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{{Short description|Character in Star Wars}}
'''Jabba the Hutt''' is a character in the ] movies. Jabba is of the Hutt race, and like most of his species, he is a gangster. He speaks Huttese, the language of the Hutt race. Hutts are a large slug-like race with thick, leathery skin, human-like arms, large dead-black eyes, and wide mouths. An adult Hutt may weigh in excess of several tons. The species are hermaphrodites and reproduce by fission.
{{redirect|Jabba's Palace|the card game expansion set|Star Wars Customizable Card Game{{!}}''Star Wars Customizable Card Game''}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Jabba the Hutt
| image = Jabba the Hutt.png
| caption = Jabba the Hutt{{efn|'']'' (1983)}}
| series = ]
| first = '']'' (1983)
| creator = ]
| occupation = Crime lord<ref name="starwars-databank1">{{Cite web |title=Jabba the Hutt |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/jabba-the-hutt |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=StarWars.com |language=en}}</ref>
| affiliation = Grand Hutt Council{{Sfn|Beecroft|Hidalgo|2016|p=105}}<br />Crymorah Syndicate{{Sfn|Beecroft|Hidalgo|2016|p=105}}
| gender = Male<ref name="starwars-databank1" />
| lbl21 = Homeworld
| data21 = ]<ref name="anderson" />
| family = {{Plainlist|
** Crakka (cousin)<ref name="screen">{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Matt |date=2022-01-05 |title=The Twins & Hutt Clans Explained: How They Connect To Jabba |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-jabba-hutt-clan-twins-explained/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>
** Ebor (uncle)<ref name="starwars-databank2" />
** Gorga (nephew){{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008a|p=353}}
** Graballa (nephew)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sumerak |first=Marc |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ziCcswEACAAJ |title=Star Wars: Droidography |date=2018-11-06 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-286219-8 |language=en}}</ref>
** "The Twins" (cousins)<ref name="screen" />
** Ziro (uncle)<ref name="starwars-databank2">{{Cite web |title=Ziro the Hutt |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/ziro-the-hutt |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=StarWars.com |language=en}}</ref>
* Others in '''''Legends'''''{{efn|Jabba the Hutt's family members in the '']'' narrative universe include his father Zorba,{{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008b|p=130}} his uncle Jiliac,{{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008b|p=163}} his uncle Pazda,{{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008c|p=15}} and his nephew Grubba.{{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008a|p=372}}}}
}}
| children = Rotta (son)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rotta the Huttlet |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/rotta-the-huttlet |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=StarWars.com |language=en}}</ref>
| voice = {{Plainlist|
* ]{{efn|''Return of the Jedi''}}
* Scott Schumann{{efn|]<br />''The Phantom Menace''}}
* ]{{efn|'']'' radio drama}}
* ]{{efn|]<br />'']''<br />'']''<br />'']''}}
* David W. Collins{{efn|'']''}}
* ]{{efn|'']''}}
* ]{{efn|''The Clone Wars'' ] and ]<br />'']''<br />'']''<br />'']''}}
}}
| lbl1 = Performed by
| data1 = ]<br />]<br />]
| species = ]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hutt |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/hutt |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=StarWars.com |language=en}}</ref>
}}
'''Jabba the Hutt''' ({{IPAc-en|dʒ|ɑː|ˈ|b|ə}}) is a fictional character in the '']'' franchise. He is a large, {{No wrap|slug-like}} crime lord of the Hutt species. Jabba first appeared in the 1983 film '']'', in which he is portrayed by a one-ton puppet operated by several puppeteers. In 1997, he appeared in the Special Edition of the ], which had been retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope.'' Jabba made his third film appearance in the 1999 ] ''].'' He is voiced by ] in ''Return of the Jedi'' and by Scott Schumann in ''A New Hope'' and ''The Phantom Menace.''


Jabba lives in a palace on the desert planet ]. He places a ] on the smuggler ], and sends bounty hunters to capture him. After ] freezes Solo in ], the bounty hunter ] delivers the frozen Solo to Jabba, who puts him on display in his palace. A group of Solo's friends attempt to rescue him, but Jabba captures them; he enslaves ] and decrees that ], ], and Solo will be fed to a ]. Luke orchestrates an escape, and during the chaos Leia strangles Jabba to death.
{{spoiler}}


== Creation and portrayal ==
In Episode I, Jabba makes an appearance at the Boonta Eve Classic podracing event. He says to let the races begin. He is then seen asleep at the end of the race, until ] wakes him.
=== ''Star Wars'' ===
] wrote and directed ''Star Wars'', which was released in 1977. The script included a scene in which the smuggler Han Solo negotiates with Jabba about a payment he owes him. The scene was meant to give Solo the motivation to transport dangerous passengers for a high fare. It was also meant to explain why Solo was imprisoned in the following film, ''The Empire Strikes Back''.<ref>Lucas, George (1997). Interview on ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope'', Special Edition (VHS). 20th Century Fox.</ref>


In a 1985 interview, Lucas said he originally imagined Jabba as a furry creature that resembled a ]. By the time he completed the ''Star Wars'' screenplay, Jabba had evolved into a fat, slug-like creature with a gaping mouth and eyes on extended feelers. When filming Jabba's scene, ] served as a ] for the crime lord. Lucas planned to replace Mulholland in ] with an animated creature.<ref name="DatabankBTS">{{cite web |title=Jabba the Hutt, Behind the Scenes |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/character/jabbathehutt/?id=bts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501111000/http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/jabbathehutt/?id=bts |archive-date=May 1, 2008 |access-date=July 3, 2006 |work=StarWars.com}}</ref> Lucas ultimately cut the scene due to budget and time constraints, and because he felt it did not contribute to the film's plot.<ref>Lucas, George (2004) Commentary track on ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope'', Special Edition (DVD). 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to ], who plays the bounty hunter ], his character's scene was added to ''Star Wars'' after Lucas decided to cut the scene with Jabba.<ref>{{cite web |last=Carbone |first=Gina |date=November 17, 2019 |title=Greedo Actor Is Confused By 'Maclunkey,' And Star Wars In General |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2484984/greedo-actor-is-confused-by-maclunkey-and-star-wars-in-general |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117210507/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2484984/greedo-actor-is-confused-by-maclunkey-and-star-wars-in-general |archive-date=November 17, 2019 |access-date=November 17, 2019 |website=CinemaBlend}}</ref>
Prior to Episode 4 ('']''), Jabba sent ] on a ] run to smuggle spice. However Han was forced to dump the spice when he was boarded by an Imperial starship. Jabba demanded that Han pay him the value of the cargo. When the smuggler failed to pay him back, he put a price on Han's head. ] attempted to collect the bounty, but was killed for his efforts. Jabba met Han in the Millennium Falcon's hangar bay, where he agreed to let Han go, in exchange for a premium of 15% (bargained down from 20%). But that if Han delayed in payment again, he would have a price on his head so high that Han would not be able to go near a civilized star system.


