- "Cad Bane at your service. I'll take on any job… for the right price."
- ―Cad Bane
Cad Bane was a Duros male bounty hunter and mercenary in the galaxy whose career spanned from the fall of the Galactic Republic, the reign of the Galactic Empire and into the era of the New Republic. After the unceremonious demise of Jango Fett at the First Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY, Bane was considered the best and one of the most experienced bounty hunters of the era. Although his infamy grew during the Clone Wars in particular, Bane had a high standing both within the underworld and amongst other bounty hunters, working with the likes of Aurra Sing years before the onset of the war. He even ran a temporary contract for the Sith Lord Darth Maul. He specialized in fighting Jedi and dueled with some of the most skilled Jedi during the Clone Wars, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. His reputation led him to be repeatedly employed by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, working for him on numerous projects, including infiltrating the Jedi Temple to steal a kyber memory crystal containing a list of Force-sensitive children throughout the galaxy.
Bane was later hired by the gangster Jabba the Hutt to free Jabba's uncle, Ziro Desilijic Tiure, out of Republic prison. After a successful mission, Bane was re-hired to track down Ziro when he fled. Bane found Ziro dead on Teth and eventually dueled Kenobi and Quinlan Vos, using a variety of weapons to hold his own against the two Jedi before fleeing. Later into the war, Bane was brought in by Darth Sidious' then-Sith apprentice, Count Dooku, to participate in the Box, surviving the deadly challenges before being appointed the overseer of the plot to kidnap the Supreme Chancellor. However, their plans were foiled when it was revealed that Kenobi had infiltrated their ranks, disguised as bounty hunter Rako Hardeen, and Bane was arrested along with the rest of the group.
Bane was still active during the early reign of the Galactic Empire. At this time, he was hired by Kaminoan Prime Minister Lama Su to retrieve an unaltered female clone named Omega and although he initially accomplished his task, he was ultimately thwarted by the intervention of both fellow hunter Fennec Shand and Clone Force 99.
Nonetheless, he continued to provide his services to the highest bidder after the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the New Republic. In 9 ABY, Bane was working for the Pyke Syndicate on Tatooine, assisting the nefarious cartel in their expansion of the spice trade onto the planet. After a confrontation with his old apprentice, Boba Fett, he was defeated and stabbed through the chest in the streets of Mos Espa, killing him.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Born on the planet Duro[1] around 62 BBY,[2] Cad Bane eventually became a bounty hunter. During the early stages of his career, Bane was briefly mentored by fellow bounty hunter Jango Fett.[18] He came to owe Fett several favors as well, but he never ended up paying them back.[20] In time, Bane himself would gain a reputation as a famous bounty hunter.[21] Bane was once involved in an embarrassing incident on[20] the planet[22] Corellia. He had encounters with the Jedi that left him with the belief they always offered a fair fight.[20]
At some point prior to the Battle of Naboo, Cad Bane was contracted by the Sith Lord Darth Maul and met with him on Nar Shaddaa. He, along with fellow bounty hunters Aurra Sing, Troo-tril-tek, and Vorhdeilo assisted Maul in acquiring Jedi Padawan Eldra Kaitis from Xev Xrexus' auction.[12] During the auction, Bane and Vorhdeilo killed several of Jee Kra's crew aboard his Shekelesh-class freight gunship. Bane, along with Maul, Sing and Vorhdeilo then met up with Kra and Kaitis at Kra's gunship. Bane piloted the stolen ship after Maul subdued the Moogan thugs. Uneasy with their mysterious employer, Bane and Sing then discussed potentially killing Maul.[23]
However, their ship was sabotaged,[23] and they were forced to crash-land on the Moon of Drazkel. Bane along with Maul, Kaitis, Sing, and Vorhdeilo survived the crash. The Duros bounty hunter then concluded that Xrexus was making a sport and profit out of them, by giving each of the parties that attended the auction the chance to track them down and claim the Jedi Padawan for themselves. As Maul took Kaitis with him, Bane, Sing and Vorhdeilo prepared to fight Xrexus' clients. Bane fought several Trandoshans alongside Vorhdeilo and Sing.[24]The three bounty hunters then stole a ship from the Ohnaka Gang after he took the last of the Trandoshans. Bane and the others picked up Maul and left him to take out Xrexus at her hideout.[25]
The Clone Wars[]
Hunter amid war[]
- "Cad Bane, who needs no introduction."
- ―Count Dooku, introducing Bane
Prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Jango Fett's clone son, Boba Fett, had learned of Bane.[21] During the conflict, Bane became one of the main bounty hunters after the demise of Jango on Geonosis. Subsequently, he found himself hired by many of the galaxy's highest bidders, including the Confederacy of Independent Systems[15] and the Hutt Clan.[19] Bane also acquired the Techno-service droid Todo 360,[5], who carried out his whims faithfully in spite of his mistreatment. Over the course of the war, he would kill many of the Galactic Republic's clone troopers, teaching him how to defeat them, a fact which he would eventually brag about.[27] However, he believed the Jedi Order had changed as the war continued, saying that they no longer offered the fair fights he once associated them with.[20]
Heist at the Jedi Temple[]
- "Excuse the interruption. As I was saying, bounty hunter, I have need of your services."
