| Boba Fett | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett | |
| First appearance | Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by |
|
| Voiced by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Alpha (clone designation) |
| Species | Human (clone) |
| Gender | Male |
| Title | Daimyo ofMos Espa |
| Occupation | Bounty hunter Crime lord |
| Affiliation | Various
|
| Family |
|
| Relatives | Jaster Mereel (adoptive grandfather) |
| Partners | |
| Homeworld | Kamino |
Boba Fett (/ˌboʊbəˈfɛt,ˌbɒ-/BO(H)B-əFET) is a character in theStar Wars franchise. First appearing in theStar Wars Holiday Special (1978), where he was voiced byDon Francks, he is an armoredbounty hunter featured in both theoriginal andprequel film trilogies. In the original trilogy, the character is a supportingantagonist and was mainly portrayed byJeremy Bulloch and voiced byJason Wingreen. Notable for his taciturn demeanor and for never removing his helmet, Fett appears in bothThe Empire Strikes Back (1980), employed by theGalactic Empire, andReturn of the Jedi (1983), serving thecrime lordJabba the Hutt. While seemingly killed inReturn of the Jedi after falling into asarlacc, he has since appeared inStar Wars media set after the film, confirming his survival within the new canon, portrayed byTemuera Morrison.Daniel Logan plays a preteen Boba in the prequel filmAttack of the Clones (2002), which reveals the character's origins as the genetic clone and adoptive son ofJango Fett, also a famous bounty hunter. Morrison appeared first in Star Wars media playing Jango. Theanimated seriesThe Bad Batch further reveals Boba to have been bornAlpha, and to have a biologicalsister,Omega. The series also reveals that he has another sister namedEmerie Karr.
Boba Fett also appears in many forms ofStar Wars media outside of the films, such asbooks,comics,television series, andvideo games, many of which depict him as anantihero rather than a villain, and explore his background, motivations, and morality. Daniel Logan reprised his role as the younger version of Fett in the animated seriesStar Wars: The Clone Wars, whileTemuera Morrison, who also portrayed Jango inAttack of the Clones, has portrayed an adult Boba in most of hisStar Wars appearances since that film, most prominently in the live-actionDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian and its spin-off seriesThe Book of Boba Fett, in which he assumes control overTatooine with his partnerFennec Shand as the planet's newdaimyo.
During the development ofThe Empire Strikes Back, Fett was originally conceived as a member of a group of white-armored Imperial "supercommandos" before the idea was scrapped in favor of a solitary bounty hunter. This concept later evolved into theMandalorians, a cultural group with strong warrior traditions, who sport armor and helmets similar to Fett's. In severalStar Wars works, Fett himself is portrayed as a Mandalorian or at least connected to the Mandalorian culture through his armor, with his father Jango confirmed to have been a Mandalorian foundling and war veteran inThe Mandalorian.
The character of Boba Fett quickly became a fan favorite despite his limited presence in the originalStar Wars trilogy and is now a widely recognized figure inpopular culture. His popularity within theStar Wars fanbase has earned him acult following.
Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas created Boba Fett in his April 1978 screenplay draft ofThe Empire Strikes Back, basing the character on Italian filmmakerSergio Leone'sMan with No Name (Clint Eastwood) from theDollar Trilogy. The character needed to be designed quickly, as Lucas had agreed for him to be featured in theStar Wars Holiday Special later that year.[2] The character's design stemmed from initial concepts forDarth Vader, who was originally conceived as a roguebounty hunter.[3] While Vader became less of amercenary and more of a darkknight, the bounty hunter concept remained, and Fett became "an equally villainous" but "less conspicuous" character.[4]Concept artistRalph McQuarrie influenced Fett's design, which was finalized by and is credited toJoe Johnston.[5]
Norman Reynolds and the film's art department built the costume.[6] Fett's armor was originally designed for "super troopers", and was adapted for Fett as the script developed.[7]Screen-tested in all-white, Fett's armor eventually garnered a subdued color scheme intended to visually place him between white-armored "rank-and-file"Imperial stormtroopers and Vader, who wears black.[4] This color scheme had the bonus of conveying the "gray morality" of his character.[4] The character's armor was designed to appear to have been scavenged from multiple sources, and it is adorned with trophies.[4] A description of Fett's armor in the mid-1979Bantha Tracks newsletter catalyzed "rampant speculation" about his origins.[8] By 1979, Fett's backstory included having served in an army of Imperialshock troops which had battled theclone troopers of theGalactic Republic during theClone Wars.[9]
