Jabba's criminal empire^[13] was ruled by the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure and was based on the desert planet of Tatooine. Jabba began his illicit operation out of his palace on Tatooine centuries before the onset on the Clone Wars, from where he spread his operations and influence across the Outer Rim by employing a network of smugglers who moved his goods across the galaxy, forming a powerful criminal empire that was affiliated with the Hutt Clan.

The criminal enterprise of Jabba had come to control a bulk of the Outer Rim piracy, slavery, and trafficking in illegal goods that generated a high amount of wealth during the era of the Republic to the Imperial Era, and was able to preserve it power base, despite the interference of the Galactic Empire, however Emperor Sheev Palpatine made a deal with Jabba during the Galactic Civil War to secure raw materials for Imperial Military production and allowed his empire to survive the Imperial crackdown against criminal elements in the Outer Rim.

Following Jabba's death, the Hutts were left to determine who would fill Jabba's seat and take reins of his criminal empire. Several months after, a decision had yet to be made and the debate over the matter of his will raged on. Meanwhile, his former majordomo Bib Fortuna, returned to the palace and took over its operations during the New Republic Era. However Boba Fett attacked the palace and executed Fortuna and took the throne for himself, forming his own gotra from the reins of Jabba's.

Organization[]

Jabba was a harsh master, and would demand tributes from various local governments on Tatooine in order to keep them in line. These vassals, out of fear, would dare not challenge the crime lord.^[6] Jabba would employ smugglers to transport illegal products across the galaxy. He was also known to call upon bounty hunters to capture those who crossed him.^[1][14]

Many of the day-to-day operations at Jabba's palace were handled by Bib Fortuna, who would often screen visitors wanting to meet with the gangster.^[15] The accountant Tessek managed Jabba's finances,^[16] though he was secretly embezzling money for himself.^[17] The pilot Wooof was placed in charge of Jabba's fleet of skiffs and his sail barge, Khetanna,^[18] while a mechanic, Barada, maintained them.^[19] Jabba's only true friend, Ephant Mon, served as his head of security.^[20] Several of the palace guards consisted of Gamorreans, as well as Humans, Niktos, and Weequays.^[5]

Several beings were forced to serve in the criminal empire against their will. For example, Jabba purchased the human slave Malakili to serve as caretaker for his rancor.^[16] Others, such as Oola and Leia Organa, were enslaved for Jabba's entertainment.^[5] The Hutt would also use debt as a means of servitude. After saving Deva Lompop's life, Jabba would occasionally summon her to hunt bounties for him, often with the promise of releasing her from her debt.^[21] The musician Jess likewise became Jabba's servant in order to pay off the debt her father owed him.^[22]

History[]

Age of the Republic[]

In 22 BBY,^[7] Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, along with his Padawan Ahsoka Tano returned Jabba's son Rotta, to Tatooine in hopes of the Galactic Republic gaining access over the Hutt's secret hyperspace routes against the Confederacy of Independent Systems despite sabotage from Asajj Ventress and Sith Lord Count Dooku. Subsequently the Hutt Clan, became an ally of the Galactic Republic signing a treaty with them.^[10]

In 19 BBY, the former Sith Lord Maul had formed the Shadow Collective with the goal of taking over Mandalore. Needing additional resources, Maul appeared before the Grand Hutt Council to negotiate an alliance. When the council rejected Maul's offer, the Shadow Collective attacked the Hutt forces, resulting in the capture of Oruba, who gave Maul the location of Jabba's palace. Maul and his forces proceeded to travel to Tatooine and attacked the stronghold, massacring many of Jabba's guards in the process. Appearing before Jabba himself, Maul ordered the Hutt to submit to his demands or suffer the consequences. Knowing he had little choice, Jabba agreed to his request.^[11] With the help of the Hutts, Maul was able to successfully take over Mandalore.^[23] However, the Shadow Collective would later fracture when Maul was defeated by Darth Sidious.^[24]

Era of the Empire[]

War profiting[]