"I'm listening." - ―Darth Sidious and Cad Bane
During the War, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious reached out to Bane, whom he needed to obtain a holocron from the Holocron Vault in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Initially hesitant at the risks of the operation, the bounty hunter was eventually persuaded to accept when the Sith Lord implied rumors of his talents may have been "exaggerated". Sidious provided Bane with a map of the Jedi temple and a security chip containing the temple's security systems. Bane installed the chip into Todo, in addition to a bomb unbeknownst to the latter, and also subcontracted a fellow bounty hunter, the Clawdite Cato Parasitti, to aid him from inside the temple by posing as the deceased Jedi Ord Enisence.
With his plan set, Bane and his accomplices proceeded to the Jedi Temple and set their plan into motion. Bane and Todo used their rocket boots to reach an unattended overhang on the side of the Jedi Temple, close to the building's roof. With Parasitti at a computer terminal in the Archive Library, Todo was able to locate a weak point in the Temple's energy shield and opened up an aperture in the shield with a touch of his finger.[5]
Bane and his droid zoomed in through the breach and found the Holocron Vaults. While Bane used his gauntlet to cut through the safe's lock mechanism, Todo deactivated the remainder of the laser beams surrounding the vault's entrance before slice through the wall and cut a passage to the Temple's communication center on Bane's orders.
When he lost contact with Parasitti as her cover had been blown by Ahsoka Tano, Bane was unable to access the diagrams that would help him deactivate the lock. After ordering Todo to go to the communication center, Bane primed a bomb to break through the vault's lock. The hunter hid from the approaching jedi Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and waited until the pair had followed Todo to the communication center before emerging from the shadows. Bane heaved the Holocron Vaults' door open all the way and proceeded unopposed into the room, where he extracted the holocron from its holding place.
With Todo exploding from the bomb implanted on him by Bane and Parasatti being apprehended by the Jedi Council, Bane successfully escaped the temple, unnoticed with the holocron.[5]
Skirmish over Devaron[]
- "What do you want?"
"This holocron contains information I've been paid to collect. I can't unlock it, but you can. The last Jedi who had it wouldn't open it. I hope you don't make the same mistake." - ―Anakin Skywalker and Cad Bane
Cad Bane escaped Coruscant with the stolen holocron. Darth Sidious asked Viceroy Nute Gunray loan him a small fleet of Munificent-class star frigates to help Bane carry out his next assignment: to kidnap Jedi Master Bolla Ropal and have him combine the holocron and the Kyber memory crystal, which was held by the Rodian. Bane initiated a ground attack on the surface of Devaron and captured both Ropal and the kyber crystal.[28]
However, a fleet of Republic ships, led by Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, came to Devaron, and in the ensuing battle, most frigates were destroyed, leaving only the vessel with Bane and Ropal on board. Skywalker had his fleet destroy the hyperdrive of the Separatist flagship, preventing him from going into hyperspace. Bane then attempted to force Ropal to open it by torturing him. However, Ropal died due to the unbearable torture before he could open the holocron. To the exasperated Gunray's relief, Bane then came up with a plan to force Skywalker and his apprentice to open the holocron. Bane arranged an ambush on the gun deck for Skywalker, Tano, Rex, and their troops.[28]
At first Bane and the droids placed at his disposal had the upper hand in the ambush. However, Bane almost lost the crystal to Skywalker. When the gravity came back on, Bane retrieved the crystal and was able to lure Skywalker's apprentice away from the gunfight. Bane subdued Tano, took a piece of her Padawan braid, and placed her in front of an airlock. Bane was then confronted by Skywalker, who demanded his surrender.[28]
However, Bane threatened to kill Tano if Skywalker refused to combine the holocron and memory crystal. Skywalker thus complied. Bane was successful and made his escape when he opened the airlock. Bane was then contacted by Gunray, who wanted Bane to transmit the crystal's information in exchange for his rescue. However, the wary Bane refused, preferring to plan his own escape. Bane was then confronted by two clone troopers, Denal and Koho.[28]
At first, Skywalker and the others saw that Denal shot Bane dead, but did not have time to retrieve the holocron. However, the Jedi Knight could sense the bounty hunter,[28] who faked his death and took his victim's armor. One of the troopers and Tano discovered his ruse when they found his blood, which had come from an injury he sustained during his fight with Denal, and saw that he was not a clone. Bane then knocked Tano out and stole a V-19 Torrent starfighter, before fleeing to Black Stall Station.[29]
Kidnapping Force-sensitive children[]
- "Kidnapping innocent children? Seems like a small-time crime for the likes of you."
- ―Cad Bane, to Darth Sidious
After obtaining the holocron from the Jedi Temple, Darth Sidious tasked Cad Bane with kidnapping four Force-sensitive children for a secret project on Mustafar. After the bounty hunter got away the Rodian child Wee Dunn from Rodia and the Nautolan child Zinn Toa from Glee Anselm, Skywalker and Tano arrested him as he attempted to retrieve Roo-Roo Page from Jan-gwa city on Naboo. The two Jedi, along with Masters Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi, attempted to interrogate the captive Bane, with little success aboard the Resolute, reaching the conclusion that the latter probably dreaded his employer than he feared them. Apparently yielding to the torturous mind-probing, Bane relented to taking Windu, Kenobi, and Cody to the space station, where he claimed that both the children and the holocron were; only the holocron was present. However, the bounty hunter was able to have the Jedi trigger a trap and made his escape.[29]
Senate hostage crisis[]
- "I'm in control. I make the rules now."
