Bounty hunter

For other uses, see Bounty hunter.

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"They're only bounty hunters. They have no allegiance."

―Maul^[16]

Bounty hunters were individuals who could be hired to capture or kill a designated target. The target would have a price or bounty on their heads that would be collected by the bounty hunter upon successful capture or proof of death. Bounty hunters would sometimes team together as part of a larger mission or to handle dangerous targets.

Description[]

"Respected and feared by all those who encounter them, a bounty hunter is part pirate, part mercenary, with just a hint of assassin thrown in for good measure when the job requires. Whereas a pirate usually deals in goods, a bounty hunter deals in people. But not just any people. No, no, no. As their name suggests, bounty hunters are interested only in those who have a high price—or bounty—placed on their heads."

―Hondo Ohnaka^[17]

Bounty Hunter SWU — A bounty hunter in the Anoat sector

A bounty hunter was an individual who could be hired to capture, hunt, or eliminate a designated target if such target had a price or bounty on their heads that could be collected by the bounty hunter, either capturing or killing the target, depending on their clients' wishes.^[3] For the right price, most bounty hunters had no morals and did everything for the money. Aside from the highest bidder, bounty hunters were only loyal to themselves.^[18] Bounties could be put out on the Hunter Net^[19] or given in-person to a hunter.^[20]

"Class one bounty hunter" were known for their exceptional skills, reputation, and ability to take on particularly dangerous or high-profile targets.^[21] Bounty hunters also often associated with the underworld, face-to face and direct commission with a chit card.^[20]

Many bounty hunters acted like mercenaries and were hired to do jobs other than tracking down bounties.^[22]^[23]^[24] Indeed, Greef Karga of the Bounty Hunters' Guild outright stated all hunters were effectively mercenaries, explaining that hunters only stayed around a place if profit or work were to be had.^[25] Although hunters had no true loyalty to them, only staying around for payment^[16] or if a job offering emerged,^[26] Hutts often kept hunters on retainer so as to have more experienced and capable bodyguards protecting them; Jabba the Hutt was one such Hutt who kept several renowned hunters with him or within Hutt palaces throughout the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War.^[22]^[23]^[24] Several bounty hunters also worked as assassins, being hired by employers who would pay a substantial reward for the death of a certain target or targets.^[27]

Independent-minded droids could also act as bounty hunters, to the dismay of the organic bounty hunting professional known as "the Mandalorian," who simply referred to one, the assassin droid IG-11, a "bounty droid."^[20] In cases such as the Haxion Brood Bounty Droid, droids could be reprogrammed to assist hunters in their work.^[15]

History[]

"Bounty hunters! We don't need their scum."

―Imperial Admiral Firmus Piett — 20?cb=20250116042720

▶️ (file info)^[3]

The Tempest Breakers bounty guild was established by former Nihil Tempest Runner Lourna Dee and former Nihil pirate Quin during the High Republic Era.^[28] Bounty hunter Shenda Mol was a figure active in the late Republic Era, during which time she began a spree of mass-murders in her pursuit of bounties; rather than just take out her intended target, she began to indiscriminately wipe out beings in her path as part of a competition with herself to slay one being of every age from zero years of age to two hundred.^[29] Around 66 BBY,^[30] the Jedi Order dispatched a strike team to capture Mol, who was sent to the planet Stygeon Prime to answer for her crimes.^[29] Jango Fett was hired by Tyranus to be the genetic template for the Grand Army of the Republic.^[31] During the Clone Wars, El-Les and Bric were hired to help train the clone troopers.^[1]

AlphDLopez-Textless — Boba Fett, a human male, was considered the best bounty hunter in the galaxy during the Imperial Era.

By the reign of the Galactic Empire, many bounty hunters were affiliated with the Bounty Hunters' Guild, which was authorized by the Imperial Office of Criminal Investigations to issue Imperial Peace-Keeping Certificates,^[32] which gave bounty hunters access to the Imperial Enforcement DataCore.^[33]

Following the Battle of Endor, the Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari attempted to collect New Republic bounties on the Imperial officers Admiral Rae Sloane, Grand Moff Valco Pandion, General Jylia Shale, the financier Arsin Crassus, and the Imperial adviser Yupe Tashu. Emari subsequently joined Norra Wexley's team and played a role in the rebellion on Akiva. In the months after the events of Endor, the bounty hunter Dengar predicted that the new government would start forcing bounties on other bounty hunters.^[34]

