Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #37As one of the most successful bounty hunters in the Star Wars galaxy, Jango Fett knew a thing or two about contracts, and the burdens they imposed. This makes it all the more surprising that he’d enter into a contract with the cloning specialists of Kamino that puts him at a substantial disadvantage.
In Ethan Sacks and Davide Tinto’s Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #37, fans learn a startling new detail about the agreement between Jango Fett, Count Dooku, and the Kaminoans that led to the creation of the Clone Army. As made clear previously in Joy Hauser and Luke Ross’ Age of Republic – Jango Fett #1, the agreement originally seemed quite favorable to Fett. Not only was he paid handsomely for providing his genetic material as a template for the clones, and training the initial cohort of soldiers, but was also given a son – Boba Fett. However, what wasn’t known until now was that Fett had an ongoing duty to “survive.” While this might not seem too burdensome of a contract clause to most people in the galaxy, it seems grossly unreasonable for a bounty hunter who makes a living by risking his life and has countless enemies who would love to see him dead.
Jango Fett Was The Very Model Of A Modern Clone Soldier
When it came to galactic criminal justice, vacuums of official power and reach were often filled by bounty hunters – soldiers of fortune who would readily take on any task from capturing a fugitive to assassinating a most wanted target. Often having to fend for themselves, successful bounty hunters were battle-hardened, experienced fighters. During the later years of the Galactic Republic, Jango Fett was the deadliest bounty hunter in the galaxy – one who stood head and shoulders above rest. That is, he was a perfect warrior in one of the most deadly and unforgiving professions in the galaxy. That’s what made him, in the minds of Palpatine and Count Dooku, the perfect specimen from which to create an army of clone soldiers.
The Kaminoan Contract And The Clause Too Far
While it made sense that Fett was chosen as a template, it made even more sense for the Kaminoans and Dooku to slip in the “stay alive” clause. It gave the Kaminoans an ongoing, unadulterated live specimen to use until the desired number of clones was created. And for Dooku, who certainly knew the life expectancy of even the best bounty hunter was never good, it could play to his advantage. Indeed, if keeping up their end of the bargain became a problem, they had ample means of making sure Fett did not survive.
Conversely, while the payment to Fett was worthy consideration for what he was required to provide, his ongoing duty to stay alive doesn’t make much sense. This is especially true for an experienced bounty hunter who made a living traveling around the galaxy hunting for people so dangerous that not even the authorities could catch them. Fett knew how dangerous his profession and lifestyle are, so agreeing to a contract with a condition to stay alive is ludicrous. This is most obviously demonstrated in the Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #37 scene where the “stay alive” clause is first revealed. In the scene, Fett is literally in a fight for his life as he’s being chased by a squadron of armed ships trying to shoot him down.
One way he could have fulfilled the clause would be by simply retiring. To be sure, he was offered a home on Kamino, and he could have easily lived out his days raising his son and training the newly established Clone Army. But such a quiet life was clearly not a very attractive option for Jango Fett, who, after becoming rich beyond compare, still enjoyed bounty hunting across the Star Wars galaxy.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #37 is available now from Marvel Comics.