Despite two years of widespread publicity about Fett's appearance inThe Empire Strikes Back, script rewrites significantly reduced the character's presence in the film.[8] Fett's musical theme, composed byJohn Williams, is "not music, exactly" but "more of a gurgly,viola-and-bassoon thing aurally cross-pollinated with some obscure static sounds."[10]Sound editorBen Burtt added the sound of janglingspurs, created and performed by theFoley artist team ofRobert Rutledge and Edward Steidele, to Fett's appearance inCloud City, intending to make the character menacing and the scene reminiscent of similargunfighter appearances inWestern films.[11] At one point inReturn of the Jedi's development, Fett was conceived as being a main villain, but he was finally replaced withthe Emperor when Lucas decided to not make athird trilogy ofStar Wars.[12] Lucas also considered having Fett fightLando Calrissian during thesarlacc sequence.[13]
An official reference book states that Fett charges "famously expensive" fees, and that he undertakes only those missions which meet "his harsh sense of justice".[14]Daniel Keys Moran, who wrote a few stories featuring Boba Fett, cited Westerns as an influence on his development of the character.[15] Moran said:
The difficult thing with Fett was finding a worldview for him that permitted him to proclaim a Code — given the stark Evil that permeated the Empire, Fett pretty much had to be either 1) Evil, or 2) an incredibly unforgiving, harsh, "greater good" sort of guy. The second approach worked and has resonated with some readers.[15]
Lucas at one point considered depicting Vader and Fett as brothers in the prequel films, but discounted it as too "hokey".[16] In continuing to develop the character in the prequel films, Lucas closed some avenues for expanding the character's story while opening others by establishing that Fett is a clone of a similar bounty hunter,Jango Fett.[17][18] Lucas consideredmodifying later editions ofReturn of the Jedi by adding a shot of Fett escaping the sarlacc, but decided against it because it would have detracted from the story's focus.[19] Lucas also said that, had he known Fett would be so popular, he would have made the character's death "more exciting".[19] In 2014, after Lucas had soldLucasfilm toDisney,Star Wars historianJonathan W. Rinzler revealed that Lucas had privately acknowledged that Fett escaped from the sarlacc.[20] This was canonically established with Fett's appearances inThe Mandalorian six years later portrayed byTemuera Morrison, which led to a spin-off focused on the character,The Book of Boba Fett, starring Morrison. Joe Johnston and Morrison himself criticized the decision to portray the character without his helmet,[21] Morrison noting it was done to avoid comparisons with thetitular character ofThe Mandalorian.[22]
Boba Fett is primarily played byJeremy Bulloch inThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi. Bulloch's half-brother alerted him to the role.[23] He was cast as Fett because the costume happened to fit "as if aSavile Row tailor had come out and made it";[23][24] he did not have to do a reading or screen test,[25] and Bulloch never worked from a script for either film.[26]
Filming the role forEmpire lasted three weeks.[27] The actor was pleased with the costume and used it to convey the character's menace.[26] Bulloch based his performance on Clint Eastwood's portrayal of the Man with No Name inA Fistful of Dollars;[27] similar to the Western character, Bulloch cradled the blaster prop, made the character seem ready to shoot, slightly tilted his head, and stood a particular way.[25][28] Bulloch did not try to construct a backstory for the character, and said later that "the less you do with Boba Fett, the stronger he becomes".[23] Playing Fett inEmpire was both the smallest and most physically uncomfortable role Bulloch has played;[25][29] Bulloch said donning the heavy jetpack was the worst aspect of the role.[30]
Bulloch spent four weeks onReturn of the Jedi.[27] He was unaware of Fett's demise before filming began and was "very upset" by the development;[24][26] he would like to have done more with Fett.[26] Still, Bulloch believed killing Fett made the character stronger,[24] and that his "weak" death makes fans want the character to return.[27] Bulloch thoughta scene created for the 1997 Special Edition in which Fett flirts with one ofJabba the Hutt's dancers was not in keeping with the character's nature.[31]
A younger version of the character was played byDaniel Logan inAttack of the Clones, which establishes that Boba is a clone of his father, Jango. Logan had not seen any of theStar Wars films before being cast as Fett, but he watched theoriginal trilogy at Lucas' request.[32] The actor had to rely on his imagination for thebluescreen filming.[32] Both Bulloch and Logan had also expressed interest in reprising their role of Fett in the plannedUnderworld TV series, but the series remains undeveloped.[33]
According to the officialStar Wars website, Fett was voiced byDon Francks in theHoliday Special.[34][35][u] Bulloch wore Fett's costume inEmpire andJedi, butJohn Morton filled in during one scene forEmpire,[26] andJason Wingreen voiced the character inEmpire. His brief appearance in the Special Edition ofthe original film,Episode IV – A New Hope, was performed byIndustrial Light & Magic creature animator Mark Austin.[26] The character's appearance in the Special Edition footage ofJedi was performed byDon Bies[38] and Nelson Hall. For the 2004 rereleases,Temuera Morrison replaced the character's original voice for continuity withAttack of the Clones, in which Morrison portrays Jango Fett.[39]
