The ONLY Bounty Hunter To SCARE Darth Vader

Very few characters can strike fear into Darth Vader—it’s usually him who instills terror in others. 

However, there is one bounty hunter, and it’s not Boba Fett, who managed to surprise and nearly frighten the Dark Lord.

Let’s find out why Darth Vader felt fear for the first time when facing this bounty hunter.

The story begins with Awarru Tark arriving aboard the Star Destroyer Avenger in a YT-1300 freighter, answering Darth Vader’s call for bounty hunters to track down the Millennium Falcon. 

Tark, who appears to be a seasoned bounty hunter, is immediately escorted to meet Vader.

As soon as he confronts Vader, Tark launches a fierce attack using grenades and light blades that extend from his arms. 

The explosions momentarily disorient Vader, but he quickly regains his composure. 

Tark demonstrates impressive agility and combat skills, moving swiftly in an attempt to outmaneuver Vader with rapid strikes. 

However, Vader’s mastery of the Force allows him to anticipate and counter Tark’s every move.

As the battle rages on, Vader taps into the Force to probe Tark’s mind, discovering that Tark is actually Stauz Czycz, a man who has undergone drastic surgical transformations, including the implantation of a force field generator into his body. 

Czycz’s motivation for this transformation is deeply personal—he lost his family during an Imperial assault on his homeworld.

Originally a soldier from a world devastated by the Empire, Czycz was left with nothing after the massacre, which claimed the lives of his entire family. 

Although the assault was ordered by Emperor Palpatine, Czycz held Darth Vader, the leader of the attack, personally responsible for the destruction and loss he endured.

Driven by a burning desire for revenge, Czycz went to extreme lengths to prepare for his encounter with Vader. 

He underwent surgical transformations and cybernetic enhancements, including the force field generator, all to gain an advantage in combat. 

Adopting the alias Awarru Tark, Czycz became a bounty hunter, earning a reputation for his deadly efficiency.

Despite his efforts, Czycz ultimately fails. Vader uses telekinesis to disable the force field generator and swiftly decapitates him. 

As the story concludes, Vader reflects on Czycz’s transformation, noting how he had become more machine than man—a fate eerily similar to his own.

This story comes from Star Wars Tales issue #4, titled “Moment of Doubt.” If you’re interested in exploring the full comic, you can check it out through the link provided.