Index The Seedy Side V. 2.0 (An Underworld Index/Discussion Thread - disc. crime lords)

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(November 16th: Updated with new fics by Katana_Geldar and The_Face, responses to the OC Project, and an announcement)

***

This place came into being because even though I'd been looking for a while, I never found a place to discuss "the other half", if you will - the people that aren't Jedi, Sith, Rebels, or even your average, everyday, working-class people. So if you're having the same struggle I had, the struggle to find an index of honest-to-goodness antiheroes (and I use that phrase as loosely as possible), look no further.

They live here.

This is a place for the rogues with a lowercase 'r'. The bounty hunters, the smugglers, the spice traffickers - basically everyone the Republic, Empire, and Jedi Order alike would prefer to forget existed. But there they dwell in the shadows, waiting to be discovered. Waiting... for you.


I also decided to start this thread because after having read several other wonderful fics, I realized that I'm not the only one intrigued by characters such as Boba and Jango Fett, and I wanted to create a place to hash out their characters, have writing exercises and challenges, talk about why we love them so much - all that good stuff.

-Fate

***

Fate founded The Seedy Side with that vision, but since has left it to me, The_Face, to run. Since there was no ?SeedySider? sock at first, it got complicated to update the thread. So now there?s this, to make things much more streamlined. New events, new fics, new challenges, new discussions, etc. will be here, as well as all the stories from that index. You can view the original [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Resource/b10304/16810929/p1]
here.[/link]

If you know a great underworld-centric fic for this index, please send a link via PM to SeedySider or The_Face. I?ll do the rest as best as I can, though in some instances I find that I need the author?s help in some areas.

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[color=5C65D0][b]Alaneia[/b][/color]

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=23764428&brd=10476&start=23801467]The Con of a Lifetime[/link]

Timeline: Leading up to TESB
Genre: AU, romance
Main characters: Jaiden Macaria, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett
Summary: Han Solo's singer sister is caught up in the underworld he lives in when she accepts an offer from Lando Calrissian.
Status: Unfinished


[color=5C65D0][b]Antilles2001[/b][/color]


[link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22579073/p1/?0]District 666[/link]

Timeline: Pre-AotC and post-RotS
Genre: one-poster, film homage
Main characters: Unknown to preserve vig's effect
Summary: It's a tribute based on particular events of the movie (I've not read the comics yet, but I doubt it makes too much a difference). Read it twice to fully enjoy it.
Status: [b]Complete[/b]


[link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/20950755/p1]Legend?s Last Stand[/link]

Timeline: AotC
Genre: Action, AU
Main characters: Jango and Boba Fett
Summary: After a public execution gone awry, Jango Fett and his cloned son Boba unintentionally join the bloody fray. The most intriguing father and son relationship is tested as the two struggle to avoid the chaos. On the soon-to-be bloody sand of the Geonosian Arena, a legend will make his final stand.
Status: Unfinished



[color=5C65D0][b]Apocalyptic_Jawa[/b][/color]


[link=http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17426120]Legerdemain[/link]

Timeline: Between ANH and ESB
Genre: Action, Vignette
Main Characters: Taren Vellic and crew
Summary: A band of thieves work to relieve a museum of its most valuable display.
Status: [b]Complete[/b]


[link=http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17566796]The Cloud City Caper[/link]

Timeline: During ESB
Genre: Action
Main Characters>

 

What kind of resources would you expect a large pirate organization would have available to them?

 

Oh, here already, Brant! Fantastic. I'll get to your post in a moment.

First, if anybody sees any errors I've missed in moving the index and whatnot, please let me know!

There will soon also be a new Challenge Thread (with the same challenges, so fear not, those trying to come up with responses to the new one) to address the same problem that this is.

Now then, time for our?

First Update

These fics were going to be added to the first Seedy Side index, but they?ll do as our first new fics of V. 2.0. We start off by welcoming Antilles2001 to the index with not one, but two fics to offer ? both quite well-done.

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22579073/p1/?0]1. District 666[/link]

Timeline: Pre-AotC and post-RotS

Genre: one-poster, film homage

Main characters: Unknown to preserve vig's effect

Summary: It's a tribute based on particular events of the movie (I've not read the comics yet, but I doubt it makes too much a difference). Read it twice to fully enjoy it.