The character's voice inNational Public Radio'sStar Wars radio dramas was provided byAlan Rosenberg inThe Empire Strikes Back andEd Begley Jr. inReturn of the Jedi.Brian Daley scripted a scene between Fett and C-3PO in Jabba's palace; however,Anthony Daniels rejected the idea insisting the two characters should not be on friendly terms.[40] Fett was replaced by Arica (Mara Jade[v] in disguise) from Timothy Zahn'sTales from Jabba's Palace.[40] His voice was also provided by Tim Glovatsky in the audio adaptation ofDark Forces: Rebel Agent, Joe Hacker in an audio adaptation of theDark Empire comics, Temuera Morrison forEmpire at War,Battlefront II andBattlefront: Elite Squadron,Dee Bradley Baker inThe Force Unleashed,The Force Unleashed II andStar Tours: The Adventures Continue, Chris Cox inRogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike,Tom Kane inGalactic Battlegrounds,Demolition andJedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and Daniel Logan forThe Clone Wars animated TV series andLego Star Wars: The Video Game.[41]
The first live-action depiction of Fett outside the theatrical films was in the second season of the originalDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian, wherein Morrison reprised the role.[42]
The character also made acameo appearance in a live-actionmockumentary filmed on the set ofReturn of the Jedi titledReturn of the Ewok (1982).[43] Post-production was never completed, and it has never been officially released.[44]
The character of Boba Fett made his first public appearance at theSan Anselmo Country Fair parade on 24 September 1978.[45] In the parade, the Boba Fett costume was worn byDuwayne Dunham, who was working at the time as an assistant film editor before later becoming a film and television director.[45] The character debuted on television two months later in ananimated segment produced by Toronto-based animation firmNelvana Productions for theStar Wars Holiday Special. Fett appears as a mysterious figure who savesLuke Skywalker,Chewbacca,C-3PO, andR2-D2 from a giant monster, only to be revealed as a bounty hunter working for Darth Vader.[3] After his image and identity were revealed in theHoliday Special, costumed Fett characters appeared in shopping malls and special events, putting upwanted posters of the character to distinguish him from the franchise'sImperial characters.[8]
Fett's theatrical film debut was as an unnamed bounty hunter inThe Empire Strikes Back as the "next major villain" beside Darth Vader.[4] He is one of six bounty hunters assembled by Darth Vader, who promises a reward to whoever captures the crew of theMillennium Falcon. Fett tracks the starship to Cloud City, where Vader captures its passengers and tortures its captain,Han Solo. Aiming to collect the bounty Jabba the Hutt has placed on Solo (established in the original film), Fett questions Vader regarding the carbon freeze, which Vader intends to use on his true target, Luke Skywalker. Vader promises that the Empire will compensate Fett if Solo dies, but the smuggler survives and Vader turns him over to Fett, who leaves to deliver him to Jabba in his ship, theSlave I.
Return of the Jedi features Boba Fett at Jabba's palace onTatooine, where Han Solo's friends are captured while trying to save him. Fett aims his weapon atPrincess Leia (disguised as bounty hunter Boushh) when she threatens Jabba with a thermal detonator, and he later travels on Jabba'ssail barge to the Great Pit of Carkoon (home of a sessile carnivorous creature known as a sarlacc) to witness the prisoners' execution. When the prisoners revolt and fight back, Fett flies over and briefly fights Luke. Chewbacca later warns Solo, who is still blind after being frozen in carbonite, that Fett is near. As Solo turns around, he inadvertently hits Fett's rocket pack, setting it off and propelling Fett into the side of the sail barge, from which he falls into the sarlacc's mouth. The 1997 Special Edition release of the film includes an additional scene of Fett flirting with some of Jabba's female dancers.[38]
In the 1997 Special Edition ofA New Hope, Fett briefly appears ina reintroduced cut scene outside theMillennium Falcon while Jabba confronts Han Solo.[3] The character had yet to be created during the filming of the scene and was thus superimposed onto the image.[46]
A preteen Boba Fett (played by Daniel Logan) appears in the 2002 prequel filmEpisode II – Attack of the Clones, which reveals that he is an unaltered clone of the bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison),[18] who had him created onKamino to be raised as his son as part of his price to serve as the template for the Grand Army of the Republic'sclone army.[3] Boba helps Jango escape fromObi-Wan Kenobi and accompanies him toGeonosis, where he witnesses Jango's death by beheading at the hands ofMace Windu during the first battle in the Clone Wars.[3] After the battle ends, he is last seen mourning over his father's helmet, which he takes and places in front of his head, foreshadowing his future as a bounty hunter wearing his father's armor.
