WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett "Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor," streaming now on Disney+.
Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett is a unique series in Star Wars that features Boba leaving behind his bounty hunter past to lead a more structured life. Taking over Jabba the Hutt's throne as Daimyo of Mos Espa puts Boba in a position he's never been in before, and throughout the series, he has to struggle with abandoning his old ways to be a respected leader rather than one that's feared. His efforts come to a head in the finale of the series when the Pyke Syndicate tries to take Mos Espa from Boba with force, but during his most important struggle, he gains a victory over the bounty hunter, Cad Bane, which inadvertently solidifies the conclusion to his long evolution from killer to leader.
Boba and Cad Bane weren't very different in terms of brutality in the past. Boba was ruthless when given a mission and would stop at nothing to ensure his payday. Cad Bane was also incredibly cold-blooded, perhaps more so, during his time in the Clone Wars. He has been shown pairing with the Empire and the Trade Federation, constantly putting him at odds with the Jedi and the Bad Batch.
However, as the years progressed, Boba found a new way to live after meeting the Tuskens, Din Djarin and Fennec Shand. Through them, he found that life could be more than just living from bounty to bounty, which eventually eroded at his ruthlessness.
On the other hand, Cad Bane doubled down on his bounty and mercenary work as the decades went on. By the time he and Boba reunited, Cad was even more deadly than the first time they met. Not only is he already the fastest shot in the galaxy, but he has also completely lost any regard for human life and, as he's gotten older, wastes his time even less on difficult bounties. This is then teased when he appears in Freetown and guns down the deputy and Cobb Vanth after refusing to line with the Pykes. With both killers now on opposite sides of the moral spectrum, their inevitable meeting in the finale takes on a new undertone.
Before the battle starts, Cad Bane comments on how Boba has gotten softer in his old age. On top of that Bane has been a faster shot than Boba, and this is quickly proven when the two start their duel. Cad Bane comes out on top when it comes to blaster combat, and Boba quickly relies on his bounty hunting techniques to distract and overcome him. Almost immediately after, Bane beats him and towers over Boba with a gun pointed at his face. While all seems lost, Boba instead uses the staff he earned from the Tuskens to overpower and kill his rival.
What makes the scene so powerful for Boba is that no matter what he's been told, he was able to disprove everyone who didn't believe he could leave his past behind. Before firing, Cad said to him that relying on anyone was a weakness. He'd also been told that he couldn't ever abandon his past as a bounty hunter, but rather than adhere to his claims, Boba counters this statement by using the staff of his found family to land the killing blow.
Even though Boba will never escape the reality that he was raised by and molded into a killer, he proved he could change when others didn't believe him. Because of this, his vicious side isn't a crutch but something that helped him understand the value of life and family. Boba couldn't beat Cad Bane as a bounty hunter because his enemy was far too ruthless and lost after decades of being on the job, but by beating him as a Tusken and someone who found a purpose greater than credits, Boba was able to find himself and the reason why he fights.