallying cry to her warriors and went to lead the assault, while Torian Cadera and the Commander went to retrieve the GEMINI Prime, the reason the Alliance decided to attack the factory in the first place. Inside the factory, the Mandalorians encountered resistance, but were able to claim a large amount of weapons and deal sufficient damage to the factory before Vizla ordered an organized retreat. In the aftermath, Vizla assigned Torian Cadera to act as her representative and liaison within the Alliance, while sharing with the Commander her concern that her warriors would want to reclaim their honor fighting more than droids in the near future.[4]

Mandalore Avenger on Darvannis

After Darvannis, the Mandalore pledged her forces to the Alliance.

After the Alliance Commander was able to strike a massive blow against the Eternal Empire by dethroning Emperor Arcann, the Mandalorians became eager to join their cause. Having her people's support, Vizla decided to make the partnership official and traveled to the Alliance base on Odessen, formally adding her strength and that of her warriors to the Alliance's cause. The Mandalorians, led by Torian Cadera, would go on to fight in the liberation of Voss and defend the Alliance base during Vaylin's Assault on Odessen.[17]

Further challenges[]

After the war had ended and the Eternal Empire was defeated, Shae continue to lead her people within the Alliance, as they assisted in the rebuilding not only their people, but that of the galaxy wrecked by war. With piracy having increased by 3627 BBY[18], Mandalore would lead the clans to work with Hylo Visz to secure supply runs from pirates or anyone else greedy enough during the resource crisis that began to grip the galaxy. As a result no one dared attacked those ships, knowing they were under the watchful protection of Mandalorians.[19].

Mandalore the Avenger fights traitors

Mandalore the Avenger fights the traitorous Mandalorians.

Shae would encounter challenges to her leadership when the third Galactic War began. Surviving members of Clan Lok and others of like mind abandon her leadership before Darvannis and traveled to Onderon, where the formed the Ash'ad under the leadership of Mirli Lok. When Mandalore the Avenger discovered their location, she sent Mandalorians to the city of Iziz and from there tasked the Alliance Commander to seek out the Ash'ad, wanting them to pay for abandoning the Clans. Shae was determined to see them stripped of their armor and clean the stain of honor to the previous Mand'alor, which in the end proved successful after the Commander found their base in the jungles, eliminating every single member present and stripping their armor from them. Mirli was killed in the process.[20]

The Hidden Chain[]

Mandalore the Avenger and her flagship

Mandalore the Avenger aboard her flagship, the Spirit of Vengeance II

In 3626 BBY,[18] Shae Vizla's leadership was put to the test when a hidden renegade Mandalorian group known as the Hidden Chain, led by Field Marshal Heta Kol, came to believe that the Mandalorians under Vizla's rule had lost sight of their ways. Even Clans still loyal to her were starting to feel that they had become glorified couriers by focusing their efforts on protecting cargo supply runs or caravans needing their protection from pirates. Her advisor Jekiah Ordo continue to voice concerns about the growing unrest among the Clans and believed that they should've crack down harder on them during his investigations to the Hidden Chain's raids on their cargo runs, but Shae remained firm on keeping the Mandalorians freedom and independence, as she did not want to cause further unease.[21] Jekiah Ordo took Mandalore's flagship, the Spirit of Vengeance II, to lure the mysterious attackers out, but the ship came under attack by the Hidden Chain and lost contact with the Alliance base, forcing Mandalore's hand. She recruited the Alliance Commander and Jekiah Ordo's brother, Rass Ordo, to assist her in freeing the ship.[22]

Mandalore the Avenger aboard Spirit of Vengeance II

Mandalore the Avenger demands the traitorous Field Marshal to face her.

When they arrived, they discovered that Heta Kol had gathered Mandalorian outcast groups such as the Dar'manda, Clan Varad, and the Ash'ad together into the Hidden Chain and, with their combined ships, had the Spirit of Vengeance II locked as their boarding parties worked to steal the relics from within the ship. Shae, Rass and the Commander made it to the bridge, where they found the remaining survivors, led by Jekiah Ordo, but Heta Kol stood in their way. Mandalore rushed to initiate a challenge to Heta, and fight ensued, but when members of the Hidden Chain finally found the Clan Cadera banner, Heta made her escape into space, while the loyal Mandalorians were left to recover the damage on the Spirit of Vengeance. Following this, Mandalore proclaimed Jekiah Ordo to be her arbiter and began the search for Heta Kol and the Hidden Chain in the hopes of preventing another Mandalorian Civil War.[22]

Shae Vizla aboard Spirit of Vengeance II

Shae Vizla announces her hunt for Heta Kol.