Status: Complete


[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=20950755&brd=10476&start=22367031]2. Legend?s Last Stand[/link]

Timeline: AotC
Genre: Action, AU
Main characters: Jango and Boba Fett
Summary: After a public execution gone awry, Jango Fett and his cloned son Boba unintentionally join the bloody fray. The most intriguing father and son relationship is tested as the two struggle to avoid the chaos. On the soon-to-be bloody sand of the Geonosian Arena, a legend will make his final stand.
Status: In-progress



Next is another from our beloved founder Fate, and it?s as brilliant as any she?s done ? which is saying a lot for her.

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22365477/p1/?0]The Lost Boy[/link]

Timeline: circa AotC

Genre: angst, suspense

Main characters: Jango Fett, Boba Fett, clone OCs

Summary: Jango has a serious discussion with his son as to the nature of the clones.

Status: Complete



And last, but not least, a sequel to the hilarious On Yodimus by 1YodimusPrime. The amoral laughs continue.

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/21283317/?2]Planet Hopping[/link]

Timeline: 12 yrs post ANH, one year after the events in "On Yodimus"

Main characters: Yodimus, Darin, Melinworth and Rybinstall - all OCs

Genre: Humor, action

Summary: This is a story about love, loss, vengeance, redemption, and how much money one can make by faking those emotions. It's about wanton murder and the most fun ways to go about it. But most of all, it's about one salesman, and his trench coat. Because trench coats are awesome, and salesmen are only awesome when wearing them.

Status: In-progress


And, of course there's the new discussion topic to start us off:

[color=seagreen][b]?Here We Are Now - Entertain Us.?[/b][/color] At last, a discussion of perhaps the must lucrative layer of the underworld. What's your character's standpoint on those seedy cantinas - are they austure and condemning, or are they frequent patrons? What is Jabba, exactly? And what in the world are those dancing T'wileks thinking? Come in and sound off.

Oh, and don?t forget to check out the new Status feature, for all the fics in the index.

[hr]

Now then, Welcome to the New Seedy Side, [b]Brant_Flir.[/b] [face_wink] A large pirate org would have plenty of people obviously, each with their own motley weapons and sundry armaments. Majorly important would be the small "fleet" (by a loose definition of the word) of ships in their employ. Depending on the social skills of their leader, they might have lots of contacts in the underworld for safe havens when the authorities come hunting, or pertinent information. Probably some repair stuff in case a ship gets damaged in the piracy process.

Can't think of anything else at the moment.

[EDITED for update format]>

 

But i mean liek suppliers. Black market bissneusses. Contacts on planets. What would an organizaton say, as large as jabba the Hutt's Syndicate have availible?

 

The Challenge Thread has been locked for being unnecessary. Makes sense to me. The challenges will now be indexed in this thread. Check ?em out.

Now, Brant_Flir, sorry to take so long to reply. I?ll spare you the excuses and get to your question. Probably in an inefficient and unhelpful manner.

Wow, it?s hard to say. The extent and gritty details of the underworld, by nature, tend to be kept in the shadows. It doesn?t help that the canon authors usually make a new war instead of addressing the huge crime element of the GFFA.

I?d say that almost everything?s connected there. You don?t get far if you stay away from the rest of the criminal society unless you?re a very talented bounty hunter type. Jabba may not know a certain person who has what he needs, but he probably either knows someone who knows him ? or has enough creds to buy his help.

Most organizations, however, tend to keep their influence within a region of space. Anything from one Corellian city to systems and systems (i.e. Black Sun). From what I can tell, Jabba has people throughout Hutt space and all around Tatooine.

?Again, it?s really difficult to tell. That kind of thing?s usually kept awfully vague. Apologies if this is as unhelpful as I think it is.

 

Second Update

Okay, maybe I?m just not nurturing this thread like I should be. How have any pets survived around me? At any rate, there are some more seedy fics you people should check out. I?ll introduce the first now.

This is a short but sweet tale that brings WendyNat to the index, which shines a little light on one of the best canon seedy-siders, Lando Calrissian.

