Star Wars Legends character who appeared in Ann C. Crispin's novel The Paradise Snare. The book chronicles the early years of Han Solo, including his youth and teenager years under the wing of Garris Shrike. All of the facts on this list are classified as Star Wars Legends.

Pablo Hidalgo, the creative executive of the Lucasfilm Story Group, has responded to this interview, suggesting that Woody Harrelson was responding simply to whether or not he was playing Han Solo's mentor, not Garris Shrike. However, even if Harrelson does not play Garris Shrike, it is likely that the Star Wars Story Group and production team will take into Han Solo's original origin story when developing a new mentor character. Previously, Harrelson had said, "“I’m a mentor to Han, but I’m also a bit of a criminal.  I don’t think I should say much more than that because the Force is not allowing me." This sounds like a description of Garris Shrike, so the speculation that Harrelson is playing Shrike is not unfounded.

Here are the Star Wars: 15 Things You Should Know About Garris Shrike:

15. He's the captain of the Trader's Luck

Garris Shrike is the captain of the Trader's Luck, a decommissioned Liberator-class ship from the Clone Wars that was used to transport large numbers of troops. Large and slow, it was able to travel through hyperspace, although much of the time Shrike kept it orbitting Corellia. Later, after Trader's Luck fell out of the hands of Shrike and his crew, it found a new life with the Rebels.  The Rebel Alliance bought the ship and restored to its original utility. Renamed the Liberator, it helped to rescue former slaves from the planet Ylesia in the same year as the Battle of Yavin.

In the years leading up to the original trilogy, the Trader's Luck was the home base for Shrike and his "clan" of criminals. Shrike gathered together a large group of confederates and underlings that he could use in his criminal schemes and enterprises. The Trader's Luck served as the living space for Shrike and his associates, as well as transport when they left Corellia.

14. He Had Worked as a Bounty Hunter

Garris Shrike's childhood and life as a young man are largely unknown. What we do know is that at some time before Shrike began his criminal enterprise on Corellia, he worked as a bounty hunter. Shrike was good at finding his man, and much like Han Solo, he was a talented "quick draw". But, he had a problem. Shrike was irritable and violent, and he had a habit of killing bounties that were worth more alive... or were worthless dead.

Eventually Shrike recognized that his deadly talents would be better used elsewhere, and that being a bounty hunter wasn't profitable if your mark ended up dead. He retired from his life as a bounty hunter to explore alternative (and criminal) pursuits.

Shrike eventually did go back to his bounty hunting ways after seeing a bounty posted for Han Solo. This bounty, however, was personal giventhe history between the two men...

13. He Took in Orphans to build his Gang

Garris Shrike built himself an army of criminals by taking in children who lived on the streets of Corellia. He would convince orphans who were begging that he would adopt them and give them a better life, only to put them to work as pickpockets, con men, and pirates. Shrike was able to convince children to his gang by promising them a home and a family, but once they were under his care, he would spend as little money as possible to keep them alive.

Han Solo was orphaned as an infant, and lived as an urchin on the streets of Corellia. He did not know who his parents were and did not them. Solo didn't learn about who his parents were until he was an adult. Solo's earliest memory was meeting Garris Shrike at a Corellian spaceport. Shrike recognized the young orphan's intelligence, and invited him to his crew.

12. His Droid, F8GN, taught the children to be pickpockets

F8GN (also known as Eight Gee Enn) was a third-degree droid that Garris Shrike owned and re-programmed for criminal activity. F8GN was originally a copper color, but had so many scraps used for repairs that he had a patchwork quality to him. He also had one green eye and one red eye, and a broken speaker that made his voice either exceptionally low or exceptionally high.

F8GN taught the clan of children that Shrike gathered how to pickpockets. He would wear clothes and have the children practice on him. Only after they could pick his pocket without his robotic senses feeling them would the children be used as pickpockets on the streets of Corellia. After training the children, F8GN would also keep track of the money quotas that they were expected to earn for Shrike either through pickpocketing or begging. If someone didn't reach their quota, they would need to answer to Shrike.

11. He also smuggled and ran elaborate cons

While Shrike organized a clan of pickpocket orphans, this was not the full extent of his criminal enterprises. While Han began as a beggar and a pickpocket on Corellian, he later would be involved in some of Shrike's larger operations, including a scams involving asteroid mining and investments. Shrike also had teenagers and some of his adult associates help him with smuggling operations.

Han was a talented pilot, so he would also make money for Shrike through swoop racing. A swoop is a repulsor craft similar to the speeder bikes on Endor, but with a more powerful engine; swoop racing is dangerous, but in the case of the young Han Solo, it was also very lucrative.

