The Entire Boba Fett Story Finally Explained

He's a ruthless bounty hunter responsible for the capture and near death of a beloved "Star Wars" character, but there's still something about Boba Fett that's managed to capture the hearts of millions. After first appearing in the infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special," our favorite bounty hunter only nabbed a few minutes of screen time in the original trilogy. Despite that, he's risen to the same level of fame as more prominent "Star Wars" characters, complete with his own fan club, collectible action figures, and comics series.

There's no doubt about the impact that Boba Fett has made on the larger "Star Wars" canon. In fact, he was so popular that prior to the de-canonization of what is now called the "Star Wars Legends" universe that the character was revived after his supposed death in "Return of the Jedi." Of course, Boba's return in George Lucas' prequel trilogy only made fans wish for more, a wish that would be granted by none other than Disney in recent years.

After a number of rumors surrounding a potential Boba Fett-led movie, the character returned in the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian," leading to his own "Book of Boba Fett" spin-off. With appearances in dozens of (now non-canon) "Star Wars" series and a huge backstory created for the early '00s prequel trilogy, Boba Fett has gone from having a few minutes in the spotlight to an entire legacy. But who is he, really? Here is everything you need to know about Boba Fett's (in-canon) story.

Before we can jump into Boba's story, we have to go back to events that predate his first chronological on-screen appearance. Over a decade before the Clone Wars, Jedi master Sifo-Dyas foresaw a terrible darkness that was slowly spreading over the galaxy. In his attempts to warn the Jedi Council, he was ignored and removed from his place in the Order. After that rejection, he strikes a deal with the cloners on the sea planet of Kamino to create a Grand Army of the Republic after seeing thousands of star systems join the Separatists.

His premonitions of galactic conflict alarm the Kaminoans as much as it had Sifo-Dyas, and they anxiously agree, using the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison) as a genetic template. Unbeknownst to Sifo-Dyas, the Sith get wind of his plans and put their own in motion to create the perfect storm to grant themselves control over the Clone Army. But that's a story for a different time. In exchange for his genetic template, Jango Fett negotiates for a single, unaltered clone, a genetically pure boy designated "Alpha," whom he would keep for himself.

Living on Kamino, Jango raises Alpha as if he were his own son, renaming him Boba so as to separate him further from his clone brethren. Unlike the clones, who were trained from their youth to become obedient soldiers, Boba (Daniel Logan) is taught to think independently and learns the basics of bounty hunting from his father.

Boba Fett may have made his official first onscreen appearance in 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back" (if we aren't including the "Star Wars Holiday Special," that is), but thanks to the 2002 live-action prequel "Attack of the Clones" and the 2008 animated series "The Clone Wars," he's been given a pretty in-depth history that extends far beyond his bounty hunting profession. Prior to the start of the Clone Wars, his father, Jango Fett, is hired to assassinate Senator Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), the eventual wife of one Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen).

In "The Clone Wars," Jango is described by the Mandalorian Prime Minister (Julian Holloway) as a "common bounty hunter" who was able to get a hold of their armor but is not, in fact, Mandalorian himself. When "The Clone Wars" came out in 2008, the story went that Jango Fett was indeed Mandalorian and the planet's officials were desperate to hide it. But in 2014, when Disney announced that the Star Wars Expanded Universe (now "Star Wars Legends") was no longer canon, Jango lost his original backstory, even as "The Clone Wars" remained canon.

Thankfully, the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian" set the record straight once and for all. In "Chapter 14: The Tragedy," an aged Boba Fett reveals the chain code of his armor, which explains that Jango Fett was once a Mandalorian foundling. With that knowledge, it's important to note that Jango Fett was one of the galaxy's greatest bounty hunters in his prime. No wonder Boba took on his legacy.

Following the attempt made on Padmé Amidala's life, Jango Fett makes his return to the planet Kamino, where he'd donated his genetic material to form a clone army, supposedly on orders from the Jedi High Council. There was one clone, however, who remained unaltered at Jango's request. This unaltered clone is Boba Fett, and he's been raised to believe that he is Jango's actual son.

When Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan Mcgregor) arrives on Kamino to question Jango about his involvement in the assassination attempt, it becomes clear that the Fetts' relationship with the Jedi will never be on great terms. Obi-Wan knows that Jango is the killer he's been looking for, and Jango realizes he and his son will need to make a quick getaway.

It's at this point that Boba Fett's hatred for the Jedi Order begins — even as a child, he's witnessed their distrust of his father, a man he very clearly looks up to.