Boba Fett appeared in the animated segment of the non-canon 1978 Holiday Special, set after the events ofA New Hope. This marks his first appearance in the franchise. He is first seen when he rescues Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2 from a Panna dragon. Fett presents himself as an ally to the heroes but it is later revealed that he was working for Darth Vader the whole time - to reveal the location of the Rebels to the Empire. Fett ignites his jetpack before leaving and promising that they will meet again.[47]
Boba Fett appeared in the non-canon 1985 animated series,Star Wars: Droids, set 15 years before the original trilogy.[48] The series was produced by the samestudio that created the animated segment of the 1978Holiday Special,[48] and Fett was again voiced by Don Francks (who had been uncredited for his original role in theHoliday Special). In the episode "A Race to the Finish", he is hired by the Fromms to help them get revenge on the masters of the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Fett later turns on them after failing their request, and decides to accept Jabba's bounty on the Fromms as compensation.[49]
Logan reprised his role as the voice of Fett in the 2008 animated seriesThe Clone Wars.[41] The final three episodes of thesecond season of the series, entitled "Death Trap","R2 Come Home" and "Lethal Trackdown", were aired on April 30, 2010, and attracted an average of 2.756 million viewers during the original broadcast.[50] The finale is significant for ending "with twin fandom bangs, courtesy of Boba Fett and a mammoth beast inspired byGodzilla".[51] Fett's entrance in the series commemorates the 30-year anniversary of the character's appearance inThe Empire Strikes Back.[52]
In the story arc, Boba infiltrates Mace Windu's flagship in the guise of a clone trooper cadet, hoping to exact revenge against the Jedi for killing his father. After a failed attempt to bomb Windu in his quarters, he sabotages the ship's engines, causing it to crash on a nearby planet. He and his bounty hunter accomplices then take hostages from the ship's crew, whom they try to use to bait the Jedi Master. Throughout the ordeal, Fett balks at committing violence against his fellow clones, which comes to a head when his mentorAurra Sing executes Windu's clone trooper second-in-command.Plo Koon andAhsoka Tano eventually track Fett and his compatriots to pirateHondo Ohnaka's base. Fett is ultimately captured by the Jedi and sentenced to prison onCoruscant; although he expresses regret for the collateral damage he has caused, he vows to never forgive Windu.
Fett escapes prison in the fourth-season episode "Deception". He later forms his bounty hunter syndicate, Krayt's Claw, which includesBossk andDengar (both of whom first appeared inThe Empire Strikes Back alongside Fett). In the episode "Bounty", Krayt's Claw is hired to deliver a package to a dictator. When thebounty hunters discover that their cargo is a young woman destined for a forced marriage to the despot, Fett is indifferent to her plight and insists the team proceed with their mission. Temporary memberAsajj Ventress, enraged, turns on Fett; she strangles him with the Force, binds, and gags him, and shoves him into the container in the captive's place, whereupon he is delivered to the nonplussed client.
Boba Fett's presence in the original Disney+ seriesThe Mandalorian was first hinted at in thefirst-season episode "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger", which ends with a mysterious figure wearing boots and seemingly a cape[53] approaching the body of assassinFennec Shand on Tatooine.[42]
In June 2020, it was reported that Temuera Morrison would appear as Fett in thesecond season ofThe Mandalorian.[54][42] As the series takes place five years followingReturn of the Jedi, this would confirm the character's survival after his fall into the sarlacc's mouth andretcon his apparent death. In the second season's premiere, "Chapter 9: The Marshal", it is explained that Fett's armor was salvaged byJawas after his supposed death, and then bought byCobb Vanth, a character first introduced in theStar Wars: Aftermath trilogy of novels, who used it to protect the Tatooinian village of Mos Pelgo from various threats.[55][56] In the episode, the armor is eventually obtained by the Mandalorian after Vanth relinquishes it so that it could be returned to its rightful owners: the Mandalorian people. As he leaves with the armor, the Mandalorian is watched from the distance by a heavily scarred Fett.[18][57][22]
Fett's first full appearance in the series occurred in the episode "Chapter 14: The Tragedy",[53] in which it is explained that he saved Fennec's life after she was mortally wounded, leaving her in his debt and that he is looking to retrieve his armor from the Mandalorian. Fett and Fennec follow him in theSlave I to the planet Tython, where the former explains that his armor belonged to his late father Jango, a Mandalorian foundling, and is, thus, Fett's birthright. In exchange for the armor's return, Fett and Fennec ensure the safety ofGrogu, an alien infant the Mandalorian has adopted. WhenMoff Gideon's Imperial forces attack the group, Fett dons his old armor and kills most of the stormtroopers deployed to capture Grogu with a gaffi stick.[58][59] Despite this, the child is ultimately taken by Gideon's Dark Troopers. Fett insists that he and Fennec shall remain indebted to the Mandalorian until Grogu is safe, and they subsequently aid his efforts to rescue the child in "Chapter 15: The Believer" and ''Chapter 16: The Rescue'', which show Fett in a now clean and repainted armor.[60]
In the latter episode, Fett is initially at odds withBo-Katan Kryze, the former ruler ofMandalore and one of the allies that the Mandalorian tries to recruit to help saveGrogu because she calls him a disgrace to his Mandalorian armor due to his origins as a clone. Despite this, the two reluctantly work together to rescue the child from Moff Gideon, with Fett creating a distraction that allows the rest of the crew to board Gideon's ship. After this, Fett flies into hyperspace and is not seen again until apost-credits scene, in which he and Fennec return to Tatooine after their debt is paid off. Fett killsBib Fortuna, who has been in charge of Jabba's palace since his death, and then sits on the throne that once belonged to Jabba, with Fennec at his side.[61]
Boba Fett is mentioned inStar Wars: The Bad Batch, a CGI-animated sequel and spin-off fromThe Clone Wars which premiered in 2021. The episode "Bounty Lost" reveals that Boba's original code name isAlpha, and that Omega, an enhanced female clone who joined Clone Force 99 after the rise of the Empire, is a second unaltered replication of Jango and, therefore, Boba's sister.[62] The episode "Plan 99" reveals that Emerie Karr is another female clone, therefore, another sister of his.
