Boba Fett's Rancor

Boba Fett's rancor is an unnamed rancor owned by Boba Fett in the live-action television streaming series The Book of Boba Fett. Though initially seen as hostile monsters, rancors are emotional creatures capable of doing good when kept at an ideal temperament by their masters. Due to their size and strength however, they can indiscriminately cause harm when provoked. This specific rancor was saved and kept by unknown rancor keeper, who taught Fett that they could reward their masters when treated as pets. He was formerly owned by the Twins, who gifted it to Boba Fett as a compromise for Black Krrsantan failing to kill him on their behalf. Boba Fett, with the help of its trainer, was able to tame the rancor, allowing him to ride it to protect Mos Espa from the Scorpenek Droids unleashed by the Pyke Syndicate.

History[]

Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa[]

On the day Black Krrsantan failed to kill Boba Fett due to interference from his Gammorean Guards and the Mods, the Twins traveled to Fett's place to admit that they hired him and gave him a rancor as a gift to make amends. They left Black Krrsantan behind, telling Boba to sell him to the gladiators, but he instead chose to let him go, telling him that it wasn't a good idea to work for Hutts. Fennec asked Boba to make sure if that was a good idea, and he reasoned that the only other option was to kill him. This would later turn out in Fett's favor after both prizes offered to him by the Twins help protect Mos Espa from the Pyke Syndicate.

When seeing the rancor for the first time, Boba asks why the creature just lies there. The rancor keeper explains that the rancor is depressed, and that they are emotionally complex creatures that while monsters, can still reward masters who treat them well. Boba takes the wise decision to begin training with the creature, with the intent of being able to ride it like the Witches of Dathomir were said to have.

Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor[]

Cad Bane attempts to coerce Boba Fett to avoid conflict with the Pyke Syndicate, but he refuses to change his mind, and decides against killing Bane even after he reveals he framed the Nikto Sand Riders for killing the Tusken Raiders. He shares his goal with The Mandalorian to die in the name of honor, who swears to do the same as part of his creed. After the residents of Freetown arrive to protect the two from the Pykes, they celebrate that the Pykes are falling back, until being introduced to Scorpenek droids that pose a threat large enough to ruin the whole city. With the organized resistance outmatched, the Freetown garrison and the Mods retreated until they couldn't go any further, and the untimely arrival of Peli to deliver Grogu to the Mandalorian put them all in danger.

In order to stop the droids, Boba Fett mounts the rancor to emerge from the palace and use its bone-crushing strength and size to rival the durability of the Scorpeneks' deflector shields. The rancor first demonstrates this strength against the Scorpenek that shot down Peli's droid-driven cart, weakening its shield enough for Mando to break through using the Darksaber for entry. He climbs on top of the droid once inside the area of the deflector shield and cuts off one of its gun turrets. Grogu is able to use the Force to pull a bolt from the droid's leg, allowing the rancor to grab and destroy it.

Boba travels on his rancor to the outpost where the Freetown garrison and the Mods are taking their last stand. He successfully rescues them from the Pykes, but complications arise when Cad Bane uses his wrist-mounted flamethrower to scare the rancor, who throws Boba off of his back and flees. The rancor goes on a rampage, unsure of what to do, scaring the people of Mos Espa into shooting it. The Mandalorian tells them to stop shooting him since doing so would only make it more aggressive. He attempts to reach the chains of the rancor to mount it, but rancor shakes him off and tries to eat him. Grogu then uses the Force to calm the rancor to sleep and then cuddling next to it to do the same.

Description[]

The rancor keeper states that rancors form very strong bonds with their owners. It was quick to reward kindness to Boba Fett for petting it, and was saddened when Boba Fett left for important business with Mayor Mok Shaiz. Fett rewarded the creature with mutual loyalty, practicing as much as the rancor keeper warned was necessary to be able to ride it. He is shown to have bonded with Fett over this enough to allow him to ride on him and help defeat the droids that were endangering the city and his comrades. With this, we can see that the actions of rancors are determined by nurture, but as monsters, they are still capable of causing harm since they can express backlash on a much larger scale. The rancor is passive enough to allow people to pet it, but true to its nature, can be dangerous to people of either alignment when provoked. The rancor keeper affirms this to Boba Fett when he asks if it is safe to approach the rancor. Boba Fett's rancor has the same alignment as its master, showing that it is possible for rancors to be good depending on nurture, and they can actually be loving creatures.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

With the rancor and Boba Fett being normally villainous characters presented as heroes, the Gammorean Guards, as well as the Tusken Raiders initially being barbaric and raising Boba Fett, who created a criminal empire that wants to get rid of corruption on Tatooine, this has become a common theme in the series.
The Book of Boba Fett is the first time rancors are showed to be non-villainous. In Legends, rancors were already established to not always be evil.

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