By 0 BBY,^[7] Han Solo, Jabba's best smuggler on his payroll, was forced to jettison a shipment of Kessel spice when the Millennium Falcon was boarded by a patrol of the Galactic Empire. Jabba wanted to gain compensation for his spice, so the Hutt sent bounty hunters after Solo.^[25] After the Rodian Greedo was killed by Solo, the smuggler spoke with Jabba at Docking Bay 94 in Mos Eisley, and the crime lord gave him more time.^[1] Shortly after the Battle of Yavin,^[26] in which the Alliance to Restore the Republic, with Solo's help, managed to destroy the Death Star,^[1] the Empire decided to negotiate with an envoy in Jabba's employ on Cymoon 1, in the Corellian Industrial Cluster. Sith Lord Darth Vader, was send as the Imperial negotiator with the intent of forcing Jabba's envoy in a deal favorable to the Empire.^[27]

However, the envoy's vessel was hijacked by the Rebel Alliance, and with a team of rebels including Solo, they used it to assault and destroy Weapons Factory Alpha on Cymoon 1.^[27] Emperor Palpatine sent Vader to Jabba's Palace to negotiate. Once there, Jabba was not interested in negotiating with Vader, and his Gamorrean guards were sent to eliminate the Sith, but Vader killed Jabba's guards and briefly choked Jabba in order to show what his fate will be if he didn't listened to him.^[12] The next day, Vader ended his negotiations with Jabba and left his palace.^[26]

Hiring him for a number of jobs, one of the bounty hunters Jabba often employed was the highly paid Boba Fett, who was regarded as the most notorious hunter in the galaxy.^[25] Three years after the Battle of Yavin, Fett was hired by Vader track down the Millennium Falcon. Following the ship to Cloud City, Solo was frozen in carbonite to be taken to Jabba by Fett.^[14] After the battle over Jekara, Jabba was left the sole ruler of the Hutt Clan, as Vader cut down the rest of the Hutt Council for attacking the Empire.^[28]

Death of Jabba[]

One year after Solo's capture, Solo's friend Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker and his rebel party attempted to convince Jabba to liberate Solo. Skywalker sent the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 to Jabba's Palace to negotiate with Jabba via hologram. However, the Hutt was uninterested in Skywalker's proposal. After a dance of Jedi Rocks, which was watched by various individuals in the place like Ree-Yees, and the capture of Leia Organa and Chewbacca, Skywalker presented himself at his palace and after Jabba tried to execute him. However, Skywalker killed Pateesa, Jabba's pet rancor.^[5]

Furious about his pet's death, Jabba attempted to execute Skywalker and his friends at the Great Pit of Carkoon as food for the Pit's Sarlacc. Jabba and the members of his empire went to the Pit aboard Jabba's sail barge. Skywalker warned Jabba once more, but he chuckled at the young Skywalker's warnings. This decision cost Jabba not only his empire, but also his life, as Organa, who Jabba made his slave after her capture, choked him to death with a chain. At the end, members of Jabba's empire fell into the sarlacc's mouth or were killed when Organa and Skywalker blew up Jabba's sail barge.^[5]

Bib Fortuna's reign[]

Following Jabba's death,^[3] his former majordomo,^[5] Bib Fortuna, returned to the palace and took over its operations^[3] as a crime lord.^[29] The crime families of Mos Espa left the syndicate and the city was divided among the Trandoshans, the Aqualish and the Klatooinians.^[30] Boba Fett's gunship, Slave I, was left inside the palace's garage. Eventually Boba Fett, who had survived and escaped the Sarlacc pit, with the help of Fennec Shand, infiltrated the palace and recovered it.^[30]

In 9 ABY,^[8] Boba Fett and Fennec Shand returned to the palace, after they helped Din Djarin rescue his foundling Grogu, they returned to Jabba's palace to finish their original mission. The two killed all the guards, followed by Fett executing Fortuna and taking the throne.^[3]

Legacy[]

Main article: Fett gotra

Boba Fett began establishing influence across Tatooine, demanding tribute from various local governments and factions on the planet, intended to rule with respect rather then with fear that existed under Jabba harsh reign.^[6] He found his rule opposed by Jabba's cousins "the Twins," who would then withdraw from Tatooine when they learned the Pyke Syndicate intended to take over the planet.^[4] Fett and his allies stood their ground against the Pykes^[31] in the Battle of Mos Espa,^[32] which ended in victory for the Fett gotra.^[31]

Appearances[]

Non-canon appearances[]

• A Vader Family Sithmas

Sources[]

Non-canon sources[]

• LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book (Picture only)

Notes and references[]