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“A sky full of stars... a new planet waiting across the galaxy.... It never gets old.”

Welcome to our latest blog in our Companions 101 series. If you missed our previous blogs, I am Courtney Woods, Community Production Specialist, and I will be your guide as we learn more about the Companions of The Old Republic™! This series is meant to supplement our Companions HoloNet Page and provide insights, background information, and tips for the featured Companion. We will be rotating between Imperial and Republic Companions. Our last blog featured Bounty Hunter Companion, Mako, so we are returning to the Republic to focus on the farm boy, Corso Riggs. You can post your suggestions for Companions to be featured in our next blog in this official forum thread as well as on Twitter, Facebook, and reddit. Keep in mind that our next Companion will be from the Sith Inquisitor class as we have yet to focus on a Companion from that class. You may still vote for other Companions, but it will be a part of the second round of the Companion 101 series.

Please Note: This blog contains spoilers for the Smuggler class story.

Meeting Corso Riggs

Charming and chivalrous, Corso Riggs is an old fashioned farm boy ready to embark on an epic space adventure. Nothing makes him happier than storming into a bad guy’s hideout, bravely saving the damsel in distress, and finishing the day off with a glass of Corellian red. From his cheerful personality, you would never guess that he’s actually a mercenary, who lost his family during a separatist raid on Ord Mantell. This tragedy changed Corso, imbuing a dark side to his otherwise optimistic personality. He vowed to take revenge against the group of separatists who murdered his family, which eventually led him to become a mercenary for the gangster, Viidu. Despite his hardships, he carries himself with a daring attitude which has helped him to survive countless close encounters, although that same attitude seems to attract constant danger.

“Thanks for saving my hide, Captain.”

Corso first met the Smuggler while they were making a run to Ord Mantell. Both were betrayed by their colleague, Skavak, the Smuggler losing their ship and Corso his precious blaster, “Torchy” (A genuine BlasTech ALT-25 with magnatomic adhesion grip and side-mounted rangefinder). Having a common enemy, it made sense for Corso and the Smuggler to team up against Skavak. But was there something in particular about the Captain that made Corse want to leave Ord Mantell and become a part of his/her crew? Lead Writer Hall Hood sheds some light on Corso’s reasoning behind joining the Smuggler:

“Corso has always felt most comfortable acting as the trustworthy backup for a strong leader, and there aren’t many people in the galaxy with a stronger personality than the Captain. They also have a lot in common: a need to live according to their own rules, a powerful wanderlust to explore the galaxy, a spirit of romance, and a deep-rooted hatred for that thieving scum Skavak. What begins as a partnership founded on seeking revenge eventually grows into a true friendship—even though the Captain doesn’t always make the moral choices and judgment calls Corso would prefer.”

Understanding Corso

Corso is an adventurer who loves the excitement that life can bring, seeing each new challenge thrown his way as another chance for to prove himself. He has spent his life escaping one scrap only to find himself in the middle of another. However, the fact that he has always been victorious or at least gotten away has instilled an “I can do anything” positive attitude in Corso as well as a bit of fearlessness. He is easy going, who is quick to laugh, and always ready to play the hero. Corso is also a walking encyclopedia when it comes to weapons. Name any blaster in the galaxy and he can rattle off details as if he made the weapon himself.

So why does a fun-loving, laid back farm boy like Corso choose to become a mercenary? After the death of his family, it’s not surprising that Corso has no love for separatists, but why did he choose to join Viidu’s gang and lead the life of a hired gun instead of joining the Republic Army? Hall Hood gives us some answers:

“The people of Ord Mantell are rugged individuals who value their personal freedoms. They tend to be loners rather than joiners, and have a low tolerance for bureaucracy. Corso is no different, which is why he has never been good at signing-up with groups or organizations that he isn’t free to leave immediately. Corso tried to enlist in the Republic Army to fight Ord Mantell’s separatists, but when he realized he might be assigned to guard medical supplies on Dantooine instead of fighting for his own homeworld, he quickly deleted his application. At least mercenary work ensured he could keep shooting at separatists on his own terms.”

