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First appearing in the original Star Wars movie, he has a total of 4 lines then dies a slow painful death. Though nothing of his history is revealed in the Trilogy, fans have elaborated his history and exploits. In Tales of the Bounty Hunters, he appears as Jaster Mereel, a journeyman protector on Concord Dawn. He murdered an immoral and corrupt colleague and was convicted unrepentant, stripped of his possessions, and exiled. In Clone Wars stories, he first encounters Luke, R2-D2, Han Solo, C-3PO and Chewbacca before leading Darth Vader to Cloud City.
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Just as Bobba Fett escapes the maw of the Sarlacc, the character also escapes the grasp of LucasFilm's iron hold on the Star Wars world. Fett has resurrected as a cult figure on the Internet, as popular as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia or Darth Vader. What is this? What part of us does Bobba Fett speak to? Fett goes his own way, does what he wants with impunity even telling Darth Vader off. Encased in armor, and piloting the most heavily armed ship in the galaxy, he is the part of us that seeks invulnerability. Fett is a law unto himself. The idea of such singlehanded focus and a black and white world holds enormous lure. We are all part of a community, inextricably linked to others, and Bobba Fett represents the part of ourselves that seeks its freedom.
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Like Darth Vader, he exemplifies the true Villain of myth -- the noble warrior gone over to the dark side. The world is black and white with no middle ground, and all situations and people are either impediment to be killed, subdued, or removed, or as allies, who are used, then discarded.
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In the long and gory history of warfare, warriors have presented a problem no society seems to have solved. Society requires warriors to protect it from threats, or to enlarge boundaries. In order to protect itself, a standing force must be trained and maintained. But how do you maintain a force of warriors trained to fight in peacetime?
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