Cobb Vanth
The Marshal
Star Wars character
Timothy Olyphant as Cobb Vanth in a scene from the second season of The Mandalorian
First appearanceAftermath (2015)
Created byChuck Wendig
Adapted byJon Favreau
Dave Filoni
Portrayed byTimothy Olyphant
Voiced byMarc Thompson
In-universe information
Full nameCobb Vanth
AliasCobb Vance
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
TitleThe Marshal of Freetown (formerly the Sheriff of Mos Pelgo)
OccupationMarshal / sheriff; former slave
AffiliationMos Pelgo / Freetown
PartnerMalakili (formerly)
HomeworldTatooine

Cobb Vanth (also known as The Sheriff and later The Marshal),[1] is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in the 2015–2017 Chuck Wendig novel trilogy Aftermath, he is a former slave who has used the Mandalorian armor of Boba Fett to bring order to Tatooine "Freetown" Mos Pelgo in the five years after the events of the 1983 film Return of the Jedi. Throughout the trilogy, Cobb faces off against the Red Key Raiders mining collective, the Tusken Raiders, and a krayt dragon, and while successful in defeating the former is unable to find the latter.

The character reappears in the second season of the Disney+ television series The Mandalorian, set years after the events of the Aftermath trilogy and depicting Cobb joining forces with the Tuskens and the series' title character to finally defeat the krayt dragon. He is portrayed by Timothy Olyphant, who reprised the role in spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett, where Cobb faces off against the Pyke Syndicate and their representative, Cad Bane.

Character

Cobb first appeared in the 2015 Chuck Wendig novel Aftermath, the first installment of what became known as the Aftermath trilogy, via an interlude chapter in each of the three novels; named as a reference to The Office supporting character Bob Vance, his name is often misspelled "Cobb Vance" in certain chapters throughout the Aftermath trilogy.[2][3] He is a former Imperial slave and sheriff/marshal of the town of Mos Pelgo/Freetown.[4][5]

Portrayal

Cobb is voiced by Marc Thompson in the audiobook for the Aftermath trilogy, and played by Timothy Olyphant in the second season of The Mandalorian and its spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett.[6]

Appearances

Aftermath trilogy (2015–2017)

The Aftermath trilogy was written by Chuck Wendig between 2015 and 2017. In addition to Cobb, the trilogy introduced several notable characters, including Norra and Snap Wexley. Beginning immediately after the events depicted in Return of the Jedi and concluding one year later with the Battle of Jakku, the Rebel Alliance, now known as the New Republic, fights the remnants of the Galactic Empire, as they consolidate behind Gallius Rax and Rae Sloane in two separate factions; Rax seeking to become the new Emperor, and Sloane seeking to form a more peaceful "first order". On Tatooine, various mining syndicates take advantage of the decreased Imperial presence and vacuum left by the death of Jabba the Hutt to take control over several settlements from which they demand tribute; Cobb Vanth, a former slave-turned-lawman, decides to take a stand against them.

In Aftermath (2015), Adwin Charu, a representative for the Red Key Raiders crime syndicate that sprouts up on Tatooine after the death of Jabba the Hutt, meets with a group of Jawas for some mining equipment, as the syndicate wants to work under the guise of being a mining company, yet cannot come to any agreement with the Jawas. Cobb Vanth, present on the Jawas' vehicle, presents himself as someone willing to help Adwin find purchases for the collective, as Cobb has a rapport with the creatures. After examining the wreckage of Jabba's barge, recovered from a Sarlacc recently eaten by a krayt dragon, the pair come across some Mandalorian armor, both pulling blasters upon the other in seeking to acquire it, with Cobb shooting Adwin. Cobb orders the injured Adwin to tell the rest of the Red Key Raiders to cease their operations or he will come for them, then leaves with the armor.

Life Debt (2016) reveals that Cobb has since become the sheriff of the town Mos Pelgo after liberating it from the Red Key Raiders' mining collective, continuing to wear the Mandalorian armor and take a stand against the Red Key Raiders' forces. Meeting Malakili, the former beastmaster for Jabba, framed for killing a group of Red Key Raiders, Cobb agrees to accompany Malakili – and the infant heir of Jabba he is protecting – Borgo – back to Mos Pelgo (also known as Freetown) to start a different life.

In Empire's End (2017), Cobb and Malakili continue to work together to create a deal with the Tusken Raiders to keep the town protected. The Tusken Raiders agree, due to the town being in a sacred location and having a Hutt, and themselves being promised the pearl from inside a krayt dragon. However, Red Key members capture the town before the krayt dragon can be killed, reducing Cobb's arsenal to such an extent that he is no longer able to try to kill it. While held captive, Cobb is revealed to have once been a slave, having slave markings on his back. Soon enough, the Tusken Raiders come and free Cobb from the Red Key members. They then drive out the crime syndicate, and Cobb vows to continue protecting the town.

In the time between Empire's End and The Mandalorian, however, the town has turned against the Tusken Raiders, and Malakili leaves with the Hutt.

