A Trade Federation ship is under attack by pirates.
The designation pirate was given to various outlaws spread throughout the galaxy who would assault, steal from, or seize ships at their discretion.
Despite the fact that their activities were fundamentally unlawful, ethical standards among pirates differed significantly. Some were vicious criminals who were minor murderers or robbers, while others, like Nym, adhered to a moral code that forbade harming the innocent and generally limited their actions to the wealthy. Some pirates, called "privateers," operated with the authorization of governments or organizations such as the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Compared to other pirates, privateers typically maintained a more "civilized" code of conduct, restricting their operations to particular targets. The majority of pirates were either orphans or jobless individuals who lacked education or had a strong desire for adventure, wealth, or anarchy. Some were driven to piracy by desperation and the looming threat of poverty. During the era of the Galactic Empire, Imperial economic policies frequently pushed non-humans into debt.
Notably, there have been instances where pirates have come to the rescue of the galaxy in general. Around the time of the Battle of Naboo, Nym himself assisted the Naboo by destroying a Trade Federation droid factory on Eos, and by assisting the Naboo resistance in holding off an army attempting to outflank the Gungans on the plains of Naboo.
A favored weapon utilized by space pirates was the ion cannon. By disabling an entire ship, the ion cannon made it simpler to board and plunder. Some pirate groups operated in two distinct units: the boarding unit and the attack unit. The attack unit would disable the ship and its weaponry, while the boarding unit would break through the ship's hull to take or steal anything they could find (credits, chronos, comlinks, and blasters).
Certain pirates offered their services to other groups, like the Rebel Alliance or the Zann Consortium.
The Blazing Claw was the most recognizable emblem of the pirate.
In the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, first released in the first edition rulebook, the "Pirate" was one of the original twenty-four character templates.