The bounty hunter Boba Fett is shrouded in mystery, this is the reason a spin-off show was made about him. His background is especially mysterious.
Is Boba Fett a clone or a Mandalorian? While he wears the armor of a Mandalorian, Boba was born a clone and retains that clone identity.
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Is Boba Fett a Clone?
As the son of Jango Fett, Boba Fett is actually a clone. Jango Fett was given an unaltered clone as part of his compensation for providing his DNA for the Clone army.
Jango Fett acquired Boba as a son through a deal he made with the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus. Boba was created on the planet Kamino and not programmed to become a Clone trooper.
Boba Fett became a famous bounty hunter, following in the footsteps of his father. Likewise, Boba acquired his father’s Mandalorian armor after the latter died and continued to use it as a bounty hunter.
However, before the prequel movies Boba was probably just a human bounty hunter. It is not until Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, which came after the original trilogy, that we learn about Boba Fett’s family background.
We find out that Jango Fett was actually a human foundling of the Mandalorians. As an adopted Mandalorian, Jango Fett acquired Beskar armor that was then passed on to Boba. But that is really where the Mandalorian connections end.
For one, while Jango Fett is considered to be Boba’s father, Boba Fett is actually “nothing more than another clone of Jango”. Secondly, Jango Fett left the Mandalorians and became a bounty hunter, so did his son.
Based on both points, Boba is really a clone and bounty hunter, not a Mandalorian.
Is Boba Fett a Mandalorian?
Speculation persists among Star Wars enthusiasts that Boba Fett could be a Mandalorian. The Mandalorian television series prompted these discussions.
“The Tragedy” from season 2 of The Mandalorian specifies that Jango Fett is a Mandalorian. Jango was originally depicted as a Mandalorian in The Clone Wars television series back in 2010 too.
By extension, as the son of Jango, Boba Fett could also be considered a Mandalorian. In that same season of The Mandalorian, we find out that the Fetts are considered to be foundlings with armor that was given to them by the Mandalorians.
So, Boba could be a Mandalorian in the way that Din Djarin is a Mandalorian. Both have connections to Mandalorian culture, but departed from its ways.
Yet, Jango Fett’s status as a Mandalorian had been reversed soon after Disney took over Lucasfilm in 2012. Jango instead became a bounty hunter who merely used the armor of a Mandalorian.
By family connection, Boba Fett really holds the same status. In season 2 of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett clearly states that he is not a Mandalorian.
In the Star Wars video game Galaxy of Heroes, the Armorer from Season 1 of “The Mandalorian” and the “Mandalorian” tag were added for Jango Fett, but not for Boba.
This means that this game does not consider Boba Fett to be a Mandalorian, both by birth status and the creed that Mandalorians follow.
Moreover, the creator of the Clone Wars series, Dave Filoni also expressed that according to George Lucas, both Fetts were not considered Mandalorians.
As you can see, the issue is complicated, but the evidence tends to weigh against Boba Fett being a Mandalorian.
Do the Mandalorian and Boba Fett Have Common Origins?
Jango Fett was initially a foundling of the Mandalorians, and so was Din Djarin, the Mandalorian. Some fans also speculate that perhaps Din Djarin was even a clone?
The Mandalorian has also prompted some questions about other connections between Jango, Boba, and Din Djarin. When Boba Fett confronts Din Djarin on the planet Tython to get his armor back, their conversation sparked other possibilities.
In this encounter, Boba reflects on how Jango Fett was his father and, just like Din Djarin, a foundling. Both Jango and Djarin also earned their Beskar armor by pledging themselves to the Mandalorians.
By revealing his armor’s chain code, Boba reflects Jango’s roots as a Mandalorian. Hence, Jango is a member of Mandalore on the same basis as Mando.
By extension, it is possible that Din Djarin also actually came from the same DNA that Jango Fett had given to create the Clone Army. As of yet, there is no direct proof, but some fans wonder about more Jango clones being out there, and just maybe Din Djarin being one of them.
Mando’s foundling past is mysterious, so maybe Din Djarin was also a clone.
However, this claim seems to be the most speculative link between Boba, Jango, and Din Djarin. Yet, it is still possible.
Boba Fett Is a Clone with Mandalorian Armor
Pulling this all together, it appears that Boba Fett is a clone who wears Mandalorian armor. Jango Fett has a claim to being a Mandalorian, but Boba really does not.
The Star Wars universe does shift, though. Perhaps with the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, we may get further insights into a Mandalorian past for Boba Fett.
But for now, the evidence points to him being a bounty hunter with clone origins.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.