Title: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22760043/p1/?1]A Scoundrel's Wisdom[/link]

Timeline: Post Episode V

Genre: Vignette, missing scene

Main Characters: Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Leia Organa

Summary: After his rescue from the bottom of Cloud City, Luke Skywalker learns there is more to Lando Calrissian than meets the eye.

Status: Complete



Then, there?s two vigs from another writer new to the Seedy Side ? PadwanKayla. They both star a bounty hunting woman in the IT period named Catana.

1. [link=http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22808198/p1/?8]Justice Lost[/link]

Timeline: Pre ROTS

Genre: Action, OC Dueling Challenge Response

Main characters: OCs, mention of Jabba the Hutt

Summary: Catana, a female bounty hunter, ?gets her man? or rather humanoid, but not in the manner she had hoped for.

Status: Complete



2. [link=http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/21567179/?1]The Blue Eyed Bounty[/link]

Timeline: Pre ANH

Genre: Action/Reflection, OC Dueling Challenge Response

Main characters: OC, Anakin, Obi-Wan

Summary: Female Bounty Hunter is offered a job and reflects on prior dealings with the new employer.

Status: Complete



They?re all quite good. Welcome to the index, both of you!


You may be familiar with [b]R_Zion[/b]?s Tales from the Fringe series, which can be found in the index. Even if you aren?t, there are some cool pictures of the underworld characters in the stories. As an example, here?s the sword-wielding Quarren merc Sillek:

[image=http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/233/sillekdraft25jg.jpg]

Here?s more: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Art/b10020/21150223/?3]Tales from the Fringe Art[/link]

Just a little extra seediness I thought I?d point out outside of the usual fics. [face_happy]

In other business, the Fanfic Awards are here. Exciting, I know. Get out there and support the underworld; several of the fics we have here are eligible if they just get the votes. Oh, and this is not meant to endorse any particular story(ies). So don?t feel like you?re being attacked without solicitation. [face_wink] Please. [face_worried]

[b]SeedySider[/b] out.>

 

Heh, thanks for the artistic plug, SS.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've started a new chapter in the Tales from the Fringe Saga: Tale III- the Lost War. Join the mercs as they got caught up in a web of Imperial intrigue and are forced into service to recover a lost scout ship on the unexplored world of VST-001. Along for the ride this time is everyone's favorite enigmatic bounty hunter, Boba Fett.

Check it out here: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/22892426/p1/?0

 

The clunk of a footstep from outside the thread quiets the seedy denizens. Further footsteps turn heads toward the door expectantly the creak of the door draws everyone forward, leaning to the edge of their seats. Enter Forcefire. "Oh," everyone mumbles, "just him." Back to business as usual.

I decided I would make my debut in this thread with a little trip down memory lane. Good for the curious new folk, and a fond reminder for those of us who were there. I give you "Forcefire's History of the Seedy Side, Volume One."

Page 1: Fate kicks off the whole crazy magilla. There is much rejoicing. Users who would become staples of the thread trickle in to discuss Boba Fett and OCs. We discover that we share an affinity for long posts. Expect this to be a continuing theme.

Page 2: We discover our remarkable superpower to be on-topic and off-topic at the same time, as we manage to discuss the geography of Australia and international rivalry (call it mjsullivan vs. Boba Fett) alongside the new DVD releases. Fate?s buttons revealed to be very purty. Character interviews kick off. Penguins briefly enter the mix (my fault, sorry). The subject of challenges is broached.

Page 3: mjsullivan brings a gavel. Wackiness ensues. Still with very long posts, which just makes everyone happy.

Page 4: Official Seedy Side button is brought forth. The subject of Lando is broached. The_Face starts showing his captaincy qualifications and we enjoye some nice discussion. Why isn?t there a Hutt people who consider to be a nice guy?

Page 5: Witness the birth of SeedySider, official sock of the line. It?s like the comics when they mushed together characters to make new ones. But not dumb. Said sock introduces the question of what makes a story seedy. I am aghast that I didn?t think to offer up the idea and wander around in a haze for a good week. Looong posts bring warm feelings to my heart.

Page 6: Brief, minor tensions arise and everyone posts in actions. I dunno.

Page 7: Mara Jade comes into focus as our second character examination.