On orders from the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi returns to apprehend Jango Fett and bring him to be officially questioned. By the time he gets back, however, Jango and Boba are in the process of making their escape from Kamino. When a fight breaks out between Obi-Wan and Jango outside Jango's ship, the Slave I, it leaves Boba in the position of having to defend his father against the Jedi.

The Fetts escape, but not before Obi-Wan is able to secure a homing device to the hull of their ship. He catches up to the pair outside Geonosis, and the battle continues in an asteroid field. Thinking they've outrun Obi-Wan, the Fetts take refuge on the planet, along with Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and his separatist army. This entire sequence serves two purposes: It demonstrates just what the Fett starship can do in combat, and it sets up Boba to be his father's replacement in the universe — clearly, he can handle a ship's controls, even at a young age. But he's also pretty bloodthirsty, especially when it comes to the Jedi.

When the Jedi storm Geonosis to come to Obi-Wan's aid, a battle ensues that brings them face to face with the full force of Count Dooku's army. Boba Fett watches from the sidelines as his father enters the fray, acting first as Dooku's personal bodyguard and eventually going head-on against Jedi Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) and an unruly reek (think the space version of a rhino).

After a not-so-impressive fight, Windu takes Jango out with a single swing of his lightsaber, separating his head from his body and leaving Boba with nothing left of his father except a Mandalorian helmet that he should definitely have someone else clean before taking it with him. He vows revenge on Mace Windu for his father's death and disappears into the vastness of the "Star Wars" universe just as the new Grand Army of the Republic swoops in to save the Jedi and usher in an all-out war that would last for the next three years.

It's during this time that Boba Fett meets up with several intergalactic bounty hunters, including — most notably — Aurra Sing (voiced by Jaime King), a ruthless Palliduvan bounty hunter and former acquaintance of Jango's. Aurra essentially adopts Boba, allowing him to work on her crew while teaching him the ins and outs of the trade. 

In "The Clone Wars," Boba's real introduction to his father's line of work is rough, made all the more difficult by Aurra's heartless approach to business. Anyone who crosses her is killed without a second thought, and although Boba sees himself as part of her inner circle, it becomes clear as time goes on that he serves no other purpose to her outside of advancing her own personal interests. When he's no longer of any use to her, Aurra turns on Boba the same way she's turned on countless others in her past. But before all that, she does offer Boba help in one very specific regard.

Part of Boba Fett's arrangement with Aurra Sing comes down to helping him exact revenge on Mace Windu (voiced by Terrence "T.C." Carson) for his father's death. Having held onto his anger toward the Jedi since "Attack of the Clones," the young Fett is anxious to finally exact his revenge. Boba's first attempt on Mace Windu's life is the result of an intricate plan that first involves him posing as a clone cadet to gain access to the Endurance, a Republic cruiser that houses the Jedi Master he's been searching for.

Boba plants an explosive device in Windu's quarters, but the assassination attempt fails when an unlucky clone trooper trips the device instead. At this point, Boba decides the best course of action would be to take out the ship's reactor, escape alongside a group of clone cadets, and then completely abandon them in the middle of space the second Aurra shows up to rescue him. Solid plan, even if it is dangerously cruel.

But Boba has gotten attached to his fellow cloned siblings, making it hard for him to sabotage his "family." At the same time, he has also come pretty far in his bounty hunter training by now, so while the idea of leaving his new friends to die takes a minute to accept, he ultimately does — the bounty hunter life is a hard one, and it doesn't allow room for such trivial things as friends.

Not willing to just let things go after his first failed attempt, Boba Fett decides to have another go at Mace Windu, this time by leaving a sabotaged Mandalorian helmet in the wreckage of the crashed Endurance. Again, his plan fails, although it isn't because of some random expendable stormtrooper. Mace is able to put two and two together seconds before the device is set to go off, and Force Pulls Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) away from the blast before they jump to cover together. 

Thinking his plan has succeeded, Boba convinces Aurra Sing to return to the crash site by telling her that Count Dooku will pay a higher bounty if they're able to turn over the Jedi's head. He also picks a fight with another bounty hunter and asserts himself as the guy who's been taking all the risks — if being around an unruly teenager sounds bad, imagine being around one with a homicidal streak. Unfortunately for them, R2-D2 is there and attempts to free Mace and Skywalker, but he fails and turns his attention to stopping Boba and the gang from getting away. Then, because he is unable to send a message to the Jedi Temple, he takes a ship to Coruscant to get help.

