It goes without saying that this article contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett, Episode 6.
The Book of Boba Fett is a show that no one expected to be rewarded with a second season.
That is not so much a commentary on the quality of the show, but rather an acknowledgment that it was only ever supposed to be a story to bridge a gap.
In fact, people believed this so much that no one thought that Boba Fett would make it to the end of the season alive, especially after the recent fates of Leia, Luke, and Han.
To fans’ surprise, Boba Fett did make it all the way to the end of the season without suffering his demise. A long-time character that did not, was bounty hunter, Cad Bane.
Despite a very convincing death scene, some fans still have doubts about the permanence of Bane’s demise.
There are even theories flying around the internet about why he might have survived.
In this article, I will look at Cad Bane’s significance in the show, how he died, and discuss whether or not he is really dead.
Cad Bane’s Live-Action Debut
Cad Bane made his live-action debut late in the Disney+ original series, only making his first appearance in the penultimate episode.
This should have given fans a clue as to the fate of this character as it was very similar to the horror movie trope of introducing a character who hasn’t been involved so far and is about to die doing the thing they’ve just been told not to do.
Bane’s appearance was explained as he was revealed to be the hired hand who was tasked with protecting the operations of the Pyke syndicate on Tatooine.
The appearance of this character also poses a significant threat to the titular character and offers a great deal of jeopardy.
Cad Bane had previously been the best in the business during the Clone Wars era.
However, this series is set over two decades after this period with no context or insight into what has happened to Bane over the years.
It is impossible to know what state he is in physically and whether he is still a formidable opponent for Boba Fett.
How Did Cad Bane Die?
This brings us to the question of how Cad Bane died. Remember, there are going to be some serious spoilers ahead.
If you haven’t seen the epic season finale yet, I’d recommend seeing that first to properly bask in its glory.
The series did a great job of setting Cad Bane up for a significant role in the season finale, including his anticipated reunion with Boba Fett.
In the final episode of the series, the two bounty hunters cross paths and begin dueling.
Cad Bane gains an unsurprising early advantage considering the history of the pair and Bane having mentored Boba years prior.
However, Boba Fett manages to recover from the early, quick shots and the duel builds to an exciting crescendo.
The fight ends with a shocking move from Boba Fett as he drives his Tusken Raider-made weapon through Bane’s chest.
The final shot of Cad Bane lying lifeless on the ground would have you believe that Cad Bane has met his maker at the hands of Boba Fett.
However, there are a lot of fans who disagree that this is the ultimate end for the famous bounty hunter.
Is Cad Bane Really Dead?
For many people, it would be safe to assume that if someone had been stabbed through the chest and left, they aren’t going to come back from it.
However, this is sci-fi and anything is possible. Therefore, there are plenty of fans who believe that this isn’t the last that we will see of Cad Bane.
Obviously, sci-fi fans and Star Wars fans in particular are much more thorough about their conspiracy theories than simply throwing out a possibility.
There are hints and clues in the Book of Boba Fett finale that suggest that Cad Bane could still return.
The main driving force behind the conspiracy theories is the final shot of Cad Bane after the duel with Boba Fett ends.
The camera hovers above him as he lies on the ground, supposedly dead or dying. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that on the panel on Bane’s chest, there is a small, red light that is still blinking.
The camera doesn’t stay on Bane until the blinking stops, as it would if it were there to symbolize the character’s demise. Instead, it cuts away while the light is still blinking.
This has sent the Star Wars section of the internet into a bit of a conspiracy overload. However, there are some good theories and arguments among all the noise.
You might be sitting there thinking yeah, but it could just be a light on the panel, and I would tend to agree with you.
However, people have noted that the blinking light was accompanied by a faint beeping sound.
This suggests that the blinking light on Bane’s chest panel isn’t just happenstance, but that Disney wanted you to pay attention to it.
This idea certainly adds credibility to the theory that Cad Bane isn’t really dead. At the very least, it leaves the final scene ambiguous and keeps the door open for a return in the future.
I also have to note the possibility that Cad Bane really is dead and the blinking light and the beeping are just coincidences that people are reading too much into. We just don’t know.
How Could Cad Bane Return In Star Wars?
Entertaining the idea that the conspiracy theories surrounding the red blinking light and the beeping are correct, there needs to be a logical way that Cad Bane could return in future Star Wars series and movies.
Thankfully, Star Wars fans are thorough and have thought about the possible return of Cad Bane.
Whether Cad Bane is dead or not at the end of the series, there is no denying that he is significantly injured and will require a lot of healing.
One of the main theories circulating among Star Wars fans about how Cad Bane could potentially return to the franchise relates to that famous red, blinking light.
While the exact purpose of the light is unknown, some think it represents Bane’s heartbeat, and some people have speculated that it could be a distress signal.
If you follow the distress signal theory, it could be calling to Cad Bane’s faithful, right-hand droid Todo.
This suggests that it is possible for Todo to arrive on Tatooine and work to nurse his master back to health.
There are also some theories about how Bane would be nursed back to health, whether it be by Todo or anyone else.
One of the most popular theories is that Bane could spend time between the finale of season 1 and the start of season 2 in a Bacta tank.
This theory makes a lot of sense to me in terms of callbacks to the life of Bane’s would-be assailant Boba Fett who also spent time in one of these tanks.
Another theory about Cad Bane regaining his health involves gaining cybernetic enhancements, similar to those gained by Fennec Shand.
This would help to keep Bane alive and perhaps allow him to exact his revenge on Boba Fett in the future.
What Does Cad Bane’s Survival Mean?
If Star Wars fans entertain the idea of Cad Bane surviving this deadly attack, that could have some serious implications for the direction of future Book of Boba Fett seasons and even the next Mandalorian season.
It could even see Cad Bane earn a spot in some of the main storylines of these popular series.
One of the main theories surrounding potential future storylines if Cad Bane does in fact survive season 1, is Cobb Vanth leaving Tatooine to get revenge.
Ultimately though, even if Cad Bane doesn’t survive to season 2 of The Book of Boba Fett, the character may still have some appearances in the future and even in the Mandalorian.
These would, of course, happen only through flashbacks of other characters. However, it does mean that we likely haven’t completely seen the end of this popular, bounty hunter character just yet.
Whether he gets to have future storylines, or simply play a role in providing context in the future remains to be seen.
Final Thoughts
All of the talk surrounding the legitimacy of Cad Bane’s demise cannot be proven or disproven at this point.
That can only be done by the writers of subsequent series and movies.
However, if Disney did want to bring back Cad Bane and explain away the finale of The Book of Boba Fett, it is safe to say that die-hard Star Wars fans have given them a pretty convincing storyline to follow.
Brad Burnie is the founder of Starships.com. He loves all video game genres. In his spare time, he loves reading, watching movies, and gaming