=== ''Return of the Jedi'' ===
George Lucas originally filmed a scene in which Jabba, played by a human actor speaking English, confronted Solo in the Millennium Falcon's launch bay, but this scene was not used in the final film. For the ] remastered edition of the film the scene was restored, but with a ] version of Jabba obscuring the original actor and newly recorded dialogue in "Huttese". A snag was that Harrison Ford, playing Solo, had originally walked around the human actor, but the slug-like digital Jabba had a large tail. Lucas and his effects team solved the problem by manipulating the image so that Solo appears to walk ''over'' Jabba's tail and Jabba yelps in pained surprise.
Although Jabba did not appear in ''Star Wars'', he is mentioned in the film and its first sequel, ''The Empire Strikes Back.'' He finally appeared in the second sequel, ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983). His appearance is similar to the way he was described in the ''Star Wars'' script: He is a large, slug-like creature with a wide mouth. Before Lucas settled on this design, he considered other versions of the character. At various points, Jabba resembled an ape, a worm and a snail. One design made Jabba appear too human—almost like a ] character.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Bouzereau |first=Laurent |title=Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays |publisher=Del Rey |year=1997 |isbn=0-345-40981-7 |location=New York |pages=239}}</ref><ref name="StarWarstoJedi">''From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga'' (1992). CBS Fox Video (VHS).</ref> Nilo Rodis-Jamero, the costume designer for ''Return of the Jedi'', said he had envisioned Jabba as a refined, intelligent man resembling Orson Welles.<ref name=":3" />


After an initial design was approved, further design work was done by Phil Tippett, the film's visual effects artist. He based Jabba's body structure and reproductive system on the anatomy of ]. He modeled Jabba's head on that of a snake, complete with bulbous, slit-pupilled eyes and a mouth that opens wide enough to swallow large prey. He gave Jabba's skin a moist, amphibian quality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography of Phil Tippett |url=https://www.starwars.com/bio//philtippett.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060708210125/http://www.starwars.com/bio//philtippett.html |archive-date=July 8, 2006 |access-date=July 3, 2006 |work=StarWars.com}}</ref><ref name="HuttSansweet">{{cite encyclopedia| title= Hutt| first= Stephen J.| last= Sansweet| encyclopedia= Star Wars Encyclopedia| place= New York| publisher= Del Rey| year= 1998| page= | isbn= 0-345-40227-8| url= https://archive.org/details/starwarsencyclop00sans/page/134}}</ref>]The next task was to create the Jabba puppet, a process which took three months and cost $500,000. ] and the ] Creature Shop designed the one-ton puppet, while John Coppinger sculpted its latex, clay, and foam pieces. The puppet had its own makeup artist and required three puppeteers to operate, making it one of the largest puppets ever used in a film.<ref name="StarWarstoJedi"/> The puppeteers included ], ], and ], who were members of ]'s ] group. Barclay operated the right arm and mouth, while Philpott controlled the left arm, head, and tongue. Edmonds was responsible for the movement of Jabba's tail. The character's eyes and face were operated by radio control.<ref name="DatabankBTS"/><ref name="StarWarstoJedi" /><ref name="Lucascommentary">Lucas, George (2004). Commentary track on ''Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi'', Special Edition (DVD). 20th Century Fox.</ref> Lucas complained about the difficulty of moving the massive puppet around the set. He was also disappointed by its appearance, later stating that Jabba would have been a ] character if the required technology had existed at the time.<ref name="Lucascommentary" />
In the ] version of the series, this scene was included but with a new character called Heater replacing Jabba.


Jabba's voice was provided by ], who was uncredited in the film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jabba the Hutt Voice |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Star-Wars-Episode-VI-Return-of-the-Jedi/Jabba-the-Hutt/ |access-date=July 13, 2024 |website=Behind the Voice Actors}}</ref> A heavy, booming quality was given to Ward's voice by ] it an ] lower than normal and processing it through a ] generator.<ref>{{cite book| first= Tomlinson| last= Holman| title= Sound for Film and Television| place= Burlington, Massachusetts| publisher= Focal Press| year= 2002| page= | isbn= 0-240-80453-8| url= https://archive.org/details/soundforfilmtele00holm/page/11}}</ref> A soundtrack of wet, slimy sound effects was recorded to accompany the movement of Jabba's limbs and mouth.<ref>Burtt, Ben (2004). Commentary track on ''Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi'', Special Edition (DVD). 20th Century Fox. </ref> The film's composer, ], arranged a musical theme for Jabba that is played on a tuba.<ref>{{cite web | title= Review of ''Return of the Jedi'' soundtrack | url= http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/jedi.html | website= Filmtracks.com | access-date= July 3, 2006 | archive-date= June 16, 2006 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060616052304/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/jedi.html | url-status= live }}</ref> Williams later turned the theme into a ] piece which he performed with the ]. The ] Gerald Sloan said the Jabba theme "blends the monstrous and the lyrical".<ref>{{cite journal| first= Gerald |last= Sloan| title= Evening The Score: UA Professor Explores Tuba Music In Film| url= http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/1190.htm | date= June 27, 2000| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081226204145/http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/1190.htm | archive-date= December 26, 2008| publisher= University of Arkansas | journal= Daily Digest| access-date= July 3, 2006}}</ref> According to the film historian ], Jabba's strangulation by Leia was inspired by a scene from '']'' (1972), in which the obese character ] is ]d by an assassin.<ref>{{cite book| title= Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays| last= Bourezeau| first= Laurent| page= 259| publisher= Ballantine Books| year= 1997| isbn= 978-0345409812}}</ref>
The bounty on Solo's head was eventually collected, between Episodes 5 and 6, by ].


