The Empire has vast resources and specialized troops at its disposal. Elite stormtroopers and Inquisitors are among the top options.
However, the Empire tends to hire bounty hunters instead. Why is that? Read on to find out.
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Why Does the Empire Use Bounty Hunters and Not Elite Stormtroopers?
One of the best reasons the Empire uses bounty hunters and not elite stormtroopers is that they do not want the latter to do the dirty work that bounty hunters do.
As this article explains, since “the Empire’s military is also law enforcement, getting their hands dirty in the wrong place” could reflect badly on the Imperials. Bounty hunters do not have those political problems.
Elite stormtroopers would also be misplaced by taking on bounty hunter assignments. They usually serve as “bodyguards and personal soldiers for high-ranking leaders.”
In contrast, bounty hunters are “hired to capture or kill a designated target.” These are two different lines of work.
The Mandalorian initially showcased the work of a bounty hunter, which can be “a complicated profession.”
Although the job sounds straightforward, with the objective of capturing or killing “a target,” it can become more involved. Padme had two bounty hunters tracking her, overlapping their tasks, and the Guild may or may not be involved.
Likewise, Mando discovered that capturing Grogu was not so easy after all.
Bounty hunters also serve as mercenaries and take on jobs that are unsuitable for the Imperial military. They can work for syndicates like Boba Fett and Cad Bane did with the Hutt clan.
Moreover, these independent contractors or guild members are not aligned with any particular side; they are just looking to get the job done and get paid.
All this is to say that the bounty hunter offers skills and a profession that is unique and differentiated from Imperials.
We could argue that the Empire uses bounty hunters because of its incompetence. This article takes that position, stating how this “incompetency is seen all throughout Star Wars.”
And, when Vader brought “six bounty hunters onto his ship” in Empire Strikes Back, “he showed a complete lack of faith in his men.”
In this case, even if the Imperials turned to elite stormtroopers, they may not have completed the task at hand.
Why Does Vader and the Empire Use Bounty Hunters and Not Inquisitors?
As with the above, the main reason why Vader and the Empire use bounty hunters and not Inquisitors is that the former brings skills and knowledge that set them apart from the latter.
Fans in this discussion bring up solid points about how bounty hunters aid the Empire. Bounty hunters have “their own contacts” “that the empire wouldn’t have” and can obtain information beyond the Empire’s reach.
They can also interact with “the underworld” in a way the Imperials can not. In addition, bounty hunters are hired guns who “specialize in finding specific people,” so it’s a “pragmatic” decision by the Imperials to use them.
Vader’s use of bounty hunters was triggered by his need to find Luke. In this classic scene, one of the Imperial officers clearly did not want to have bounty hunters aboard, referring to them as “scum.”
Yet, Vader was willing to give “a substantial reward” to whoever found the Millennium Falcon. He may have thought that bounty hunters were motivated to complete this task because of their greed and ruthless determination.
As for not using Inquisitors, fans on this board indicate not only were they not aligned with the timeline of Empire Strikes Back, but they were not a good fit for the job.
That is, Inquisitors were “recruited by the Empire to hunt down Jedi,” not bring them back to their fathers. If they had been around, Vader also may not have wanted the Inquisitors “to find out that Luke was related to him.”
These ideas align well with the overall description of the Imperial Inquisition, and how once the Jedi were assumed gone, “the Inquisitorius were said to have vanished.” They were both unavailable and not suited for the task.
We can recall that most of the Inquisitors had perished before the original trilogy, with the Grand Inquisitor gone at the end of Rebels, Season 1.
Bounty Hunters Over Elite Stormtroopers and Inquisitors
Although the Empire has unique assets at its disposal, elite stormtroopers and Inquisitors are suited for the work that bounty hunters do.
Bounty hunters are a unique mix of characters who bring a skill set matched for the ruthless job of tracking down targets and capturing or eliminating them.