Jabba The Hutt
The Central Character: Jabba The Hutt is a feared crime boss and gangster, with a vast criminal empire on Tatooine that consists of smugglers, assassins, bounty hunters, gambling, torture and enslavement. When Han Solo kills one of Jabba’s bounty hunters – Greedo – Jabba holds him responsible for the considerable financial loss incurred.
In Return Of The Jedi, when it becomes clear that Solo will not be repaying that debt, Jabba has bounty hunter Boba Fett deliver him to the Hutt Palace, frozen in carbonite – a prize which is then mounted on the wall. Princess Leia attempts to save Solo, but becomes enslaved by Hutt herself. Luke, Lando, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2D2 all try to rescue him, but to no avail. Instead, Jabba sentences them all to death and orders them to be thrown to the Sarlacc. Hovering above the vast, carnivorous creature, the group – including Solo – escape, and Leia strangles Jabba to death.
The plot: In the style of The Godfather, the film explores the criminal dynasty created by Jabba The Hutt, while chronicling the rise of his son, Rotta. Rotta initially lacks the sharp, ruthless instincts of his infamous father – even managing to get himself kidnapped by separatists. However, when his father is finally assassinated by an enslaved Leia, Rotta must attempt to prove himself against his wider family, Jabba’s underlings and his rivals – all of whom rush to fill the gaping void as soon as they sense a weakness in the criminal operation.
The director: Paul Thomas Anderson, whose ability to weave detailed stories together through multiple character arcs would perfectly encapsulate the tale. As demonstrated with films such as Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood and The Master, Anderson is able to present otherwise challenging characters in engaging ways, without judgement.