Jango Fett


Jango Fett is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, created by George Lucas. He is a bounty hunter wearing Mandalorian armor and the father of Boba Fett, as well as the template for the Clone Army of the Galactic Republic. He first appeared in the 2002 film , where he was portrayed by actor Temuera Morrison.
Regarded as the best mercenary in the galaxy during the final years of the Republic, Jango was recruited by the Sith Lord and Confederacy of Independent Systems leader Count Dooku to serve as the genetic template for the clone army that would later be used by the Republic in what became known as the "Clone Wars." These clone soldiers were genetically modified to age at twice the rate of a normal human, and be predisposed toward unquestioning obedience to the chain of command, unlike their independent. Jango also demanded to have an unmodified clone for himself, whom he named Boba and raised as his own son. Though Jango eventually met his demise at the hands of Jedi Master Mace Windu on Geonosis, Boba would continue his father's legacy, becoming a bounty hunter himself and using similar Mandalorian equipment, as well as Jango's ship, the Slave I.

Characteristics

Concept and creation

In early drafts of Attack of the Clones, Fett's first name was "J'mee". His name is a reference to the 1966 Corbucci film Django, featuring a hyper-violent drifter played by Franco Nero.
Jango is covered in a sleek armored suit that conceals his scarred face, largely based on Boba Fett's iconic outfit from the original trilogy, designed by Joe Johnston. However, Jango's suit is distinguished by color differences, thigh shin and spat armor, and a comparative lack of accessories and trophies.

Portrayal

Jango Fett was portrayed by Temuera Morrison in Attack of the Clones, ', ', ', ', ' and ', Bob Marshall in a commercial ILM filmed for Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Jeff Bennett in ' and ', and Andrew Chaikin in .

Appearances

Film and television

''Episode II – Attack of the Clones''

In , Jango is depicted as a bounty hunter who had been hired to be the genetic template for the Grand Army of the Republic, becoming entangled in a shady plot by Darth Tyranus. Jango is later hired by Viceroy Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation to assassinate Senator Padmé Amidala in retaliation for her actions in. Fett subcontracts the job to bounty hunter and shape-shifter Zam Wesell. Two failed assassination attempts on the Senator's life forces Fett to kill Wessell with a "saber dart" in order to eliminate the possibility of her leading the Jedi back to Kamino.
Nevertheless, Obi-Wan Kenobi tracks the dart to the planet Kamino, where he learns of a massive clone army being commissioned for the Republic. The ensuing confrontation forces Fett to flee to Geonosis, rendezvousing with his benefactor Tyranus.
Jango takes part in the Battle of Geonosis, where he first encounters a beast known as a Reek, which tramples and damages his weapon systems. He then gets decapitated by Jedi Master Mace Windu in open combat, and in front of his son Boba.
His legacy is taken up in the form of the Clone Army of the Republic based on his genetic material, and his son Boba, who becomes the most notorious bounty hunter in the galaxy. Boba Fett wears his father's old red and green Mandalorian armor to honor him.

''The Clone Wars''

In the CGI animated series , Jango is mentioned a number of times.
In the episode "The Mandalore Plot", Obi-Wan mentions his encounter with Jango to the New Mandalore Prime Minister Almec, who dismisses Fett's ties to the Mandalorian culture. In the episode "Clone Cadets", Lama Su mentions how unfortunate Fett's death was to Shaak Ti in regards to his DNA having to be stretched. He also appears in hologram in the following episode "ARC Troopers" in Clone DNA Chamber.
In the three-episode story arc consisting of "Death Trap", "R2 Come Home" and "Lethal Trackdown", Boba finds acquaintance with fellow bounty hunters Aurra Sing, Castas and Bossk. Boba desires revenge against Windu for killing his father. In one of his attempts to kill Windu, Boba hides an explosive inside his father's helmet, which detonates upon inspection by Anakin Skywalker. At the last moment, Windu realizes it is a trap and uses the Force to save Anakin from the blast.

Canon literature

Jango is the main character of the Marvel Comics series Star Wars: Age of Republic - Jango Fett, which debuted in early 2019.

Expanded Universe

In April 2014, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film Star Wars were rebranded by Lucasfilm as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise.

Video games

Fett appears in the Dark Horse comic books Jango Fett, Jango Fett: Open Seasons, and the Toys "R" Us promotional comic Full of Surprises.
He also appears in the Star Wars: Adventures books Jango Fett vs. The Razor Eaters, The Shape Shifter Strikes, and Warlords of Balmorra. The character was also in the Jedi Readers book Jango Fett: Bounty Hunter and in Boba Fett: The Fight to Survive and the novelization of Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
''Jango Fett: Open Seasons''
Jango Fett: Open Seasons is a comic written by Hayden Blackman and published on January 29, 2003. The story begins shortly after the events of Episode I – The Phantom Menace, with long flashbacks to earlier periods.
Twenty-six years before the events of The Phantom Menace, the Mandalorians split into two factions: the barbaric Death Watch, led by Tor Vizsla, and the True Mandalorians, honorable mercenaries led by Jaster Mereel. The two factions battle on Jango's home world of Concord Dawn. Jango's family helps Jaster, inciting Vizsla and his men to kill Jango's relatives. The horrified Jango helps Jaster and his men escape and ambush Death Watch. Jaster welcomes Jango into his faction.
Years later, Jango has become a full-fledged Mandalorian warrior under Jaster's tutelage. The Mandalorians are ambushed by Death Watch, and Jaster is killed by Vizsla. Wearing Jaster's armor, Jango becomes the leader of the True Mandalorians. A Jedi strike force led by Count Dooku slays Jango's warriors, and Jango is sold into slavery to the planet's governor. Jango later escapes, attacks Death Watch and kills Vizsla, and begins working as a bounty hunter. Dooku, under instructions from his master, Darth Sidious, pits the most notorious mercenaries of the galaxy against each other in order to select a genetic template for an army of clones. Fett emerges victorious and in a tense meeting with Dooku, requests a single, unmodified clone to be his son and apprentice.

Popular culture

Pop culture website IGN named Jango Fett as the 30th greatest Star Wars character in their Top 100 countdown, citing his calm, effective demeanor and prowess in combat, despite not possessing a connection with the Force.