- ―Cad Bane, to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
By the time of his future endeavors, Bane had had Todo 360 rebuilt. Bane was later hired by Daimyo Jabba the Hutt[19] to free his captive uncle, Ziro, from the Republic's high-security prison on Coruscant.[30] The bounty hunter started by having his sidekick and HELIOS-3E kidnap Senator Padmé Amidala's protocol droid, C-3PO, and Skywalker's astromech, R2-D2, in order to get blueprints for the Senate Building. After retrieving the knowledge, Bane had the two droids' memories erased and returned to ensure his plans would not be discovered.[19]
Bane subsequently traveled to Tatooine, where both Jabba and the rest of the Hutt Council agreed that Bane would be the one to free Ziro before he could expose the Hutt Council records to the Galactic Senate.[19] Bane, along with a team of other bounty hunters that included Aurra Sing, Shahan Alama, Robonino, HELIOS-3D, HELIOS-3E, a pair of droid commandos, and another IG-86 sentinel droid, then made their way to the Senate Building. As Bane distracted the Senate Guards, Sing and the rest of the team took them out, with the Duros strangling the last one. As the two commando droids posed as Senate Guards in their requisitioned uniforms, the bounty hunter and his team went inside. There, Bane was able to kill the remaining Senate Guards as they went to speak with the senators, before hesitantly leaving Robonino to turn the power off.[30]
Bane found a group of senators that were discussing the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. At first, the unintimidated Senator Philo refused to cooperate with Bane and his team. To scare the former's colleagues into submission, the Duros shot the Gran representative in the back and had his team threaten the other senators. Bane then contacted Chancellor Palpatine - the public alter ego of Darth Sidious - and demanded a pardon disk for Ziro. After the power was shut down, the bounty hunters searched the senators for communication devices and weapons. When Bane saw Amidala looking at Skywalker on the balcony, he sent Alama and the IG-86 droid after him.[30]
Bane contacted Palpatine again and told him that HELIOS-3D would come and take Senator Orn Free Taa to the prison where Ziro would be released with the pardon disk as part of a hostage exchange. Bane was then told by Alama that Skywalker did not have his lightsaber with him. Bane sent Sing with Alama to find Skywalker and then had HELIOS-3D take Taa to the prison where Ziro was to be freed and return to the Senate Building to pick up the rest of the team.[30]
After Skywalker was subdued, Bane set up a laser web to ensure that the senators would not make any unwise move. As the bounty hunter and his team left, he warned Palpatine not to do anything else that day against him. As his posse left, Bane was confronted by Commander Fox and his detachment of the Coruscant Guard. The Duros was then contacted by the Chancellor, who demanded that he stand down. However, the confident gun-for-hire threatened to kill the senators if he was not allowed to leave. Thus, Palpatine and Fox stood as Bane and his team rendezvoused with Ziro and HELIOS-3D. As they left, the Hutt congratulated him on his job,[30] despite knowing that his old peers in council wanted him just for the council records.[14] Bane offered Ziro a room filled with dead senators as payback, before reminding Ziro that the time to pay up was near since he did not work for free, much to the latter's chagrin.[30] Amidst their escape, the bounty hunter gang was pursued by the Jedi down one of Coruscant's underworld portals. In desperation, Bane blasted the engine of an ascending cargo transport. As the ship spun out of control, the Jedi took control of it and steered it clear of a populated landing platform, allowing Bane and his crew to escape with their bounty.[31]
Hunt for Ziro[]
- "I'm kind of tired of being paid for this job, too. But not that tired."
- ―Cad Bane, to Gardulla the Hutt
The bounty hunter once again lent his talents to the Hutt crime families after Ziro escaped his prison on Nal Hutta with the help of singer Sy Snootles. Unbeknownst to Bane, the Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlan Vos were also after Ziro, hoping to recapture Ziro. He eventually tracked down the Hutt to the planet Teth only to find him already dead, murdered by Snootles, who had used him to find a holodiary recording the dealings of the Hutt families for Jabba. After a brief battle against the two Jedi which required all of his kills and tech, Bane once again evaded capture.[14]
Count Dooku's plan[]
Prison break on Coruscant[]
- "It's not the first time I've broken out of this stinkhole."