At this point, Boba Fett knows he's failed twice to kill the man responsible for his father's murder, and it's starting to get to him. Aurra Sing decides the best thing to do is to murder one of the clone hostages they've been saving for Count Dooku and send the footage to the Jedi Council, along with a demand that Mace Windu face Boba. In response, the Jedis dispatch a couple of their own to track down the bounty hunters.

On Florrum, Boba, Aurra, and the rest of the crew are confronted by Plo Koon (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) and Anakin Skywalker's Padawan apprentice, Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein). After a quick skirmish, Boba does what he does best and sets another bomb off, but the blast only allows for Aurra to escape, essentially abandoning the kid in order to save her herself.

Realizing he's been deserted by the only person he had left in the universe, Boba comes to understand that maybe vengeance isn't the best life path. He's arrested, and although he admits his wrongdoing, he refuses to ever forgive Mace Windu.

Several months later, a moody teenage Boba Fett appears in "The Clone Wars" Season 4 episode "Deception," still serving his time. It's a quick one-and-done moment, but it gives us an interesting glimpse into what Boba has been up to since his arrest after two failed assassination attempts. After Obi-Wan Kenobi (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) takes on the identity of a criminal named Rako Hardeen in order to infiltrate Count Dooku's (Corey Burton) inner circle, the bounty hunter Cad Bane (also voiced by Burton) — who just so happens to be Jango Fett's apprentice and Boba's future mentor — hires Boba to interrogate the disguised Kenobi and challenges him in the middle of the Republic prison they've found themselves in.

Understandably, Obi-Wan keeps his distance, not wanting to hurt anyone unnecessarily, especially a young boy who seems in over his head. After a brief fight, Kenobi makes a getaway with Cad Bane and Separatist Moralo Eval (Stephen Stanton), infiltrating their ranks to escape the prison, leaving Boba and his friend Bossk (Dee Bradley Baker) in the dust. Only a few episodes later, Kenobi takes down Dooku's plot and sends Cad Bane straight back to jail. Upon Bane's return, Boba criticizes the bounty hunter for not keeping out of prison, to which Bane tells Boba the full story.

Though Boba stays relatively consistent throughout the Clone Wars, the back half of the series sets him up better for success. Prison definitely changes the young Fett, and upon getting out, he takes his life back into his own hands.

Immediately after these events, Boba Fett heads up his own outfit of outlaws called Krayt's Claw, which includes the likes of Bossk, Latts Razzi (Clare Grant), and Oked (Tom Kane), the latter of which is killed in a seedy Tatooine bar when he tries to make a pass at former Jedi Padawan and assassin Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman). Bossk convinces Ventress to take Oked's place in an upcoming assignment, and she does — but she and Boba immediately butt heads because she thinks he's too young and inexperienced to lead this band of mercenaries.

It turns out Ventress is sort of right because over the course of their assignment, the other bounty hunters are lost and the pair wind up fighting over what to do with the actual bounty (a human being) once it's been acquired. By this time, Boba still has no idea how to best someone with Force abilities, so he's quickly overpowered, left to spend the following years wallowing in his hatred. However, that's not the end of Krayt's Claw, even if Ventress leaves to pursue her own destiny.

The Tatooine-based syndicate continues together through the end of the Clone Wars and encounters Jedi Master Quinlan Vos (Al Rodrigo), who hopes to recruit Ventress to his cause against the Separatists in the novel "Dark Disciple." While Ventress and Vos do work together, the latter is soon captured, forcing Ventress to hire her old team back to help aid her in his rescue. Sadly, it fails.

In the years following the Clone Wars, Boba Fett trains with Cad Bane to become a better bounty hunter, though eventually, their partnership turns sour. In an unproduced episode of "The Clone Wars," Boba and Bane engage in a standoff that would have canonically explained the trademark dent in Boba's helmet. Though it never made air, their battle scene was nearly completed and would serve as the basis for their eventual rivalry seen at the end of "The Book of Boba Fett."

Before these events, Boba reclaims his father's Mandalorian armor and recolors it from its original blue and silver into a green, red, and yellow scheme. Additionally, he takes back control of his father's ship Slave I after it had been wrecked by his former mentor Aurra Sing. From here on, Boba learns to become the most ruthless bounty hunter he can be. With disintegration as his trademark, the Mandalorian-themed bounty hunter makes a name for himself around the galaxy, gaining the attention of criminal syndicates and Galactic Empire military types alike.