Page 8: Fate hands the cap?n hat to Face, ushering in a new era or something. Maybe this thread is the new era. Do I look like a geologist to you? Anyhow, tasty discussion ensues.

Page 9: Seedy Side v2.0 announced. Here we are. We made some good memories. Time for some more.

 

"Together we will prolong this destructive conflict and profit from it in slightly illegal ways."

I concur!!

Page 9: Seedy Side v2.0 announced. Here we are. We made some good memories. Time for some more.

And I'll raise a glass to that!
So: who do I have to con to get some ale around here?

Anyway, the question was brought up: "What kind of resources would you expect a large pirate organization would have available to them?"
As I happen to have created a very large pirate organization myself for [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/21283317/?2]Planet Hopping[/link], I'll give you my impressions.

A well-off pirate organization would, first of all, have a highly eclectic collection of characters numbered in its crew. Most would be of the thugish variety (though I'd imagine that few if any are what you'd call generic. Generic type thugs usually get picked up by the military first. Pirate thugs always have some odd quirk.). But a few would be extremely specialized. The upper end of the pirate heirarchy would be populated with characters very skilled in very strange things. The grouping probably made sense for that first really big snag, but now they make little sense outside of morale-boosting and leadership roles. Still, their skills would become useful in the strangest of circumstances. It's also possible that most of the original crew is gone, and what's left is the one guy/gal smart enough to know that there was something golden about the set up, plus their hangers-on, and now they're making a killing. in that case, most of the talent would be hired from outside. There are plenty of other variations/premises, but those highlighed the examples best.

Large pirate organizations are extremely intimidating. They're like an angry mob, except even bigger, well-armed, not threatened by law enforcement, and eyeing your ship. That's a monster you don't screw with. On one hand, their clout would get them some really great help. On the other, their high profile could scare away the really smart criminals for fear of being spotlighted by the authorities. And let's not forget, the larger they are, the more volitile they will be. Chances of mutiny increase exponentially with every aquired ship in their pirate fleet. And mutiny chances for pirates start out at 35-40% .

Another thing I created in "Planet Hopping" is the idea of an underworld post-Black Sun communication system. A sort of news/jobs board for the elements of the crime world able to decrypt it. Something to bring solidity into an interstellar society with no centralized crime organization. I call it the OCR - Organized Crime Ring hotline. It's a carefully encrypted datastream that runs under several waves of the Holonet signal. That way, anyone with the right equipment and a holotransciever, in the right crime circles, can access it and even add to it if they so wish.
I figure, otherwise, how would anything sufficiently illegal ever get done!?

One thing to keep in mind when writing is that few if any official EU authors have touched upon the inner workings of our favorite Side, as Face mentioned. So making crap up and pulling ideas right out of your patoot is perfectly acceptable. Like I always say, "If you can't find the reference, it hasn't been written about. And if it has, well...this version's better."

 

Welcome back to the Seedy Side?, R_Zion, Forcefire, and 1YodimusPrime! Good to see you all.

R_Zion: The story looks great, but I?ll use this as time to remind everyone to please PM links to underworld fics to me or SeedySider, who can then post them in the index in a shiny official update with all the pretty colors. Mmkay? Thank you. That said, TftFIII is in for the next update. I just need to find one or two others first.

Forcefire: Nice entrance.

The history lesson is very nice. Ah, what gaveling it was? *fond sigh*

Brief, minor tensions arise and everyone posts in actions. I dunno.

I remember being confused and possibly cutting off the sock?s hand. Or maybe the other way around. The way cybernetics are these days, who can tell?

We made some good memories. Time for some more.

Sure hope so. Just gonna need your guys? help.

1YodimusPrime: Generic type thugs usually get picked up by the military first. Pirate thugs always have some odd quirk.

Don?t they though? Good analysis, Yod. I like the OCR idea. That?s probably one of the ways one of my characters gets some of his info. Heck, so far this is more compelling than our real topic of discussion.

Speaking of, I guess I?ll start that up now, since, as Yodimus said, it?s open to interpretation/making stuff up. So here goes. What is it again? Oh right, entertainment. *ahem*

What's your character's standpoint on those seedy cantinas - are they austure and condemning, or are they frequent patrons?

Here?s a few.