=== ''A New Hope –'' 1997 Special Edition ===
In Episode 6, '']'', ] entered Jabba's palace on ] to free Han Solo. Jabba the Hutt was strangled by ] during the freeing of Han Solo from captivity. In this movie, Jabba is "played" by a large ] requiring several operators.
{{multiple image
| align = left
| total_width = 420
| image1 = Jabba the Hut Star Wars ep4 Mulholland stand-in.png
| caption1 = Harrison Ford as Han Solo (left) and Declan Mulholland, the stand-in for Jabba the Hutt
| width1 =
| image2 = Jabba the Hut Star Wars ep4 CGI 1997 Special Edition.png
| caption2 = A digital version of Jabba replaced Mulholland in the 1997 Special Edition of<br>''A New Hope''.
| footer =
}}


In 1997, the ] was released, now titled ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope.'' Lucas revisited the Jabba scene he had filmed (and ultimately cut) and completed it for the Special Edition, replacing the stand-in actor Mulholland with a computer-generated version of Jabba. He also replaced the English dialogue with ], a fictional language created by ], the film's sound designer. The scene consisted of five shots and took over a year to complete. Joseph Letteri, the visual effects supervisor for the Special Edition, said his goal was to make Jabba look as realistic as a flesh-and-blood character.<ref>Letteri, Joseph (1997). Interview on ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope'', Special Edition (VHS). 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A New Hope: Special Edition – What has changed? |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/bts/article/f19970115/indexp2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229204948/http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/bts/article/f19970115/indexp2.html |archive-date=February 29, 2008 |access-date=October 3, 2016 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> The scene was refined for the 2004 DVD release, with improvements to Jabba's appearance made possible by advancements in ].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Campbell |first1=Malcolm |last2=Woodward |first2=Tom |title=Star Wars: The Changes — Part One |url=http://www.dvdactive.com/editorial/articles/star-wars-the-changes-part-one.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223003329/http://www.dvdactive.com/editorial/articles/star-wars-the-changes-part-one.html |archive-date=December 23, 2010 |website=DVDActive}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source may be insufficiently reliable (]).|date=July 2024}}
In the movie ], Jabba the Hutt was parodied as, "Pizza the Hut," a disgusting cheesy blob.


At one point during the scene, Ford walks behind Mulholland. This became a problem when adding the CG Jabba, since his tail would be in Solo's path. The solution was to have Solo step on Jabba's tail, causing him to yelp in pain. In the 2004 DVD release, Jabba reacts more strongly, winding up as if to punch Solo. In this version, shadows cast by Solo were added to Jabba's body to make the CGI more convincing.<ref name="Lucascommentary" /> According to Lucas, some viewers were disappointed with the digital Jabba's appearance, complaining that the character did not look realistic. Lucas dismissed this criticism, claiming that regardless of whether a character is portrayed by a puppet or CGI, it will always look unrealistic to some degree.<ref name="Lucascommentary" />
<!-- Categories -->

]
== Characterization ==
Jabba has been described as an exemplar of lust, greed, and gluttony.<ref>{{cite journal| first= Murray |last= Pomerance| title= Hitchcock and the Dramaturgy of Screen Violence| editor-first= Steven Jay |editor-last= Schneider| journal= New Hollywood Violence| place= Manchester, England| publisher=]| year= 2004| page= 47 |isbn= 0-7190-6723-5}}</ref> His criminal operations include slavery, gunrunning, spice-smuggling and extortion.<ref name="JabbaDatabank2">{{cite web |title=Character: Jabba the Hutt |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/character/jabbathehutt/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080325021147/http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/jabbathehutt/ |archive-date=March 25, 2008 |access-date=July 3, 2006 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> He amuses himself by torturing, humiliating and killing both his enemies and his own subordinates.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kahn |first=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3QPTCwAAQBAJ |title=Return of the Jedi: Star Wars: Episode VI |date=1983-05-12 |publisher=Random House Worlds |isbn=978-0-345-30767-5 |language=en}}</ref> He surrounds himself with scantily-clad slave girls of various species, often chained to his ].<ref>{{cite book |last=Tyers |first=Kathy |title=Tales from Jabba's Palace |date=1996 |editor-last=Anderson |editor-first=Kevin J. |editor-link=Kevin J. Anderson |page=80 |chapter=A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance: Oola's Tale}}</ref> Jabba's appetite is insatiable, and he sometimes threatens to eat his underlings.<ref>{{cite book |last=Windham |first=Ryder |title=A Decade of Dark Horse ''#2'' |publisher=] |year=1996 |chapter=This Crumb for Hire}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Friesner |first=Esther M. |title=Tales from Jabba's Palace |date=1996 |editor-last=Anderson |editor-first=Kevin J. |pages=60–79 |chapter=That's Entertainment: The Tale of Salacious Crumb}}</ref>

In ''Return of the Jedi'', Solo calls Jabba a "slimy piece of worm-ridden filth". The authors Martha and ] called his body a "miasmic mass" that seems to release "a greasy discharge, sending fresh waves of rotten stench" into the air.<ref>{{cite book| first1= Tom |last1= Veitch | first2= Martha |last2= Veitch| chapter= A Hunter's Fate: Greedo's Tale| editor-first= Kevin J.| editor-last= Anderson| title= Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina| place= New York City| publisher= Bantam Spectra| date= 1996| pages= 49–53| isbn= 0-553-56468-4}}</ref> Arthur Knight of '']'' described Jabba as a "truly frightening{{nbsp}}...{{nbsp}}walrus-shaped grotesque."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Arthur |date=November 28, 2014 |title='Star Wars: Return of the Jedi': THR's 1983 Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/star-wars-return-jedi-1983-752678/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=]}}</ref> The science fiction writer ] wrote that he deserves an award for "most disgusting alien", while the film critic ] described him as loathsome and evil.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cavelos |first=Jeanne |url=https://archive.org/details/scienceofstarwar00cave/page/57 |title=Just Because It Goes 'Ho Ho Ho' Doesn't Mean It's Santa: The Science of Star Wars: An Astrophysicist's Independent Examination of Space Travel, Aliens, Planets, and Robots as Portrayed in the ''Star Wars'' Films and Books |publisher=] |year=1999 |isbn=0-312-20958-4 |location=New York City |page=}}</ref><ref name="toad2">{{cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=May 25, 1983 |title=''Return of the Jedi'' review |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19830525/REVIEWS/305250301/1023 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203105308/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19830525%2FREVIEWS%2F305250301%2F1023 |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |access-date=July 3, 2006 |work=] |publisher=] |location=Chicago}}</ref>