Boba Fett appears in the 2021anime seriesStar Wars: Visions, voiced by Temuera Morrison in English and by Akio Kaneda in Japanese. He appears in the second episode, "Tatooine Rhapsody".
The Book of Boba Fett is a spin-off ofThe Mandalorian focused on Boba Fett, which premiered on Disney+ on December 29, 2021.[63] Morrison andMing-Na Wen reprised their roles as Fett and Fennec Shand, respectively, with Finnegan Garay portraying a young Fett with Daniel Logan's likeness superimposed over his own.[64] The first trailer was released November 1, 2021.[65] InThe Book of Boba Fett, Boba Fett and his partner,Fennec Shand, begin rebuilding the oldcriminal empire ofJabba the Hutt onTatooine. The series was controversial among Star Wars fans for its weakening of the villainous aspects of the bounty hunter.
In the first issue ofMarvel Comics'Darth Vader (2015), the title character hires Boba Fett to capture the pilot who destroyed theDeath Star.[66] In the concurrentStar Wars comic (2015), Fett tracks the pilot, Luke Skywalker, to Tatooine, although the latter escapes after a brief fight. Fett then tells Vader the pilot's surname, unknowingly informing the Sith lord (formerly Anakin Skywalker) that he has a son.[67] Fett also features in Marvel'sBounty Hunters (2020), which is set betweenThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi. The comic miniseriesWar of the Bounty Hunters (2021) is set in the same era, and will be preceded by standalone comics including tie-ins withStar Wars,Bounty Hunters,Darth Vader, andDoctor Aphra.[68]
Fett appears as a playable character inStar Wars Battlefront (2015) andStar Wars Battlefront II (2017), as well as severalStar Wars video games for mobile devices.
On December 24, 2021, Fett was added as a wearable cosmetic forFortnite Battle Royale.[69]
On February 4, 2022,Indy Stevenson posted aThe Book of Boba Fett comic entitled "This Place Was Home" onTwitter to a universally positive critical reception.[70][71] The comic focused on "Boba's childhood relationship with[Zam] Wesell", a mother figure to him.[70]
Fett makes a cameo appearance inStar Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023), with Temuera Morrison reprising his role. He appears as part of a side quest in whichCal Kestis fights and defeats bounty hunter Caij Vanda. Fett appears at the end of the fight to collect the bounty on Vanda, with Cal allowing it to happen.
The character appears extensively in theStar Wars Expanded Universe of novels, comic books, and video games, dating to as early asthe newspaper comic strip and Marvel'sStar Wars series (produced concurrently to the original film trilogy). In April 2014, such works were rebranded by Lucasfilm asStar Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the rest of the franchise to create a blank slate for the sequel trilogy.[72][73][74]
Boba Fett appears in many other works set during the original trilogy, including thechoose-your-own-adventure bookThe Bounty Hunter (1994), the 1996Shadows of the Empire multimedia project,Dark Horse's short comicBoba Fett: Salvage (1997),[w] volumes of the young-reader seriesGalaxy of Fear (1997–1998),The Bounty Hunter Wars book trilogy (1998–1999), issues ofEmpire (2002–2005) andStar Wars (2013–14), and theone-shot comicBoba Fett: Overkill (2006). Fett appears in the years leading up toA New Hope in the comicBoba Fett: Enemy of the Empire (1999), in which Vader hires Fett before trying to kill him, as well asAgent of the Empire (2012–2013),Blood Ties (2010–2012), andUnderworld: The Yavin Vassilika (2000–2001).