Unbeknownst to Boba, the animated series "The Bad Batch" reveals, he has a female counterpart, a young clone of Jango Fett dubbed "Omega" (Michelle Ang) whose genetic material is as pure Fett DNA as Boba's own. Aided by Clone Force 99, Omega is kept safe from the newly formed Galactic Empire looking to use her. Whether Boba ever learned about his sister remains a mystery.

Not every job goes as smoothly as Boba would like. While some bounties are quick and easy, others are a bit more complicated, occasionally damaging our favorite mercenary's reputation. One such job is chronicled in the Marvel Comics series "Star Wars: Bounty Hunters," which tells the story of Boba Fett's botched Corellian job, taking place about 10 years before "A New Hope." Hiring Boba, the heir to the Mourner's Wail Syndicate puts an assassination team together to take out a target on Corellia before things go south.

It all gets a bit sticky when a member of the team named Nakano Lash takes out their employer, which pits the full wrath of the Mourner's Wail Syndicate against them. Hoping to kill Lash for her betrayal, Boba goes off-script, putting him at odds with another teammate, the cyborg Beilert Valance who just so happens to be Lash's protégé. Because of this job, Boba's reputable work ethic was singed, and the bounty hunter went into hiding for a time.

It was only after capturing fellow bounty hunter Caij Vanda a year later — as detailed in the videogame "Star Wars: Jedi Survivor" — that Boba was ushered back into the bounty hunting community's good graces. This capture opened the door for some other high-paying opportunities, including one that made him most famous among "Star Wars" fans.

By the time the Galactic Civil War officially commenced, Boba Fett (played by Jeremy Bulloch) was hired by the notorious gangster Jabba the Hutt (voiced by Scott Schumann and Larry Ward) on Tatooine. Back on the desert planet, the bounty hunter makes waves around Mos Eisley, where he frequently enforces the Hutt's will on his enemies. Before the Empire sets its sights on two droids wandering around the desert with hidden Death Star plans, Boba travels to Coruscant to take out a handful of Rebel spies. However, because he disintegrates them (leaving no trace of their bodies), Darth Vader refuses to pay. No wonder he moved away from that tactic in later years.

During the events of "A New Hope," Boba Fett acts as Jabba the Hutt's enforcer when the gangster confronts Han Solo (Harrison Ford) about his enormous debt. Though Boba doesn't do much, it establishes his connection to the Hutts, which would become important later on in his timeline. Interestingly, the short story "Added Muscle" reveals that Boba was planning on leaving Tatooine during this time, but after catching wind of the Empire's hunt for R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), he decides to investigate.

It's during this endeavor that Boba tracks the droids across the desert, eventually concluding that their time on the Lars moisture farm is what prompted the Empire to kill Luke Skywalker's Uncle Owen (Phil Brown) and Aunt Beru (Shelagh Fraser). Additionally, he also deduces that there was a third member of the Lars household who likely traveled with the droids, but he wouldn't encounter him until later.

At some point during the rule of the Empire, Boba Fett found himself on Carajam, a world on the Outer Rim where he's hired to capture the bounty hunter Zingo Gabnit. As chronicled in the Marvel Comic "Star Wars: Age of Rebellion — Boba Fett," our favorite merc gets his prey, which earns him the respect of the pressed locals. One man in particular pleads with Boba for his help in liberating their village, attempting to appeal to the good inside. Instead, the bounty hunter turns on this do-gooder, recognizing that this man is worth plenty of credits himself.

But not every Boba Fett story ends with him as the villain. He may work for them often, but sometimes, the goodness within him peeks through. In Dark Horse Comics' "Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories" #7, set sometime during Imperial occupation, Boba reluctantly takes a job for a young Wookie named Viiveenn. Viiveenn is the daughter of Senator Yarua, who worked alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala during the Clone Wars. Though her father died saving her life, his memory lives on in the small doll that he'd gifted her, one she needs Boba's help to find.

Sadly, Boba spends the entire issue saving Viiveenn from other bounty hunters who want to capture her for the Empire, and thus her doll is never actually found. But remembering how precious his father's armor is to him, Boba tells the young Wookie to never stop searching.

Not long after Luke Skywalker blew up the Death Star, a defeated and humiliated Darth Vader hires some of Jabba's finest men, Boba Fett and the Wookie bounty hunter Black Krrsantan, for some off-the-books jobs he can't trust a Stormtrooper with. Under Vader's thumb, Boba's new mission is to track down the young Rebel pilot who made that impossible shot and bring him to the Dark Lord. Oh, and apprehend the Millennium Falcon too. For a skilled bounty hunter like Boba Fett, this doesn't sound impossible, and he immediately begins his search. 

