WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #3, by Ethan Sacks, Paolo Villanelli, Arif Prianto and Travis Lanham, on sale now.
Marvel's various Star Wars series have continued to expand the galaxy far, far away by introducing new characters and delving more into the histories of familiar faces. The Bounty Hunters series in particular has looked at some of the toughest fighters in all of Star Wars, including Boba Fett, the Trandoshan Bossk and series star Valance. The latest issue of the series looks back at the history between Valance and Bossk before pitting the two against each other in a deadly fight.
In Bounty Hunters #3, Bossk faces Valance on Galmerah after the former got the drop on the latter in the previous issue. As the two battle, the issue looks at the two bounty hunters' past together as part of the same crew. However, although they worked together, their relationship was never on sure footing. Bossk is portrayed as cocky, and he believes he's been selected for great things by the Trandoshan goddess deity. His goddess isn't much help in the flashback, though, and the two nearly come to blows before they cool off for the good the crew.
As their battle in the present continues, the two trade barbs while trying to blast each over from afar. Valance has palm blasters, but they're broken, so he's unable to take Bossk down. That pushes Valance to change the battle to close-quarters combat. Ordinarily, a human would be no match in a fist fight with a Trandoshan, but Valance is no regular man. More metal than flesh, Valance holds his own, even when Bossk stabs him in the nerve circuits. The fight ends after Valance delivers a vicious metal-encased head butt and a strong right hook, leaving Bossk down for the count. Valance declines to finish his former ally off, deciding it will be better for him to live with the knowledge that returns to his ship, Broken Wing. However, when he gets there, he finds his droid is missing its head, and old rival T'onga is waiting for him.
Bossk, who first appeared alongside the other bounty hunters summoned by Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back, has appeared in a variety of Star Wars media. Never one to go down without a fight, Valance's victory of the Trandoshan is definitely a big one, making clear he's not someone to be trifled with. Still, this loss is likely to fuel Bossk forward and cause him to pursue revenge against his old enemy with more fervor than ever before.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #3 is on sale now.