A 1983 issue of the original MarvelStar Wars comic book set just afterReturn of the Jedi depicts Fett temporarily escaping the sarlacc pit. Works such as Dark Horse'sDark Empire series (1991–1992) further utilized Fett's survival.[3]A 1995 anthology story by Daniel Keys Moran narrates some of his time in the sarlacc, anda 1996 story byDave Wolverton narrates how Dengar finds him and restores him to health. In the comicBoba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction (1997),[x] while Fett recovers after being freed from the sarlaac, he is impersonated by a bounty hunter named Jodo Kast, whom Fett then hunts.[y] FourBoba Fett comics set several years afterReturn of the Jedi were released between 1995 and 2000.[z] Fett encounters Han Solo in the short storyThe Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett (1996), set 15 years after the events of the same film,[77] and fights side by side with him inThe New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force (2003), set a decade later. He also appears in the e-novellaBoba Fett: A Practical Man, set 20 years afterJedi. In theLegacy of the Force series (2006–2008), set some 35 years afterJedi, Han and Leia's daughter,Jaina, asks Fett to train her to help her defeat her corrupted brother,Jacen.[aa]
InThe Last One Standing, Daniel Keys Moran developed a backstory for Fett in which he was once named Jaster Mereel,[15] a "Journeyman Protector" lawman who was convicted oftreason. His backstory was depicted differently inAttack of the Clones, leading to the Dark Horse comicJango Fett: Open Seasons (2003) retconning Mereel to Jango's mentor.[78][ab] A young-adult book series calledBoba Fett (2002–2004) depicts Fett's roots as a bounty hunter during the Clone Wars. He is guided by a book left to him by his father, whose ship and armor he has inherited, and begins working for Jabba the Hutt.
The Bounty Hunter Wars is a trilogy of novels byK. W. Jeter set during the events of the original trilogy. The books were published byBantam Spectra in July 1998, November 1998, and July 1999, respectively. The trilogy depicts Fett as being more communicative than in the films because its plot requires Fett to show "an ability to convince people as well as kill them".[80]
The first book,The Mandalorian Armor, starts during the events ofReturn of the Jedi, shortly after Jabba's sail barge is destroyed. Dengar stays with Fett after the latter's near-death experience and encounters Neelah, a dancer in Jabba's palace who has lost her memory, and thinks Fett can help her. Kuat of Kuat, an Imperial executive, reviews footage from theGreat Pit of Carkoon, leading him to suspect that Fett is still alive. It is related in flashbacks set betweenA New Hope andThe Empire Strikes Back that Fett stole a bounty Bossk andZuckuss was hunting on behalf of the Bounty Hunters Guild. After delivering the bounty, Fett accepted a contract to join the Bounty Hunters Guild to break it up. The Emperor met with Darth Vader andPrince Xizor, where the latter revealed that it was he who planned for Fett to join the guild to eliminate its weakest members, leaving only the best for the Empire to exploit.
In the second book,Slave Ship, Fett abandonsSlave I to avoid dispelling rumors of his death, and instead steals Bossk's ship. Riding along, Dengar tells Neelah about the split of the Bounty Hunters Guild. After Bossk killed his father, the guild split into two factions: one composed of the older members, and another composed of Bossk and other younger members. Prince Xizor placed an enormous bounty on a renegade stormtrooper who slaughtered his entire ship's crew. Fett, Bossk, and Zuckuss captured the trooper, but Fett jettisoned his partners in an escape pod.
In the third and final book,Hard Merchandise, it is related that Fett tried to claim his bounty, but found Xizor waiting to kill him to tie up loose ends related to his plot. In an attack on the megalomaniacal prince, Kuat of Kuat had falsified some evidence implicating him in the murder of Luke Skywalker'saunt anduncle. This information was on the renegade stormtrooper's ship (which is why Kuat wanted to make sure the bounty hunter was dead) but is retrieved by Fett in the present, as Neelah realizes she is from an elite Kuat family and stops her sinister sister from taking over the now-suicidal Imperial executive's shipyard.[81]
Boba Fett: A Practical Man is ane-novella byKaren Traviss, which was published online in August 2006 byDel Rey Books. Set 20 years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi, it focuses on what led Boba Fett and the Mandalorians to fend off the extragalacticYuuzhan Vong invaders inThe New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force (set a few months later).A Yuuzhan Vong named Nom Anor meets Fett onMandalore and begins giving him and the Mandalorians directions to help their invasion. Fett plans to do as much damage to the invaders as possible, even as he pretends to help them. He instructs a pilot to deliver his plea for help to theNew Republic, but with the Vong's next target still unwarned, the world falls without a fight.A Vong warrior asks Fett to assist in killing a Jedi; instead, Fett convinces the Jedi to deliver his message.The Jedi returns and confirms that Fett has a deal: the Mandalorians will continue to masquerade as Vong mercenaries while passing intel to the Republic. Fett agrees to have a few of his best commandos train planetary militias to fight the Vong.[82][83][84][85]
A planned live-action TV series developed byStar Wars creator George Lucas before the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney, under the working titleStar Wars: Underworld, would have featured Fett.[86]
The canceledLucasArts video gameStar Wars 1313, announced atE3 2012,[87] would have told the story of Boba Fett's career as a young adult bounty hunter between the prequel and original trilogies.[88] Fett would have navigated past the scum of civilization in an underground area of Coruscant known as Level 1313.[89][90] In 2013, as a result of Disney's acquisition of the franchise, all LucasArts projects then in production were shelved. In a December 2015 interview, Lucasfilm presidentKathleen Kennedy stated that the concept art for the game was "unbelievable" and that, along withUnderworld, it was "something we're spending a lot of time looking at, poring through, discussing, and we may very well develop those things further".[91]
