Bounty hunters functioned as hired guns, specializing in the capture or elimination of designated targets. A sum of money, known as a bounty, was offered for these targets, which the hunter would claim upon successful apprehension or confirmation of death. Occasionally, bounty hunters would collaborate, forming teams to tackle particularly challenging assignments or high-risk objectives.
These individuals were available for hire to seize, pursue, or terminate specific individuals, provided a reward or bounty had been placed on their head. This payment was contingent upon the bounty hunter either capturing or killing the target, according to the client's specifications. Driven by profit, most bounty hunters operated without a strong moral compass, willing to undertake any task for the right price. Their loyalty extended only to themselves and the highest bidder. Bounties were commonly advertised on the Hunter Net or directly offered to a hunter.
Those designated as "Class one bounty hunter" were recognized for their exceptional abilities, established reputation, and capacity to handle exceptionally perilous or prominent targets. Furthermore, bounty hunters frequently maintained connections with the criminal underworld, engaging in direct, face-to-face transactions facilitated by a chit card.
Many bounty hunters operated similarly to mercenaries, accepting jobs beyond the scope of bounty hunting. Indeed, Greef Karga from the Bounty Hunters' Guild explicitly stated that all hunters were essentially mercenaries, emphasizing their opportunistic nature, remaining in a location only as long as opportunities for profit or employment existed. Although hunters lacked genuine allegiance, prioritizing payment and job prospects, Hutts often retained them as experienced and capable bodyguards. Jabba the Hutt exemplified this practice, employing several renowned hunters either directly or within his Hutt palaces during both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War. Additionally, some bounty hunters functioned as assassins, contracted by employers offering substantial rewards for the elimination of specific individuals or groups.
Even independent droids could assume the role of bounty hunters, much to the dismay of organic professionals like "the Mandalorian," who derisively referred to the assassin droid IG-11 as a "bounty droid." In certain instances, such as with the Haxion Brood Bounty Droid, droids could be reprogrammed to support bounty hunters in their endeavors.
The Tempest Breakers bounty guild was founded by Lourna Dee, a former Tempest Runner of the Nihil, and Quin, an ex-Nihil pirate, during the High Republic Era. Shenda Mol, a bounty hunter active in the late Republic Era, embarked on a spree of mass murders while pursuing bounties. Rather than simply eliminating her designated targets, she began indiscriminately killing anyone in her path, engaging in a personal competition to slay one individual from every age, ranging from zero years to two hundred. Around 66 BBY, the Jedi Order dispatched a strike team to capture Mol, who was subsequently sent to the planet Stygeon Prime to face justice for her crimes. Jango Fett was employed by Tyranus to serve as the genetic template for the Grand Army of the Republic. During the Clone Wars, El-Les and Bric were contracted to assist in the training of clone troopers.
During the reign of the Galactic Empire, many bounty hunters affiliated themselves with the Bounty Hunters' Guild, which was authorized by the Imperial Office of Criminal Investigations to issue Imperial Peace-Keeping Certificates. These certificates granted bounty hunters access to the Imperial Enforcement DataCore.
Following the Battle of Endor, Jas Emari, a Zabrak bounty hunter, sought to collect New Republic bounties placed on Imperial officers such as Admiral Rae Sloane, Grand Moff Valco Pandion, General Jylia Shale, the financier Arsin Crassus, and the Imperial adviser Yupe Tashu. Emari subsequently joined Norra Wexley's team and participated in the rebellion on Akiva. In the months after the events of Endor, the bounty hunter Dengar foresaw that the new government would begin imposing bounties on other bounty hunters.
In 5 ABY, Grand Admiral Sloane later engaged the services of the bounty hunter Mercurial Swift to assassinate Vice Admiral Perwin Gedde and to extract Commandant Brendol Hux and his son Armitage Hux from Arkanis under the orders of Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax. Following the Liberation Day attack on Chandrila, the New Republic initiated a policy of denying services to bounty hunters due to widespread paranoia resulting from the attack.
Subsequently, Swift resolved to claim the bounty placed on Jas Emari by Gyuti, the Black Sun crime lord. He recruited Dengar, Embo, and Jeeta to form his crew. However, Emari successfully turned Swift's crew against him by convincing them that the New Republic would reward them for assisting in the hunt for Grand Admiral Sloane. As a result of their contributions during the Battle of Jakku, Dengar, Embo, and Jeeta received full pardons and financial compensation from the New Republic. They then became members of Emari's crew.
Pokkit accepted less lucrative assignments from the Bounty Hunters' Guild, although one of her bounties was stolen by a human known to her as Dash Zentin. She later transitioned to working for a private client, eliminating her need to accept assignments from the Guild.
Around 9 ABY, a galactic recession resulted in exceptionally low bounty values, diminishing the appeal of this hazardous profession. Consequently, at the request of the client offering the bounty or at the discretion of the local Guild leader, high-value targets were assigned to multiple bounty hunters equipped with identical tracking fobs.
Before the Clone Wars began, the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus engaged Jango Fett to serve as the clone template for the Clone Army of Kamino. Tyranus then hired Fett and Zam Wesell to assassinate Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo at the behest of Nute Gunray, the Viceroy of the Trade Federation. Darth Sidious, Tyranus's master, hired Cad Bane to steal a holocron from the Jedi Temple. He also hired Embo to attack Senator Rush Clovis.
Certain bounty hunters, including Sugi, Seripas, Embo, and Rumi Paramita, were hired by Casiss Midagatis, a Felucian, to defend his village against the Ohnaka Gang. Subsequently, Sugi and Seripas were hired by Tarfful, a Wookiee General, to transport him and his fellow soldiers to rescue Chewbacca from Trandoshan hunters on Wasskah. The Kaminoans hired Bric and El-Les to train the clone cadets. During the Clone Wars, the Republic also placed bounties on wanted fugitives, such as Savage Opress. Even the Separatists offered a million credits a head on any Jedi. Sib Canay hired Greedo and his Gotal partner to kidnap Papanoida's two Pantoran Chairman daughters to Tatooine and the Droid Control Ship at Pantora.
The Galactic Empire frequently engaged bounty hunters to track down Rebels. Private citizens could also post bounties on individuals. Jabba offered a substantial bounty for Han Solo, who was eventually captured by Boba Fett.
The Advanced Science Division contracted certain class one bounty hunters, such as Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane, to procure targets with high M-count for the Empire. These class one hunters convened at Imperial Station 003, where the targets, primarily children, were exchanged for credits in the station's hangars before being transported to Tantiss Base for experimentation.
The First Order utilized bounty hunters to pursue Resistance spies. Following the Hosnian Cataclysm, Hamato Xiono cautioned his son Kazuda Xiono that, having been identified by the First Order, his actions had endangered his entire family and might attract bounty hunters. The First Order dispatched Ax Tagrin to Varkana, where Lechee, a First Order collaborator who facilitated the movement of their shipments and materials through black market channels, identified Norath Kev as a Resistance spy.