Hello fellow Wookieepdians! Today we had the opportunity to connect with Tara Sim, the author of the story "Reputation" in From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, for a short interview. The story is told from the point of view of Boba Fett during his time with Jabba's entourage.

Q1: How did you first get into Star Wars as a fan, and what are some of your favorite pieces of media from the franchise? (movies, books, etc.)

A: I watched the original trilogy when I was pretty young—I have an old drawing of Leia I did when I was seven or so—but it didn’t fully hook me until the prequel series started coming out. I was in middle school at the time, and it was a huge pop culture moment. Gradually I realized that I was, in fact, a Star Wars fan, and I haven’t looked back since.

Some of my favorite installments include The Empire Strikes Back, The Revenge of the Sith (and its novelization), The Padmé Trilogy by E.K. Johnston, The Mandalorian, and Andor.

Q2: The Star Wars saga has grown wildly since its inception, with many works forming a rich tapestry of lore. What was your writing process in giving a fresh interpretation of a classic scene?

A: I was lucky that I had a good bit of lore to sift through for Boba! The War of the Bounty Hunters comics were a great resource, and of course the previous Boba Fett stories from the two prior FACPOV anthologies provided a jumping off point. I also rewatched Return of the Jedi to pay close attention to the scenes Boba was in and how he interacted with the people around him. (Please imagine me in front of my TV, pausing and rewinding constantly, while muttering “Computer, enhance.”) Once I had a good grasp of his personality and mannerisms, I was able to dive into how Boba must have been feeling in these moments, keeping his background and his eventual fate in mind.

Boba Fett, in Return of the Jedi

Q3: Boba Fett is a fan-favorite character we’ve seen a lot of recently with The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett, as well as in other forms of media. If you had to choose, what was your favorite part of writing him?

A: I have a love of characters who are faceless most of the time, and a big part of Boba’s initial intrigue was wondering: “Who’s under that helmet? What kind of face is he making in response to Darth Vader’s orders? What is he really thinking, or even muttering to himself?” So my favorite part about writing him was getting under that helmet and giving him facial expressions no one could see, as well as delving into the thoughts he couldn’t say out loud. Honorable mention goes to his jet pack.

Q4: I loved the small details in the work, especially how we’re able to see him reflect on his life so far. But I also really appreciated that–despite his professional demeanor in finishing his job– he does at several points feel empathy for Oola and Leia. Can you share a bit about your writing process in turning him into a multi-faceted, layered character?

A: I had the honor of attending the FACPOV: ROTJ panel at NYCC last year, and this is word for word what I said then: “My headcanon is that Boba Fett respects women.” (The applause that got was much appreciated.)

In this particular story, I wanted to explore the feelings he has around his job, his reputation that’s tied to it, and his servitude to Jabba. Because really, the only difference between him and Oola is that he’s getting paid for what he does. This brings up a unique view of Han Solo as well, because Boba feels contempt for Han while at the same time worrying that this could one day be his fate. Boba is also a fighter, and recognizes similar instincts in Leia that he can’t help but admire and be wary about. Boba is good at what he does—arguably the best—and knows when something is a potential threat.

Q5: If you write Star Wars content in the future, what topic would you like to write about and in what time period?

A: I’m always down to write more Star Wars content! Honestly, I had so much fun with Boba Fett that I would love to tackle a book about him, regardless of the era. Anything in The Mandalorian verse would be fun, too, or writing new/barely explored characters for The High Republic.

Q6: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers?

A: Thank you for having me! If folks want to check out my books, there are plenty more morally gray characters for them to root for/against, such as in The City of Dusk, the first of my adult epic fantasy trilogy. I also have a new dark YA fantasy coming out later this year, We Shall Be Monsters, which mashes together Frankenstein and Indian mythology.

Conclusion

And that's the end of today's interview, was super glad we got to sit down and talk with her about "Reputation." Until next time, happy editing!