Star Wars: Age of Republic – Jango Fett #1 Review

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Jango creates a legacy and teaches through doing in Age of Republic: Jango Fett #1.

This article contains plot points for Star Wars: Age of Republic – Jango Fett #1.

Star Wars: Age of Republic – Jango Fett #1

Writer: Jody Houser | Artist: Luke Ross | Colorist: Java Tartaglia | Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham | Cover Artist: Paolo Rivera | Production Designer: Anthony Gambino | Editor: Mark Paniccia | Assistant Editor: Tom Groneman

Mentors have hard decisions to make. When is it time to let go? Is their student ready? What is the best way to teach? Jody Houser explores these aspects of teaching and mentoring in the latest two issues of Age of Republic. In Age of Republic: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan struggled with his own inadequacies and insecurities while instructing Anakin Skywalker in the ways of the Force and the Jedi. Houser now provides a counter perspective with Jango Fett #1 as the galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter trains a protege.

Learning Through Doing

In Jango Fett #1, Jango takes a job working with three other bounty hunters. These lesser known hunters question why Jango even bothers. He doesn’t need the money. Jango has a high paying job for a major player. Plus, he doesn’t need the help. Eventually, they just speculate that the itch for the job never goes away. In addition, he is running late.

However, eventually Jango shows up at the cantina they are patronizing. A young Boba Fett is in tow. Jango then informs the rest of this crew that Boba will accompany them on the hunt. Nobody objects. After all, how does one object to the most notorious bounty hunter in the galaxy? The remainder of Jango Fett #1 makes clear that more than a profit opportunity, this job is a learning opportunity for Boba while monitored by Jango.

The Job – A Simple Recovery

This particular job isn’t a big challenge. A young Twi’lek woman ran away from home. She was looking to unite with her Falleen lover. However, her father wants her back and is willing to pay for her return. As soon as the bounty hunters arrive, the Falleen, who has ties to Black Sun, flees. The young woman makes a desperate move and falls over the rail of the building. Never fear, Jango is there with his jetpack and catches her.

The mission isn’t over though. Two of the three bounty hunters in the crew betray Jango. They hold Boba at knife point and demand that Jango turn over the woman to them. Jango denies their request. Then Boba takes matters into his own hands and blasts the two betrayers. Next, Jango gives Boba the option of letting the third hunter live, and after wavering, he decides to let him live.

The betrayal is a surprising and somewhat stupid move. These hunters just finished discussing Jango’s reputation and success. How they thought they could get away with this is a mystery. Also, did they think Jango was just going to let that go? His reputation required he hunt them down. No one said all bounty hunters are smart though.

Lessons Learned

Once the drama between the hunters is over in Jango Fett #1, Boba and Jango confer on what happened. Jango proves quite an insightful teacher. He has one initial comment: watch your back next time. Then, Jango adopts a Socratic method and asks gentle questions while Boba figures things out for himself. Boba confesses he let the third hunter live because he wasn’t part of the plot and he could also spread the news that Boba and Jango are not to be messed with. Finally, Boba asks for an assessment, and Jango gives him favorable marks.

Concluding Thoughts on Jango Fett #1

Jango Fett #1 is a great story. At first glance, it is light on action. The hunt itself is a simple confrontation. Then the reader needs consider the tension of the showdown between the hunters. Plus, Jody Houser wrote a quick side hunt that Jango completed while the rest of the team waited. Furthermore, this issue includes some pivotal moments from Jango’s past. There is the initial meeting between Jango and Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku) and then Jango touring the cloning facilities at Kamino. Jody Houser wrote a great and insightful story here.

Jango Fett #1 shines as a companion issue to Obi-Wan Kenobi #1. Both issues remark on the roles of mentors and teachers. In Obi-Wan Kenobi #1, Obi-Wan faced the challenge of allowing his student to grow. By comparison, Jango eagerly handed Boba the opportunity to do so. However, the relationships are inherently different. Obi-Wan didn’t ask for Anakin. He took Anakin on as a padawan to fulfill Qui-gon’s dying wish. In contrast, Jango required the Kaminoans to provide Boba as part of his payment. Obi-Wan was afraid to fail and live up to Qui-gon’s legacy. Therefore, he held Anakin back. Meanwhile, Jango actively challenged his student and allowed him growth opportunities.

In their respective books, both Anakin and Boba encountered hostage situations. Anakin’s was not planned. Boba’s was. The result of each was similar. Both Anakin and Boba subdued their captors. Boba survived his incident by relying on Jango’s prior active instruction. Anakin, on the other hand, survived by learning the things Obi-Wan taught, but less actively so. In addition, Obi-Wan and Jango learned something important. In Obi-Wan’s case, he learned that he was an effective teacher, and he could let Anakin develop. As for Jango, he discovered that his student learned his lesson. In both cases, the student and teacher agreed they would look out for each other an the galaxy had to deal with both.

Jango Fett #1 creates some remarkable symmetry with Obi-Wan Kenobi #1. Once again, Jody Houser created incredibly complementary stories in much the same way she did with Qui-Gon Jinn #1 and Darth Maul #1. Age of Republic is a great series of moments in the life of the heroes and villains that illustrate exactly who they are.