Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Book of Boba Fett episode 6
Cad Bane makes his live-action debut in The Book of Boba Fett episode 5, working with the Pyke Syndicate for more reasons than one. In “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger,” Boba Fett’s newfound enemy, the dreaded Pyke Syndicate, begins their war with his fledgling criminal empire, hiring the legendary bounty hunter Cad Bane as their enforcer. Bane has a long and storied history in Star Wars canon, and while his vocation makes his affiliation with the Pykes unsurprising, his past with two of The Book of Boba Fett’s lead characters make his actions both professional and personal.
Cad Bane first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where he worked for the Hutt Clan and the Separatist Alliance, brutally killing Republic forces, including Jedi Knights and their elite Clone Troopers. After Jango Fett died, Bane became known as the galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter, a title that would soon be stolen by Boba Fett during the reign of the Galactic Empire. Despite this, Bane is still an exceptional mercenary, whose lethal reflexes and marksmanship are shown in his The Book of Boba Fett appearance.
As a bounty hunter, Cad Bane’s loyalty is to the highest bidder, so his association with the Pykes seems rather straightforward. As shown throughout the Star Wars franchise, however, Bane has a history with both Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, with each having bested him and damaged his reputation at different points. With this in mind, Bane working for the Pykes is more than a job—it’s also an opportunity for revenge.
![Why Cad Bane Is Working With The Pyke Syndicate](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Screen-Shot-2022-02-02-at-12.47.10.png)
An unaired story arc in The Clone Wars would have had Cad Bane train Boba Fett in the bounty hunting trade, helping him hone his skills and match those of his father, Jango. The story arc would have seen the two become bitter rivals by the end and they’d have faced off against each other in a western-style standoff. The standoff would end in both blasting each other in the head, but Boba Fett’s helmet would protect him while Bane would require cranial cybernetic reconstruction. Bane’s appearance in Star Wars: The Bad Batch includes these cybernetics, confirming that his storyline happened offscreen.
The Bad Batch also sees the veteran bounty hunter Bane face off against the then-novice Fennec Shand, with each hunter competing for the same target. Despite her lack of experience, Fennec Shand was more than a match for Bane, interfering with his pursuit of the unaltered clone Omega and resulting in both bounty hunters failing to capture her. Fennec Shand co-leads Boba Fett’s criminal empire, so Bane’s partnership with the Pykes puts him in a position to kill two birds with one stone.
Cad Bane has remained active in the bounty hunting field, but he likely hasn’t forgotten about the two bounty hunters who defeated him, with Fett supplanting him as the galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter. Cad Bane brought up Boba Fett’s ruthlessness and past work for the Empire when confronting Cobb Vanth, perhaps trying to taint Fett’s more honorable reputation in addition to working with his enemies. The Book of Boba Fett is heading towards an exciting conclusion, with Cad Bane using the Pyke Syndicate as a means of exacting revenge on Boba Fett and Fennec Shand.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett air Wednesdays on Disney+.
Key Release Dates
Rogue Squadron
Release Date:2023-12-22