- ―Cad Bane to Moralo Eval and Rako Hardeen
At a certain point during the war, Bane was apprehended by the Republic for his crimes and imprisoned in the Central Detention Center. However, he merely allowed himself to be captured as part of his latest job. He had been hired by Moralo Eval, a criminal mastermind working for Darth Sidious' right-hand, Count Dooku, to break him out of prison.[15] Promising Bane a great amount of money,[20] Eval was deeply involved in a Separatist plot to kidnap Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and was also planning on recruiting Bane for his plan. Not long thereafter, the former became interested in recruiting Rako Hardeen, a bounty hunter sharpshooter, who was imprisoned for presumably killing Obi-Wan Kenobi, after watching him fight with some of the inmates. Eval had Hardeen brought to his own cell to talk with him and introduced him to Bane, who had taken an immediate strong dislike of Hardeen and was definitely not in for breaking the latter out as well, so Eval had Hardeen brought back to his cell. Neither Bane nor Eval knew that Hardeen was in fact Kenobi in disguise, only there to learn about Dooku's plan.[15]
Promising them some of his payment, Bane persuaded two fellow bounty hunters imprisoned in the facility, Jango's son Boba Fett and the Trandoshan Bossk'wassak'Cradossk,[20] to start a riot as a diversion for him and Eval to escape. The young boy was successful, and the two plotters escaped in the ensuing chaos. Hardeen followed them into the hallways, and although Bane was against it, he reluctantly let Hardeen come along, as Eval thought he might be of use. Bane's plan was to escape the facility via the mortuary, but the lock of the mortuary doors had been changed and Bane was unable to open them. Hardeen told his comrades to stand guard while he figured it out and secretly used the Force to open the lock. The three quickly climbed into the coffins meant to send the victims of the riot to the cremation center. The clones in the cremation center found out that the people in the coffins were still alive. The trio quickly climbed out of the coffins.[15]
One of the clones tried to shoot Bane, who used another clone to shield himself from the blast, before disarming and killing the clone that shot with his own gun. Hardeen disarmed the third clone, but hesitated to kill him. The clone triggered the alarm before Bane executed him. The Duros angrily asked the sniper why he did not take the shot, and the latter claimed that his blaster jammed. The trio made their way to a landing platform, the veteran bounty hunter shooting more guards in the process. They stole a police speeder and used it to fly to the docks, where they stole a cargo ship from a Quarren pilot, which they used to escape Coruscant. Once in the air Bane hit Hardeen in the face for hesitating to shoot the clone in the cremation center. Eval, however, was most pleased that Hardeen had come along and considered involving him again.[15]
Trouble on Nal Hutta[]
- "Relax. On this slime pool, everybody's an outlaw."
- ― Cad Bane, to his comrades while on Nal Hutta
Following their escape from Coruscant, Bane, Hardeen, and Eval crashed their ship in the swamps of Nal Hutta. The three fugitives then went to the Bilbousa Bazaar, where they visited Pablo's pawnshop to purchase equipment and a new hat for the Duros. Bane then threatened Pablo with a toothpick to silence him and later sent Hardeen to get a new ship while he and Eval got weapons and supplies. The bounty hunter then decided to turn Hardeen over to Gardulla and her guards due to his mistrust of him.[32]
However, as Eval and Bane left, they were shot down by the guards' HH-87 Starhoppers. They then left the ship only to find Hardeen having a drink at the saloon. There, Bane and Eval were surprised to learn that he acquired another ship for them.[32]
Tournament on Serenno[]
- "If you're gonna kill him, do it like a man."
- ―Cad Bane, to Moralo Eval, after saving Rako Hardeen
The trio made it to Serenno, where they met the Count. Both Bane and Hardeen demanded their payment, but instead Dooku asked them to take part in a special bounty hunter tournament that could gain them a much larger payment. The two reluctantly accepted with the Duros suspecting that it would be a deadly contest and that not all participants would survive.[26] Noticing it resembled his old hat and deciding it was better than the hat he got on Nal Hutta,[20] Bane then spotted the hat of fellow contestant Bulduga and asked the bounty hunter how he got it. Bulduga responded by drawing his blaster pistol, but the Duros was faster and shot the Ithorian in the chest, killing him in front of his brother Onca. Bane then mockingly took Bulduga's hat and dropped his old hat on Bulduga's body. Shortly thereafter, Dooku gathered the contestants for a briefing on the tournament.[26]
Dooku introduced the other candidates: Kiera Swan, Derrown, Sixtat, Jakoli, Embo, Twazzi, Onca, Sinrich, and Mantu. He then showed them "The Box," a floating cubelike station that served as the tournament arena. He explained that five most skilled among the survivors would participate in a job that would pay very well, while any remaining survivors would be eliminated to protect this job. Eval proceeded to explain that The Box was designed by him to simulate some situations that might happen on the job and the bounty hunters had to hand in their weapons. They were then escorted to an elevator that led into The Box, and the tournament started.[26]
The contestants found themselves in a room, and Eval appeared on a screen to mention that the only rule during the contest was that there were no rules. Thereafter a hole in the floor opened, releasing lethal dioxis gas. Platforms started to rise from the ground to escape the gas. Bane kicked Mantu off a platform to get on it. When the platforms started to rise too much towards the ceiling the group found themselves between getting crushed by the ceiling and a layer of dioxis below them. Hardeen deduced that the way out of the room was not in the ceiling but was somewhere in the floor. Hardeen found out that there was a hole in the floor that led to a tunnel below the gas line and to another room. Bane and the others followed Hardeen's example and survived the first test without casualties.[26]
The tunnel led to a second room where Eval appeared on screen again and commented that the second test unlike the first would result in some casualties. Suddenly columns with electrified blades started to shove in and out the walls. Onca and Swan ended up impaled on the blades, and Sinrich was killed by Embo. Hardeen discovered a pattern in the way the columns shoved in and out and noticed it led to a hole in the ceiling of the room. He showed his discovery to Bane, who told him to go to the hole. Bane and the others followed Hardeen in his climb and made it to the shaft in the ceiling that led to a third room.[26]
