Topic: Is Fett evil?

This is my first serious post here and, as I'm sure this topic has come up over and over on the previous board, I think it should be here.

Okay. What worries me is how the prequels try to make Boba Fett a sort of evil, malicious, self-serving individual. In part that's true, bounty hunters are highly self-serving, and their methods of killing and capturing their quarry are sometimes quite malicious ("No disintegarations..."), but I never imagined it possible that Boba Fett, the quiet, unknown bounty hunter from Star Wars to lower himself in screaming, "Get im, Dad!"

Aside from his mannerisms, it seems that the prequels completely wax over the fact that all Boba Fett wanted from Vader and Jabba was the money. If the Rebels had enough money and the mind to do so, I beleive he would've fought for them. I definitely don't think that Imperialistic ideals were ingrained in Fett as a young boy, so he hunts Solo for 'the greater good of the galaxy', he wants his cash.

Any thoughts on this? There's a different side of Fett that I haven't seen as of yet, the side where he works for the good guys just because they pay him.

I'm thinking the amazing Samurai movie Yojimbo, but with Fett, the Rebels, and the Imperials.

Well, imagine Anakin in episode I. A young naive boy, only trying to help out others, turning into the gruesome Darth Vader. Fett was young. He had learned little of the bounty hunter's ways. Only after his father had died did he begin to read the black book, and go on hunts. I'd imagine, the more hunts he did, the more cold and keniving he became.

And nothing in episode II has anything to do with Imperials and Rebels. For all he knew, the Jedi that killed his father were hired by the Empire, for the Republic later became the Empire. Revenge is definately not his style.

The Rebels didn't like the bounty hunters and criminals of the galaxy. They were entirely against it. The Empire wasn't to fond of it either... "We don't need their scum." But yes, I do agree Fett would have worked for the Rebels had they payed him enough.

He's not evil, he works for anyone who hires him (there is a comic where he works for the Rebels but I forget the name. Betrayal I think?), and I don't think he kills for the fun of it. I mean, compare Boba to Montross, you'll see a big difference.

I don't think Fett is evil.  I do think he has some strong elements of the dark hero.
He does take pay from the highest bidder, but he uses his own moral compass to guide his actions. That he falls outside of the norms of average society is to be expected: he's a paid soldier, someone who lives on the fringe, the shadow self, doing the things others are to afraid to do, facing the darker aspects of the self others are afraid to realize.

Definitely not evil, considering that he's capable of extreme mercy.  For example, there's the All-Fett Issue of Star Wars Tales where he lets a Twi'lek go after being begged.  And then there's "No Disintegrations, Please" in Tales from the Republic.  A large part of his motivation is Justice, and there's nothing evil about that.

I agree with Chrys.  I think his motivation is more geared towards Justice.  He had his own moral code that he follows, as well.  As for working for the rebels, I believe it says somewhere that he said he would never work for the Rebels, because they were trying to overthrow the "established lawful government."  I guess he saw it as a kind of treason against the state.

I think it would depend on who's point of view you're looking from. I don't think Fett would consider himself evil, he follows his own code of justice. However I'm sure the families of his merchandise certainly see him as evil. I guess it goes with the reputation.

Well, anyone can see someone else as evil. For example, were the Jedi evil? From Anakin's point of veiw they sure were. Good and Evil doesn't depend on what others think, it depends on what is morally right or wrong. Boba Fett is a pretty bad guy, but he is definately not evil. He can still sleep if he didn't kill someone that day.

Agreed.  There is a line between what's good and what's evil, and that line has nothing to do with personal opinions of the people crossing the line.  (Of course, this is coming from a theological background.)

Well to answer the question, no I don't think Fett is evil. He's no angel but not evil, that's not his motivation, justice however is. ;)

I agree completely, though I do think of him as the Angle of Death.

I don't think Fett is evil, it was just his style as a bounty hunter. Tn the New Jedi Order series when he meets up with Han Solo he tells him the bounty hunting was just a job.

Yeah, a lot of bounty hunters say that line "It's just a job". Zam in AOTC, and I think Jango said it once. I think it was Boba who said, "Nothing personal, it's just business", or was that someone else?

I'm not sure, but yea Fett didn't take anything really personal when it came to bounty hunting, I'm not sure if really held any grudges other than against the Jedi, he only was constently after Solo because he had a price on his head, not just because he hated him.

Yeah, I think he said something like that. And in the young Boba books he learns, "No friends, no enemies. Only allies and adversaries."

Meh, I think he let go of his grudge against the Jedi...