Corso’s loyalty to his people and his friends is a strong feature of his personality. The longer he stays with someone, the stronger his loyalty and his willingness to fight for them becomes. If you can gain his trust, he will fly with you to the farthest reaches of the galaxy without hesitation. In a way, he is constantly trying to fill the void that was left after losing his family. He has a hard time accepting the seediness of the galaxy and the darkness that lies within all individuals, including himself. By joining the Smuggler, Corso has begun to find his way in life and make up for some of the mistakes he has made in the past.

Permission to Seek Your Hand

“Captain, it would be my great pleasure if you’d share this bottle with me. Maybe somewhere… private.”

Corso definitely has a soft spot for the ladies. But it would be untrue to call him a womanizer – he is an old fashioned gentleman through and through. Should any female Smuggler wish to pursue a relationship with Corso, they will find him eager, but he will want to do things properly. This means “courting” the Captain with love letters, chocolates, and some vintage wine. Corso isn’t going to skimp on the Captain, so I asked Hall Hood, how would this chivalrous gentleman treat her on an all expense paid date?

“Corso saves twenty percent of every credit he earns for the sole purpose of treating his lady to a grand night out at least once a week. He gained an appreciation for the finer things in life while working for Viidu on Ord Mantell, learning about the best foods, beverages and entertainments the galaxy has to offer. Though he would never admit it, Corso is an excellent dancer once he removes his bulky combat armor and has won multiple competitions in the nightclubs of Nar Shaddaa. When the Captain wants to get away from the big cities, Corso keeps a handy list of remote wilderness areas filled with natural beauty and enough dangerous predators so he and the Captain can get a little target practice together.”

As you can see, a romance with Corso will be full of adventures. Of course there will be bumps along the way, but you can smooth those over with some Weapons and Military Gear.

Life on the XS Freighter

The life of a Smuggler will bring Corso and the Captain in contact with a variety of different species, cultures, and planets. Each of the Companions that join the Smuggler’s crew is unique and has very distinct views and opinions. Corso is pretty laid back, but is there anyone on the crew that rubs him the wrong way? Hall Hood gives some details on Corso’s relationship with the rest of the crew:

“Corso and Risha have a complicated relationship, to say the least. On the one hand, Corso is driven to be respectful and chivalrous toward Risha. On the other hand, he knows she would use him as reactor shielding at the first opportunity if it meant saving her own skin. Corso will never mistreat Risha, but that doesn’t mean he trusts her. He’s still convinced she’ll betray the Captain someday; he just hopes he’ll be around to stop her.

Despite his initial skepticism of bringing a Wookiee aboard the Captain’s starship, Corso and Bowdaar have become good friends. They often chase each other around the ship’s corridors to let off a little steam, which annoys the other crewmates to no end. Corso knows just enough Mando’a to recognize that Akaavi calling him an ad’ika is an insult, but he takes her grouchy glares with good humor and locks the door to his sleeping quarters at night just in case. Corso put Guss on notice to stay out of his belongings after finding the Mon Calamari posing in the mirror with Corso’s favorite blaster—a moment that embarrassed Guss even more than it angered Corso.”

The Many Faces of Corso

Companions have always been an important aspect to BioWare games and it is no different with The Old Republic. However, since Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is an MMO, the developers felt like a feature had to be added so that the player felt like there was uniqueness to their Companions. This is where Companion Customizations come into play. These customizations are purely aesthetic, leaving your choices in game to influence your Companion’s personality, but it is a great feature to further shape your own Star Wars™ saga.

Corso has eight standard customizations as well as a special Rakghoul customization from our Rakghouls Pandemic event. Check out the screenshots below!

Corso Wallpapers

Show your love for this farmboy with some of these Corso wallpapers!

Is Corso your favorite Companion? Share some of your best moment with him in this thread.

To learn more about Corso including statistics, background information, and his gift preferences, check out the Companions page on the HoloNet!

You can also suggest your favorite Companions to be featured in our next Companions 101 by letting us know in this thread. We will be rotating between Republic and Imperial Companions, so be sure to show your support! We’ll be choosing the next Companion based on the amount of interest shown in the previously mentioned thread as well as Twitter, Facebook, and reddit!