In the next room, the group once again received instructions from Eval, who told them to pass through his ray shield to switch it off with a button that was positioned behind the shield. Eval revealed a tube in the middle of the room. The tube contained a serum that allowed the user to pass through the shield unharmed. It was, however, toxic to all but one of them. The ray shield appeared and started to close in on the group. After a while the floor became ray shielded as well, killing Jakoli and forcing the rest on a platform in the center of the room. When Derrown wanted to take the serum, Bane protested, but Hardeen told him to let Derrown take the serum as he was a Parwan and his blood could take the serum. When the ray shield closed in more and more, the platform became smaller and smaller, and Mantu was killed by the shield. Derrown was, however, able to inject the serum into his blood, pass through the shield and successfully deactivate the shield in time, allowing the remaining contestants to proceed to the fourth and final challenge.[26]
In the fourth room, the group was positioned on a platform above a fiery pit. Eval appeared and informed them that this test was about sharpshooter skills. One of them had to hit a target that moved very fast across the back wall with a sniper rifle. Sixtat volunteered and hit the target twice. His third shot missed, however, and as a result he fell into the flames. Hardeen then took the sniper rifle and made an attempt as well, successfully hitting the target three times. Although Hardeen completed the task, Eval moved the platform to separate Hardeen from the others. Dooku had noticed that Hardeen had been the cause of success on every test and planned on putting Hardeen in charge of the mission rather than Eval. Eval wanted Hardeen to hit some more targets. Hardeen hit another four, but then the rifle was empty and Eval saw his chance to get rid of him. When he tried drop Hardeen in the flames, Bane used his whipcord to prevent Hardeen from falling. Eval was angry with this, but Bane told him that if he wanted to kill Hardeen he should do it like a man in a fair fight. Dooku agreed and dropped Eval in the room to fight Hardeen face to face. Eval didn't play fair and used his remote control to activate a few traps in the room and sent in some probe droids to kill Hardeen. Nevertheless, Hardeen defeated Eval eventually, and Dooku ordered Hardeen to finish Eval off. Hardeen, being a Jedi in disguise, refused to kill Eval, to Dooku's disappointment. Dooku, however, congratulated the remaining bounty hunters for surviving the Box and announced that the job was in fact to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine during the upcoming Festival of Light on Naboo. He also announced that Bane would lead the mission.[26]
Kidnapping the Supreme Chancellor[]
- "Kenobi! I should have known. Something smelled wrong about you from the start."
"Well, spending so much time with you was no reward either."
"Reward?! I'll give you a reward when I plug you full of laser bolts!" - ―Cad Bane and Obi-Wan Kenobi, after the latter revealed his true identity
Bane, along with Dooku, Eval, and the other bounty hunters, met up in a hangar in Theed. Bane then assigned the bounty hunters their individual parts in the Chancellor's kidnapping, with his own role being to infiltrate the crowd and help apprehend the Chancellor. As the other bounty hunters left, Bane was pulled aside by Dooku and warned to keep an eye on Hardeen.[33]
Bane infiltrated the crowd as planned, positioning himself near the Chancellor and using the holographic disguise matrix to pose as a Neimoidian. After Derrown destroyed the shield generator, Bane and Eval took the Chancellor to the rendezvous point to meet up with Count Dooku. However, Dooku was not there, and they instead found Hardeen, who betrayed them and tried to rescue the Chancellor. Hardeen overpowered Bane and Eval in a fight. Bane and Eval were then arrested by Skywalker, Windu, and Hardeen, who was revealed to be Kenobi. Bane swore vengeance against Kenobi as he was detained.[33] As they were taken away, he heard the beginning of an argument between Skywalker—who had not been told of the plan to fake Kenobi's death—and Kenobi, but he decided he did not care about how Kenobi would explain himself, writing the Jedi off as a liar. While he knew Eval or Dooku were men who would, Bane had never expected a Jedi to backstab him, considering it an example as to how his profession had changed over the years.[20]
Upon being returned to the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center on Coruscant, Bane reunited with Fett and Bossk in the cafeteria, where they demanded their cut of payment upon sitting across from him. Instead telling them the story of what happened after he broke out, Bane spoke in detail about the events and those he encountered with the promise the story would make them sicker than the food the prison served. Reflecting that the bounty hunting game had changed, Bane considered giving up the life and letting Fett take on the title as the galaxy's best hunter, promising Bossk that he would take on the title as well despite doubting that the Trandoshan had the skills to hold it. After Bane gave Bossk over his plate, Fett recruited him to a major plan he and Bossk had crafted, with Bane noting he had no intention of retiring until he shot Kenobi between the eyes.[20]
Later events in the war[]
- "And I paid a hefty sum to a bounty hunter named Bane for the specs to make it happen."
- ―Captain Rackham Sear, to General Kleeve
Near the end of the Clone Wars, Bane was paid a hefty sum for layouts of the Jedi Temple by Separatist Captain Rackham Sear so he could bomb the Jedi Temple.[34]
At some point, Bane began to mentor Boba Fett in the ways of bounty hunting, returning the favor from Boba's father, Jango.[18] Bane therefore became one of several legendary rogues who had mentored Boba during the Fett's younger years.[35] However, Fett suffered mistreatment and little affection from Bane while teaching him. The two eventually drifted apart.[17] After training Fett, Bane all but disappeared from the criminal underworld.[36]
Age of the Empire[]
Intercepting the Bad Batch[]
- "I've taken down so many clones over the years. Once you figure out one, the rest are easy."
- ―Cad Bane, to Hunter
Following the formation of the Galactic Empire, Bane continued to operate as a bounty hunter with Todo 360 at his side. Eventually, he was employed by the Kaminoan Prime Minister Lama Su to retrieve the genetically unmodified clone known as Omega.[27]
Intercepting the rogue Clone Force 99 on Bracca alongside Todo as the Empire closed in on the group, Bane killed the clones guarding Clone Force 99's ship, the Marauder, and waited for their arrival. When Omega and Hunter reached the ship, Bane confronted Hunter, engaging him in a standoff. Both Bane and Hunter drew their blasters, though Bane's tenure as a seasoned mercenary had bestowed the Duros with a superior quick-draw. Hunter was subsequently blasted in the chest, allowing Bane to kidnap Omega after stunning her.[27]
Showdown on Bora Vio[]
- "By hook or by crook…you're coming with me."