Remy Diabet (detective extraordinaire, now with more real butter flavor!): What?s austure? Austere? I don?t think I?ve ever been austere. I don?t have it in me. Still, I certainly don?t approve of anything that gets those scumbags together. And I am too better than them! Hmph.

Jav Yonx (sadly, I work with him): I?ll take austere and condemning. They?re only good for getting the information I need.

Messuni Roserain (I save these two once in a while): I?ll go in most if I have reason to. Someone to meet or shoot, say. If it?s owned by a Hutt or a crime lord, though, I pass. Won?t support ?em.

Alias Sibul (master thief and doer of the impossible): How thirsty am I? Throat a little dry and up, I?ll drop by. Good place to find work, usually. If there?s pleasant entertainment, then fine by me. I?d rather find a compelling conversation with one of the lady patrons, though?

Wynt Tlach (bounty hunter): They have their place, but let others lose control on their vices. I don?t need a bad habit to support. Drinking can take the edge off the job, but also reduce your efficiency. Delicate balance. Of course, I never take my helmet off in public places, but still.

Better stop there before I go overboard.

What is Jabba, exactly?

Uh, a Hutt crime lord. Right? I think I caught that much from the movie. If you mean in relationship to the entertainment, I believe that?s a big selling point of the power for him. Sit back with some delicious frog-in-a-bucket and watch the show that is the underworld. Fun fact: Jabba?s love for the humanoid female form is considered among Hutts to be a sick perversion!

Okay, maybe not so fun.

And what in the world are those dancing Twi?leks thinking?

I have a theory which I used in a story of mine that the people in the palace fear the floor. You never know when you?ll become a rancor?s dinner mint. Specifically to the dancing Twi?leks? They seem to have a wide appeal among several species, and the folks on Ryloth are surprisingly willing to sell them into slavery.

On the general issue, the underworld is all about those baser characteristics. They deal in everything from murder to smuggling as their day jobs. Is it much of a surprise that drink, spice, staring at pretty girls, rock ?n? roll, etc. etc. come into play? It?s one of those elements where it loses its romantic glamour

 

*whistles innocently*

Would you by chance believe that it was my evil, Dark-side clone R. Ziion that posted that link earlier?

*stuffs his hands in his pockets and shuffles nonchalantly out the door*

 

AFTER HIM!

*rent-a-cops rush out the door after RZ*

 

*cues the Benny Hill music for a chase scene*

Wooooooooowoowoowoo!


(Note: I will try to post something useful....eventually ^_^ Just don't send me to the spice mines yet)

 

Yikes, I never did get around to that HK-47 fic I promised...

 

*watches Yod chase RZ off, shakes head, and shuffles paperwork*

Antilles2001: That?s quite alright; I figure this challenge will go on ?til some time in March. Even then, we?ll take late submissions. It?s not like we?re being overwhelmed with responses.

Third Update

Okay, I?ve rounded up enough material for an update. Behold an updated index, a new topic, and an extra link, just for kicks and giggles.

And now, a couple fics for the index. First, from R_Zion comes another in his series about a ship full of mercenaries. Plus, it has the esteemed Mr. Fett. At some point. I hope.

Title: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22892426&brd=10476&start=22930309]Tales from the Fringe III: The Lost War[/link]

Timeline: 11 months post-ANH

Genre: Action, adventure, drama and comedy

Main characters: Marikk Danar and crew, Boba Fett

Summary: One month after the events of Tales One and Two, the crew becomes embroiled in an Imperial recovery operation and find themselves in the middle of a conflict that was supposed to have ended decades before.

Status: In-progress


And next is the award-winning oqidaun asking if you wanna buy a deathstick. A little Elan Sleazebaggano humor for you there. Anyway?

Title: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/20913796/?9]The Ballad of Mazaricky No-Name[/link]

Timeline: pre-AotC

Genre: humor/drama

Main characters: OC/Elan Sleazebaggano

Summary: Mazaricky No-Name struggles with many of life?s tough questions. How do you get your parents to keep paying for Med School when you dropped out three months ago? What do you do with a roommate who sits around in his pajamas all day eating your mother?s cookies and talking about his hair? How do you look at yourself in the mirror every morning when you realize what a mess you?ve made of everything? Are there any honest people left on Coruscant?

