Summary
Boba Fetthas a long history inStar Wars, but it actually started much earlier thanThe Empire Strikes Back, and in a much less expected place. Boba Fett was one of thebest bounty hunters inStar Wars, and he immediately became an icon of the franchise as soon as he came on screen inThe Empire Strikes Back. His popularity only grew from there: Boba Fett was eventually resurrected, given his own show -The Book of Boba Fett- and there was even aplanned Boba Fett moviefor a while. Boba’s trajectory into becoming a legend didn’t start withThe Empire Strikes Back, though.
Dedicated Boba Fett enthusiasts might know that the bounty hunter made his first appearance a few years beforeThe Empire Strikes Back, in theStar WarsHoliday Special. The Holiday Special is now considered part ofStar WarsLegends, so it doesn’t count as Boba’s first canon appearance. It also now seems that it doesn’t count as Boba’s first appearance at all. Boba Fett made his first public appearance before the Holiday Special, and even before most of theStar Warsmovies, at a public parade.
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Boba Fett Made His First Appearance In A Local Parade
According to Syfy and a Disney+ documentary titledUnder the Helmet: the Legacy of Boba Fett, the legendary bounty hunter’s first appearance technically wasn’t inThe Empire Strikes Backor even theStar WarsHoliday Special.Boba Fett’s first appearance was technically in a parade in San Anselmo, California, in 1978. George Lucas lived in San Anselmo at the time, and he wanted to include some aspects ofStar Warsin the parade, so both Darth Vader and Boba Fett made appearances there. This parade came a few months before the Holiday Special, making it the first public appearance of Boba Fett.
Boba Fett
A perfect clone of bounty hunter Jango Fett, Boba Fett inherited his father’s profession and operated as a bounty hunter through the Clone Wars and the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign. Believed killed on Tatooine, he survived and sought redemption of sorts after he was helped by native Tusken Raiders. In The Mandalorian era, Boba Fett now operates as a crime lord - having taken over Jabba the Hutt’s old empire.
Boba Fett’s first appearance also has quite a few interesting bits of trivia.The suit used for the parade wasn’t a replica or recreation: it was the actual suit used on-screen inThe Empire Strikes Back. Duwayne Dunham, one of the assistant film editors for the movie, wore Boba’s Mandalorian armor at the parade. That armor also had a few differences from the final product, most notably a pair of jaig eyes on the helmet, and an absent dent. Those differences didn’t go noticed at the parade, though, given no one had ever seen Boba before.
Nobody Knew Who Boba Fett Really Was
The San Anselmo parade happened in 1978, just a few months before theStar Warsholiday special was released in November 1978.That meant no one outside of Lucasfilm employees had ever seen him before, and none of the parade attendees knew who Boba Fett was. Interestingly enough, that didn’t stop Boba from becoming a big hit with the crowd. Fans at the parade immediately asked for Boba’s autograph, and George Lucas himself said that it was the start of the bounty hunter’s popularity. That reception was almost a prediction of how Boba would be seen inThe Empire Strikes Back- as a mysterious sensation.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Cast
The Empire Strikes Back is the second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, directed by Irvin Kershner. Released in 1980, it follows Luke Skywalker as he trains under Jedi Master Yoda, while Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the Rebel Alliance face ongoing threats from the Galactic Empire and Darth Vader.
Boba Fett’s first public appearance at the San Anselmo parade is really a testament to why he became so popular in the first place. By nature of just his armor alone, Boba stole the show and made everyone who saw him wonder who he was. While the legend of Boba Fett has been fleshed out significantly more since 1978, he still has his trademark air of mystery, which will help ensure he stays a symbol ofStar Warsfor years to come.Boba Fettis proof that even bounty hunters from humble beginnings - like a parade - can still become legendary.
Source:Syfy
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
