While never seen in the official Clone Wars animated series, the debut of Cad Bane in the Book of Boba Fett can finally explain Fett's helmet dent.
Warning! SPOILERS for The Book of Boba Fett episode 6.
Thanks to the live-action debut and return of Cad Bane, The Book of Boba Fett's final episode can finally reveal the origin of the large dent in his Mandalorian helmet. While Bane and Boba were supposed to meet in the animated Clone Wars series, their story arc was ultimately cut from the official series. However, between unfinished clips released online and canonical Easter eggs, it seems as though their rivalry and epic gunslinger's duel they were meant to have on-screen is still a piece of history in the Star Wars timeline. Now that Bane and Boba are being set up for what is actually a rematch, The Book of Boba Fett can finally explain one of the most prominent features of Fett's armor.
In the cut story arc for The Clone Wars, it was meant to be revealed that Cad Bane was mentored by Boba's father Jango. Following Jango's death in Attack of the Clones, Bane became known as the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy, working all sorts of high-profile jobs including the freeing (and later killing) of Ziro the Hutt, as well as a heist on the Jedi Temple itself. However, later seasons of The Clone Wars were meant to see Bane taking a now-teenaged Boba under his wing. However, Boba was unwilling to go to the same lengths of dishonor as Bane, leading to their falling out and a showdown. It would have also been one of the first times Boba Fett would have worn his father's repainted Mandalorian armor.
Cad Bane and Boba Fett's tense showdown would have seen them shooting each other in the head at the same time, due to the two being too evenly matched. While both would survive the encounter, it wasn't without their scars which can be seen in later Star Wars canon. In The Bad Batch series following the end of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire, Cad Bane can be seen with a plate covering one side of his head, an Easter egg to the cut duel with Fett. Likewise, the duel would have revealed that Bane's blaster was the cause for the large dent on the right side of Fett's helmet which has always been a feature of his armor in the original trilogy and beyond. Now, the opportunity exists for The Book of Boba Fett episode 7 to bring this first duel further into the main canon, either by a greater reference made from Bane and/or Boba or with a brief flashback sequence before their rematch, providing fans with a Boba Fett scene that's been desired just as much as his survival from Star Wars' sarlacc pit.
While the real-world reason for the dent was reported to be a mistake where a bubble popped during the helmet's molding process that caused the dent, George Lucas elected to keep it as believed it gave the armor more character and suggested history. While Clone Wars showrunner Dave Filoni intended to provide that history through Cad Bane in the animated series, the duel can now be fully realized in live-action. Attack of the Clones' actor Daniel Logan could even return as young Boba for the theoretical flashback sequence. Seeing as how Logan also voiced Boba in The Clone Wars, it would certainly be dynamic on multiple levels to see a teenage Fett face Bane before Temuera Morrison's Boba has his rematch with the blue-skinned gunslinger. While Logan is now 34, Lucasfilm has proven they aren't a stranger to de-aging technology.
Regardless of whether or not The Book of Boba Fett provides a flashback to Bane and Boba's first duel, the dent should be addressed in some manner, if only to explain how Bane's blaster was able to dent Fett's helmet. While the cut arc featuring the two legendary bounty hunters was a big loss for Star Wars fans, it can finally be redeemed and reintegrated into the Star Wars canon beyond a subtle reference. Even though the dent is just a dent, it represents a key moment in Boba Fett's history with a rival bounty hunter which helped mark the beginning of his career, following in the footsteps of his father.
The Book of Boba Fett releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.