She headed to Mek-Sha to investigate Indigo, the leader of the Dar'manda, whom she believed could help her track down the Hidden Chain,[23] though Indigo denied any involvement.[24] Eventually she tracked Heta to Ruhnuk but was not willing to risk exposure and thus returned to Odessen for an attack plan.[25] Shae briefed the Alliance Commander on the information she had gathered on Heta Kol, although she was unable to find Heta's past clan affiliations despite her fighting style being Mandalorian. Shae then explained that Ruhnuk was where the Hidden Chain operated and had put Jekiah Ordo and her fleet on standby while she, the Commander and Rass Ordo would infiltrate Ruhnuk to locate the main base.[26]

Showdown on Ruhnuk[]

Shae Vizla on Ruhnuk

Shae Vizla on Ruhnuk

Upon arriving on Ruhnuk, the team had a crash landing as Shae had to evade a probe droid. Shae and the Commander located two technicians hired by Dar'manda and Shae killed one, while the other revealed that the Hidden Chain had a relay station for communications that could cut through interference surrounding the planet. With that knowledge Shae and the Commander went back to Rass to ready a new plan.[27] Rass was joined by Akaavi Spar and Torian Cadera and revealed that he may have found a way to locate the relay station and proposed that Shae and the Commander go there while the rest secure their position. At the Ruhnuk Communications Tower, Shae and the Commander confronted Sa'har Kateen, whom Shae demanded to point her to Heta. The Commander attempted to reason with Sa'har, but Shae opened fire and Sa'har took the opportunity to escape from the duo.[28]

Mandalore the Avenger on Ruhnuk

Mandalore the Avenger scouts the Hidden Chain defences.

Shae and the Commander dealt with the relay station and went to find Heta Kol.[29] They entered a compound where Shae decided to have a look around only for the doors to close, and the Commander was incapacitated by four sonic weapons. Dar'manda leader Bask Sunn and Heta Kol confronted the Commander, who remained helpless because of the sonic disruptors until Shae arrived and challenged the leader of the Hidden Chain to a one-on-one combat. Heta agreed and escorted Shae to the battle arena, where with Hidden Chain as the audience, Heta announced that she would destroy the Mandalorians by exposing their weakness and called out for Shae Vizla to come out and face her. Shae loudly expressed her pleasure, calling her opponent a pretender.[28]

Mandalore the Torch

"The Torch" proves her name.

Both Heta and Shae were presented with Beskar short swords to use as their primary weapons. The duel began and Shae managed to gain the upper hand, but suddenly felt almost paralyzed because of a secret trick pulled by Bask Sunn with one sonic disruptor. Heta took advantage of by pressing the attack with Shae managing to hold off as best as she could. The Commander destroyed the weapon, which freed Shae and allowed her to overpower Heta and win the duel in view by the Hidden Chain. But the scene was interrupted with the arrival of both fleets, and Shae's Mandalorian reinforcements attacked the Hidden Chain thus beginning the full-scale battle.[28]

Shae Vizla after Ruhnuk

Shae Vizla recovers after the Showdown on Ruhnuk.

Shae Vizla was left incapacitated while taking out the enemy, and Heta attempted to finish her off, but Shae recovered and was able to fend off Heta's attacks and land a striking blow to Heta who retreated aboard a shuttle. Shae angrily declared that their feud was not over, as the battle ended with the Hidden Chain escaping Ruhnuk to an undisclosed location and Jekiah ordered the fleet to not pursue the enemy. Jekiah and the Commander rallied to Shae Vizla and helped her off Ruhnuk. She was then taken to a medical facility and attended by medical droids. Jekiah and Mandalore discussed how Shae's victory over Heta was spreading throughout the galaxy. Shae was unwilling to disclose that Heta unknowingly cheated via Bask Sunn's sonic disruptor and stated that her hunt was still in-progress.[28]

Confronting Darth Malgus[]

"Shae Vizla.... Your thoughts are plain to me, "Mandalore the Avenger." Your rage consumes you. There was a battle... and your prey slipped between your fingers. Your people are divided, while Heta Kol gathers her army. You are right to come begging for answers... Heta will destroy you."
―Darth Malgus taunting Shae Vizla[30]

Shae Vizla arrived on Carrick Station with the intention of confronting Darth Malgus on his knowledge, and supposed alliance with, Heta Kol who now held Darth Nul's holocron but was stopped by the security droids who only had authorization from the Supreme Chancellor to let certain individuals in the chamber.[30]