- ―Cad Bane, to Omega
Onboard his ship, the Justifier, Bane contacted his Kaminoan employers, whom he told to bring his payment to their arranged rendezvous, which was at an abandoned facility on Bora Vio. Bane landed with no problems, but realized that Omega had escaped his ship upon finding a deactivated Todo. After turning his droid back on, he eventually tracked the girl down and destroyed her comm device that she had reclaimed from his hold. Then, he found the Kaminoan representative, Taun We, dead, and discovered that the young bounty hunter Fennec Shand had killed her and taken his case of credits. Shand suggested that they swap the payment and Omega, to which Bane agreed, but Todo sneaked up from behind and seized the credits from her. A shootout ensued between them, during which Shand kicked a detonator thrown by Bane at Todo, causing him to drop the credits off the edge of the facility. Omega fled while Banek fought Shand.[11]
After a short battle, Shand slipped away and Bane cautiously searched for her. However, he was surprised by a planted explosive and knocked out temporarily. He eventually regained his senses and caught up with Omega, who was running away from Shand. As he aimed his blaster at Omega, he was ambushed by Shand, who managed to knock away both of his blasters. He headbutted her, seemingly knocking her out. He again tried to pursue Omega, only to be attacked from behind by Shand. They continued to fight, with Shand briefly pinning him down by his arm, but he managed to overpower her by slamming her to the wall and kicking her head, which briefly knocked her out. He was soon informed by Todo that Omega was escaping. He expressed his frustration as he saw Omega escape in a flight pod. He tried to burn Shand with his flamethrowers, but she recovered in time to dodge them. She managed to bind him with a bola and kick him off the edge of the building. Bane used his rocket boots to save himself. During that time, Omega had been rescued by Clone Force 99 and Bane returned to his ship to pursue them, but he was informed by Todo that his ship had been sabotaged. As he watched Shand flew off in her ship, the Outcast, Bane snarled with rage as he was unable to take off.[11]
A familiar quarry[]
- "How many others like this have you captured?"
"Let's just say I'm good at my job." - ―Emerie Karr and Cad Bane
Bane continued his lucrative business with the Empire by collecting M-count targets. He brought in several of these targets, who were usually young children or even babies. He delivered the bounties to the Empire by meeting Imperial representatives at Imperial Station 003 over Coruscant. The targets were then transported to Tantiss Base. Following a tip from an Aqualish on the planet Caraad, Bane traveled to the mountainous planet to locate a target. Locating the home, he easily incapacitated the child's mother, Ailish, and found the youngling, named Bayrn. Bane directed Todo to grab the kid, and although Todo said that he was not a nanny droid, Bane glared at him, and Todo loaded Bayrn into the hovering pram, letting the child grab their toy to keep them quiet. Bane piloted the Justifier to the space station, meeting with the Imperials as usual. However, he noticed a different leader of the party once he landed: Emerie Karr. He inquired as to who she was, but Karr did not directly respond. Bane collected his payment and commented that they would see each other again once he acquired another M-count target.[16]
Era of the New Republic[]
Standoff in Freetown[]
- "Tatooine belongs to the Syndicate. As long as the spice keeps running, everyone will be left alone."
- ―Cad Bane
By 9 ABY,[37] Cad Bane was still active as a bounty hunter. He was offered a handsome fee to work as an enforcer for the Pyke Syndicate on Tatooine. During this time Bane spoke with the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and he mentioned to Ohnaka about his job with the Pykes.[38] Bane was sent to Freetown after the local marshal, Cobb Vanth, stood against the Syndicate. A standoff ensued after Bane strode into the center of town and was greeted by Vanth. When Vanth refused a bribe to stay neutral in the coming fight between Boba Fett and the Syndicate, the two drew their weapons, but Bane was much quicker. He fired several shots, killing Vanth's deputy, Scott, and downing Vanth. Before leaving, Bane declared to the townspeople that Tatooine was under the control of the Syndicate, and they would be left alone as long as they did not impede the spice trade, stalking away as the injured Vanth received aid.[17]
War with Boba Fett[]
- "I've known you a long time, Boba. One thing I can't figure. What's your angle?"