==Appearances==
===Films===
Although he was mentioned in previous films, Jabba was first seen in '']'' (1983), the third film of the ]. The beginning of the film features the attempts of Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker to rescue Han Solo, who was imprisoned in carbonite in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980). Jabba has put the hibernating Solo on display in his throne room as a decoration. Leia is able to free Han from the carbonite, but she is caught and enslaved by Jabba, who forces her to wear a ]. Luke arrives to bargain for Solo's life, but Jabba rejects his offer and attempts to feed him to a ]. After Luke kills the monster, Jabba decrees that he, Solo and Chewbacca will be fed to a Sarlacc, a deadly ground-dwelling beast. Luke orchestrates an escape with the help of R2-D2, and defeats Jabba's thugs. During the chaos, Leia strangles Jabba to death with the chain used to enslave her. As Luke and his friends depart, Jabba's sail barge explodes.

Jabba appears in the Special Edition of ''Star Wars'', which was released in 1997. He is voiced by Scott Schumann. In the film, Jabba meets with Solo, who pledges to pay Jabba for lost cargo. Jabba threatens to place a large bounty on him if he does not follow through. Jabba also appears briefly in the 1999 prequel film '']'', again voiced by Schumann.<ref name="Jabba voice">{{cite book |last1=Holman |first1=Tomlinson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OptdlsLVGdIC&q=%22Scott+Schumann+%22&pg=PT72 |title=Surround Sound: Up and Running – 2nd Edition |date=June 20, 2014 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781136115899 |access-date=April 12, 2021}}</ref> He launches a ] at ], then falls asleep and misses the conclusion of the race.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Mos Espa Grand Arena |url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/mosespagrandarena/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080303053611/http://www.starwars.com/databank/location/mosespagrandarena/index.html |archive-date=2008-03-03 |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref>

===''The Clone Wars''===
Jabba's son Rotta is captured by Separatists in the animated film '']'' (2008). It is later revealed that Ziro, Jabba's uncle, took part in the kidnapping as part of his plan to take control of the Hutt Clan. The Jedi Knight ] and his apprentice ] return Rotta to Jabba in exchange for the safe passage of ] ships through his territory. ] exposes Ziro's crimes to Jabba; outraged by his uncle's betrayal, he vows to ensure that Ziro will be severely punished.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Roy|first=Jennifer|date=December 20, 2022|title=Will Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett Feature Jabba the Hutt's Family?|url=https://www.cbr.com/wstar-wars-the-book-of-boba-fett-jabba-the-hutt-family/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=ComicBook.com}}</ref>

Jabba appears in several episodes of ] (2008–2014; 2020). In "Sphere of Influence", he is confronted by ], whose daughters were kidnapped by Greedo. Jabba allows a sample of Greedo's blood to be taken to prove he is the kidnapper.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Blauvelt|first=Christian|date=October 1, 2010|title='Star Wars: The Clone Wars' recap: Greedo shot first!|url=https://ew.com/article/2010/10/01/star-wars-the-clone-wars-recap-episode-3-greedo/|access-date=February 2, 2022|magazine=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McEwan|first=Cameron|date=October 4, 2010|title=Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 3 episode 4 review: Sphere Of Influence|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-3-episode-4-review-sphere-of-influence/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=]}}</ref> In "Evil Plans", Jabba hires the bounty hunter ] to bring him plans for the Galactic Senate building. When Bane returns with the plans, Jabba and the Hutt Council send him to free Ziro from prison.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McEwan|first=Cameron|date=November 15, 2010|title=Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 3 episode 8 review: Evil Plans|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-3-episode-8-review-evil-plans/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=Den of Geek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Goldman|first=Eric|date=May 4, 2012|title=Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Evil Plans" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/06/star-wars-the-clone-wars-evil-plans-review|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=]}}</ref> Jabba makes a brief appearance in "Hunt for Ziro", in which he laughs at his uncle's death at the hands of ], and pays her for delivering Ziro's holo-diary.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Goldman|first=Eric|date=May 4, 2012|title=Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Hunt for Ziro" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/16/star-wars-the-clone-wars-hunt-for-ziro-review|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=IGN}}</ref> In "Eminence", Jabba and the Hutt Council are approached by the Shadow Collective leaders ], ] and ]. Jabba is not willing to ally with them, and sends the bounty hunters ], ], Sugi and Latts Razzi to capture them. After a battle, the Shadow Collective confronts Jabba at his palace on Tatooine, where he finally agrees to an alliance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SHADOWS OF THE SITH|url=https://www.starwars.com/video/shadows-of-the-sith|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=StarWars.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Goldman|first=Eric|date=January 19, 2013|title=Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Eminence" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/19/star-wars-the-clone-wars-eminence-review|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=IGN}}</ref>

=== Other ===
Jabba is voiced by ] in ] of the original trilogy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Mike |date=April 2, 2015 |title=That Time John Lithgow Played Yoda And Ed Asner Played Jabba The Hutt For A 'Star Wars' Radio Broadcast |url=https://uproxx.com/movies/star-wars-radio-john-lithgow-played-yoda-and-ed-asner-played-jabba-the-hutt/ |access-date=February 2, 2022 |website=Uproxx}}</ref>

== ''Star Wars Legends'' ==
{{See also|Star Wars in other media}}Following the acquisition of ] by ] in 2012, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced between 1977 and 2014 were rebranded as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared non-canon to the franchise. The ''Legends'' works comprise a separate narrative universe.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="THR Legends2">{{cite news |last=McMilian |first=Graeme |date=April 25, 2014 |title=Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe |url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429022447/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973 |archive-date=April 29, 2016 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref name="SW Legends2">{{cite web |date=April 25, 2014 |title=The Legendary ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe Turns a New Page |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910044317/http://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |archive-date=September 10, 2016 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |website=]}}</ref><ref name="SW Adult2">{{cite web |date=April 25, 2014 |title=Disney and Random House announce relaunch of ''Star Wars'' Adult Fiction line |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514073722/http://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |archive-date=May 14, 2016 |access-date=May 26, 2016 |publisher=StarWars.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dinsdale |first=Ryan |date=2023-05-04 |title=The Star Wars Canon: The Definitive Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-star-wars-canon-the-definitive-guide |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>}}