Shae listened in on the conversation between the Alliance Commander and Malgus, to which Malgus became aware of Shae's presence and proceeded to, his delight, taunt Shae for letting Heta escape Ruhnuk and how Heta will eventually destroy Shae which led to Shae's outburst at Malgus demanding Heta's location thus signaling the guard droids to deal with Shae if she persists. But Shae calmed down and angrily left the prison.[30]

Personality and traits[]

"Today we march. We bleed, exhaust ourselves, and die. Because our true destination will be a battle worth winning!"
―Shae Vizla[src]
ShaeVizla-Deceived

Shae Vizla in her youth

With long red hair,[1] fair skin, and hazel eyes,[2] Vizla's soft features belied her physical prowess, which she preferred to enhance with the use of customized armor. Vizla was an extremely skilled warrior, as noted by the Sith Lord Darth Malgus, and was capable of gracefully wielding her armor's numerous weapons while maintaining flight via her jetpack during battle. She was comfortable removing her helmet while in the presence of others, but was not so forthcoming as to tell Darth Malgus her name during the times in which they worked together.[1]

A Mandalorian mercenary, Shae Vizla fought for the promise of credits, selling her martial services for money with little care for the interests and goals of her employers. However, she possessed a personal hatred for Jedi,[1] which stemmed from the death of her brother at the hands of Jedi Master Aurei Eadon.[5] Vizla was closed-lipped on the reasons behind her feelings toward the Jedi; despite her hatred, following the sacking of their Coruscant temple, Vizla dispassionately surveyed the damage that had been inflicted by the Sith.[1]

Shae Vizla Torch

Shae Vizla during her later years

In her later years Vizla gained a dislike for war, considering it to be boring, as she preferred to fight battles that were interesting instead of random killing. Her hatred of the Jedi also subsided, and she had no problem working alongside one of them when required.[14] After becoming the new Mandalore, her goals focused on ensuring her people's survival, leading her to have concerns about her right hand Khomo Fett, as she knew he would want to bring back the glory days of the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders.[4]

Equipment[]

Shae Vizla wore Mandalorian armor[1] of primarily gray, over a black flight suit. Her full-face helmet differed from tradition in that it did not[2] feature a T-shaped visor.[31] Vizla made use of a jetpack possessing two individual thrusters that allowed her periods of sustained flight, and owned at least two blasters,[1] including one blaster pistol that fired red bolts of plasma,[2] that she was known to wield with deadly accuracy.[1]

Shae Vizla uses jetpack

Shae Vizla utilizes her jetpack.

In addition to boots and a utility belt, Shae Vizla also benefited from her armor's gauntlets, the left of which was equipped with a hologram projector. Both gauntlets housed miniature flamethrowers capable of producing powerful streams of fire, and each was mounted with wrist rocket launchers that fired deadly projectiles.[2]

Behind the scenes[]

"You were first introduced to this brutal Bounty Hunter as she joined the Sith fleet in an ambitious assault during the Sacking of Coruscant. Known as Shae Vizla, she is commonly employed by the Empire for large risky undertakings."
Gentle Giant figurine blurb[9]

Shae Vizla was introduced in the promotional material for Star Wars: The Old Republic video game. She first appeared in the Deceived cinematic trailer released June 1, 2009, in which she had no lines of dialogue, and was not initially named.[2] A bounty hunter wearing armor similar to Vizla's, though not initially identified as her, was also seen in the second of The Old Republic's trailers entitled Hope, released on June 14, 2010.[12] The character remained unnamed until an update on The Old Republic's website featuring a Gentle Giant Studios statue of the bounty hunter with a promotional blurb revealing her name,[9] and it was only with the release of The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural that Vizla's appearance in the Hope trailer was confirmed.[5] She later appeared in the The Old Republic: Deceived novel, while expanded on the events shown in the Deceived trailer.[1]

Shae Vizla-TOR

Concept art of Shae Vizla

Shae Vizla was also featured in various promotional images as is the archetype character for The Old Republic's bounty hunter class, though in some of the concept art she is depicted holding a blaster rifle, a weapon not available to the Bounty Hunter class in-game. Despite her prominence in the pre-release material, Vizla was completely absent from the game at the time of its launch in December 2011 and did not make another appearance until the release of the Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan expansion three years after that. Her appearance in the expansion was foreshadowed in the short story Bedtime on Concordia released on the game's website, which mentioned that Vizla withdrew from the major galactic events at some point in the past. Voiced by Sumalee Montano, Shae Vizla appears as a final boss of the "Blood Hunt" flashpoint; along with Jos and Valk Beroya she is the only in-game boss who does not die in-story after being defeated in a prominent group encounter.[14] She also returns for the fight against Revan on Yavin 4 at the end of the expansion's story.[16]