Level 1313 appears inStar Wars media such asThe Clone Wars, in which it is visited by Ahsoka Tano,[92] andStar Wars Adventures: Return to Vader's Castle.[93]
Fett was to have appeared in more episodes ofThe Clone Wars before its cancellation.[94] A series of Western-inspired episodes would have featured Fett teaming up withCad Bane to rescue a child kidnapped byTusken Raiders on Tatooine; Aurra Sing would have appeared as well. The story arc would have depicted Fett donning his Mandalorian armor for the first time,[95] and ended with Bane blasting Fett in the head, creating the iconic dent in his helmet[96] (an idea which came from George Lucas). Animatic footage of the climactic scene was shown atStar Wars Celebration.[97]
In early 2013, Disney CEOBob Iger announced the development of aStar Wars spin-off film written bySimon Kinberg,[98] whichEntertainment Weekly reported would focus on Boba Fett during the original trilogy.[99] In mid-2014,Josh Trank was officially announced as the director of an undisclosed spin-off film,[100] but had left the project a year later due to creative differences with Kinberg,[101][ac] causing a teaser for the Fett film to be scrapped fromStar Wars Celebration.[103] In May 2018, it was reported thatJames Mangold had signed on to write and direct a Fett film, with Kinberg attached as producer andco-writer,[104][105] but both Mangold and Kathleen Kennedy subsequently denied Mangold's involvement.[106] In July, Daniel Keys Moran stated that Lucasfilm had considered adaptingThe Last One Standing into a film.[107][108] By October, the Fett film was reportedly dead, with the studio instead focusing onThe Mandalorian.[109] The Fett film was afterwards reported to have also featured the other bounty hunters fromThe Empire Strikes Back.[110]
Boba Fett is a "cult figure" and one of the most popularStar Wars characters.[16][111] In 2008, Boba Fett was selected byEmpire magazine as the 79th greatest movie character of all time, and he is included onFandomania's list ofThe 100 Greatest Fictional Characters.[112][113]IGN ranked Boba Fett as the eighth topStar Wars character, due to his status as a fan-favourite and cult following.[114] Hepersonifies "danger and mystery",[8] and Susan Mayse calls Fett "the unknowableStar Wars character" who "delivers mythic presence."[115] AlthoughTom Bissell asserts that no one knows why Boba Fett has become so popular, nor cares why, both Lucas and Bulloch cite Fett's mysterious nature as reasons for his popularity.[10][16] Bulloch, who has never fully understood the character's popularity, attributes it to the costume and the respect Fett garners from Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt.[26] Fett's addition to the Special Edition ofA New Hope was criticized byScreen Rant, which called it "pointlessfan service".[46]
The initial Boba Fett toy, more than Fett's actual film appearance, might be responsible for the character's popularity;Henry Jenkins suggests children's play helped the character "take on a life of its own".[17][116][117] Moran said Vader's admonition specifically to Fett inThe Empire Strikes Back—"No disintegrations"—gives Fett credibility; he was interested in Fett because the character is "strong, silent, [and] brutal".[15] Jeter says that even when Fett appears passive, he conveys "capability and ruthlessness".[80] Bissell credits Bulloch for giving Fett "effortless authority" in his first scene inThe Empire Strikes Back, using such nuances as cradling his blaster and slightly cocking his head.[10] Fett's small role in the film may have made the character seem more intriguing.[8] Logan, who was aYoung Artist Award nominee for his portrayal of Fett, compares Fett to "that boy in school who never talks" and who attracts others' curiosity.[118][119]
Bissell adds that Boba Fett, along with other minor characters likeDarth Maul andKyle Katarn, appeals to adolescent boys' "images of themselves: essentially bad-ass but ... honorable about it."[10] This tension and the absence of a clear "evil nature" (distinct from evil actions) offer Fett dramatic appeal.[10] Furthermore, Fett "is cool because he was designed to be cool", presenting a "wicked ambiguity" akin toJohn Milton'sportrayal ofSatan inParadise Lost andIago inWilliam Shakespeare'sOthello.[10] Bissell compares Fett toBeowulf,Ahab, andHuckleberry Finn: characters "toobig" for their original presentation, and apt for continued development in other stories.[10] Moran finds Fett reminiscent of theMan with No Name.[15]
Fett has been featured extensively in pop culture and parodies.Breckin Meyer provides his voice in variousRobot Chickensketches.[120]Nerdcore rapperMC Chris included aStar Wars-themed song titled "Fett's Vette" on his 2001 debut album.[121] The creator of theSpartan helmets for the 2006 film300 painted one of them to look like Fett's helmet.[122]TheSan Francisco Chronicle describes Boba Fett fans as "among the most passionate",[5] and the character is important toStar Wars fan culture.[117] Boba Fett's popular following before the character even appeared inThe Empire Strikes Back influencedDamon Lindelof's interest in developingLost across multiple media.[123] Between filmingThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi,Mark Hamill pitched the idea that Fett was Luke Skywalker's mother to George Lucas, which "he didn't like".[124] In about 2000, a feminist campaigned online to have the character unmasked as a woman.[125] Fanparodies include Boba Phat, acosplay "intergalactic booty hunter" created by David James.[126]
In Episode II, [Boba Fett] saw his father murdered by Mace Windu, however, he's still got a long way to go before he becomes the battered bounty hunter we know so well.Aurra's an influence, and not much of a nurturing parental figure – so that plays a part, as well. She preys on his weakness, on his desire for a family. It's pretty dysfunctional, and it sheds an interesting light on both Aurra and Boba. Ultimately, though, Boba's always been a mystery. As much as we reveal, we're not going to take the mystery away from his fans. Not knowing all the answers about Boba is part of what makes him so cool.