]

The first appearances of Jabba in any visual capacity were in ]' ], which includes ''Six Against the Galaxy'' (1977), ''What Ever Happened to Jabba the Hut?'' (1979){{Efn|"Hutt" was originally spelled "Hut".}} and ''In Mortal Combat'' (1980). In these comics, Jabba appears as a tall humanoid with a walrus-like face, a ], and a brightly-colored uniform.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mcguire|first=Liam|date=October 6, 2021|title=Star Wars: Marvel Accidentally Made Jabba The Hutt A Different Creature|url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-jabba-the-hutt-different-appearance-star-wars-comics/|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=]}}</ref> He was based on a character later named Mosep Binneed, who appears briefly in the ] scene in ''Star Wars''.<ref name="DatabankBTS" /><ref name=":1">{{cite comic |date=August 1977 |title=Marvel Star Wars |story=Six Against the Galaxy |issue=2 |publisher=Marvel |writer=Roy Thomas}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite comic |date=July 1980 |title=Marvel Star Wars |story=In Mortal Combat |issue=37 |publisher=Marvel |writer=Archie Goodwin}}.</ref>

While awaiting the sequel to ''Star Wars'', Marvel kept the monthly comic going with its own stories, one of which depicts Jabba tracking down Solo and Chewbacca to an old hideaway they use for smuggling. Circumstances force Jabba to lift the bounty on Solo and Chewbacca, which enables them to return to Tatooine for an adventure with Luke. In another story, Solo kills the space pirate Crimson Jack and busts up his operation, which Jabba bankrolled. Jabba then renews the bounty on Solo.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

The 1977 ] of Lucas's ''Star Wars'' script describes Jabba as a "great mobile tub of muscle and ] topped by a shaggy scarred skull", but gives no further detail about his appearance or species.<ref>{{cite book| first= George |last= Lucas| title= Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker| edition= paperback| location= New York| publisher= Del Rey| year= 1977| page= 107 |isbn= 0-345-26079-1}}</ref>

'']'' (1992), a ] by ], identifies Jabba's father as another powerful crime lord named ] and reveals that Jabba was born 596 years before the events of ''A New Hope'', making him around 600 years old at the time of his death in ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Paul|last1=Davids|first2=Hollace|last2=Davids|title=Zorba the Hutt's Revenge|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=1992|isbn=0-553-15889-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/zorbahuttsreveng00davi}}</ref> Four comics exploring Jabba's backstory were written by ] and released by ] between 1995–1996; these were published collectively as ''Jabba the Hutt: The Art of the Deal'' in 1998.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|title=Jabba the Hutt: The Art of the Deal|publisher=]|date=1998|id={{ISBN|1-56971-310-3}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Von Busack |first=Richard |date=August 6, 1998 |title=Jabba the Hutt slimes his way through a new graphic novel |url=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.06.98/comics-9831.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231085335/http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.06.98/comics-9831.html |archive-date=December 31, 2007 |access-date=March 6, 2019 |website=metroactive.com |publisher=Metroactive Books}}</ref> ]'s novel '']'' (1997) explains how Jabba and Solo become business associates and depicts the events that lead to a bounty being placed on Han's head.<ref>{{cite book|first=Anne C.|last=Crispin|author-link=Ann C. Crispin|title=The Hutt Gambit|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=1997|isbn=0-553-57416-7}}</ref>

'']'' (1996), a collection of short stories edited by ], pieces together the lives of Jabba's various minions and their relationship to him during the last days of his life. These stories reveal that many of Jabba's servants are resentful towards him and want to assassinate him. After Jabba is killed in ''Return of the Jedi'', his surviving courtiers join forces with his rivals on Tatooine. At the same time, Jabba's family on the Hutt homeworld ] make claims to his palace, fortune, and criminal empire.<ref name="anderson">{{cite book|editor-first=Kevin J.|editor-last=Anderson|editor-link=Kevin J. Anderson|title=Tales from Jabba's Palace|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=1996|isbn=0-553-56815-9}}</ref> ]'s novel '']'' (1991) reveals that a smuggler named ] eventually replaces Jabba as the "big fish in the pond" and moves the headquarters of his criminal empire off of Tatooine.<ref>{{cite book|first=Timothy|last=Zahn|author-link=Timothy Zahn|title=Heir to the Empire|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=1991|page=27|isbn=0-553-29612-4}}</ref>

==Reception==
'']'' called Jabba one of the most memorable creatures in the ''Star Wars'' franchise.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 4, 2021 |title=Jabba the Hutt: 67 Star Wars characters, ranked from worst to best |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-characters-ranked-worst-best/jabba-hutt/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302135107/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-characters-ranked-worst-best/jabba-hutt/ |archive-date=March 2, 2022 |work=]}}</ref> '']''{{'}}s Travis Clark said, "Like Stormtroopers or Darth Vader, some villains just come to mind when you think of ''Star Wars''. Jabba is another one of them."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Clark|first=Travis|date=May 23, 2018|title=The 30 most important 'Star Wars' movie villains, ranked from worst to best|work=]|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/star-wars-movie-villains-ranked-from-worst-to-best-2018-5|access-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref> '']'' said that Jabba is "without a doubt the finest Star Wars portrait of the id" and that one has to "admire his dedication of being his true, absolutely horrendous self".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last1=Hoffman|first1=Jordan|last2=Fischer|first2=Russ|last3=Tobias|first3=Scott|last4=Ehrlich|first4=David|last5=Murray|first5=Noel|last6=Grierson|first6=Tim|last7=Collins|first7=Sean|date=May 4, 2020|title=50 Best 'Star Wars' Characters of All Time|magazine=]|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/50-best-star-wars-characters-of-all-time-145533/|access-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref> '']'' applauded the special effects team on ''Return of the Jedi'' for making Jabba look like a "horrid creature".<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 25, 1983 |title="Return of the Jedi" original Star Wars movie review – 1983 |url=https://www.denverpost.com/1983/05/25/return-of-the-jedi-original-star-wars-movie-review-1983/ |access-date=March 2, 2021 |work=]}}</ref>

