One of the loudest and most raucous debates that goes on in Star Wars fandom is the merits of the Expanded Universe and whether it should be continued over into cinematic canon via Episode VII or not. Some fans want favorites like Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Jaina Solo to appear in the new movies, while others would like to see the EU scrapped wholesale so that new characters can be created and old characters like Chewbacca can survive.
I'm not going there. I feel there are merits for Episode VII to go both ways. What I'd like to suggest is the "Between Episodes" Films that we have been promised. Rumored among them are films starring young Han Solo, Yoda (who may have never been young) and the ubiquitous, fan-catalyzing Boba Fett.
In the mid nineties before the prequels Topps published a Star Wars fan magazine called Star Wars Galaxy Magazine. It was pretty badass with awesome covers by top genre artists like the Hildebrandt brothers, articles about upcoming projects,excerpts from novels, role-playing supplements for the West End Games RPG, and serialized comics from Dark Horse. Issue five had part one of a story called Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction.
Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction was written by Andy Mangels with art by John Nadeau and inked by Jordi Ensign. It told the story of a post-Sarlacc partially digested Boba Fett as he plots out and takes revenge on another bounty hunter for having the nerve (balls) to pretend to be him in order to demand higher prices for his services. That other Bounty Hunter is Jodo Kast, who wears armor so similar to Fett's as to be indistinguishable to anyone who has never met either gentleman.
Jodo Kast of course was created as a Stand in for Boba Fett for the role-playing module Tatooine Manhunt. It is only fitting that Boba Fett would not appreciate someone copping his identity. It is especially ironic now that we know Boba Fett himself is a clone.
The story is compelling and features awesome Bounty Hunter shoot out action with Jet Packs! Jet Packs! It also has the enigmatic Dengar. You know where the story is going, but it does not have to be adapted wholesale. Characters and locations can be changed. New subplots based of the prequels and the sequels can be added. The story can be absolutely updated to add more action, suspense, and drama, to show more from Fett's point of view as he struggles to destroy the imposter who has been sullying his good... not good... reputable name. Can you imagine the added drama if Jodo Kast stole his armor from Jango Fett's grave? Can more clones, free clones complicate things? Is Jodo Kast a clone? (No, not in the original story, at least.)
Can fans appreciate a story with two anti-heroes facing off? Can fans appreciate a story where the only time you see the protagonist's face it is a scarred mess? Boba Fett probably never smiles, but you can still feel the smug emanating from behind that mask.
No matter what, fans are going to be divided about a Boba Fett movie. Why not give them two Boba Fetts to be divided about? And as far as EU goes, this is likely one of the cleanest stories that can be told cinematically without making a mess of so-called canon.
And Joe Johnston should absolutely direct it. Because.
onlinecollegedegreee.blogspot.com Star Wars EU in the Cinematic Universe: A Case for Twin Engines of Destruction.