IGN reviewer Eric Goldman rated the first episode 8.2/10 and the second 8.8/10, stating "this was a very layered, exciting episode to end Season 2 on", though he did not appreciate Boba Fett's limited dialogue.[128][129] Bryan Young, a writer forThe Huffington Post andExaminer.com, also disliked Fett's responses at the end of the episode when confronting Mace Windu: "He says something incredibly whiny." Young does state, however, that "[o]verall, this pair of episodes was a satisfying conclusion to season two, which really upped the game in this series in terms of animation, storytelling, and suspense."[130] GalacticBinder.com's reviewer Chris Smith wrote, "Lucasfilm delivers another exciting episode to finish off a tremendous second season."[131] Adam Rosenberg writing in MTV Movies Blog discusses Boba Fett's return: "He's going to have to be put through a lot more hell before he embraces his inner badass. I'll say though... he's off to a mighty good start with the dual blasters he wears on his belt. Sure, they're almost the size of his thighs, but hey... he's still just a kid."[132]
Boba Fett's character in the series has received mixed reviews, while Morrison's portrayal of Fett has been praised. Some have said that, without Morrison portraying Boba Fett, the series might have been a total disaster and that he is the only face that could have brought Fett back to life.[133][134]Decider's Megan O'Keefe wrote, "Boba Fett is the least interesting character inThe Book of Boba Fett."[135] Rich Knight fromCinemaBlend stated that he used to not like Fett, but became interested in his character as he was the only one in the series who "seems like an actual human being".[136] Chris Edwards ofThe Guardian said that Disney+ ruined one of the "coolest and most mysterious characters" inStar Wars.[137]
Fett is one of the top five best-sellingStar Wars action figures,[16] and Boba Fett-related products are "among the most expensive"Star Wars merchandise.[5] Fett was the first new mail-away action figure created forThe Empire Strikes Back;[3][10] although advertised as having a rocket-firing backpack, safety concerns ledKenner to sell his rocket attached.[3] Gray called the early toy "a rare and precious commodity",[116] and one of the rocket-firing prototypes sold atauction for $16,000 in 2003.[25] In 2018 and 2019, two of the prototypes were sold at auction, for £69,000 ($USD92,000) and £90,000 ($USD120,000), respectively—each setting the world record for the highest auction price of aStar Wars toy at that time.[138] A fully painted figure with a rare variant on the firing mechanism is planned to be auctioned and estimated to be worth $200,000.[139] In 2024, one of the only two existing hand painted missile firing bounty hunter Boba Fett action figures was sold for record breaking $525,000 atHeritage Auctions.[140]
In August 2009,Hasbro released a Fett action figure based on McQuarrie's white-armored concept,[141] and Boba Fett as both a child and bounty hunter have been made intoLego minifigures and a helmet statue of Fett in his armor.[142]Wizards of the Coast'sStar Wars Trading Card Game includes several Boba Fett cards.[143]Hallmark Cards created a Boba FettChristmas tree ornament.[16]In January 2015, an unopened Boba Fett figure sold for £18,000 at auction in the UK, the figure was in factory-fresh condition and did not have the packaging punched for hanging in a shop.[144]
In mid-2021,Lego released aSlave I set, replacing the ship's name with "Boba Fett's Starship". According to the design director ofLegoStar Wars, theSlave I name "is just something that Disney doesn't want to use anymore". This prompted some backlash from fans, including Mark Austin, who portrays Fett in the Special Edition ofA New Hope.[145] While the ship was not canonically renamed, Disney is likely merely avoidingslavery-related terms inmerchandise.[146] In a press release for variant covers for Marvel'sWar of the Bounty Hunters, the ship is referred to as "Firespray", a reference to the ship's fictional class.[147]
Footnotes
Citations
The sequence would present an adventure where Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and their companions are on the search for a mystical talisman. They run into trouble when they encounter Boba Fett, who at first pretends to be an ally but is later revealed as an agent of Darth Vader.
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