5 Major Star Wars Surprises from Boba and Jango Fett™

The father and son bounty hunter pair Jango Fett™ and Boba Fett™ are two of the most popular characters in Star Wars™. Despite having very little screen time in the franchise, this duo has a massive following and it’s not hard to see why. In the Original Trilogy, Boba Fett proved himself a capable warrior. In the Prequel Trilogy, Jango Fett almost assassinated some of our most valuable players, and he held his own against multiple Jedi™.

Obviously these characters’ brief appearances made quite the impact. That’s because these scenes are often surprising, either in their content or by the sheer skill of these beloved bounty hunters. Below, let’s look at the best and most shocking Fett family moments and their lasting effects on galactic history.

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Jango Fett Kills Zam Wesell™

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones™ is rife with political intrigue and sabotage. There are tensions brewing, plots unfolding, and secrets simmering underneath the surface of everything the Jedi think they know. The implications and consequences of everyone’s actions will shape the galaxy for years to come — clearly, since we’ve all seen the Original Trilogy.

The film begins with an attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala’s™ life, and these attempts persist, perpetrated by the shapeshifting Clawdite™ assassin Zam Wesell. But Zam isn’t working alone. On the planet Coruscant™, she meets with Jango Fett, who directs her rifle and her mission. When Zam is caught, however, Jango shoots a poisonous dart into her neck before she can reveal any information to the Jedi. She dies, showing us how serious and deadly Jango is because he’s so easily able to dispatch an ally.

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Jango Fett Dies

In Attack of the Clones, Jango Fett sides with the Separatists against the Republic to which the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi™ and Anakin Skywalker™ belong. Jango has many altercations and close calls with the Jedi, culminating in a plot to trap them in a fight to death. All hope seems lost for our heroes, who have been chained to posts inside the Geonosis™ Arena along with Padmé. As vicious creatures approach, Jango looks on, entertained. But Yoda™ and the clone trooper army turn the tide.

Down in the arena, which has just become the first battle of the Clone Wars™, Jango engages Jedi Knight Mace Windu™. In a few swift moves, Mace Windu beheads the bounty hunter. It’s a quick and brutal death. And the moment when Jango’s only son Boba Fett touches his forehead to the forgotten helmet is shocking and emotional no matter how many times you’ve seen the film.

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Boba Fett Almost Murders Mace Windu

Hoping to avenge Jango Fett by impersonating a clone recruit, Boba Fett — going by the alias Lucky — infiltrates the Star Destroyer™ Endurance in this tense episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars™, entitled “Death Trap.” It showcases Boba Fett’s unrivaled skill for a clone of his age; his marksmanship and focus are even admired by his superiors. This helps him bluff and sneak his way into Mace Windu’s quarters. There, Boba Fett installs a bomb and laser trap.

Although the plan goes awry, it’s surprising to see how close Boba Fett gets to his goal. Another shocking moment in this episode is a scene where Boba is instructed to sabotage the ship’s reactor core, which would kill everyone onboard. Suddenly, the child hesitates. It is a moment of moral clarity, one we don’t expect from a trained mercenary.

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Boba Fett Returns

After Boba Fett fell into the Sarlacc Pit™ on Tatooine™ in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi™, Star Wars fans thought that would be the last of him. No one could ever return from that certain doom, digested over decades as a snack for Jabba the Hutt’s™ entertainment. Yet a mysterious cameo in the Disney+ television series The Mandalorian™ season 1 brought out volumes of speculation concerning who had rescued Fennec Shand™.

In the season 2 premiere episode entitled “The Marshal,” this shrouded figure’s identity was confirmed: It’s Boba Fett, back from — allegedly — the dead. At the end of the premiere, he stands atop a hill watching the twin suns set. He’s scowling after Din Djarin™, showcasing an array of scars. This moment obviously shocked and excited audiences everywhere. Questions abound: How did Boba Fett survive the Sarlacc Pit? What is he doing on Tatooine? And where is he heading next? Luckily, these questions and more are answered in The Mandalorian or will be answered in the upcoming Fett-centric story, The Book of Boba Fett™.

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Boba Fett Takes Jabba’s Throne

Although Boba Fett featured prominently in The Empire Strikes Back™, and briefly in Return of the Jedi™, we never knew this mysterious man’s motivations beyond completing a job. He was contracted by infamous villains such as Darth Vader™ and Jabba the Hutt. He may have had a personal grudge against Han Solo™, or he was just tired of losing his bounty. Whatever the case, Boba Fett was enigmatic, aloof, and the classically cool yet kind of flat antagonist he was meant to be.

All of that changes in The Mandalorian. Not only does Boba Fett speak more, but his final scene in season 2 of the show blows audiences away. Along with Fennec Shand, Boba Fett takes over Jabba’s palace, obliterating Bib Fortuna™ and the other remnants of the Hutt’s days in power. Sitting upon the throne, Boba Fett tacitly declares his bid for ultimate control.

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What’s your favorite Fett family moment? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!