Vizla was then featured prominently in the Knights of the Fallen Empire Chapter XIV: Mandalore's Revenge, which established her as the new Mandalore and debuted the new look of her armor. During the chapter the player can make a Dark Side choice not to share the factory plans with Vizla, which causes significant Mandalorian losses during the attack on the factory, after which player can make another Dark Side choice to undermine her authority in front of the Mandalorians. Both her original armor and Mandalore the Avenger's armor are available to players from the Cartel Market packs.[32] Shae Vizla was made available as a companion character exclusively to players who were subscribed on October 25, 2016 in the Knights of the Eternal Throne expansion.[33] She can be used in-game by eligible characters starting at level 1, but story-wise she only joins the player's Alliance after the completion of Fallen Empire Chapter XIV. If the player made dark-side choices in it, Vizla will note that her position with the clans is weak and joining the Alliance is only way for her to prove her strength.[17]

Shae Vizla's surname is similar to that of Tor and Pre Vizsla, established members of the Mandalorian Clan Vizsla. To date, there has been no confirmation of any link between the characters, and Shae's surname lacks the letter "s" present in the names of the other two individuals. Curiously, the surname of Gen Vizla, another member of Clan Vizla, is spelled "Vizsla" in German and French versions of the game client.[32]

Appearances[]

Bounty Hunter TOR

Shae Vizla is the archetype character for The Old Republic's bounty hunter class

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 The Old Republic: Deceived
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 SWTOR mini "Deceived" on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link)
  3. The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Old Republic
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire — Chapter XIV: Mandalore's Revenge
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural
  6. SWTOR mini Timeline 4: The Empire Changes Strategy on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link)
  7. Holonet icon allegiances Mandalore on The Old Republic Holonet (content now obsolete; backup link)
  8. 8.0 8.1 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Codex: "Shae Vizla: Bounty Hunter"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 SWTOR mini Limited Edition Bounty Hunter Statue on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Codex: "Shae Vizla"
  11. 11.0 11.1 SWTOR mini "Hope" on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link)
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Hope (cinematic trailer)
  13. 13.0 13.1 SWTOR mini Timeline 1: Treaty of Coruscant on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan — Flashpoint: "Blood Hunt"
  15. According to SWTOR mini Forums: Dear Story Team, What Year Are We Currently In? on The Old Republic's official website (backup link), Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel takes place from early to mid 3638 BBY, and further Game Updates that were released in 2013 take place in the latter half of that year. The post also states that Game Updates released in 2014 can be placed in early and mid 3637 BBY, Shadow of Revan takes place near the end of that year, and that the events of Game Updates 3.1 through 3.3 can be placed in early and mid 3636 BBY. Therefore, the events of Game Update 3.0 and the Digital Expansion Shadow of Revan can be placed near the end of 3637 BBY.
  16. 16.0 16.1 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan — Republic Mission: "The Enemy Within" on Yavin 4
  17. 17.0 17.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne
  18. 18.0 18.1 SWTOR mini Forums: Dear Story Team, What Year Are We Currently In? on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
  19. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne — Mission: "Hearts and Minds" on Odessen
  20. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught — Mission: "Scorn for the Dishonored" on Onderon
  21. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught — Mission: "Meeting Jekiah Ordo" on Odessen
  22. 22.0 22.1 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Flashpoint: "Spirit of Vengeance"
  23. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught — The message Heta Kol Update from Shae Vizla
  24. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught — The message IT WASN'T ME from Indigo
  25. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "Digging Deeper" on Odessen
  26. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "A Rock and a Hard Place" on Odessen
  27. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "A Rock and a Hard Place" on Ruhnuk
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "Showdown on Ruhnuk" on Ruhnuk
  29. SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "Outside Interference" on Ruhnuk
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic: Legacy of the Sith — Mission: "Old Wounds" on Carrick Station
  31. SWInsider "The Mandalorians: People and Culture" — Star Wars Insider 86
  32. 32.0 32.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic
  33. SWTOR mini Knights of the Eternal Throne on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
  34. 34.0 34.1 The Essential Guide to Warfare
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