WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The High Republic#6 by Cavan Scott, Georges Jeanty, Karl Story, Annalisa Leoni & VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
The Hutts have maintained power in the Star Wars universe for hundreds of years. Their criminal endeavors and avoidance of Jedi and Sith activity helped the cartel grow into an absolute powerhouse. The Hutts were generally dismissive of Jedi affairs but a devastating attack in the time of the High Republic forced the Hutts and Jedi to work together.
After discovering a Hutt corpse aboard a derelict Hutt ship, the Jedi traveled to the ship's last perceived location. The Jedi arrived at the planet Sedri Minor and were met by an unwelcoming native. As the Jedi dug deeper, they discovered a Drengir nest below the small town. Before Avar Kriss could get answers from the natives, a Hutt ship descended to the planet's surface. Myarga the Benevolent/Merciless was aboard the Hutt ship and demanded that the Jedi leave since this planet was under Hutt control. This did not please Jedi Master Sskeer and he launched a Force blast at the Hutt who responded by sending his ship full of mercenaries at the Jedi.
Through their immediate alliance, the Jedi and Hutts were able to put a stop to the Drengir threat on Sedri Minor and Starlight Beacon. The groups continued to work together for the following months in an effort to rid the Outer Rim of the Drengir. While Avar Kriss was eager to fight alongside the Hutts, many of the other Jedi felt differently. Myarga was battling the Drengir with the help of Jedi's Ceret and Terec. Myarga suggested using his deathcharges to kill the Drengir. The Jedi were quick to let Myarga know that his blast would wipe out all organic life on the planet.
Ceret and Terec are not the only Jedi to question the Hutts' methods. The head of operations on Starlight Beacon, Jedi Master Maru, also felt uneasy about their new alliance. On a call with Jedi Master Gios, Maru expressed his frustrations with their newfound partnership though he could not argue with the results. Gios informed Maru that he was not the only council member unsure of the pact. Gios even expressed his displeasure of the alliance stating that it never needed to happen in the first place.
While the Jedi may be angry about their current alliance, they are partially to blame for the Hutts' sudden increase in power. Claudia Gray's novel The High Republic: Into the Dark shows the Hutts had used the Jedi to gain more power. The Hutts had hired the Directorate crime syndicate to increase tensions between two quarreling planets. The Hutts were well aware that this would lead to outside intervention and it was not long until the Jedi arrived. The Jedi would eventually kill the leader of the Directorate which created lapses in power throughout the Outer Rim. The Hutts quickly jumped on this opportunity and grew ever stronger. It's no wonder some of the Jedi would be cautious of a partnership with the Hutts.
After hundreds of years, it does not seem like the Hutt-Jedi relationship improved much. Luke's poor treatment by Jabba in Return of the Jedi as well as the runaround Obi-Wan got on Nal Hutta in the Clone Wars episode "Hunt for Ziro" is proof enough that there was no mutual respect between the two factions. Even in Legends, the only Hutt Jedi, Beldorian went rogue before being slaughtered by Leia in Barbara Hambly's novel Planet of Twilight.
It would appear that the alliance between the Hutts and Jedi is doomed to fail. It's a grand enough feat to bring one of the strongest criminal empires in the galaxy and the protectors of the galaxy together to fight a common threat, but it should not be expected to last. The Hutts' violent nature has already drawn concern from many of the High Republic Jedi. It's only a matter of time before the Jedi Council puts an end to Avar Kriss' crusade.
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