Status: Complete

Welcome to the index, oqi!


I?d also like to point interested people in the direction of a Resource thread all about one of the greatest in-film seedy-siders, Lando Calrissian. It?s just getting started, but already has a challenge, discussion, and a small index. Check it out here: [link=http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/22929719/p1/?30]Slick Manoeuvres[/link]

And lastly, how about a new topic of discussion? Eh? Eh? [i]Eh?!?[/i]

[b]Random Seedy Sider[/b]: *wakes up* Huh wha? Oh. Yeah. *goes back to sleep*

All right!

[color=teal][b]?Just a Simple Man?[/b][/color]

One of our first topics at the original Seedy Side (OSS) was Boba Fett. So let's make on of this thread's first subjects of conversation the writing of his "father" Jango. What interests you about him, or repels you from him? What do you feel he adds to the GFFA? What?s your take on him as far as characterization? Give us your thoughts on anything pertaining to the Mandalorian in silver.>

 

Anybody? I'll be back with my thoughts on the topic this afternoon.

 

All right then.

I have never written Jango personally. I?ve written Boba Fett, and there are many similarities. They are both Mandalorian bounty hunters with the same physical description, obviously. But that?s surface stuff.

Neither are fans of the Jedi ? something many seedy-siders share in common. It?s probably that Light and Dark thing. The Force is so decidedly anti-Gray, those in moral ambiguity are made uncomfortable. The Sith and Jedi want you to make a choice and stick with it. The underworld?s population would prefer to have more? flexible allegiances.

But Jango respects the ability of another warrior. That?s part of what makes him so compelling. He has his own code of honor that?s just shifted slightly off from what we consider normal. He kills for credits, but he only takes down the bounty head and anyone stupid enough to take him on.

Like Boba, if I wrote Jango, I?d probably make him choosy with his words. But not quite as much. Jango is very efficient and to-the-point with his speech, but not to the extreme of his successor. He?s generally more amiable IMHO (he?s actually pretty friendly in his chat with Obi-wan, considering the circumstances). You can talk to Jango about things. Boba, not so much ? he?s more closed off emotionally thanks to a little childhood trauma. Jango is obviously much more in touch with his human side. He had a desire to be a father, and I don?t think it was just to pass on the Fett legacy. That was a plus, but I think he really wanted a son for all the normal reasons. That tells us a lot about him.

Speaking of which, Jango?s death. Everybody says the Fetts get punk deaths. Instant decap. Knocked into a sarlacc by a blind guy with a stick (something I parodied in my humor fic ?The Astoundingly Amazing, One and Only Boushh? with the delusional Jebediah Fett). Boba, I?ll agree with, I suppose, but he pulled a Phoenix in the EU so all?s well that ends well.

I mean, come back to life. Not go crazy and destroy a world. That was Kyp, right? I don?t keep track of those guys.

Anyway, Jango went down with just two blasters against the second best swordsman in the entire Jedi Order. He didn?t even have his jetpack. That would have made things much more challenging for ol? Mace. But let?s face it, the only way blasters are going to best an expert lightsaber-wielder is if there?s a whole lot of them. The primary reasons he gave Obi-wan such a time on Kamino was that he had his jetpack (mostly) and did his best to take the lightsaber out of the equation. On Geonosis, he couldn?t do that. So he went down fighting honorably, as any Mandalorian should.

That?s all I?ve got for now.

Please discuss. Please.

Face

 

Hey Face and all Seedy Siders! Well, look at this. A brand new Seedy Side thread in which we can all gather and try to pick one another's pockets I'm stepping in really late here, and for that I apologise! But to make up for it, here are some well thought out ideas about our friend Jango Fett, god rest his soul.

I agree with what you say about him being more human than Boba, Face - I think I will ascribe that to the different eras they grew up in. When Jango lost his parents at a young age, he was adopted by the Mandalorians and raised with a group. The niceties (or lack thereof) of said group put aside, he grew up knowing how to talk to people. Boba, on the other hand, witnessed his father decapitated and suddenly found himself alone. He didn't (to my knowledge) go and seek out counsel and shelter with other like-minded individuals. So all that not speaking would be pretty much engrained in him. And plus, he's a clone. When you first realise that, you know it's going to be a downer.

