We all know Jabba the Hutt as the larger-than-life gangster who ruled his palace with an iron grip. But what’s with his obsession with humanoid slaves and unique artifacts?
Even his own species, the Hutts, found Jabba’s behavior strange.
What did the Hutts and those around him really think of Jabba?
Jabba’s Bizarre Obsession with Humanoids
Jabba the Hutt had a well-known affinity for young female humanoids, often enslaving them as dancers or companions.
You’ve probably heard about how he chained his favorites to his throne, forcing them to stay by his side when they weren’t performing—just like he did with Oola and Leia Organa.
According to Jess, one of his slaves, being Jabba’s favorite came with certain privileges, like protection from the harassment of palace guards and guests.
Interestingly, this behavior wasn’t just unsettling to us—it was considered downright bizarre by other Hutts.
In The Han Solo Trilogy by A.C. Crispin, we learn that Jabba’s preferences were mocked by his own kind, as this fascination with humanoids was seen as wildly out of line with typical Hutt behavior.
Even among a species known for their ruthlessness, Jabba’s choices made him an outlier.
And yet, there’s more to the story., in the novelization of The Clone Wars movie, Jabba’s thoughts reveal that his use of humanoid slaves wasn’t just about attraction. It was about power.
By keeping beings that others found desirable but couldn’t have, Jabba sent a clear message to everyone around him: “I control what you want, and you can’t have it.”
As Count Dooku notes in The Clone Wars novelization, Jabba’s message is clear: “I possess what you crave, and that makes me powerful.”
Jabba the Deviant
Jabba’s behavior wasn’t just unsettling to humans—it was considered abnormal even by Hutt standards.
In fact, in some Expanded Universe stories, other Hutts saw Jabba as a deviant within their own society. His fascination with humanoids was seen as outlandish and unbefitting for a Hutt of his status.
A fan perfectly sums this up: “Jabba’s a deviant in pretty much every way—this is just another way he’s meant to come across as such. It’s a Jabba thing, not a Hutt thing.”