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Boba Fett is back, the formative years on Star Wars: The Clone Wars

By April MacIntyre Apr 20, 2010, 5:39 GMT

Boba Fett sets his plan into motion by posing as a young clone cadet in “Death Trap,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS premiering at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, April 16 on Cartoon Network. TM & © 2010 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boba Fett is back on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." 

Since his iconic introduction in The Empire Strikes Back thirty years ago, bounty hunter Boba Fett has been a "man of mystery and intrigue" - a merciless mercenary whose battered battle armor hid any traces of humanity remaining in his hardened heart.

A man of few words – he had only five lines and a death scream in the original trilogy – he was nonetheless a force to be reckoned with, unafraid to challenge even a Dark Lord of the Sith.

But he wasn’t always a ruthless bastard; he was once a boy, alone in the galaxy and forced to fend for himself after the death of his father.

These origins were glimpsed briefly in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones…but now, Boba’s BACK – a young man taking the dangerous first steps on his journey from innocent to icon in “Death Trap,” the beginning of the thrilling three-part season finale of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, April 23 on Cartoon Network.

Reprising his role from Attack of the Clones, Daniel Logan is back to voice Boba in The Clone Wars  – older, wiser and ready to take on the iconic character’s crucial turning point.

“This is a key time for Boba,” says Logan. “When we saw him in Episode II, he was just a kid. But he watched his dad get killed by Mace Windu, and now he wants revenge against the Jedi. He’s bitter and angry. A lot’s changed for Boba, even though not much time’s passed for him. I rewatched Attack of the Clones a few times to see how my voice sounded back then – I’m older and it’s changed a little, you know? I wanted to stay true to that original sound. But, he’s darker and more serious now – and he definitely has an edge.”

An edge – and a mission. Determined to exact revenge upon the Jedi, Boba poses as a clone cadet to sneak aboard a Jedi Cruiser. It’s easy enough for him to blend in; he is, after all, created from the same genetic blueprint as the rest of the clones – that of bounty hunter Jango Fett. But though he may have DNA identical to the Republic heroes’, he nonetheless sees himself as a unique individual – with no affection for his genetic brethren.

“He’s with the clones, but he’s not one of them,” says Logan. “He’s special; that’s how he sees it. And now he’s alone. He had a relationship with Jango, like a father and son. None of the other clones had that connection; they’re just soldiers, and now they’re standing in his way. And that’s one of things that makes Boba so cool, as a kid and as a bounty hunter – nothing stands in his way.”

As for Logan himself, nothing would stand in his way when faced with the opportunity to revisit the role of the would-be bounty hunter. But though he was thrilled to be providing the voice of Boba for The Clone Wars, he had to curb his enthusiasm and hold his tongue – at least until the character’s return was officially announced.

“It was so hard keeping quiet,” says Logan. “We didn’t want to ruin the surprise that Boba was coming back, so I couldn’t say anything! It’s been a year [since the initial voice recording session], and people would ask me if I was going to appear in The Clone Wars – if Boba was coming back. And I couldn’t say anything! I was so excited, and I wanted to shout it, you know? But I had to be quiet. Now that I can finally talk about it, I’m bursting. I saw the finished episodes a few weeks ago, and it just looks so cool – worth the wait! Fans are going to be excited to see how the character develops – but we don’t give too much away.

Boba’s a mystery; that’s what’s cool about him.”

Suggested caption information: Boba Fett sets his plan into motion by posing as a young clone cadet in “Death Trap,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS premiering at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, April 16 on Cartoon Network. TM & © 2010 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.