Several commentators have derided the computer-generated versions of Jabba and other Hutts. Phil Owen of '']'' said the digital Jabba in the 1997 release of ''A New Hope'' looked "incredibly horrible", while Matt Goldberg of '']'' called it "awful".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Phil |date=August 23, 2021 |title=13 Movies That Had Absolutely Aweful CGI (Photos) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/13-movies-absolutely-awful-cgi-photos/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Matt |date=February 10, 2012 |title=Editorial: It's Time to Make Peace with STAR WARS |url=https://collider.com/star-wars-fanboys-calm-down-editorial/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=]}}</ref> After the appearance of the ] in the series '']'', Matt Singer of '']'' wrote that no Hutt should ever be CG, as it does not appear realistic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singer |first=Matt |title='Star Wars' Hutts Should Never, Ever Be CGI |url=https://screencrush.com/jabba-the-hutt-bad-cgi/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=]|date=January 6, 2022 }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Works cited ===
* {{Cite book |last1=Beecroft |first1=Simon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taVyDgAAQBAJ |title=Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded |last2=Hidalgo |first2=Pablo |publisher=DK Publishing |year=2016 |isbn=9781465454966 |edition=eBook |location=New York |access-date=June 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115160953/https://books.google.com/books?id=taVyDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |url-status=live}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Hidalgo |first1=Pablo |title=The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia |last2=Sansweet |first2=Stephen |publisher=Del Rey |year=2008a |isbn=9780345477637 |edition=First |volume=I |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Hidalgo |first1=Pablo |title=The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia |last2=Sansweet |first2=Stephen |publisher=Del Rey |year=2008b |isbn=9780345477637 |edition=First |volume=II |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Hidalgo |first1=Pablo |title=The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia |last2=Sansweet |first2=Stephen |publisher=Del Rey |year=2008c |isbn=9780345477637 |edition=First |volume=III |location=New York}}

== Further reading ==
*{{Cite news |last=Deerwester |first=Jayme |date=August 20, 2016 |title=Carrie Fisher: Trump should play Jabba the Hutt |work=] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/08/20/carrie-fisher-trump-should-play-jabba-thehut/89050432/ |access-date=March 1, 2022}}
*{{Cite news|last=Failla|first=Zak|date=April 3, 2021|title=First Accuser Compares Cuomo Embrace To Star Wars Character|work=]|url=https://dailyvoice.com/connecticut/greenwich/politics/first-accuser-compares-cuomo-embrace-to-star-wars-character/805791/|access-date=February 5, 2022}}
*{{cite journal| last= Kuiper| first= Koenraad| title= Star Wars: An Imperial Myth| journal= Journal of Popular Culture| volume= 21| number= 4 | date=Spring 1988| page= 78| doi= 10.1111/j.0022-3840.1988.78417.x}}
*{{Cite magazine |last=Peckham |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Peckham |date=January 24, 2013 |title=Is This LEGO Star Wars Toy Racist? |magazine=] |url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/24/is-this-lego-star-wars-toy-racist/ |access-date=March 1, 2022}}
*{{Cite web |last=Stark |first=Sarah |date=March 1, 2022 |title=It's Time to Abolish the Fat Villain Trope |url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/abolish-the-fat-villain-trope |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=]}}

==External links==
* {{Star Wars Databank|subject=jabba-the-hutt|text=Jabba the Hutt}}

{{Star Wars Trilogy}}
{{Star Wars prequel trilogy}}
{{Star Wars: The Clone Wars}}
{{Star Wars universe}}
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Latest revision as of 12:13, 26 December 2024

Character in Star Wars "Jabba's Palace" redirects here. For the card game expansion set, see Star Wars Customizable Card Game.

Fictional character
Jabba the Hutt
Star Wars character
Jabba the Hutt
First appearanceReturn of the Jedi (1983)
Created byGeorge Lucas
Voiced by
Performed byDavid Barclay
Toby Philpott
Mike Edmonds
In-universe information
SpeciesHutt
GenderMale
OccupationCrime lord
AffiliationGrand Hutt Council
Crymorah Syndicate
Family
    • Crakka (cousin)
    • Ebor (uncle)
    • Gorga (nephew)
    • Graballa (nephew)
    • "The Twins" (cousins)
    • Ziro (uncle)
  • Others in Legends
ChildrenRotta (son)
HomeworldNal Hutta

Jabba the Hutt (/dʒɑːˈbə/) is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a large, slug-like crime lord of the Hutt species. Jabba first appeared in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi, in which he is portrayed by a one-ton puppet operated by several puppeteers. In 1997, he appeared in the Special Edition of the original Star Wars film, which had been retitled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope. Jabba made his third film appearance in the 1999 prequel film The Phantom Menace. He is voiced by Larry Ward in Return of the Jedi and by Scott Schumann in A New Hope and The Phantom Menace.

Jabba lives in a palace on the desert planet Tatooine. He places a bounty on the smuggler Han Solo, and sends bounty hunters to capture him. After Darth Vader freezes Solo in carbonite, the bounty hunter Boba Fett delivers the frozen Solo to Jabba, who puts him on display in his palace. A group of Solo's friends attempt to rescue him, but Jabba captures them; he enslaves Princess Leia and decrees that Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and Solo will be fed to a Sarlacc. Luke orchestrates an escape, and during the chaos Leia strangles Jabba to death.

Creation and portrayal

Star Wars

George Lucas wrote and directed Star Wars, which was released in 1977. The script included a scene in which the smuggler Han Solo negotiates with Jabba about a payment he owes him. The scene was meant to give Solo the motivation to transport dangerous passengers for a high fare. It was also meant to explain why Solo was imprisoned in the following film, The Empire Strikes Back.

In a 1985 interview, Lucas said he originally imagined Jabba as a furry creature that resembled a Wookiee. By the time he completed the Star Wars screenplay, Jabba had evolved into a fat, slug-like creature with a gaping mouth and eyes on extended feelers. When filming Jabba's scene, Declan Mulholland served as a stand-in for the crime lord. Lucas planned to replace Mulholland in post-production with an animated creature. Lucas ultimately cut the scene due to budget and time constraints, and because he felt it did not contribute to the film's plot. According to Paul Blake, who plays the bounty hunter Greedo, his character's scene was added to Star Wars after Lucas decided to cut the scene with Jabba.