Knowing Han Solo's usual haunts, Boba quickly connects the smuggler with the "crazy old wizard" Ben Kenobi while at the Mos Eisley Cantina. There, he captures a young moisture farmer who spills the beans on Luke's identity. This takes him to Kenobi's desert home just in time for Luke's return. Hoping to find some of Old Ben's Jedi texts to advance his own training, Luke is surprised by Boba Fett's arrival.

Blinded by one of Boba's weapons, Luke fights valiantly against the experienced bounty hunter — whom he mistakes for a Stormtrooper. Luke's connection to the Force gives him an advantage (one Boba has never fully understood), and after a seriously bloody battle, the young Skywalker gains the upper hand and escapes with what he came for. Defeated, Boba reports Luke's identity to Darth Vader, who finally recognizes that he and Padmé had a son after all.

Near the end of the Galactic Empire, Boba Fett becomes one of the most sought-after bounty hunters in the galaxy. His ruthless reputation precedes him, and as one of Darth Vader's (David Prowse and James Earl Jones) most prominent hired guns, it's made obvious that Boba is always the right man for the job. In "The Empire Strikes Back," Boba continues his mission to track down the Millennium Falcon. "But I want them alive," Lord Vader tells the bounty hunter. "No disintegration." Clearly, Boba struggles with this concept as he almost shoots Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in the film's climax, though Vader keeps him on a tight leash.

But Vader didn't just hire one bounty hunter for the job, he hired a number of others as well, including members of Boba's former outfit Krayt's Claw. Though the short story "Wait for It" explains that Bossk (Alan Harris) and Dengar (Morris Bush) wanted to form an alliance with Boba, reliving old times, the Mandalorian armor-clad hunter emphasizes his need for the extra credits, opting to work solo. Turns out, this is the right move, as Boba monitors Solo and his crew on their way to Bespin, following closely behind in Slave I.

Warning Dath Vader ahead of time, Boba makes sure that the Empire arrives to occupy Cloud City before the Millennium Falcon lands, setting the perfect trap for the elusive Rebel smuggler. Boba is a master strategist after all, and he isn't known across the galaxy as "the best" for nothing.

Turning the Rebels over to Darth Vader, Boba makes a deal with the Sith Lord that, in the end, he gets to deliver Han Solo personally to his other employer: Jabba the Hutt. Leave it to Boba Fett to be working two high-profile jobs at once, and doing so with such style. Naturally, Vader agrees, though he opts to use the Rebel crew — which includes Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca, and his own protocol droid C-3PO — first, constructing an elaborate trap for his son Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).

This, of course, means freezing Han Solo in carbonite in front of his friends, thereby creating one of the most stylish wall pieces in the galaxy. After capturing Luke's friends and freezing Solo, Vader gives Boba Fett permission to leave with his bounty, his job for the Empire now complete. Aided by a band of Stormtroopers, Boba parades the frozen Solo through Cloud City, though is soon pursued by the young Skywalker (who had arrived just in time) and his friends.

Unfortunately for our heroes, Boba Fett loads Han Solo aboard Slave I and blasts off into the ether, heading back toward Tatooine to collect his bounty. But before Boba could make it to Jabba's Palace, there was a brief detour or three along the way. In fact, these events could've changed the course of the original "Star Wars" trilogy had they not been dealt with in time.

Set between "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," Marvel's "Star Wars" comics hosted a large-scale crossover event that spanned throughout all their biggest titles called "War of the Bounty Hunters" (not to be confused with the non-canon "The Bounty Hunter Wars"). This conflict kicks off after Boba first tracks down and battles Nakano Lash, the same bounty hunter who had double-crossed him years prior. Leaving Lash for dead, Boba continues on to deliver Solo to Jabba — only there's one problem: The carbonite matrix that the smuggler is frozen in proves unstable.

To fix it, Boba makes a pit stop on Nar Shaddaa and fights in a local gladiator arena in order to pay for the repairs on Solo's prison. Competing undercover as "Beskar Brawler Jango" in honor of his father, Boba wins. However, he fails to get the credits he was after. Returning to Solo, he finds the smuggler's carbonite-frozen body stolen. So the bounty hunter does what any good bounty hunter would do: He hunts down his missing prey. 