Han Solo learned what being a smuggler and a con artist was while he was under Shrike's wing. In this way, Shrike was Han's mentor, and Shrike taught him many of the skills that he would use later in his life.

10. Shrike Wore a Military Outfit, but He Wasn't an Imperial

Shrike was vain about his appearance, and had a signature look to strike terror into the hearts of his subordinates. He often strutted about (even in private) in an overly formal military outfit. This military outfit that he wore, however, was not a sign of his military service, but a costume that he had created for himself, based off of the uniform worn by Imperial Grand Moffs. He also wore a silver ring that had a Devaronian blood-poison jewel set in it. When the gem touched bare skin, it would cause terrible pain, allowing Shrike to take a cheap shot in a fight or torture someone for information.

It does not appear that Shrike has any association with the Imperials beyond wearing a uniform like a Grand Moff. In fact, he mocked Han Solo relentlessly for his desire to go to the Imperial Academy and escape their life of crime.

9. He Had a Hot and Deadly Temper

Shrike was a hothead, and his anger was both swift and fiery. His temper had been a problem during his time as a bounty hunter (as it would lead him to killing his marks), but made him a fearsome leader of his criminal clan. He would beat any subordinate that didn't follow his orders; even offenses as small as questioning him or failing to meet a daily quota could be met with physical retaliation.

Han Solo was one of his prized children. Shrike recognized that Solo was smart, resourceful, and talented. But Solo's brains often times would get the better of him. He would question Shrike, and Shrike did not like to be questioned. As he grew up, Han Solo tried to escape Shrike's grasp multiple times. Each time he was met with a beating. Once, Solo escaped for around six weeks. During that time, he went in search of his family; his cousin, Thrackan Sal-Solo, however, was the one who turned Han in and collected a reward from Shrike. Han was beaten severally for running away.

8. He once beat Han so Hard, Han couldn't walk for two days

That beating, however, was unfortunately not the worst beating that Han Solo faced at the hands of Garris Shrike. When Han was a teenager, he became more defiant, and faced Shrike's wrath. On two separate occasions, Shrike beat Han to the point that he almost died. After Han won a gladiator match called the Regional Sector Number Four's All-Human Free-For-All (where he bested three large human men), he felt like he might be able to take on Shrike. But when he tried to fight Shrike, Shrike relentlessly attacked him. Shrike's brother, Larrad, and some other of his crew had to intervene to stop Shrike from killing Han Solo then and there. Han couldn't chew solid food for a week.

On a separate occasion, after Han tried to escape from Shrike, he was beaten so hard that he could not walk for two days afterwards. Shrike, despite his ridiculous appearance, was a hard and dangerous criminal who was not to be crossed.

7. Shrike killed Dewlannamapia

Dewlannamapia (who sometimes went by Dewlanna)  is a Wookiee who fled Kashyyyk and ed the crew of the Trader's Luck as a cook. She met Han Solo when he was nine years old. She became a mother figure for Han, taking care of him and teaching him to speak the language of Wookiees, Shyriiwook. She also once disobeyed Shrike, stealing a shuttle and taking Han to the hospital when Han needed medical attention.

Ten years before the Battle of Yavin, the then 19-year-old Han Solo decided to try to escape again. Dewlanna offered him her savings. However, Shrike and his brother Larrad, discovered that Han was leaving. In the fight that broke out, Dewlanna broke Larrad's arm. Shrike tried to shoot and kill Han, saying, "I sentence you to death, Solo. May you rot in all the hells there ever were." Dewlanna jumped in the way of the blast, sacrificing herself for the young man.

6. At 19, Han Escaped Shrike

Han had tried to escape from Shrike countless times, but at nineteen, he finally successed. After seeing that Dewlanna had taken the blast for him, Han blindly attacked Shrike in a rage. Shrike hit his head in the struggle and was knocked out. After comforting and thanking the dying Dewlanna, Han waited until she ed before he left. Because of her sacrifice, Han was able to finally escape from Shrike's clutches. Han had lived seventeen years under Shrike's demented rule, and did not any other life. He boarded a ship called the Ylesian Dream and left Shrike behind. He worked as a pilot and a smuggler, eventually going to the Imperial Academy, just as he had dreamed as a young boy.

Shrike did not die in the brawl, and he would never forgot or forgave Han for running away. As far as Shrike was concerned, Han was ungrateful for all that Shrike had provided and believed that Han was responsible for the damage done to him and his brother.