When you have a problematic band of rebels running loose across the galaxy, or a scruffy-looking nerf herder who owes you a debt, who do you look to for help? If your Darth Vader or Jabba the Hutt you turn to the universe’s greatest bounty hunters. While many know all there is to know about the iconic Boba Fett, what about the other bounty hunters? How much do you know about them?
One of the first bounty hunters we meet in Star Wars is the the antenna-sporting, bug-eyed Rodain, named Greedo. Greedo was a born hunter who descended from a race of creatures that routinely hunted one another in gladiatorial combat. Initially both Greedo and Han Solo worked odd jobs for the crime boss, Hutt. However, after a smuggling job by Solo resulted in the loss of Hutt’s cargo, a bounty was placed on Solo’s head. One Greedo was more than willing to collect. After tracking Solo to the Mos Eisley cantina, Greedo was shot point blank by Solo’s concealed blaster. While this scene premiered in 1977, debates over “who shot first” continue to this day.
Following the explosion of the Death Star, Darth Vader was relentlessly pursuing Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Rebel Alliance. With an entire Galactic Empire and Imperial Fleet to command, Vader needed as many hands working to stop these Rebels as he could get. Vader promised the hunters there would be “a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon,” adding that they can use whatever methods necessary as long as the rebels are brought in alive. The promise of such a “substantial reward” from a powerful Sith Lord was enough to motivate these hunters into action.
That included one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, the Trandoshan named Bossk. As a Trandoshan, Bossk was a large reptilian sentient humanoid who relished the thrill of a hunt. Despite being renowned for primarily hunting Wookies, Bossk never shied from using his natural hunting instincts to collect a big check. Although hunting Solo placed Bossk in competition with Boba Fett, the pair had previously worked together. During the Clone Wars, Bossk mentored Boba Fett and later joined his syndicate of bounty hunters working for clients like Otua Blank and Asajj Ventress. Clearly Bossk’s mentoring was a little too successful as Boba Fett ultimately beats him to the bounty. However, Bossk wasn’t the only bounty hunter enlisted that day.
Although manufactured to be a protocol droid on a luxury liner, 4-Lom suffered from some logic glitches and personality software corruption. These glitches allowed 4-Lom to override his programming and become an intergalactic thief and bounty hunter. More often than not, 4-Lom allied himself with the Gand, Zuckuss. As a Gand, Zuckuss breathed ammonia, forcing him to wear a respirator to survive oxygen-rich atmospheres. While 4-Lom’s robotic nature allowed him to be cold and calculating; Zuckuss followed in the centuries old Gand tradition of being a findsman – a group revered for their uncanny tracking skills. Despite the notion that “two heads are better than one,” this bounty hunter team was unable to secure the Millennium Falcon.
Another rogue droid who responded to the call of Darth Vader was IG-88. As an assassin droid, IG-88 was independently programmed and specifically designed for the purpose of assassination. From the moment he was activated, IG-88 recognized his skill and desire to kill and went rogue. Similar to Bossk, IG-88 also has a history with Boba Fett, albeit a far less polite one. With his arsenal of weapons, including blaster rifles, concussion disks, and a flamethrower, IG-88 was considered a chief rival of Boba Fett. After IG-88 was unable to track the Millennium Falcon, he decided to trail Boba Fett instead. A fatal decision, as after following Boba Fett to Bespin, the bounty hunter destroyed the assassin droid.
The final bounty hunter enlisted by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, Dengar, had perhaps the biggest motivator for wanting to capture the Millennium Falcon. During an unsanctioned race between Solo and Dengar in their youth, Solo burned Dengar’s face with his bike’s exhausts and caused him to suffer a major crash. As a result of the crash, many of Dengar’s organs were replaced with cybernetics, and the only emotions he was left with were rage and despair. Nicknamed “Payback,” Dengar was feared nearly as much as Boba Fett. Unfortunately, as viewers well know, Dengar never did get his payback against Solo, as Boba Fett beat him to the punch.
Although Dengar never did get what he wanted, Dengar fans have the chance to get what they want! Namely, an AFA-graded 80 NM original 41 Back-A blister card, containing a 3-3/4” tall action figure of Dengar. This exceptional lot will be included in Hake’s Americana & Collectibles Auction #222, which features select pieces from the Star Wars Collection of Russell Branton. Bidding for Auction #222 opens on October 24, 2017 and closes November 14-16. Head over to hakes.com to browse further selections to this upcoming auction.