Things only get worse though as Jabba believes that Boba sold Solo to another buyer, forcing the Hutt to put a high-priced bounty on Boba's head. In reality, Solo was stolen by the criminal syndicate Crimson Dawn, specifically under the orders of Solo's former lover Qi'ra (who fans will recognize from "Solo: A Star Wars Story"). Only, Qi'ra decides to sell Solo at auction, thus putting Boba in quite the predicament.

While attempting to reclaim Han Solo and restore his reputation, Boba is attacked by 4-LOM and Zuckuss, whom he quickly dispatches. Unfortunately, these weren't the only bounty hunters after him. Beilert Valance, the mercenary T'onga, and even his former friends Bossk and Dengar come after him too. Learning about the auction for Solo, Boba flies to Jekara to retrieve the frozen smuggler, only to run into Bossk, who attempts to appeal to their long history. Ruthless as always, Boba leaves Bossk out in the cold as a warning to those who might get in his way.

Upon infiltrating the auction, Boba devises a plan to attain Solo, only to be confronted by Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian. After a tussle with Chewie, Lando offers the bounty hunter a job to nab Solo for the Rebellion, but Boba refuses, noting that his code won't let him switch sides like this on a job. But as Jabba the Hutt wins the auction, Darth Vader arrives and claims Han Solo as his own, hoping to use the smuggler as bait for Luke once more. Old dog, same tricks.

Forging an uneasy alliance with Valance (who hates Boba for all but killing his mentor Nakano Lash), Boba intercepts Solo from the Imperial fleet and reclaims his bounty. It's not exactly a piece of cake, but his knowledge of Imperial systems helps the operation go smoothly. Unsurprisingly, Boba betrays Valance along the way before delivering Solo to Jabba, demanding full payment.

Boba Fett's days as the "Star Wars" galaxy's bounty hunter MVP are short-lived. In "Return of the Jedi," set possibly up to a year after "War of the Bounty Hunters," the Mandalorian clone seems at first to enjoy his victory over Han Solo, hanging out with Jabba in his palace on Tatooine, making sure no crazy bounty hunters set off any thermal detonators in the near vicinity. But things go awry when Luke Skywalker, almost a full-fledged Jedi Knight, fails a rescue, getting himself sentenced to die in Jabba's Great Pit of Carkoon.

On the way to being fed to Jabba's favorite sand monster, the Sarlacc Pit, Luke breaks free and Boba steps in to try and thwart the Rebels' escape. Call it unlucky, dumb, or just plain outmatched (Boba has always struggled to battle Force-users), but in spite of Boba's high-tech gear, this conflict doesn't do as well for the bounty hunter. Instead, he winds up falling into the Sarlacc Pit himself after his jetpack is accidentally damaged by a blind Han Solo. If this proves anything, it's that Boba Fett isn't so good against blinded adversaries, especially not of the Rebel kind.

Following these events — which also result in Jabba's death at the hands of Princess Leia Organa — it's generally thought that Boba Fett died here on Tatooine. From here on, nobody hears much from the would-be Mandalorian bounty hunter, at least for a number of years. Talk about an anticlimactic ending.

Except, it isn't the end. To the delight of "Star Wars" fans everywhere, Boba Fett — just as he did in the now non-canon Star Wars Expanded Universe — survives the Sarlaac, even if it takes him a while to break free. In the flashbacks seen in "The Book of Boba Fett" premiere, "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land," the bounty hunter wakes up sometime after the events of Han Solo's rescue and desperately burns an enormous hole into the creature's insides. Of course, he eventually claws his way out of the beastly pit before passing out face-first in the sand.

From there, Boba only awakens as Jawas strip him of his armor, leaving him for dead. Though Boba would remain in the desert for a while, his father's Mandalorian armor would eventually be claimed by Tatooine Marshal Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant), who would use it to defend his hometown of Mos Pelgo (later renamed Freetown). Meanwhile, Boba is found by a band of Tusken Raiders, who claim him as their prisoner alongside an unnamed Rodian. Turns out, Boba Fett doesn't always have the best luck.

After a failed escape attempt, Boba gains the respect of the tribe after saving a young Tusken from a reptilian sand beast that roams the desert floor. After it kills his fellow captive, Boba strangles the creature before it can kill his child captor, thus earning himself a place within the tribe. (Yeah, their customs are a bit strange.)