In 5 ABY, Grand Admiral Sloane later hired the bounty hunter Mercurial Swift to assassinate Vice Admiral Perwin Gedde and to rescue Commandant Brendol Hux and his son Armitage Hux from Arkanis under orders from Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax. After the Liberation Day attack on Chandrila, the New Republic began denying services to bounty hunters in response to mass paranoia following the attack.^[4]

Later, Swift decided to collect the Black Sun crime lord Gyuti's bounty on Jas Emari. He hired Dengar, Embo, and Jeeta as his crew. However, Emari managed to turn Swift's crew against him by convincing them that the New Republic would reward them for helping to hunt Grand Admiral Sloane. Due to their services during the Battle of Jakku, Dengar, Embo, and Jeeta received full pardons and some money from the New Republic. They then joined Emari's crew.^[35]

Pokkit took low rent jobs for the Bounty Hunters' Guild, although one of her bounties was stolen by a human who she knew as Dash Zentin. She later began working for a private client, and so no longer needed to take work from the Guild.^[36]

Around 9 ABY, a galactic recession led to exceptionally low bounties, making the dangerous profession less attractive. As a result, at the request of the client ordering the bounty or at the discretion of the local Guild boss, high-value targets were assigned to several bounty hunters equipped with identical tracking fobs.^[37]

Stance[]

Work with the Hutt Clan[]

"They want to know who shall take on this very dangerous task."
"That would be me. Cad Bane, at your service. I'll take on any job for the right price."

―TC-70 and Cad Bane^[26]

From before the Clone Wars, bounty hunters had notably worked for the Hutt Clan. For example, Cad Bane and his team freed Ziro the Hutt from prison,^[11] and Sugi and Embo protected the Hutt Council when the renegade Sith Lord Maul and Death Watch attacked.^[16]

Work during the Clone Wars[]

"Make it quick, general. We're charging by the minute, and if my ship gets damaged it will cost you extra."

―Sugi, to Tarfful^[38]

Hunter Instinct SWDL — Bossk, a Trandoshan bounty hunter during the Clone Wars, and beyond

Prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus hired Jango Fett to be the clone template for Kamino's Clone Army. Tyranus then hired Fett and Zam Wesell to assassinate Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo at the behest of Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray.^[31] Tyranus's master, Darth Sidious hired Cad Bane to steal a holocron from the Jedi Temple.^[7] He also hired Embo to attack Senator Rush Clovis.^[39]

Some bounty hunters, such as Sugi, Seripas, Embo, and Rumi Paramita were hired by the Felucian^[10] Casiss Midagatis^[40] to protect his village from the Ohnaka Gang^[10] Sugi and Seripas were then hired by Wookiee General Tarfful to take him and his fellow soldiers to rescue Chewbacca from Trandoshan hunters on Wasskah.^[38] The Kaminoans hired Bric and El-Les to train the clone cadets.^[1] The Republic also placed bounties on wanted fugitives during the Clone Wars, such as Savage Opress.^[41] Even the Separatists offered a million credits a head on any Jedi.^[23] Sib Canay hired Greedo and his Gotal partner to kidnap Pantoran Chairman Papanoida's two daughters to Tatooine and the Droid Control Ship at Pantora.^[6]

Work with the Empire[]

"There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations."

―Darth Vader to a group of bounty hunters^[3]

DevaronianFemale-ND — A female Devaronian bounty hunter during the Imperial Era

The Galactic Empire often employed bounty hunters to hunt down Rebels.^[3] Private individuals could also list bounties on people. Jabba placed a very large bounty on Han Solo^[42] who was captured by Boba Fett.^[3]

The Advanced Science Division hired certain class one bounty hunters, like Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane, to retrieve M-count targets for the Empire.^[21] The class one hunters meet at the Imperial Station 003 where the targets, mostly children, were exchanged with credits in the station's hangars and were then transported to Tantiss Base for experimentation.^[43]

Work with the First Order[]

The First Order employed the bounty hunters to hunt Resistance spies. After the Hosnian Cataclysm, Hamato Xiono warns his son Kazuda Xiono after the First Order has identified him, his actions have put his whole family in danger and that there may be bounty hunters coming after him.^[44] The First Order sent Ax Tagrin to Varkana where Lechee, a First Order collaborator who moved their shipments and materials through black market channels, told him that Norath Kev was a Resistance spy.^[5]