While there are plenty of villains inStar Warscanon, there are few who fans want to see bite the dust more than the Toydarian slave ownerWatto. Indeed,Watto has been killed three times across variousStar Warsmedia, but each time it seems the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.
His most recent death and resurrection comes inLegacy of Vader #2… or so fans thought. Kylo Ren visits Watto’s shop with Vaneé, one of Vader’s former assistants. In preview images,Marvel showed a flashback of Vader returning to kill Watto. However, the actual issue confirms that the images fans saw are just Kylo Ren theorizing, and Vaneé states thatVader didnotkill his former owner. X user@Kerrcarr01expresses how many fans feel about the mislead, asking,“LMAO LUCASFILM HAS “KILLED” WATTO THREE TIMES NOW HOW DO WE KEEP FALLING FOR IT???”
At this point Watto’s death count isclosing in on Shaak Ti’s record. The emotional rollercoaster surrounding his “demise” has made his fate an intriguing part ofStar Warslore. Here’s a look at the different moments when Watto was thought to be killed off.
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Who Is Star Wars' Watto, Anyway?
The Toydarian Junk Dealer with a Complex Past
Watto was a Toydarian junk dealer who owned a shop in Mos Espa, Tatooine. A major gambler, Watto frequently lost moneywagering on everything from Sabaccto Pod-Racing, often betting against a young Anakin Skywalker.Watto was a demanding owner for both Shmi and Anakin, but ultimately lost both due to his gambling- Anakin to Qui-Gon Jinn and Shmi to Cliegg Lars, who was part of an anti-slavery group on Tatooine. Cliegg and Shmi eventually married, living happily together until Shmi was kidnapped and killed by Tusken Raiders.
Like most Toydarians, Watto was strong-willed and immune to the Jedi mind trick, proving to be a surprisingly capable opponent to Qui-Gonn Jinn when they met inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Watto has been depicted as a generally cruel slavemaster, while still being preferable to Shmi and Anakin’s original owner, Gardulla the Hutt. Despite this, the character has developed an ironic fandom, largely because of his unique design and bombastic personality.
Darth Maul killing Watto was a surprisingly appropriate ending for the scummy villain.
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Watto’s First Death - Beheaded by Darth Maul
A Non-Canonical Death That Left Fans Speculating
In the 2005 comic anthologyStar Wars Visionaries, Watto met a violent endat the hands of Darth Maul, who decapitated the Toydarian as part of his hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi. The moment takes place in the short story ‘Old Wounds’ by Aaron McBride. While this event was an exciting twist in the non-canonicalVisionariesstory,it has since been disregarded by the officialStar Warstimeline. For some, it was a shame to see that this moment never became part of official continuity.
Fans who followedVisionarieswere initially shocked by Watto’s death, and it sparked debates about whether the Toydarian would be permanently removed from the franchise. However,since it was not part of main continuity,Watto’s eventual return in other stories only fueled the ongoing confusion about his fate. Despite this, Maul’s beheading of Watto remains a memorable moment, showing that Watto’s connection to Anakin ultimately caused his death (albeit through events several times removed.) It was a fitting fate for an evil but unimportant character, but not one that lasted…
Watto’s Second Death - Killed by Darth Vader
An Apparent Demise During Interrogation
In 2015,Star Wars: Darth Vader #3(from Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca) featured a scene where the Sith Lord interrogates several lesser-known characters on the hunt forcorrupt archeologist Doctor Aphra, apparently including Watto.A single panel of the comic depicted a Toydarian lying face-up on an interrogation table, seemingly lifeless, which led fans to believe that Vader had finally killed Watto. This moment was one of the first times Watto’s death appeared to be more than just a rumor.
Again, this was a fitting death for Watto, giving Darth Vader revenge for his childhood without showing the Sith lord stooping to obsession over such a lowly enemy. Vader had the excuse of killing Watto while going about other business, giving the slaver a dismissive but painful send-off. While canon, the 2015 issue didn’t specifically name Watto, leaving open the possibility that this was another Toydarian caught up in the criminal world. This is confirmed as ofLegacy of Vader #2, at least according to Vaneé.
It’s possible that Darth Vader really did kill Watto, but only if he kept it secret from Emperor Palpatine…
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Watto’s Most Recent Death - Slain by Darth Vader
Kylo Ren Is Wrong About His Grandfather’s Priorities
InStar Wars: Legacy of Vader #2, Vaneé confirms that - despite the preview art that set the internet speculating - Darth Vader never killed Watto. The preview art for the issue went viral quickly, with fans reacting with joke posts mourning the passing of Watto. Ultimately, the scene only takes place in Kylo Ren’s head, leaving Watto’s fate an open question.
One thing worth noting is that Vaneé claims his knowledge comes fromEmperor Palpatine’s meticulous files, which Vaneé was able to access after his defeat by Vader and Luke Skywalker. While Vaneé states that Vader confided his deepest secrets in Palpatine,itisstill possible that Darth Vader killed off Watto. AllStar Warsneeds to do to flip the script again is to state that Vader carried out the execution without telling Palpatine - indeed, the dead Toydarian fromStar Wars: Darth Vader #3 couldstill be Watto, especially because Vader initially kept Doctor Aphra a secret from the Emperor.
The Unanswered Question That Lingers
Legacy of Vader #2establishes that Vader did not kill Watto according to the people who would know, but Vaneé doesn’t confirm whether the Toydarian is still alive.The ambiguity leaves fans in a state of uncertainty about Watto’s fate.The trail on Watto’s death effectively ends there. After this revelation, Kylo Ren’s focus shifts to taking his revenge on the Hutt Clan, further diverting attention away from Watto’s fate.
Given that no definitive answer is provided, it’s entirely possible that Watto is still somewhere in the galaxy, ready to fake-die yet again. TheStar Warsuniverse is vast and full of hidden characters, and the fact that Watto’s death remains unresolvedopens the door for his possible return. He could very well still be alive, living a quiet life in the shadows - or he died during Vader’s search for Aphra, unmourned and never knowing the part he played in forging his killer. Ultimately,Star Warsyet again leaves Watto’s fate unknown.
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Is This an Appropriate End, or Will Watto Be Killed Off Again?
Fan Reactions Essentially Guarantee He’ll Die Again
With three ‘deaths’ under his belt,Watto’sability to survive multiple supposed deaths has become a running joke within theStar Warscommunity. At this point, fans have strong opinions about whether Watto should be killed off and who should do it.Star Warsis generallyveryadaptive to fan theories and in-jokes, making it likely that at some point in the near future, fans will be teased once again over Watto’s fate.
In the grand scheme ofStar Wars, death is often temporary, especially for characters with links to the Skywalker family.Creators clearly enjoy tying up Watto as a loose end while keeping fans on their toes with a moment they clearly want to see. So, while Watto may not be gone for good just yet, the mystery surrounding his future remains a key part of his charm - something thatStar Warswill doubtless continue to play around with in future comics.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #2is available now from Marvel Comics.
Source:@Kerrcarr01
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