"This is my city. These are my people. I will not abandon them." - ―Cad Bane and Boba Fett
Believing Vanth dead and confident the citizens of Freetown would not interfere in the conflict, Bane reported to the Pyke boss, relaying his success to him. The boss assured that Fett does not have additional resources to call upon, as the Pykes massacred Fett's Tusken Raider tribe, and planted false evidence pointing to the Kintan Striders Gang, unbeknownst to Fett. Bane was surprised to realize the Syndicate's ruthlessness, while the boss claimed they were just pragmatic. When the boss discussed the possibility of leaving Mos Espa unscathed with mayor Mok Shaiz, Bane told his employer that he would handle it. Shortly after, Bane confronted Fett, Fennec Shand, and Din Djarin at the ruins of the Sanctuary, where he attempted to negotiate with Fett on behalf of the Pykes. Partway through negotiations, Bane revealed to Fett that the Pykes were responsible for the death of his adopted Tusken Raider tribe, angering Fett. As Shand convinced Fett to refrain from attacking Bane due to Bane's own backup in the form of Pyke snipers, Fett declared that negotiations were over. Bane smiled, and left to inform his employers.[4]
After the Pykes received news of Fett's refusal to negotiate, a battle broke out in Mos Espa. During the battle, the citizens of Freetown arrived, proving Bane's claim that they would not get involved to be false. As the battle came to a close, Bane confronted Fett directly once more. He scared off Fett's rancor with his flamethrower, which drove the rancor to cause havoc in the city, and taunted Fett over his past, stating that he would remain just as ruthless as his father before him. In a brief duel, Bane overpowered Fett, knocking him to the ground and forcefully removing his helmet. As Bane prepared to fire upon Fett one last time, Fett swung at him with his gaderffii stick, knocking him away. Fett then knocked Bane to the ground, and, in a final blow, stabbed him in the chest with the stick's bladed end, taking out the infamous bounty hunter almost immediately. Dying, Cad Bane looked up at his former student, expressing shock in his face before he died. As Boba walked off from his former mentor, Bane's suit slowly beeped on his corpse as a light flashed.[4]
Legacy[]
- "Next you're going to tell me that you weren't planning to mention Captain Rex, Ahsoka, Ventress, Cad Bane, Savage Opress, Jar Jar, and the Mandalorians?"
"Well.. I guess I could always go back and tell their stories later."
"Out of order?" - ―Two Whills
Bane was remembered long after the Clone Wars; Several years later, Sabine Wren drew Cad Bane in some courtesy graffiti aboard the VCX-100 light freighter Ghost.[8] Following his defeat at the battle in Mos Espa, he was posthumously proven wrong on his belief that Cobb Vanth died, as Vanth was being resuscitated in Boba Fett's bacta pod.[4] Following his job on Tatooine, rumors spread that Bane had met his end. Such rumors had reached Hondo Ohnaka by the time a bounty was placed on his head, which inspired Ohnaka to complete The Secrets of the Bounty Hunters to cover hunters who might go after him. In the text, he expressed doubt that Bane was really gone given the Duros' common strategy of remaining in the shadows. He further claimed that Bane could be playing dead to draw him specifically into a false sense of security.[38]
Ohnaka also mentioned Bane in his book Galactic Explorer's Guide.[35] He was also remembered by the Whills. Bane was mentioned by name, along with several of his Clone Wars-era contemporaries such as Rex, Ahsoka Tano, Asajj Ventress, Savage Opress, Jar Jar Binks, and the Mandalorians, by a member of the Whills as someone to be remembered in galactic history sometime after the Battle of Endor.[39]
Personality and traits[]
The skilled bounty hunter[]
- "Sure, sure. As long as I get paid, it makes no difference to me."
- ―Cad Bane, to Darth Sidious
As a Duros, Cad Bane had red eyes and blue skin,[7] standing 1.85 meters[1] and weighing 75 kilograms.[7] Bane became one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy[13] following Jango Fett's demise.[40] Cold, cruel,[28] and capable in his line of work, Bane cared little for the sinister motives of his employers such as Darth Sidious[29] and the Hutts. Despite the fact that his new pupil was descended from his old mentor Jango, Bane did not take any liking to Boba and was very abusive when he trained him, which made Fett remember his harsh adolescence on his part and that he had no mercy in killing his former mentor.[4] Bane told Fett to only look out for yourself and that anything else was a liability.[19] Bane was a very cunning individual, and he often proved capable of outsmarting others such as Jedi and other criminals. He showed impressive strategic ability and was more than capable of leading a team effort despite his preference for working alone.[33] Bane's accomplishments during the Clone Wars meant he had a detailed file in the Republic's records.[11]
Bane had something of a quirk when it came to wide brim hats, which he heavily preferred wearing. This desire was such he was willing to kill another bounty hunter simply because he had a hat he liked.[26] He also had a habit of chewing on toothpicks.[5][27] Additionally, the hunter spoke down to those younger than him, using terms like "son" and "little lady" when he felt they fit. In spite of his ruthlessness, he did apologize to Omega before he stunned her, yet he continued with his mission nevertheless.[27] He also saved Obi-Wan Kenobi (in disguise as Rako Hardeen) from falling to his death into the fire.
Mentor to Boba Fett[]
- "Consider this my final lesson. Look out for yourself. Anything else is weakness."
- ―Cad Bane, to Boba Fett
Bane once reflected to himself that the young Boba Fett sometimes reminded him of his younger self,[20] but their relationship eventually soured. As his age passed, Bane remained bitter and ruthless, killing any who stood in his way. He tried to strike down his former ward Boba Fett, without mercy or discrimination. Bane looked at Fett with contempt for what happened between them, determined to kill him even if he played dirty.[17][4]
Skills and abilities[]
- "You lack the experience to be goin' up against me."
