Star Wars Episode 7: 10 Awesome Characters We Don't Want To See

8. Jabba The Hutt

jabba Everybody hates slugs. They're slimy and disgusting. George Lucas realized this, so he envisioned Jabba the Hutt as a giant slug €“ a villain not merely reprehensible but repulsive. We don't just hate Jabba €“ we can barely stand to look at him. And unfortunately, he gets a lot of screen time in "Return of the Jedi." But as grotesque as he is, Jabba does play an important role in the story. As early as Episode IV, we learn that Jabba has a grudge against Han Solo and has put a bounty on his head. The threat of capture hangs over Han for years, like a sword of Damocles. Then, toward the end of "The Empire Strikes Back," Han's worst nightmare comes true: He is captured by Darth Vader, who hands him over to bounty hunter Boba Fett, who dutifully delivers him to Jabba the Hutt. Jabba has so little regard for human beings that he displays Han's carbonite-encased body in his chamber as a wall ornament. But Han's captivity in the House of Hutt sets up the cliff-hanger that pays off in "Return of the Jedi." It gives Luke a chance to prove his newfound Jedi skills when he comes to rescue Han. It also allows us to see that Leia's formerly contentious relationship with Han has deepened into true love. Best of all, in the chaos of Han's rescue, Jabba is killed €“ not by a lightsaber or a blaster, but by Leia! Clad in nothing but a metallic bikini, the petite princess strangles Jabba with the same heavy chain that has kept her enslaved. (This scenario was echoed recently in the series finale of AMC's "Breaking Bad," when Jesse Pinkman used his chain to strangle the man who had held him captive.) Leia's ability to kill a creature much larger than herself, without a weapon, proved that she doesn't just talk tough. On Tatooine, she has undoubtedly gained a reputation as a woman you don't mess around with. As moviegoers, we're grateful to Leia for offing Jabba so we don't have to look at him anymore. So why would we want to bring Jabba back for Episode VII? There's only so much slime a person can take.
Contributor

Debbie Gilbert is an award-winning journalist who's been writing for magazines and newspapers since 1988. A Memphis native who grew up near Graceland, she became a Star Trek fan in 1975.