Upon being accepted into the Tusken Raider tribe, Boba Fett quickly adapts to their ways. This includes their culture, their occupations, and their weaponry, most notably how to properly wield a gaderffii stick (which took some time for a bounty hunter so used to blasters and flamethrowers). From the time he was tossed into the Sarlaac Pit to the time he began to thrive within the Tusken tribe, nearly a year had passed. After being burned by so many would-be families throughout his life, this was the first time Boba felt as if he truly belonged somewhere.

It wasn't until the Pyke Syndicate began to disrupt their way of life — including killing a number of Tuskens — that Boba decided to take matters into his own hands to protect his new people. After training some Tusken warriors how to ride on speeder bikes, Boba leads an assault on a cargo train carrying spice. Though the Pykes fight back, they're no match for Boba Fett and his newfound tribe, who soon overpower them. Vowing that the Pyke Syndicate must pay a toll to the Tuskens to continue their operations, the tribe celebrates.

As a gift for his efforts, the Tusken chief (Xavier Jimenez) presents Boba with a small lizard that initiates a very psychedelic vision quest. In his vision, Boba sees his childhood on Kamino and his time in the Sarlaac Pit, which reminds him of the life he once lived, as well as his father's legacy.

Inspired by his vision, Boba Fett decides to return to Mos Eisley to ensure the Pyke Syndicate treats the Tuskens well. The Pykes don't exactly refuse here, but they don't pay Boba either since they're already paying "protection money" to a rival gang. Boba vows to handle it, but upon returning to his tribe's camp, he finds them all — including the chief and the young Tusken he'd befriended — dead. Unbeknownst to Boba, while he was away the Pyke Syndicate had them all killed, framing the Kintan Striders gang for the massacre.

Heartbroken, Boba burns his people's bodies, takes a bantha, and rides off into the desert. It's during his grief that he finds a wounded Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) and returns her to Mos Eisley, paying for the cybernetic body modifications that save her life. Owing him a debt, Shand agrees to help Boba retrieve Slave I from Jabba's Palace, and the two of them take out all his enemies along the way. They start with the Kintan Striders, whom Boba still believes responsible for the Tusken deaths, and soon after they destroy the Sarlaac Pit for eating him in the first place. This guy sure knows how to enact his revenge.

Though Boba hoped to find his armor at the Pit, he's quickly disappointed. Thankfully, he discovers that Cobb Vanth — who had worn his armor for a time — had given it to a Mandalorian, which leads him to meet one of the best characters of Disney-era "Star Wars."

Turns out, this Mandalorian was none other than "The Mandalorian" aka Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). Once a foundling, Djarin belongs to a certain sect of the Mandalorians who hold tightly to the ancient creeds, particularly the one about not ever removing your helmet. Tracking Djarin to Tython, Boba and Shand threaten the life of Djarin's own foundling, the young Force-sensitive Grogu, which puts the silver-plated Mandalorian on guard. Boba demands his armor back, but Djarin only agrees to talk once Shand (whom he'd encountered previously) puts her weapon down.

Before long, the two bounty hunters come to an agreement, and Boba reclaims his armor, though he now wears his Tusken garb underneath, giving it a black finish. But in exchange for returning his armor, Djarin asks that Boba and Shand help him to protect Grogu from the Imperial forces led by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), who wishes to use the child's Force-abilities as a weapon. Ever since Boba Fett lived among the Tusken people, he has rediscovered the concepts of honor and respect. It's because of this that he accepts his new mission, now standing against the Empire he once contracted for.

Tragically, it's not enough. Despite the trio's best efforts, Grogu is taken by a band of Dark Troopers who destroy Djarin's ship, the Razor Crest, and flee the scene. Thankfully, Boba still has Slave I and uses his ship to get the three of them off-world and on the move to rescue the potential Jedi recruit.

Still indebted to Din Djarin, Boba and Shand continue their mission to help rescue Grogu in "The Mandalorian" episode "Chapter 15: The Believer." Allying themselves with New Republic Marshal Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and the mercenary Migs Mayfeld (Bill Burr), the team comes up with a plan to retrieve the child. But before that, they first need to know where he is being held. This leads them to an Imperial refinery on Morak where Djarin and Mayfield pretend to be Imperial troopers, which is especially difficult for Djarin, who is forced to remove his helmet in opposition to his Mandalorian creed.

During this time, Boba Fett — who has repainted his damaged armor — gains respect for Djarin's quest to find his adopted son. From here, their friendship expands beyond the eventual rescue of Grogu and the defeat of Moff Gideon at the end of the second season of "The Mandalorian." After witnessing the lengths Djarin will go for Grogu, Boba Fett is touched to the core, likely remembering what his own father would've done for him.