Return of the Jedi

Although Jabba did not appear in Star Wars, he is mentioned in the film and its first sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. He finally appeared in the second sequel, Return of the Jedi (1983). His appearance is similar to the way he was described in the Star Wars script: He is a large, slug-like creature with a wide mouth. Before Lucas settled on this design, he considered other versions of the character. At various points, Jabba resembled an ape, a worm and a snail. One design made Jabba appear too human—almost like a Fu Manchu character. Nilo Rodis-Jamero, the costume designer for Return of the Jedi, said he had envisioned Jabba as a refined, intelligent man resembling Orson Welles.

After an initial design was approved, further design work was done by Phil Tippett, the film's visual effects artist. He based Jabba's body structure and reproductive system on the anatomy of annelid worms. He modeled Jabba's head on that of a snake, complete with bulbous, slit-pupilled eyes and a mouth that opens wide enough to swallow large prey. He gave Jabba's skin a moist, amphibian quality.

Concept art of Jabba the Hutt for Return of the Jedi

The next task was to create the Jabba puppet, a process which took three months and cost $500,000. Stuart Freeborn and the Industrial Light & Magic Creature Shop designed the one-ton puppet, while John Coppinger sculpted its latex, clay, and foam pieces. The puppet had its own makeup artist and required three puppeteers to operate, making it one of the largest puppets ever used in a film. The puppeteers included David Barclay, Toby Philpott, and Mike Edmonds, who were members of Jim Henson's Muppet group. Barclay operated the right arm and mouth, while Philpott controlled the left arm, head, and tongue. Edmonds was responsible for the movement of Jabba's tail. The character's eyes and face were operated by radio control. Lucas complained about the difficulty of moving the massive puppet around the set. He was also disappointed by its appearance, later stating that Jabba would have been a computer-generated character if the required technology had existed at the time.

Jabba's voice was provided by Larry Ward, who was uncredited in the film. A heavy, booming quality was given to Ward's voice by pitching it an octave lower than normal and processing it through a subharmonic generator. A soundtrack of wet, slimy sound effects was recorded to accompany the movement of Jabba's limbs and mouth. The film's composer, John Williams, arranged a musical theme for Jabba that is played on a tuba. Williams later turned the theme into a symphonic piece which he performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra. The musicologist Gerald Sloan said the Jabba theme "blends the monstrous and the lyrical". According to the film historian Laurent Bouzereau, Jabba's strangulation by Leia was inspired by a scene from The Godfather (1972), in which the obese character Luca Brasi is garroted by an assassin.

A New Hope – 1997 Special Edition

Harrison Ford as Han Solo (left) and Declan Mulholland, the stand-in for Jabba the HuttA digital version of Jabba replaced Mulholland in the 1997 Special Edition of
A New Hope.

In 1997, the Special Edition of Star Wars was released, now titled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope. Lucas revisited the Jabba scene he had filmed (and ultimately cut) and completed it for the Special Edition, replacing the stand-in actor Mulholland with a computer-generated version of Jabba. He also replaced the English dialogue with Huttese, a fictional language created by Ben Burtt, the film's sound designer. The scene consisted of five shots and took over a year to complete. Joseph Letteri, the visual effects supervisor for the Special Edition, said his goal was to make Jabba look as realistic as a flesh-and-blood character. The scene was refined for the 2004 DVD release, with improvements to Jabba's appearance made possible by advancements in CGI.

At one point during the scene, Ford walks behind Mulholland. This became a problem when adding the CG Jabba, since his tail would be in Solo's path. The solution was to have Solo step on Jabba's tail, causing him to yelp in pain. In the 2004 DVD release, Jabba reacts more strongly, winding up as if to punch Solo. In this version, shadows cast by Solo were added to Jabba's body to make the CGI more convincing. According to Lucas, some viewers were disappointed with the digital Jabba's appearance, complaining that the character did not look realistic. Lucas dismissed this criticism, claiming that regardless of whether a character is portrayed by a puppet or CGI, it will always look unrealistic to some degree.

Characterization

Jabba has been described as an exemplar of lust, greed, and gluttony. His criminal operations include slavery, gunrunning, spice-smuggling and extortion. He amuses himself by torturing, humiliating and killing both his enemies and his own subordinates. He surrounds himself with scantily-clad slave girls of various species, often chained to his dais. Jabba's appetite is insatiable, and he sometimes threatens to eat his underlings.

In Return of the Jedi, Solo calls Jabba a "slimy piece of worm-ridden filth". The authors Martha and Tom Veitch called his body a "miasmic mass" that seems to release "a greasy discharge, sending fresh waves of rotten stench" into the air. Arthur Knight of The Hollywood Reporter described Jabba as a "truly frightening ... walrus-shaped grotesque." The science fiction writer Jeanne Cavelos wrote that he deserves an award for "most disgusting alien", while the film critic Roger Ebert described him as loathsome and evil.

Appearances

Films

Although he was mentioned in previous films, Jabba was first seen in Return of the Jedi (1983), the third film of the original trilogy. The beginning of the film features the attempts of Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker to rescue Han Solo, who was imprisoned in carbonite in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Jabba has put the hibernating Solo on display in his throne room as a decoration. Leia is able to free Han from the carbonite, but she is caught and enslaved by Jabba, who forces her to wear a metal bikini. Luke arrives to bargain for Solo's life, but Jabba rejects his offer and attempts to feed him to a rancor. After Luke kills the monster, Jabba decrees that he, Solo and Chewbacca will be fed to a Sarlacc, a deadly ground-dwelling beast. Luke orchestrates an escape with the help of R2-D2, and defeats Jabba's thugs. During the chaos, Leia strangles Jabba to death with the chain used to enslave her. As Luke and his friends depart, Jabba's sail barge explodes.

Jabba appears in the Special Edition of Star Wars, which was released in 1997. He is voiced by Scott Schumann. In the film, Jabba meets with Solo, who pledges to pay Jabba for lost cargo. Jabba threatens to place a large bounty on him if he does not follow through. Jabba also appears briefly in the 1999 prequel film The Phantom Menace, again voiced by Schumann. He launches a podrace at Mos Espa, then falls asleep and misses the conclusion of the race.

