So you love Grogu, aka Baby Yoda. We all do. And his television series, which is oddly named The Mandalorian, is now back for its third season. How exciting! And who knows, maybe you also like the bounty hunter action, western tropes, and maybe even the Mando himself. If any or all of that is true, then here are some Star Wars comics, games, books, and other stuff you would likely enjoy checking out.
Oh and for the nerds out there who care, I’ve marked entries that are no longer canon as “Legends.” Anyway, let’s begin!
The Book of Boba Fett | TV Series | 2022
This first Mandalorian spin-off starring an older Boba Fett could have been really awesome. Instead, outside of a few moments, the series is mostly fine and forgettable. But as strange as it may seem, I recommend watching this meh spin-off, especially before starting season 3 of Mandalorian. Some very important things happen in this series that are straight-up not recapped in The Mandalorian. It’s dumb. But at least The Book of Boba Fett isn’t very long!
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter | Video Game | 2002 (Legends)
For as popular and cool as Star Wars bounty hunters are in the movies and shows, there aren’t actually many games that let you play as one of these galactic mercenaries. So it’s cool that back in 2002 we got Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, a third-person action game starring bounty hunter Jango Fett, aka the clone daddy of Boba Fett.
It was re-released on PS4 a few years back, and that’s when I played Bounty Hunter. It’s fun but also clunky in that way many PS2-era games could be. But if you can get used to the camera controls, there’s a decent Star Wars game to enjoy that lets you slip into the boots of a feared bounty hunter that sort of looks like Pedro Pascal’s Mando.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra | Comic | 2016
I’ve enjoyed most of the Marvel-published Star Wars comics, but without a doubt, my favourite has been the ongoing adventures of lesbian space archeologist Doctor Aphra. She first appeared in the Darth Vader series and quickly became a fan favourite. She’s smart, shady, tough, and also has two evil murder droids as her companions. What more could you want?
Well, there’s a lot more, actually. Aphra eventually got her own series, which ended in 2019 and ran for 40 issues. But don’t worry, she’s already got another series (with the same title) and will likely continue to pop up in more comics, involving her and her crew of misfits more exciting criminal underworld shenanigans. She might not be as good of a person as the Mando, but if you want some fun adventures set in the grimy corners of the Star Wars universe, start reading Doctor Aphra.
The Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy | Books | 1998 (Legends)
While none of what happens in these older Star Wars books is technically considered canon anymore, it doesn’t make these stories any less great or exciting. This book is set after Boba Fett was eaten by the Sarlacc, that giant sand monster seen in Return of the Jedi.
If you like bounty hunters, this trilogy is for you. It also features stuff that would later show up in The Mandalorian and other current-canon stories, like the Bounty Hunter Guild. So while it’s no longer on the official record per se, parts of it can and might become integrated into future Mandalorian seasons and spin-offs.
Solo: A Star Wars Story | Movie | 2018
I know a lot of folks were down on 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story when it first came out, and I also know it didn’t do very well at the box office. But whatever, I thoroughly enjoyed Solo because it gave me what I wanted out of a Star Wars movie: People becoming friends, evil bad guys getting beaten, cool space combat, and of course, more Lando Calrissian. Solo has all of that.
If you haven’t watched Solo yet and are craving some fun non-Jedi-focused Star Wars adventures similar to what we see in The Mandalorian, give this film a shot. It’s free to stream on Disney+.
Any Episodes Of The Clone Wars Featuring Cad Bane | TV Series | 2009
It is always odd how much love Boba Fett gets from Star Wars fans. Sure, he had some cool stories in books and comics, but in the films, Boba Fett was a big dweeb who got killed by accident. If you want a bounty hunter who’s actually badass and cool you should check out Cad Bane.
Bane wears a big cowboy hat and chews on a toothpick, like a classic “old west” villain. There was even a plan to have him and a young Boba Fett duel each other like two gunslingers straight out of a western, but sadly that never happened. (However, we did get a fight between these two later in The Book of Boba Fett.) Anyway, if you have access to the Clone Wars series on Disney+, you should watch some Cad Bane episodes.
Star Wars: Republic Commando | Video Game | 2005 (Legends)
Star Wars: Republic Commando isn’t a game about bounty hunters or old west-style shootouts or Jedi fighting Sith. No, it’s a lite-tactical FPS with some basic squad management gameplay.
But if you love The Mandalorian because it doesn’t feature Jedis, lightsabers, Skywalkers, or annoying alien sidekicks, then you might enjoy Republic Commando and its grittier, more grounded take on the Star Wars universe.
A quick warning: This game does end on a cliffhanger, but the rest of it is great and a nice break from all the Jedi and Sith stuff Star Wars games usually feature.
Star Wars Holiday Special “Boba Fett Short” | Animated Short | 1978 (Legends)
Before he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett made his debut in the infamously awful Star Wars Holiday Special. While the special is bad and something George Lucas regrets to this very day, its animated short starring Luke, Han, Leia, and Boba Fett is worth checking out. It’s a wild ride with some trippy animation and also introduces Boba Fett to the franchise.
The rest of the special isn’t worth watching, but Disney realised that this piece of Star Wars history is worth keeping around, and in 2021 added just the animated short to its streaming service, making it easier than ever to watch this odd bit of Star Wars miscellanea.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters | Comic | 2020
This ongoing Marvel comic series has similar vibes to the non-canon Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy novels from back in the ‘90s. However, it also brings back an old Legends character, the bounty hunter cyborg Valance, which is very rad if you’re a big nerd like me.
Other characters that appear in the series include the iconic Boba Fett and the loveable weirdo Bossk. All of the series takes place before the events of Return of the Jedi and The Mandalorian series, letting us see more of what Fett and his friends/enemies were up to before he got taken out by a blind Solo on Tatooine. I definitely recommend reading this series if you’ve finished up The Mandalorian and still want more scoundrel-laden bounty hunter action.
Star Wars: Dark Forces | Video Game | 1995 (Legends)
No, this game doesn’t use the Doom engine like some claim online, but it does play a lot like that classic PC shooter; just instead of demons and rocket launchers, you have stormtroopers and blasters. Dark Forces is considered one of the best Star Wars games ever made and while it might not visually hold up as well in 2023 as other games on this list, it’s still a very good Star Wars adventure that tells a now non-canon story about Kyle Katarn — the dude who stole the Death Star plans — and all the wild shit that happened to him after that.
And wonderfully, someone has gone and made it easier than ever to play this game with modern PC support and better controls. We still don’t have a Mandalorian game, but Dark Forces is a solid substitute for now.
As a reminder: The Star Wars franchise is massive and there’s no way I could mention everything that is even slightly connected or relevant to The Mandalorian in one article. So, this isn’t a comprehensive rundown of every piece of Star Wars media related to criminals or bounty hunters, but more an introduction to the sketchier, more dangerous side of the Star Wars universe.
So please, if you have any other suggestions for other Star Wars books, TV episodes, or other such media you think people should check out if they love The Mandalorian, recommend them in the comments below!
This article was originally published on December 21, 2019. It has been expanded and updated in time for Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
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