Speaking of, after attaining Grogu's location, Boba Fett intercepts Gideon's cruiser in Slave I while the rest, including new Mandalorian recruits Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado), infiltrate Gideon's ship to rescue their little green friend. The plan ultimately proves successful, especially with the help of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker who arrives just in time (though, sadly doesn't rematch Boba again here). "Chapter 16: The Rescue" ends with Djarin and Grogu reunited as Boba and Shand exit stage right.

Immediately following their job with Din Djarin, Boba Fett returns to Tatooine, kills Bib Fortuna (Matthew Wood), and takes a seat on Jabba's throne. Ready to take over the empire, Boba faces the first challengers to his newfound position: the Hutt Twins. As the self-proclaimed Daimyo of Mos Espa, Boba vows to rule not with fear as Jabba had, but with honor and respect as he learned from the Tuskens. After a few weeks, news has spread that Boba Fett is in fact alive and well, which soon gets out to his enemies.

But the Hutt Twins, cousins of dear old Jabba, don't take this change terribly well. Using the Wookie Black Krrsantan (Carey Jones) to try to interrogate and later assassinate Boba, the Twins attempt to overpower the Mandalorian armor-wearing Daimyo, but to no avail. Recognizing that they'd be tangled up in a turf war, the Twins leave Tatooine, offering up a new rancor as a gift for Boba's Palace and releasing Krrsantan from his contract. Impressed with the Wookie's resolve, Boba hires his would-be assassin as an enforcer alongside the gang of cyborgs he'd previously conscripted.

Now the leader of an impressive force, Boba Fett challenges the Pyke Syndicate's authority and attempts to convince Mos Espa's other crime lords to fight alongside him, but they refuse. Recognizing their fear of the Pykes, Boba convinces them to at least remain neutral as he deals with liberating the city. Foreseeing a turf war, Shand convinces Din Djarin to aid them in their conflict.

It isn't long before the Pykes get wind of Boba Fett's plans and hire an enforcer to make sure that he's cut off from any additional resources. Their choice: Cad Bane, Boba's former mentor and the most notable bounty hunter from the Clone Wars era. After Din Djarin convinces Marshal Cobb Vanth of Freetown to help Boba take on the Pykes, Bane arrives and puts a stop to that, ordering Freetown against assisting our hero in any way. From there, Bane travels to Mos Espa, where he reveals to Boba that the Pykes were the ones who killed his Tusken tribe.

Enraged, Boba nearly attacks his former mentor but stops himself with an impressive amount of restraint. Sadly, his newfound honor isn't enough to gain the upper hand. Mos Espa's other criminal forces unsurprisingly betray him, and Boba's forces are nearly depleted. But, thankfully, the people of Freetown come anyway, as does Grogu, and Boba's faction soon overpowers the Pykes. This all leads to a final confrontation between Boba and Bane that mirrors their previously unfinished duel from "The Clone Wars."

This time around, though older and slower, Boba uses his new Tusken training to disarm and dispatch Bane, leaving him for dead in the street, their friendship officially over. Following the turf war, Boba Fett reigns supreme over Mos Espa while Fennec Shand assassinates the heads of the Pyke Syndicate. Despite all the violence and bloodshed, it's a relatively happy ending, after all.

Despite there not being any plans for a follow-up season of "The Book of Boba Fett," that doesn't mean our favorite bounty hunter won't show up again in the future. There are plenty of places to still keep track of the Mandalorian-ish anti-hero, even if he has yet to make any more appearances on "The Mandalorian." For instance, the ongoing Marvel Comics series "Star Wars: Bounty Hunters" continues Boba's story during the interim between "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." Additionally, the Dark Horse Comics anthology series "Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories" occasionally highlights Boba's adventures during this period.

If you're looking for something a bit more animated, the outside-of-canon anthology series "Star Wars: Visions" tackles a Boba-centric story with "Tatooine Rhapsody." While the anime series isn't exactly bound by continuity, it is also a part of the Disney-era "Star Wars" that makes up the majority of the main canon nowadays, so its actual place within the timeline is up for debate. Of course, one could always revisit the non-canon "Star Wars Legends" stories, which likewise expand significantly on Boba Fett's history, including his life post-"Return of the Jedi."

But if you're looking for more behind-the-scenes Boba Fett material, look no further than the short Disney+ documentary "Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett," which chronicles the character's history from inception to his solo miniseries. Seriously, it's a must-watch for any longtime fan of the character.