“No disintegrations.”
It is one of the most mysterious lines in the Star Wars original trilogy because no explanation is given. Why does Darth Vader say this to Boba Fett? Is there any explanation behind the words?
Vader told Boba “No disintegrations” because he wanted those on the Millennium Falcon alive. What’s more, Boba had a reputation for disintegrating his queries, and Vader would not pay for such jobs because disintegration made it impossible to verify identity.
Contents
Who Is Boba Fett?
Boba Fett was introduced in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back as a talented and ruthless bounty hunter working for Darth Vader.
Boba was born as an unaltered clone of Jango Fett, a Mandalorian bounty hunter whose DNA was used to create the Grand Army of the Republic. Boba was raised as his son until Jango’s death in 22 BBY.
Bent on revenge against Jedi Mace Windu, who killed Jango, Boba trained as a bounty hunter and attempted to assassinate the Jedi Master. He spent time in prison for this; later, however, he formed and led a group of bounty hunters known as Krayt’s Claw.
After the Empire succeeded the Republic, Boba spent many years working for the Empire and various crime groups, including the Hutt clan. He was known for his ruthlessness and skill with weapons, as he used a variety of weapons to accomplish his purposes.
Boba was thought to have met his end in the Sarlacc pit in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. However, we learned in The Book of Boba Fett that he fought his way out, spent time with Sand People, and took Jabba the Hutt’s place as Daimyo of Mos Espa.
Why Did Vader Tell Boba Fett “No Disintegrations”?
As mentioned above, Boba’s first canon appearance in the Star Wars universe came in The Empire Strikes Back. Little was known or revealed about this fully-armored bounty hunter, which made him a mysterious character.
In the film, Darth Vader spoke to a group of bounty hunters he gathered to search for Han Solo and the others on the Millennium Falcon. He told the group that he wanted Han and the others on the Falcon alive.
He turned to Boba Fett, pointed his finger, and specified, “No disintegrations.”
Fans have long speculated what could have led Vader to make this comment, and to direct it specifically at Boba Fett. In 2017, we got the answer.
The Canon book From a Certain Point of View is a collection of short stories focusing on minor characters from the original trilogy. Each story is from a different character’s perspective and provides insight into the larger story of the Galactic Civil War.
One story in the book, “Added Muscle”, is set during Episode IV: A New Hope. Vader hired Boba to find the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 on Tatooine. Boba reflects on a recent experience when he disintegrated rebel spies:
“He’s [Vader] still got a mad on over those rebel spies I crisped on Coruscant. Idiots came at me with ion disruptors. What, they thought I wouldn’t carry a weapon accelerator? Flash, boom, three tiny ash piles. Tried to collect and Lord ‘No Disintegrations!’ refused to pay without bodies. My word’s not good enough, apparently. Reckoned I’d make up the loss by finding his droids and holding out for twice the reward.”
So, it seems Boba and Vader had a history: Boba disintegrated the rebel spies and Vader wouldn’t pay without being able to prove that the ash piles belonged to the right targets.
In his defense, Vader’s own experience taught him the need for verifying identities before paying: another bounty hunter once attempted to fool him.
This experience led him to take a more hardline approach afterward.
How Did Fett Disintegrate Beings?
In “Added Muscle”, Boba calls his disintegration tool a weapon accelerator–he doesn’t specify what it is or describe how it works. However, from the story’s context, it’s clear he only needed to shoot it and it would reduce a being to a pile of ash.
Though The Empire Strikes Back was Boba’s first canon appearance, he already debuted in the non-canon Star Wars Holiday Special a couple of years earlier. In this TV film, he was shown wielding a disintegration, or disruptor, rifle.
In The Mandalorian, we saw Din Djarin using this type of rifle to vaporize Jawas. It left no trace of them–not even a pile of ashes.
The weapon was so effective the Empire even banned it.
Going back to The Empire Strikes Back, it is now easy to see why Vader told Boba Fett “No disintegrations.” Boba was known for using disruptor rifles. Meanwhile, Vader wanted Han and the others alive.
Even if they ended up dead, Vader needed proof of their identities. A disruptor rifle would have eliminated this proof.
Conclusion
Darth Vader told Boba Fett “No disintegrations” to remind him that he wouldn’t get paid if he used his disruptor rifle. He was also emphasizing the point that he wanted Han and the others on the Falcon to be brought in alive.
Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.