The Mandalorian (2020)

In May 2020, it was reported that Timothy Olyphant would appear as Cobb Vanth in the second season of The Mandalorian, potentially confirming the character's Mandalorian armor from the Aftermath trilogy to have been that of Boba Fett.[7] In the second season's premiere, "Chapter 9: The Marshal", the show's title character arrives in Mos Pelgo looking for a Mandalorian and is surprised to find Cobb instead, who is wearing Fett's Mandalorian armor.[8][9] Following a brief standoff, after which Cobb summarises how he acquired the armor, he offers to give his armor to the Mandalorian in exchange for his assistance in killing the krayt dragon he failed to kill in the Aftermath trilogy, allying with the Tusken Raiders once again to do so. Thanks to an ingenious idea by the Mandalorian to use a bantha as a suicide bomber and have it detonate once the dragon eats it, which nearly results in failure and the Mandalorian's death, they manage to kill the dragon, obtaining a pearl in the process. Following this, Cobb honors their agreement by giving up the armor to the Mandalorian, and the two part on good terms.[10]

The Book of Boba Fett (2022)

Cobb Vanth, played again by Timothy Olyphant, returns in The Book of Boba Fett, a spin-off series of The Mandalorian. He first appears in the sixth episode, titled "Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger", where he faces a new threat to Mos Pelgo (renamed Freetown), namely the Pyke Syndicate, who are trying to conquer Tatooine. After Cobb confronts and shoots several Pykes, the syndicate retaliates by sending bounty hunter Cad Bane to deal with him. Before Bane arrives, Cobb is visited by the Mandalorian, who enlists his and his people's help in the upcoming war between Boba Fett's crime syndicate and the Pykes. Cobb is reluctant to get involved but agrees to hold a town hall meeting. Shortly after the Mandalorian leaves Freetown, Bane arrives to demand that Cobb take a neutral stance in the upcoming war. After explaining Fett's prior involvement with the Empire, Bane shoots Cobb and his deputy after a showdown, killing the latter and leaving Cobb's fate uncertain.

Cobb is revealed to have survived in the mid-credits scene of "Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor", where he is seen recovering in Fett's bacta tank while the mod artist who saved Fennec Shand's life after she was similarly wounded prepares to apply cybernetic enhancements to him.

Reception

Upon the character's initial appearance in the Aftermath trilogy, speculation was common as to the character's Mandalorian armor belonging to Boba Fett, or the character themselves being a disguised Fett; the former theory was proven true in the second season of The Mandalorian.[11][12][13] Olyphant's portrayal of Cobb in The Mandalorian was generally praised, with Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue describing the character's backstory of acquiring the armor of Fett as "[h]onestly, iconic", and Comic Book Resources drawing comparisons of Olyphant's portrayal to "basically [his Justified character] Raylan Givens... in Space". TechRadar additionally expressed interest in seeing a spin-off developed around the character.[14][15][16]

Olyphant's performance as Vanth in the second season of The Mandalorian earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

References

  1. ↑ Aftermath by Chuck Wendig – "Interlude"
  2. ↑ "Chuck Wendig on the Battle of Jakku, Han and Leia's complex relationship, and more from Aftermath: Empire's End". StarWars.com. February 21, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ Wendig, Chuck (2015). Star Wars: Aftermath — Interlude: Tatooine Part I. New York: Del Rey. ISBN 978-1-101-88592-5. OCLC 928756325. Cobb grins, crosses his arms. "What are you thinking, company man? See, I could really use that armor. I figure being a newly appointed lawman—" "Self-appointed, I think," Adwin says. But Cobb doesn't take the bait. "Being a lawman, I could use some protection against those corrupt types who might think to seize the opportunity here on my planet. That armor is mine." Adwin smirks. He takes his thumb and pulls back his tunic, revealing the blaster. "Cobb—" "Sheriff Vance, to you." "Oh." Adwin laughs. "Sheriff, I'd hate to have to draw this blaster—" Cobb Vance's hand is up in a flash—there's the shriek from his own blaster, and it punches a cauterized hole clean through Adwin's shoulder on his right side. His hand goes limp, lifeless. The helmet clatters out of his other hand. He backs against the shelf, terror-struck.
  4. ↑ Wendig, Chuck (2017). Star Wars: Aftermath: Empire's End. New York: Del Rey. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-101-96696-9. OCLC 978508588.
  5. ↑ Wendig, Chuck (2017). Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt. New York, NY: Del Rey. p. 231. ISBN 978-1-101-96695-2. OCLC 953437998.
  6. ↑ Hadadi, Roxana (February 2, 2022). "The Book of Boba Fett Catches Up With Our Two Favorite Boys". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  7. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (May 19, 2020). "Exclusive: Timothy Olyphant Will Wear Boba Fett's Iconic Armor in The Mandalorian Season 2". /Film. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  8. ↑ Kit, Borys (May 15, 2020). "Timothy Olyphant Joins 'The Mandalorian' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  9. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (May 19, 2020). "Exclusive: Timothy Olyphant Will Wear Boba Fett's Iconic Armor in 'The Mandalorian' Season 2". /Film. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  10. ↑ Moran, Sarah (October 31, 2020). "The Mandalorian: Does The Marshal Have Anakin's Podracer?". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2020-11-02. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  11. ↑ Pate, Jordan (March 2, 2017). "The Mysterious Cobb Vanth: Precurser [sic] To a Post-Return of the Jedi Boba Fett Film?". StarWarsNews.Net. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  12. ↑ Crain, Quinn (September 6, 2015). "Is That Boba Fett's Armor Post-Sarlacc in "Star Wars: Aftermath?"". Boba Fett Fan Club. Archived from the original on 2015-09-14. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ Hunt, James (November 1, 2020). "Boba Fett Armor Retcon: The Mandalorian Changes Disney's Star Wars Canon?". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2020-11-02. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  14. ↑ Leishman, Rachel (October 30, 2020). "Let's Talk About Timothy Olyphant in The Mandalorian—and That Exciting Reveal". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  15. ↑ Roberts, Samuel (November 1, 2020). "Did The Mandalorian season 2 just set up a Star Wars TV spin-off with Cobb Vanth?". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  16. ↑ David, Ari (October 31, 2020). "The Mandalorian: Timothy Olyphant Is Basically Justified's Raylan Givens... in Space". CBR. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
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