Disney+'s new Star Wars show The Book of Boba Fett is about to stream on Disney+, continuing the history of the infamous bounty hunter as he moves on to a new chapter in his life in the timeline. Born as an unaltered clone of the legendary Jango Fett, Boba followed in the footsteps of his father beginning in the prequel trilogy of films and on into the original trilogy, making his first appearance as a legendary hunter in his own right. However, it seems as though Boba Fett is looking to begin a new enterprise in his own series, going beyond his multiple appearances as a bounty hunter across the known Star Wars timeline.
Before Disney's purchase of the Star Wars franchise, the Expanded Universe books and comics (now classified as non-canonical Legends) revealed much about the bounty hunter who's only seen for 5-6 minutes in the actual films. Not only was he once married and had a child, but Boba Fett did survive the Sarlacc Pit and would continue his bounty hunting work during the rise of the New Republic after the Empire's defeat. Furthermore, he would also go on to become the new Mandalore for a time, ruling the planet of the same name.
However, Disney and Lucasfilm have since created a new history for Boba Fett with his canonical appearances being regulated to the films, animated series such as The Clone Wars, comics from Marvel, and the live-action series on Disney+ like The Mandalorian. While ruling Mandalore looks like it will be Din Djarin's job instead, trailers and clips for The Book of Boba Fett have teased Boba's rise as a crime lord ruling Tatooine. Here's a recap of Boba Fett's major appearances in the Star Wars timeline up to his return to Jabba's Palace with Fennec Shand.
Attack of The Clones: Young Boba And Death Of Jango Fett
During Star Wars Episode II- Attack of the Clones, Boba Fett is introduced as the young son of Jango Fett, a legendary bounty hunter in the service of Count Dooku and the Separatists. However, Jango was also the genetic template for the Republic's Clone Army. While these clones were bred with rapid growth acceleration and brain modifications to make them the perfect soldiers, Boba Fett was created to be an unaltered clone, becoming Jango's son who could carry on his legacy. However, during the Clone Wars' primary Battle of the Geonosis, Jango Fett is slain by Jedi Master Mace Windu of the Jedi Council. This leaves Boba without his father, lost in the galaxy with nothing but his father's helmet and armor.
Clone Wars: Boba Fett Seeks Revenge
Eventually, The Clone Wars animated series revealed Boba Fett's revenge quest against the Jedi who killed his father. Having allied himself with a collection of fellow bounty hunters including Bossk and Aurra Sing, Boba Fett nearly succeeds in killing Mace Windu before eventually being arrested by Jedi Master Plo Koon and Padawan Ahsoka Tano. While Boba wouldn't make another attempt on Windu's life, he does choose to continue his father's legacy by becoming a bounty hunter with a code of honor.
Boba and Bossk would eventually break out of prison, forming a crew of mercenaries and hunters as Boba began to build his impressive reputation. Furthermore, The Bad Batch animated series references canceled episodes where Boba Fett would have dueled Cad Bane wearing his iconic green armor for the first time. In doing so, Boba became known as the galaxy's most legendary bounty hunter after defeating the notorious gunslinger who had previously carried the title.
Empire Strikes Back: Darth Vader Hires Boba Fett To Capture Han Solo
As seen in Marvel Comics' Star Wars titles set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett became a favored hunter for Tatooine's major crime lord Jabba the Hutt. However, he would frequently take jobs for none other than the Empire's Darth Vader. As an example, Fett was the one who confirmed to the Dark Lord that the Rebel pilot who blew up the Death Star was his son Luke (whose existence had been hidden from him).
Serving as his Fett's official live-action appearance (following Boba's cartoon appearance in the Star Wars Holiday Special), Boba Fett is one of several bounty hunters Vader hired to seek out Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon in Empire Strikes Back, wanting to use Solo and Princess Leia as bait to draw out Luke. Seeing as how Fett was seeking to collect the pre-existing bounty Jabba had placed on Solo's head, it was fortuitous that he was the hunter to locate Solo on Bespin's Cloud City, taking Solo to the Hutt after the smuggler had been encased in carbonite once Vader was through with him. While Boba Fett does lose Solo en route to Tatooine in Marvel's recent War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event, Fett manages to recover his bounty and delivers him to Jabba all the same.
Return of the Jedi: Boba Fett Eaten By Sarlacc Pit
When the Rebels stage a mission to rescue Han from Jabba at the beginning of Return of the Jedi, Boba Fett is present in the ensuing battle over the Great Pit of Carkoon, a monstrous Sarlacc meant to be the demise of Han Solo and Luke. However, it seemingly became the doom of Fett when Solo struck the bounty hunter's jetpack, causing him to lose control before being consumed by the Sarlacc to be digested for thousands of years.
However, just like in the non-canonical Legends stories Boba Fett somehow survived his encounter with the Sarlacc, an ordeal which will most likely be revealed in detail with The Book of Boba Fett's release. Featured at the end of The Mandalorian season 2's premiere episode, it was confirmed that Boba survived the Sarlacc, albeit with his fair share of scars and without his iconic Mandalorian armor. Furthermore, he had seemingly embraced the culture of the Tusken Raiders, natives of Tatooine's vast deserts.
Mandalorian: Boba Fett Regains Armor And Joins Din Djarin
Eventually, Boba tracks down his lost armor which has come into the possession of Din Djarin, the Mandalorian seeking to protect the child known as Grogu five years after Return of the Jedi and the rise of the New Republic following the Empire's defeat. Revealing that his father Jango was a Mandalorian foundling, Boba brokers the return of his armor while promising that no harm will come to the child. However, the arrival of Moff Gideon's Imperial remnant forces who kidnap Grogu results in Boba Fett joining Din Djarin in his quest to get the child back, honoring his promise that the child would be safe.
Restoring his armor and offering his ship as transportation, Boba Fett helps the Mandalorian rescue ex-Imperial sharpshooter Migs Mayfeld who helps them locate Gideon's cruiser. Once Grogu is safe in the hands of Luke Skywalker, Boba and Fennec Shand return to Tatooine. Upon entering the former palace of the deceased Jabba the Hutt, Fett, and Shand kill Bib Fortuna before Fett takes a seat on Jabba's throne.
The Book Of Boba Fett: Fett Returns To Jabba's Palace
Now, teasers for The Book of Boba Fett have revealed that the titular hunter will be looking to leave his life as a bounty hunter behind, ruling Tatooine as a crime lord and filling the power vacuum created in the wake of Jabba's death by Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi. Wishing to rule through respect rather than fear as was Jabba's preference, it will be interesting to see where this all-new chapter will take the former hunter and his legacy. In any case, Star Wars fans won't have to wait much longer before the series starts streaming.
The Book of Boba Fett comes to Disney+ on December 29th.