One trait that most warriors in the galaxy have is their piloting skills.
Once selected to be a part of their respective side’s defensive forces, an individual is taught how to pilot a ship.
There are a plethora of great pilots who have graced our screens with their presence.
Most notable among them is Anakin Skywalker, who portrayed excellent piloting skills both in his days as a Jedi and as Sith Lord Darth Vader.
Then there is one of the Mandalorian’s prized bounty hunters, Jango and Boba Fett who piloted the ship, Slave 1.
Now, aircraft handling skills aside, the name of Boba Fett’s ship stood out. With a name like “Slave 1,” it’s only natural that the Star Wars community would be abuzz with questions.
One of the most common is “Why is this ship so bizarrely named?” We will be addressing that question and more as we progress, so keep reading as we dive in.
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Who Is Boba Fett?
Boba Fett was the genetic clone of the notorious Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett. Originally given the name Alpha, Jango Fett raised Boba as if he was his son.
Jango Fett was used as the template to create all other clones. Unlike the other clones who were altered to make them more docile, Boba contained the raw genetic coding. As such, he had all the unadulterated attributes his “father,” Jango had.
Boba Fett was trained in combative martial arts and quickly became one of the galaxy’s most respected bounty hunters. Of course, Boba looked up to his genetic donor (Jango Fett), to the extent that he mirrored him.
He wore Jango’s Mandalorian armor and even piloted the same attack craft that was formerly owned by Jango Fett, the Slave 1.
Trying to live up to his father’s name, Boba Fett became a legendary crime lord in the galaxy. He served the Galactic Empire and many other criminal organizations throughout his illustrious career.
Boba Fett was so good in his career that he even became an honorary Tusken Raider. This happens when the Tuskens enslaved Boba after he escaped from the Sarlacc pit.
Why Is Boba Fett’s Ship Called Slave 1?
We mentioned above that Fett had ownership of a spacecraft called the Slave 1. That said, what do we know about this ship?
Well, Slave 1 was a modified version of the Firespray-31-class attack craft that was used by Boba’s predecessor, Jango Fett. During the Fett’s respective use of the craft, both parties added advanced weaponry and enhanced systems to Slave 1.
The ship originated on the planet Oovo IV and was stolen by Jango Fett to replace his previous ship, Jaster’s Legacy. After Jango died in 22 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), on Geonosis, his ship was inherited by his “son,” Boba Fett.
Slave 1 was used by Boba on many missions during the Clone Wars. After its reign was completed, Slave 1 was consecutively replaced by Slave 2, Slave 3, and Slave 4.
But why was the ship named Slave 1?
While there appears to be no official confirmation about the reasoning behind the ship’s name, one theory keeps arising. Specifically, fans believe that Jango Fett named the ship Slave 1 as an homage to his past life as a slave.
After losing a fight to the Jedi, Jango Fett was sold into slavery. That was until he eventually broke free of his oppressor and created a name for himself as a bounty hunter.
As mentioned earlier, Jango stole the ship from Oovo IV (the Republic’s Maximum Security prison). At first, the bounty hunter’s mission was going off without a hitch. Then things took a turn for the worst when fellow bounty hunter, Zam Wesell, incited a prison riot.
During this riot, Jango’s ship (Jaster’s Legacy) was destroyed, which prompted him and Zam to steal the Firespray prototype, which he later named Slave 1. Once they did, Jango and Zam demolished the other prototypes to avoid being followed.
When Slave 1 was later inherited by Boba Fett, the name stuck. So much so that three other ships carried the name “Slave” after the first one.
Why Was Slave 1’s Name Changed?
Although the Fett’s ship was technically named Slave 1, it was often referred to as one of the Firesprays. The name Slave 1 was only ever used on occasion.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the official name would eventually be changed. Still, this does not mean that fans were happy about this switch.
Disney first hinted at the ship’s name change in June 2021 when a Lego set was released sporting the name “Boba’s Fett’s Starship” instead of Slave 1.
This was met with some backlash from fans. Many believed this was Disney’s way of diluting an otherwise ruthless character.
Furthermore, fans found it quite hypocritical for Disney to change the name solely because “slave” was included. Especially since many character backstories involve slavery, the premise plays an important role in the overall plot of the franchise.
It has not been confirmed why Disney decided to phase out the name Slave 1.
When interviewed by JediNews, Lego Star Wars Design Director Jens Kronovld Frederikens claimed that the name was simply something Disney didn’t want to use anymore.
Still, it is theoretically possible that they wanted to distance themselves from the negative connotations surrounding the word “slave.”
Even so, The Book of Boba Fett firmly established that the new name of Slave 1 would be Firespray Gunship and is likely to remain as such for the future of the franchise.
Conclusion
Although he was technically a clone, Boba Fett lived up to the Fett name by following in the footsteps of his “father” Jango Fett.
Given how outstanding Jango was as a bounty hunter (and warlord in general), Boba wanted to emulate his genetic benefactor. He adorned himself in his father’s armor and later inherited the ship, Slave 1, after Jango’s passing.
While the reasoning for the ship’s name was not officially released, fans have theorized that Jango named the ship Slave 1 in reverence to his former life as a slave.
Nevertheless, as of 2021, Disney took strides toward changing the name from Slave 1 to Firespray Gunship.
While it is not explicitly clear why this change was made, Disney may be trying to distance itself from the negative backlash that can be associated with using the word “slave.”
Fans were not particularly pleased by this change, as it felt as though Disney was trying to sterilize the Star Wars franchise. However, Disney is standing firm in their choice and it seems that the new name is here to stay.