This is something I found that Fett said.
Everyone dies.
It's the final and only lasting justice.
Evil exists;it is intelligence in the service of entropy.
When theside of a mountain slidesdown to kill a village,this is not evil
for evil requires intent.
Should a sentient being cause that landslide,there is evil;
and requires Justice as a consequence.
There is no greater good than Justice;
and only if law serves Justice,is it a good law.
It is said correctly that law exist not for the Just but for the Unjust;
for the Just carry the law in their hearts,
and do not need to call it from afar.
You will bow to no one;
and you will give service only to cause.

Anyway,I think that there is no clear line between good and evil.What some believe to be good,others belive it to be ill.Take the war in Iraq,for example.I think we are doing good there,but others  think that we should have just minded our own beez-wax. Or in a StarWars theme take the Empire:Rebels are either trouble makers or the only hope for justice.Empire= either good or evil.

Actually Jaster Mereel said that. But I think Boba uses it too?

wat ever happened to Montross after Jango died, did Boba kill him?

Have you played Bounty Hunter? Cause some of his story is explained there. I don't really want to spoil you if you haven't played it yet though, so I won't say. :)

JasterBoba BobaJaster they are the same...or are they?
No, they're not.  No wait, yes.  No.  Yes. Definetely...not.  Maybe.
That was a fun topic on the old boards.

I don't know.  I thought that it was Jaster, but now people are saying that the flashbacks took place when teenage Boba went back to Concord Dawn and became a Journeyman Protector, using grampa's name.  I'm not sure which I would rather be true ('course, the new explanation leaves him saddled, once again, with the phrase 'ugly young man'.)

But why would Boba want to Concord Dawn to be a Journyman Protector? I'd heard somewhere, I forget where, that Jaster the Mandalorian was exiled and Jango's dad was among the people who were standing up for Jaster in this political debate thing. But I have no idea where I heard that.

Jaster was never exiled he was betrayed by Montross on a field mission in order to become leader. Jaster and Montross along with the remaining mandalorians however were being hunted by the Deathwatch faction where in a crossfire Jango's mother, father, and sister died and he was adopted by benevolent Jaster. Montross' betrayl was discovered and what little of Mandalorians were left followed Jango by default. Jango I think could be called Mandalore at the time but the title may not have existed in the Republic era mercenary mandalorians. They were then eradicated by Dooku who after seing they did not deserve death and was set up in a political "misunderstanding" quit the jedi leaving only Jango, the last of the Mandalorians. 

My theory as to why he went to Concord dawn taking into account all new material is to make people think he was a Journey man named Jaster and cover his tracks/to visit his father's homeworld. That or he did not go and used this as part of his hand crafted backstory.

Also here is something I hope someone can answer. Where did he get his suit of mandalorian armor that is almost identicle to Jaster's suit? I heard he searches the galaxy for mandalorian relics to add to his tools. Did he go to Concord Dawn in search of these things?

No, i dont think so, i think he took Jango's armor but painted it different, like a rank that a Mandalorian would use, but im not sure which one. Jodo Kast supposedly picked up his armor off an old Mandalorian battlefield.

Oh, I know all that backstory, I read Open Seasons over about three or four times. But I thought I'd read somewhere OL what I said up there.

Anyway, as for the armor, Boba does get ahold of all the Mandalorian armor he finds, and he must have gotten ahold of Jasters cause the New Essential Guide to Characters says, "He possessed Jango's reflexes, Jango's ship, Slave I, and a set of Mandalorian armor that had once belonged to Jaster Mereel, his father's mentor." But earlier on, kid-Boba wore Jango's armor and then after a while he repainted it. We have yet to find out how he gets Jaster's armor.

Yeah, I wish those scholastic books explained that. I am not sure when he repainted it though... All I know is that the armor magically changes on the front cover of the books while he is in an action scene...

It would be nice if they explained how he got Jaster's armor.

The painting happens in Book 6, and it's fairly early on, I read up to about that point before I had to put it down cause RL things took up too much time for me to read a lot at that point. I really have to read the rest.

That's interesting, I don't remember that... Maby I will have to read it again...

Do you remember when Boba and Anakin first meet and start talking and stuff? While Anakin fixes Slave I Boba goes back inside and that's when he repaints it. I think the book says something like, how he decided he was his own person then and that the colors would match him or something. I can't remember exactly, but I remember when Boba left Slave I again Anakin complimented the new color scheme (or at least commented on it).

Yeah, I remember that part... I don't remember him painting it though... Hm... I'll have to skim through that area of the book.