So, back to Jango! He's an interesting character. I'm not sure why he ended up on his own as I haven't done much research into him before. Apparently it has something to do with him being the last of the Mandalorians in the galaxy after the others wiped one another out. But, in any case, by the time we see him in episode II he's become a loner. Well, sort of. There was that thing with Zam Wessel. And the whole "millions of clones" thing. So I guess loner doesn't fit. "Free Agent", how about that?

I kind of liken him to James Bond, but only slightly. He's a gentleman and he's highly honourable, but get into a stouche with him and you're in trouble. You make a good point about the family man too, Face. Why would a man who travels the universe taking out contracts on people's lives want a son? I'd say because he grew up knowing what family meant. The Mandalorians may not have been blood relatives, but from what I know of them they're a tight-knit faction that will live and die by one another. Maybe he thought that a Mandalorian ought not to be alone in the universe.

Like I said, interesting character - anyone got anything to add? How about this: If Jango was asked by Dooku to kill Padme, then why did he go ahead and hire Zam Wessel to help him? Was he testing out his enemies' abilities? Was he simply too afriad to take on two Jedi? Perhaps, somewhere in the back of his mind, his paternal self was telling him that if he died, his son would be left with nothing in the universe? Lets hear it. Flesh him out!

And thats all from me at the mo Back for some more juicy underworld gossip soon.



Hey, where's my wallet?

 

Disclaimer: Please forgive any misspellings or minor errors in the area of a certain fictional society of made-up people in the post to follow. Thank you.

Welcome back to the Seedy Side?, Mjs! Thanks for joining us, and bringing your thoughts to the table. Always appreciated.

Excellent thoughts on why Boba is less human than Jango. That?s probably a large part of it.

Mandalorian culture is a fascinating subject. Star Wars Insider, while not as great as it once was, had an intriguing article on it recently. Karen Traviss knows her stuff. Anyway, family is one of the primary tenets of Mando society. As you point out, this does not necessarily mean by blood. Mandalorians have been known to adopt the orphans left behind by war (the art of which they devote themselves to). Interesting dichotomy. One can become Mando?ade if they pledge themselves to the ideals. Similarly, even a direct relative can be stripped of their Mandalorian-ness if they fail to live up to those ideals.

Zam Wessel has always confounded me. Why did Jango sub-contract it out? It?s been a perplexing point of EpII for me. Perhaps, as you say, he wanted to distance himself from the hit for his own safety ? for the sake of his son, of course. I don?t think any Fett fears death in my POV. I doubt he was testing the Jedi. He should know the abilities of those within the Order. Anybody know if he?d fought alongside or against Force-sensitives prior to Episode II? Of course, it still could have been to determine the skills of this particular duo. It might have less to do with the hit, and more to do with his relationship with Zam. IIRC, the EU says they are friends of some sort. Maybe compatriots or peers would be better terms. I dunno.

Like I said, I never quite understood that. Anybody with ideas on this, please mention it in your response.

Hey, where?s my wallet?

 

mjs, hey!

Jango's a pretty cool character- dig that barely hidden animosity when he's talking to Obi-Wan. Definitely the family man- look at the asteroid field chase. It's like a lazy Sunday with the family for him and Boba. Perhaps the family that slays together stays together? (I apologize for nothing!)

As to the sub-contracting, I think some concern for Boba might have played into it, but maybe it was also the head honchos not wanting undue risk put on the donor for their Unstoppable Clone Army?. Jango knows his limits. Look at the arena scene, for example. He plays it patient and waits for the opposition to come to him. If you want to classify Jango Fett, I'd call him the consumate professional. Skilled, smart, and stable enough to do business.

 

G'day Forcefire! I know its been a case of long time no post around here fo me . But I'm back now, even if it is in a limited capacity, so I'm up for some outrageously seedy discussions about Mandalorians.

but maybe it was also the head honchos not wanting undue risk put on the donor for their Unstoppable Clone Army?

