Melvin Fett

"I've never actually successfully collected a bounty before. The other bounty hunters tease me quite a bit. Sometimes I cry."

- Melvin Fett

Melvin Fett was an unsuccessful bounty hunter who operated some time during the Imperial era. He was related to renowned hunters Jango and Boba Fett, making his repeated failures at apprehending bounties even more comical to his peers.

At some point, Melvin accepted a bounty for Senator Jar Jar Binks of Naboo in the hopes of redeeming himself in the eyes of his colleagues. Tracking the Gungan to Tatooine, Melvin was caught unprepared by the planet's harsh climate, which put him at a tactical disadvantage. Such was his confusion that he mistook a Jar Jar Binks commemorative drinking cup for the Senator himself. Although he was able to apprehend the cup, it is unlikely that he was able to collect the bounty associated with Binks.

Early life and career
Melvin Fett was born into the Mandalorian Fett Clan some time prior to the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. The identity of his parents is unknown, though the most likely candidate for his mother is Jango Fett's sister, seeing as Melvin was the cousin of the better-known Boba Fett, and Jango only had one known sibling. As he grew up, Melvin consciously chose to pursue a career as a bounty hunter. What led him to make this unfortunate choice is unknown. He attempted to collect at least a few bounties, but was unable to do so every time, which caused his fellow bounty hunters to tease him.

The Senator Binks incident
"I thought Tatooine was supposed to be a dessert planet!?"

- Melvin Fett

Hoping to prove himself to his colleagues, Melvin accepted a bounty for Senator Jar Jar Binks of Naboo from an unknown source. The intelligence he gathered on the Gungan led Melvin to Tatooine, which he mistakenly identified as a "dessert" planet instead of a "desert" planet. In the hopes of an easy and glorious catch on a world of cupcakes and ice cream, Melvin journeyed to the sunny Tatoo system.

Upon arrival in the deserts of Tatooine, Melvin was surprised to learn that while the planet's environment offered little in the way of confectionery, it did have mass amounts of sand and two scorching suns. Melvin had brought his heavy Mandalorian armor which only made matters worse&mdash;he started sweating heavily in the warm climate, and experienced optical pains that obstructed his eyesight. Disoriented, yet still motivated, Melvin eventually made his way to an area in close proximity to a cold drinks outlet.

Before long, he happened upon an unidentified local Jawa laden with a Senator Jar Jar Binks commemorative drinking cup filled with soda. The drinking receptacle's top resembled the Senator himself, and was equipped with "talking action"; it would play loud audio clips of Senator Jar Jar. Melvin immediately recognized the voice of his prey, but due to his reduced visual ability he mistook the Gungan-shaped cup for the amphibian Senator. He pulled his blaster pistol to apprehend the Gungan, but tripped over a small, black desert rock, causing him to fall to the ground and hurl the blaster at the unsuspecting Jawa owner. The weapon knocked the native unconscious, and the novelty cup flew into Melvin's hands. Happy to have successfully collected what he thought was his first bounty, Melvin looked forward to telling the other bounty hunters of his deed. Melvin concurred with the commemorative cup's cry of "Mesa thirsty!" though it is unknown whether or not he celebrated his small victory with refreshments. Although he did not realize it yet, Melvin had once again failed to get his bounty. It is not known if Melvin took on any more bounty hunting assignments following the Jar Jar Binks fiasco.

Personality and traits
His ineptitude at his profession was a constant point of disappointment for Melvin, and a trait that earned him the ridicule of his fellow bounty hunters. The constant mocking and lack of respect from his peers caused Melvin to shed tears on more than one occasion. Regardless of their scorn, Melvin yearned for the acceptance of his detractors. He was quite clumsy and easily fooled, which may have been the reason for his repeated failures at collecting bounties. Despite his lack of professional success, Melvin maintained a positive outlook on life. When he successfully apprehended what he thought to be Senator Jar Jar Binks, he was ecstatic, looking forward to being recognized as an equal by the bounty hunters with whom he socialized. Melvin would often talk to himself, spewing forth lengthy monologues on the details of his mission and revealing his deepest feelings for anyone to hear. He enjoyed eating cupcakes and ice cream.

Gear and equipment
Melvin Fett wore a suit of Mandalorian armor closely resembling that of Boba Fett, presumably to protect him against blaster fire. It consisted of a green jumpsuit that covered even his boots, and was adorned with protective padding on his elbows and knees. His gut and chest were covered by a thick armored carapace. The padding was secured by brown straps, the likes of which also supported his holster. Melvin's head sported a green- and red-painted Mandalorian Supercommando helmet that was complemented by a broadband antenna of unknown signal strength. He wore light green protective gloves, and his neck area was defended by a thin, dark green scarf.

His gear also included what appeared to be either a backpack or a jetpack. All the heavy equipment he carried had its drawbacks. It caused him to sweat heavily and muddled his eyesight under the Mandalorian visor when he visited planets with warm climates. Melvin also carried a blaster of unknown model with him on missions.

Behind the scenes
Melvin Fett's first and only appearance was in the short comic titled Melvin Fett which was collected in Star Wars Tales 20. His story was created, written, and drawn by author and artist James Kochalka. It is also interesting to note that Melvin Fett bears an uncanny resemblance to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which only adds to his comical nature.

Appearances

 * Melvin Fett