From the republic's view he is. But not to us Boba/Jango fans. They are the best guys in the Star Wars galexy
Thats my opinion.
FETT IS NOT EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!! THE REPUBLIC IS!!!!! and those stupid jedi
:P:P:P:P:P:P:P:P

AMEN, lol, but yeah, I guess it's your point of view.

I think Fett is really misunderstood. He appears evil to the untrained eye, but he had a rough past. Now, you want evil, Mace Windu just drips of it...

Boba Fett evil????? noooooooooooooo

I agree!!!

Yes, Mace is not the nicest Jedi around, but he's very commited to Jedi ideals and the Republic.  Even though he's the only Jedi who can use Vaapaad (because he's the darkest Jedi in the entire order...) I don't see him as being any more evil than Fett.  I would see Mace saving a baby from a wampa or something like that when Fett wouldn't even give it a second thought.

hes a evil man people killing for money what you think hes gaundi

Soldiers kill for money as well. Does that make them evil?

Soldiers in what sense? Mercenaries, yes. Soldiers such as...the US Army? No, they dont kill for money. They work for their money. In the case they are sent to combat, and given combat pay, its compensation for risking their lives. An E-5 on a battleship (meant for going out and killing), doesnt get paid anymore than an E-5 on...say...an unarmed freighter.

And again, it boils down to point of view. Is a Sniper's job to kill, or to protect his country, with killing being the only option?

Anywho, back on topic.

Evil lay where  individual people draw the line.  Kudar, I belive you contradicted yourself when you said good and evil doesnt depend on what people think, but where it lay morally. Because, whether or not it can be considered morally right or wrong depends on what the individual thinks. To someone with true Antisocial Personality Disorder (AKA, sociopath or psychopath), killing someone isn't morally wrong.

Is Boba evil? Well, the actual definition of an evil person is "one who is morally reprehensible or sinful"  and "one of bad character or conduct"  I would consider murdering someone for money to be bad conduct. No matter how he justifies his actions, he is still no better than an assassin or hitman.  So yes, by the true definition of the word, Boba is evil.

Oh, drat.

And Boba doesn't risk his life?

Well, when I said morally, I had been slightly confused... I was hearing stuff like Republicans are usually use morals in their beleifs or something like that... I can't remember exactly. What I meant was basically what you said, but I will admit that I did contradict myself. Boba is one bad dude.

"Evil exists; it is intellegence in the service of entropy. When the side of a mountain slides down to kill a village, this is not evil, for evil require intent. Sound a sentient being cause that landslide, there is evil; and require Justice as a consequence, so that civilization can exist."
So, the evil are the bounties who steal and kill and rape and hurt. The Justice is Boba hunting them down and either taking them alive which is what he mostly does, or killing them every once in a while when there's either no choice or it's specified as dead.

First you say that soldiers aren't counted as being evil for murder cause it's their job to kill. Therefore they're getting paid for murder, technically. Now you say anyone who murders for money is evil. Therefore you just said soldiers are evil.

I do agree, but Boba is not only hired to kill evil people. He will kill anyone for money, whether they are armed, unarmed, against him, for him, peaceful, innocent, cruel, guilty, it doesn't matter. He will kill or capture anyone or anything for the money. That is what makes him evil.

I had no idea Boba would kill anyone for money, I thought he had a sense of morality about it. Or at least as far as I can remember I can only remember him killing people for money maybe twice?

I am not sure... I always assumed he did... It probably depends on how you think of him. If you think of him as a Mandalorian, he seems very honorable... But as a Bounty Hunter, I don't think so... In the Bounty Hunter Wars he made note that it was best to not ask why the person highering (I think I misspelled that, I am not sure...) him wanted the other person captured. (Or dead.) But I am sure in other sources he is more honorable. Perhaps around the OT time he was less honorable, but he grew more honorable as time passed on... It is difficult to tell...

Ooh, that makes sense, since everyone has their ups and downs, that Boba would go through different stages or spells or whatever. :)

Boba gets highered for bringing in someone alive because they are worth more. Somewhere in the Bounty Hunter Wars it says that it is easier to leave a blood-soaked body laying on a forgotten planet then to bring them in alive, i don't think the part of being highered to bring someone in alive is about hounerablility

I know that. Bringing someone alive can be worse than killing them.

I think it's pointless to argue whether or not someone is evil when it's pretty clear that in the place they're living in, assasination and bounty hunting of this sort are legal.

Remember, in our world (at least in most countries on this planet), bounty hunting is only legal when the target is a fugitive who's skipped bail, and I think the bail bondsman may even need to go to court to get approval.  The whole "bring in this guy I don't like" thing if STRICTLY illegal here.

So I guess I don't think he's evil.  In a place where there's little or no accountability or rule of law, how can he be?