- ―Bane to Fennec Shand
Bane was a skilled bounty hunter, relying on various weapons as well as his wits to defeat enemies. Bane was a master marksman, utilizing twin blasters as his preferred weapons. He was so skilled that he beat Hunter in a duel[27] and countless others, and had a quick draw he retained into his seventies. He also proved to be more skilled than Boba Fett, outdrawing him even though Fett had his EE-3 carbine rifle in his hand, while Bane's gun was still in its holster.[17]
He was fairly proficient in unarmed combat, holding his own in a fight with Fennec Shand.[11] He was noted for his ability to combat members of the Jedi Order, which was a necessary skill during the Clone Wars. The combination of his rocket boots, weapons such as flamethrowers, and knowing when he was outmatched proved useful in his numerous encounters with Jedi Knights. When he temporarily had Vos's lightsaber, he managed to hold against Kenobi in lightsaber combat, until he was disarmed after a few strikes.[14] His work earned the respect of his enemies, such as the Jedi, as well as potential employers, such as Count Dooku.[33] Bane was even trusted by Darth Sidious himself.[5] Into the Imperial era, Bane operated as a class-one bounty hunter and was entrusted to track down targets[16] for a secret Imperial project overseen by the Advanced Science Division, a project that the Emperor himself regarded as of utmost importance.[41]
He also was a very skilled pilot, and flew the Rogue-class Porax-38 starfighter Xanadu Blood during the Clone Wars,[7] and after the war's end, piloted the Justifier.[11] Bane proved himself a competent leader and tactician, leading several different groups of bounty hunters on multiple occasions.[33][25][30] He felt that all clone troopers fought the same and was confident using similar methods on the Republic soldiers.[27]
At an advanced age, Bane was still extremely skilled and fast. Bane bested both Cobb Vanth[17] and Boba Fett in their duels on Tatooine by drawing his blaster faster, having been killed only because he was surprised by Fett when he approached to kill his former student. He was also flexible enough to dodge Boba's flamethrowers.[4]
Equipment[]
Cad Bane was known for wielding a pair of LL-30 blaster pistols[42] and wearing his trademark wide-brimmed hat.[7] He wore electro gauntlets[43] with flamethrowers and a wrist comm to communicate with others.[14] His gauntlets were also capable of remote control and could operate many starship functions after all of a ship's primary functions were transferred into them.[28] His gloves were equipped with stunners. Bane also carried bolas and a hypnogazer within his greatcoat. Bane also wore a pair of rocket boots made use of them on many occasions.[11]
After escaping the Republic Detention Center and landing on Nal Hutta, Bane equipped himself with a new pair of gauntlets, a new LL-30 pistol in a holster on his right leg, and a GALAAR-15 blaster carbine which he kept in a holster on his back. He also had a WESTAR-35 blaster pistol, which he later gave to Kenobi (who was disguised as Rako Hardeen). His left gauntlet had a knockout gas dispenser that could discombobulate his enemies. His right gauntlet had a whipcord launcher that could ensnare targets.[44]
He also had breathing tubes, which enabled him to survive being Force choked, and rocket boots to help him keep up with the Force-imbued Jedi.[45]
Behind the scenes[]
- "Something you notice about George Lucas after a while is that he'll mention a name like 'Mace Windu' in a [1973] version of Star Wars, and then it pops up in 1999. So, this, I guess might have been an idea George had for the character Cad Bane way back when, and now finally he's getting around to bringing him to the screen in The Clone Wars."
- ―Supervising Director Dave Filoni on the origins of Cad Bane
Initial development of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series focused on presenting the conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists, leaving no room for third-party villains, but as the storyline progressed, the need for a bounty hunter character emerged. Supervising director Dave Filoni and writer Henry Gilroy initially considered reusing the Gen'Dai bounty hunter Durge from the 2003 Star Wars Legends Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon. Filoni wanted to keep the character's all-concealing armor, George Lucas however, had a different design in mind for the bounty hunter: he gave the character a new name and wanted him to be a gunslinger, like the characters played by Lee Van Cleef, crossed with the Duros species.[47]
During this research, Filoni came across early concept art of a gun-toting spacer wearing a hat in drafts of the original Star Wars trilogy.[46]
According to Dave Filoni, supervising director for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Bane's iconic toothpick was originally intended to be a cigarette, but the idea was dropped due to its negative and commercial-like message.[48]
Corey Burton, who also voiced Ziro the Hutt[14] and Count Dooku,[49] provided Cad Bane's voice, which was based on Lee van Cleef's performance as Angel Eyes in Sergio Leone's 1966 western film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Before the cancellation of The Clone Wars TV series, Cad Bane was set to make an appearance during a four-episode arc starring him and Boba Fett. The two were going to team up for a "rescue mission" on Tatooine where Tusken Raiders had kidnapped a child. It would emphasize Boba's and Cad's relation to one another, as Cad had known Jango. Cad Bane would also get new clothes and a new ship called the Justifier.[50] In a clip revealed during the Animated Origins and Unexpected Fates panel at Celebration Orlando in 2017, Cad Bane and other bounty hunters had ended an insurrection by Fett. To finish it, they engaged in a stand-off duel, where the younger mercenary got his helmet dented.[51]
Following the cancellation of The Clone Wars, Bane appeared in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Fighter Flight" in the form of graffiti done by Sabine Wren on the Ghost.[8]
Bane made his live-action debut in "Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger," the sixth episode of the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett. He was physically portrayed by Dorian Kingi and voiced by Corey Burton.[17] There was much debate behind the scenes for how to color Bane's blue skin.[52]
Although "Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor" implies that Cad Bane died upon being stabbed by Boba Fett with his gaderffii stick,[4] the 2023 reference book Star Wars: Timelines merely states that Bane was "out of action" following their duel instead of dead.[53]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- Disney Infinity 3.0
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Bad Batch Vacation"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (DLC)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (DLC)
- "The Luck of Lando" — LEGO Star Wars 98 (Mentioned only)