Shuggoth

"We knew fate was not on our side."
"Who cares about fate? I love you."
"And I will always love you."

―Shuggoth and a Mon Calamari prince^[1]

Around 9 ABY, Captain Shuggoth commanded a freighter crewed by members of the Quarren species. She fell in love with a Mon Calamari prince, and the pair eloped aboard the captain's starship. However, the viceroy who the prince was the son of hired a force of Mandalorian mercenaries led by Axe Woves to find Shuggoth and bring the prince back to his home. When the light cruiser used by Woves' unit approached the Quarren freighter, the latter's captain, believing the larger starship to be under the control of Imperial forces, attempted to open negotiations in order to secure safe passage for her vessel. Woves, however, explained his mission to Shuggoth, and, when a Mandalorian boarding party eventually entered the freighter's bridge with the aim of securing the prince, the captain and her lover were forced to say sorrowful goodbyes to each other.

Biography[]

An encounter in space[]

"Hail, Imperial friends. We are a peaceful Quarren freighter making our way to do business in the Mid Rim. And were unaware of any local warlords that required payment."
"I am not a criminal."
"Of course not. I intended no disrespect. […] I meant to say that we were not aware of the majestic Imperial presence in this sector, and we will gladly hire your protection."

―Shuggoth and Axe Woves^[1]

QuarrenFreighter-GunsForHire — Captain Shuggoth commanded a freighter crewed by Quarrens.

The Quarren Shuggoth was the captain of a Quarren-crewed freighter^[1] around 9 ABY.^[3] At one point, she^[2] fell in love with a Mon Calamari prince, the son of a viceroy. The captain eloped with the prince, taking him aboard her freighter and traveling into deep space. During the voyage, Shuggoth spent time in her personal water tank on the starship's bridge, where a crewmember fed her a goldfish. To Shuggoth's satisfaction, the ship's navigator informed her of their discovery of a way to bypass the hyperspace trade routes leading to^[1] the moon^[4] Trask. At that point, however, another crewmember also notified the captain of an approaching Class 546 Cruiser—appearing to be under the command of Imperial military forces but in reality commanded by a Mandalorian mercenary force led by Axe Woves and commissioned by the Mon Calamari viceroy to find Shuggoth and retrieve her son.^[1]

Upon learning that the larger light cruiser was too powerful for their freighter to defeat, Shuggoth ordered for communications to be opened with the former vessel's commander and had the water drained from the tank she was in. The captain then hailed the capital ship, addressing the imagined Imperial crew of the vessel as "friends" and claiming that her own command was a "peaceful" freighter heading for the Mid Rim on a commercial trip. Shuggoth confessed her ignorance of any Imperial warlords in the locality to which tributes would have to be paid, to which Woves responded via comm that he was not a "criminal." The Quarren captain quickly apologized and corrected her remark to instead refer to the larger ship as part of "the majestic Imperial presence" in the sector they were in. Shuggoth then further went on to suggest that her freighter hire the protection offered by the light cruiser, which Woves countered by explaining that his ship was operated by a force of hired Mandalorians.^[1]

Lovers parted[]

"You see, we've been commissioned to track you down, Captain Shuggoth."

―Axe Woves^[1]

Shuggoth and Mon Calamari in space Mando S3 — Shuggoth was separated from her lover, a Mon Calamari prince.

As the capital ship made preparations for its crew to board the Quarren freighter, the latter's captain protested by proclaiming it an act of war, an accusation that Woves summarily dismissed. The Mandalorian leader let Shuggoth know who his employer was, which prompted the captain to denounce as lies the viceroy's claims that Shuggoth had fled with her son. The freighter's captain launched into a tirade about her supposed lack of interest in catalyzing the historically tense relationship between the Quarren and Mon Calamari, only for Woves to reveal that he was aware of Shuggoth having romantic feelings for the runaway prince.^[1]

The distraught prince at that point entered the freighter's bridge, joining in the verbal protests against the plan to return him home. In response, Woves issued a warning that he would have Shuggoth's ship damaged if the Mon Calamari did not comply. Urged by the Mandalorian, Shuggoth then attempted to convince her lover to return home. The captain ultimately proclaimed her eternal love for the prince. At that point, a Mandalorian boarding party also marched onto the vessel's bridge, and as the Mon Calamari was taken away, Shuggoth encouraged him and claimed that they would see each other again. After the Mandalorians led the prince through the door out of the bridge, the captain returned to her command chair.^[1]

Personality and traits[]

"I can't destroy everything I've built for a childish fling."
"Is that all this was to you?"
"No, that's not what I meant. But you need to go."

―Shuggoth and the Mon Calamari prince^[1]

Mon Calamari Viceroy son MandoS3 — The Mon Calamari prince Shuggoth fell in love with

An orange-skinned and dark-eyed female Quarren, Shuggoth was a diplomatic individual. Upon encountering a warship that she realized the freighter under her command could not prevail against in combat, the captain initiated communications with the vessel, employing ever more ingratiating forms of address as her assumptions about the other ship were proven wrong.^[1]

Shuggoth fell deeply in love with a Mon Calamari prince, going so far as to elope with him. She was not above lying and engaging in a misdirecting tirade in order to prevent others from interfering with that relationship. After Shuggoth was confronted with the unavoidable reality of her relationship being ended by the prince being forcibly taken away, she briefly remarked on her unwillingness to let her "childish fling" negatively affect her achievements in life. However, after the prince picked up on that comment, the captain claimed that it did not in fact reflect her true feelings—which she ultimately professed to be of everlasting love. During their last moments together on the bridge of her ship, Shuggoth briefly yet affectionately touched the Mon Calamari's visage with her facial tentacles.^[1]

Skills and abilities[]

"I intended no disrespect. Basic is not my native tongue."

―Shuggoth^[1]

Shuggoth spoke the Quarrenese language and was also a non-native speaker of Galactic Basic Standard. After she, having presumed that the Mandalorian mercenary Axe Woves was an Imperial officer, referred to him as a warlord—only to be corrected by Woves that he was not a criminal—Shuggoth claimed that the misunderstanding was caused by her lack of perfect mastery of Basic.^[1]

Equipment[]

"Don't make us damage your girlfriend's pretty little ship."

―Axe Woves, to the Mon Calamari prince^[1]

Shuggoth wore a green-colored uniform consisting of a long-sleeved tunic and pants as well as dark brown boots. On both shoulders of her tunic the captain also wore a patch with an emblem. On the bridge of Shuggoth's freighter, her command chair was situated above an area of the floor into which a transparent tank could be recessed. The tank could be filled with water in which the captain could spend time immersed.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Shuggoth appeared in "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire,"^[1] the sixth episode of the Disney+ television show The Mandalorian's third season. The episode aired on April 5, 2023.^[5] The character was performed by Joanna Bennett and voiced by Christine Adams,^[1] and Aaron McBride created a concept illustration of Shuggoth for the episode.^[6]