Saya Keem was an Iridonian Zabrak who was a member of the Dank Graks during the High Republic Era.^[2]

Biography[]

Before joining the Dank Granks[]

For a while, Keem lived on on Iridonia,^[5] before moving to Coruscant with a wealthy family before becoming a part of the Dank Graks. She felt restricted both when living on^[6] Iridonia^[5] and Coruscant, not comfortable with the high society life.^[6]

Life with the Dank Graks[]

Being a part of the Force group called the Dank Graks, Keem lived on the ship the Grim Devourer. She was among other things responsible for the cooking and other housley chores.^[6]

Turf War for Takodana[]

The leader of the Dank Graks, Arkik Von, had in the past lost the claims over the planet Takodana to pirate queen Maz Kanata, and was plotting to take it back^[7] in 382 BBY.^[8] Keem was involved in a space battle over Takodana, following Von's meeting with other criminal groups being discovered. Kanata's group docked their ship, the Venomed Scabbard, on the Grak's, while the Dank Graks, in smaller fighter ships, infiltrated their ships. The two groups fired on each other in the opposite's ship until Raf Thatchburn from the Antipiracy Command showed up and cut the battle short. Both groups fled to hyperspace. Keem felt sorry about the loss of their ship, claiming that it had a lot of cool things on it.^[2]

After exiting hyperspace again, Keem sought a conversation with Von, wanting to discuss a presence she was feeling with them on the ship. Von told her that he was not only not worried about it, but in fact counting on the fact that Kanata's crew would find them.^[9]

Crossing paths with Sav Malagán[]

Keem joined Arkik Von and Lavalox Verzen on a trip to Frander's hidden depot, coming to pick up Eviscerator class ships. Frander refused to give them the ships though, saying that he'd heard what the Graks did on Utapau. Von resulted to violence, forcechoking Frander's Bonbraks. Frander in return took to lifting Keem off the ground through the Force, saying he'd kill her if Von harmed his Bonbraks. Von didn't care enough about Keem to consider letting the Bonbraks go for her safety. At the hight of the confrontation, Sav Malagán, she and the rest of Kanata's crew having followed the Graks through information given to them by Abadoo, a crew member still on the ship, showed up. She commaned everyone to stop and claimed to be named Bazrip Ratht, send by the Graf Clan to oversee the transaction. Frander released Keem from his grip then. In that moment, Von was contacted by Drrn that he'd found their ship, so he told the disguised Malagán that he'd need to go and confirm his (Arkik mistook Malagán to be male) existence with the Grafs, so he, Keem and Verzen left.^[9]

Keem and the rest of the Graks were back on their ship, already back in space, when Malagán, having claimed an Eviscerator ship, contacted them, saying she wanted to join the Dank Graks, and that since her ship could easily take out the Graks', they'd better hear her out, so Malagán was permitted to come abord the ship. Von was suspicious of Malagán, and put her though the Trials of the Graks, though Keem claimed that he had just made that up. After Malagán successfully explained what group she'd been with previously, lifted up the entire Dank Graks group through the Force and destroyed several droids in combat - something that very much impressed Keem - Von made her a provisional member of the Graks and tasked Keem to show her the ship.^[6]

Keem led Malagán through the Grim Devourer, explaining that the whole ship was supposedly powered by the Dark Side of the Force, though she hadn't figured out how yet. Malagán asked her what they were goint to be doing on Jedha - Von mentioned that she'd be judged on how she'd do on Jedha, earlier - too which Keem replied with a vague statement about starting a war. Malagán tried to find out more from her, but Saya kept still. After Malagán went to the toilet - to secretly contact Kanata's crew - Keem showed her the mess hall, explaining that this was where she did the cooking. When Keem wanted to sit down on a chair, Verzen pulled it out from under her using the Force, making Keem fall down. After Malgán helped her up, she asked Keem accusingly if the reason she was so excited to have her on board was that she wouldn't have to do the chores alone anymore. Keem admitted that she could use a hand with some things and Malagán left the room. Keem went after her and explained that it wasn't the only reason she was happy to have Malagán there. Keem told her that even though the Grak's were the only real family she had, she sometimes felt out of place, and asked Malagán if she knew what she meant, who said she very much did. Keem then said that she knew Malagán's secret, that she was in fact not a boy like she'd claimed. Malagán tried to talk her way out of being caught lying by asking if it was really lying when you just let people remain in their ignorance. Keem said that it was fine, since she hated all boys anyway, except for Drrn. Wanting to show off her Force abilities, Keem pulled a mattress down on Drrn through the Force, then ran away before he could be mad at her, taking Malagán along with her. She then showed Malagán where to sleep, and they layed down on pallets in front of a big window facing outer space.^[6]

Battle of Jedha[]

The Dank Graks were hired by the Path of the Open Hand to escalate the riots on the streets and spread as much chaos as possible. Keem and Malagán made their way through the holy city together, until Raf Thatchburn's dog Tanteek found them. Malagán reasoned that where the dog was the owner couldn't be far, and that she couldn't be seen with a Dank Grak, so she decided to send the dog back with one of her lightsabers as a gesture of trust. To do that, she had to distract Keem, so she pulled rocks free through the Force and let them fall onto Keem, though she pushed her out of the way so she wouldn't actually get hurt. As Malagán helped her up, Keem said that no one had ever thought her life was worth saving before. Malagán, now feeling run out of time, said that they had to keep going.^[5] She soon asked Keem to stop though, asking what they were really doing on Jedha. When Keem didn't answer, Malagán said she'd return to the ship. Keem agreed to answer her questions, but when Malagán asked where Kanata was, she didn't tell her, saying she shouldn't even know about that. Malagán made her way back to the Eviscerator, Keem following her. About to take off, Malagán asked her again, and Keem got into the ship, pointing to an Eirami military ship, saying that that was where Maz was. Malagán brought them into the ship, but onboard it, Keem just remarked she hadn't thought Malagán would go through all this trouble just to get another pirate back, since she wouldn't do it for Von, and he not for her. Malagán angerly asked Keem where Maz was, but Keem cut her off by taking her hands and saying she would do it for her. She asked Malagán to come with her, to leave everything behind and start new, but Malagán said that she couldn't. Keem said it was fine, revealing that she'd only been stalling, so Von could claim Takodana back in the meantime. Malagán left, leaving Keem behind.^[10]

On Takodana, Von told Drrn that he had no intention of getting Keem to them on Takodana. Drrn, who thought much of Keem, then left to find Keem on Jedha, though he wasn't planning on returning to Von afterwards.^[11]

Legacy[]

Over a century later, she was remembered as a great pirate. Her grandchild, Zyle, admired her, while also feeling a bit overshadowed and jealous of her ability to use the Force.^[3]

Behind the scenes[]

At the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month in 2023,^[12] author Daniel José Older confirmed Keem to be an LGBTQ+ character, describing her as "super gay," and noted it had simply yet to be overtly established in the story at that time.^[13] Older later laughed about his "super gay" wording being included in the behind the scenes section of Keem's Wookieepedia article.^[14]

Appearances[]

• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 2 (First appearance)
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 3
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 4
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 5
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 6
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 7
• The High Republic Adventures (2022) 8 (Mentioned only)
• The High Republic: Escape from Valo (Mentioned only)

Sources[]

• Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Comes to an End – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia
• The High Republic Authors on Authors: Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references[]