The Clone Wars

Jabba's son Rotta is captured by Separatists in the animated film The Clone Wars (2008). It is later revealed that Ziro, Jabba's uncle, took part in the kidnapping as part of his plan to take control of the Hutt Clan. The Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano return Rotta to Jabba in exchange for the safe passage of Republic ships through his territory. Padmé Amidala exposes Ziro's crimes to Jabba; outraged by his uncle's betrayal, he vows to ensure that Ziro will be severely punished.

Jabba appears in several episodes of The Clone Wars series (2008–2014; 2020). In "Sphere of Influence", he is confronted by Chairman Papanoida, whose daughters were kidnapped by Greedo. Jabba allows a sample of Greedo's blood to be taken to prove he is the kidnapper. In "Evil Plans", Jabba hires the bounty hunter Cad Bane to bring him plans for the Galactic Senate building. When Bane returns with the plans, Jabba and the Hutt Council send him to free Ziro from prison. Jabba makes a brief appearance in "Hunt for Ziro", in which he laughs at his uncle's death at the hands of Sy Snootles, and pays her for delivering Ziro's holo-diary. In "Eminence", Jabba and the Hutt Council are approached by the Shadow Collective leaders Darth Maul, Savage Opress and Pre Vizsla. Jabba is not willing to ally with them, and sends the bounty hunters Embo, Dengar, Sugi and Latts Razzi to capture them. After a battle, the Shadow Collective confronts Jabba at his palace on Tatooine, where he finally agrees to an alliance.

Other

Jabba is voiced by Ed Asner in the radio dramatizations of the original trilogy.

Star Wars Legends

See also: Star Wars in other media

Following the acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company in 2012, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced between 1977 and 2014 were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise. The Legends works comprise a separate narrative universe.

"Jabba the Hut" as he appears in Marvel Comics' adaptation of the first Star Wars film

The first appearances of Jabba in any visual capacity were in Marvel Comics' adaptation of A New Hope, which includes Six Against the Galaxy (1977), What Ever Happened to Jabba the Hut? (1979) and In Mortal Combat (1980). In these comics, Jabba appears as a tall humanoid with a walrus-like face, a topknot, and a brightly-colored uniform. He was based on a character later named Mosep Binneed, who appears briefly in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene in Star Wars.

While awaiting the sequel to Star Wars, Marvel kept the monthly comic going with its own stories, one of which depicts Jabba tracking down Solo and Chewbacca to an old hideaway they use for smuggling. Circumstances force Jabba to lift the bounty on Solo and Chewbacca, which enables them to return to Tatooine for an adventure with Luke. In another story, Solo kills the space pirate Crimson Jack and busts up his operation, which Jabba bankrolled. Jabba then renews the bounty on Solo.

The 1977 novelization of Lucas's Star Wars script describes Jabba as a "great mobile tub of muscle and suet topped by a shaggy scarred skull", but gives no further detail about his appearance or species.

Zorba the Hutt's Revenge (1992), a young-adult novel by Paul and Hollace Davids, identifies Jabba's father as another powerful crime lord named Zorba and reveals that Jabba was born 596 years before the events of A New Hope, making him around 600 years old at the time of his death in Return of the Jedi. Four comics exploring Jabba's backstory were written by Jim Woodring and released by Dark Horse Comics between 1995–1996; these were published collectively as Jabba the Hutt: The Art of the Deal in 1998. Ann C. Crispin's novel The Hutt Gambit (1997) explains how Jabba and Solo become business associates and depicts the events that lead to a bounty being placed on Han's head.

Tales from Jabba's Palace (1996), a collection of short stories edited by Kevin J. Anderson, pieces together the lives of Jabba's various minions and their relationship to him during the last days of his life. These stories reveal that many of Jabba's servants are resentful towards him and want to assassinate him. After Jabba is killed in Return of the Jedi, his surviving courtiers join forces with his rivals on Tatooine. At the same time, Jabba's family on the Hutt homeworld Nal Hutta make claims to his palace, fortune, and criminal empire. Timothy Zahn's novel Heir to the Empire (1991) reveals that a smuggler named Talon Karrde eventually replaces Jabba as the "big fish in the pond" and moves the headquarters of his criminal empire off of Tatooine.

Reception

The Telegraph called Jabba one of the most memorable creatures in the Star Wars franchise. Business Insider's Travis Clark said, "Like Stormtroopers or Darth Vader, some villains just come to mind when you think of Star Wars. Jabba is another one of them." Rolling Stone said that Jabba is "without a doubt the finest Star Wars portrait of the id" and that one has to "admire his dedication of being his true, absolutely horrendous self". The Denver Post applauded the special effects team on Return of the Jedi for making Jabba look like a "horrid creature".

Several commentators have derided the computer-generated versions of Jabba and other Hutts. Phil Owen of TheWrap said the digital Jabba in the 1997 release of A New Hope looked "incredibly horrible", while Matt Goldberg of Collider called it "awful". After the appearance of the Hutt Twins in the series The Book of Boba Fett, Matt Singer of ScreenCrush wrote that no Hutt should ever be CG, as it does not appear realistic.

Notes

  1. Return of the Jedi (1983)
  2. Return of the Jedi
  3. Star Wars Special Edition
    The Phantom Menace
  4. Return of the Jedi radio drama
  5. The Phantom Menace (video game)
    Star Wars: Demolition
    Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
    Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
  6. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
  7. Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles
  8. The Clone Wars film and television series
    Disney Infinity 3.0
    Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
    Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  9. Jabba the Hutt's family members in the Star Wars Legends narrative universe include his father Zorba, his uncle Jiliac, his uncle Pazda, and his nephew Grubba.
  10. Attributed to multiple references:
  11. "Hutt" was originally spelled "Hut".

References

Citations

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Works cited

  • Beecroft, Simon; Hidalgo, Pablo (2016). Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded (eBook ed.). New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 9781465454966. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  • Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008a). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Vol. I (First ed.). New York: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345477637.
  • Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008b). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Vol. II (First ed.). New York: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345477637.
  • Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008c). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Vol. III (First ed.). New York: Del Rey. ISBN 9780345477637.

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