A-ha, good point! I didn't think of that. When you have an army of clones of yourself about to be unleashed on the galaxy you probably want to keep a low profile for a start. I don't know if Jango Fett would be one to speak under interrogation ever, but one can never underestimate the value of makin' with the chin music until he canaries. I guess also, because Padme was such a high-profile target, Jango may not have wanted to risk being identified, what with the more-distinctive-than-not Mandalorian armour. If you get caught sight of trying to kill a senator, I'm pretty sure your name is mud and your image is plastered everywhere in law enforcement circles. It'd step up his need to avoid the authorities, because they would be proactively searching for him. And who needs that trouble when there's little ones running around?

If you want to classify Jango Fett, I'd call him the consumate professional. Skilled, smart, and stable enough to do business.

Good summary, I reckon. And you know, I've even come around to accepting his accent as credible and scary But because I have no wish to re-open old wounds, I'm going to skip over any mention of New Zealand

 

Forcefire: Perhaps the family that slays together stays together? (I apologize for nothing!)



The Clone Army donor point is a good one. Mjs already expounded on it, so I?ll leave it at that.

If you want to classify Jango Fett, I'd call him the consumate professional. Skilled, smart, and stable enough to do business.

Yes, very much so. It can be hard to get all three in one hunter.

Mjs: I don't know if Jango Fett would be one to speak under interrogation ever?

I don?t think he would, except maybe if little Boba was in danger. I think he really cared about the kid. Of course, as hired help, he might tell somebody what they want to know before things get that bad if it?s possible and profitable. The Seedy Side has that advantage of flexible loyalties.

And way to take the high road on the matter of certain kiwi-obsessed islanders.

 

I really should stop in here more often. This look like a cool thread.

Okay, I'll admit - when I first heard about Jango, I thought, "Oooh." Then I thought, ehhh... I liked Boba's unknown background - you barely knew a thing about him, just that he was damn good at what he did. To see where he came from kind of, not quite ruined, but just took the mystery away from him.

Now that I've seen more of what others think, however, and especially after reading the Insider article, I just like the idea overall of the Mandalorian culture.

Has anyone seen "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels"? Big Chris is the regular hit man for the bad guy, Hatchet Harry. Big Chris also has a son, Little Chris, and he takes him on jobs. He's a very good dad. Seriously, though, he's an absolute professional, tells bums not to swear in front of his kid, and gets really pissed off when another bad guy points a gun at Little Chris's head.

That's how I think of Jango. Even when Boba's in trouble, he'll keep his cool and set things right. Then he'll beat the crap out of someone.

 

Nothing, I said!

JadeSolo, allow me to extend a welcome to you. Please do stick around, we can be very interesting.

I haven't yet, but I quite want to (the British are masters of the crime movie, aren't they?). "Snatch" was great. Anyway, sounds like a good analogy. Heck, might even lead to a good story: someone trying to get at Jango via Boba, and what Jango then does in response. Could be very good indeed.

Edit: for hideous formatting mess.

 

Okay I?m back home again and it?s time to reply to my favorite little thread. Oh, I?m biased. I?m biased like you wouldn?t believe.

JadeSolo: Welcome to the Seedy Side!?

The mystery of Boba was great and quite appropriate for the character. However, GL decided to include him in the prequels, so we got his ?official? story (for those who would have distrusted an EU origin tale). But, I applaud George ?cause if he had to have a backstory, he got a good one. And it wasn?t all window dressing either. The fact that every clonetrooper is a Fett in a sense really ups Boba?s importance to the saga. And Jango?s, of course, but he wasn?t around beforehand.

I must agree that Mandalorians rock.

That's how I think of Jango. Even when Boba's in trouble, he'll keep his cool and set things right. Then he'll beat the crap out of someone.

Definitely. Good POV on Jango?s character. I hope you?ll continue to drop by for our little discussions.

Forcefire: That is a very nice plot bunny and someone should do the fic. You should put it up for adoption if that place is still running.

?we can be very interesting.

Define ?interesting.?

General Notes

I think we?ve addressed a lot of Jango?s character. I?ll be back soon with the next topic of discussion. Anybody else, feel free to chime in on Jango ?til then.

Oh, and remember: I am not very good at coming up with topics. If you have an idea for something to discuss (or even a writing exercise), PM me or SeedySider with it and I?ll see if I can?t work it around into something we can chat about.