Cypher Bos Cypher Bos was a notorious Nalrithian bounty hunter active during the Galactic Civil War . He worked predominantly for the Galactic Empire , but also for Jabba Desilijic Tiure , building up a reputation as a violent and capable hunter . In 3 ABY , Cypher tracked down his eggmate , Phoedris Bos , hoping to kill and impersonate him in order to infiltrate the Alliance to Restore the Republic . He had heard of an impending mission involving Phoedris and Han Solo , and believed that in one swoop he could ruin the Alliance and capture Solo ' s bounty . Cypher and Phoedris faced off on Ord Mantell ; after using the mental link they shared — which existed because the two had hatched from the same egg — to learn many secret Rebel codes , Cypher killed his brother . Solo arrived several weeks later , and Cypher was ordered to take him and his companion to an Imperial computer terminal so that they could hack into the system . When he realized that Solo ' s companion was in fact Leia Organa , Cypher ended his charade and held the two hostage . Solo was able to disarm him , though , and after a brief exchange of blaster shots , the Nalrithian bounty hunter was killed . Biography . Bounty hunter . Cypher Bos was an insectoid Nalrithian , one of four eggmates born simultaneously . An uncouth being hungry for wealth , he shared a mental link with his four siblings , which allowed them to share memories and detect each other ' s presence from around a dozen meters away . Additionally , the four Nalrithians shared pain when they were in each other ' s vicinity ; but this did not stop them hurting each other , and at some point in his life , Cypher hunted down and killed two of his eggmates . The third , Phoedris Bos , was considerably stronger than the two Cypher had killed , so Cypher was more reluctant to engage Phoedris in combat . Cypher became a bounty hunter , building up a reputation as being both capable and dishonorable . He was in the same league as the likes of Boba Fett , Skorr , and Beilert Valance , feared and respected by most beings he encountered . Nalrithians were feared by most throughout the galaxy , Cypher particularly so , and his mere presence was enough to send most sentients scurrying . He worked predominantly for the Galactic Empire , though also for the Hutts , including Jabba Desilijic Tiure ; he allied himself with whoever could provide him with the most income . The Nalrithian often operated out of the Bright Jewel Cluster , along with other notorious bounty hunters such as Skorr , Gribbet , Giles Durane , and Beilert Valance . Cypher considered trying to recruit Phoedris to work alongside him and form a bounty hunting team , but Phoedris , feeling guilty at having a brother who sided with the Empire , joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic . Killing Phoedris . When he heard Phoedris mention Han Solo — an Alliance member with a hefty bounty on his head — Cypher realized that much profit could be made by taking advantage of Phoedris ' s position in the Rebellion and impersonating him , and believed that he would be able to take down the Rebel Alliance from within . Cypher had cybernetic implants placed inside his body , which would ensure that the pain he would share with Phoedris during their inevitable confrontation would not cause himself any lasting harm . The Nalrithian arranged to meet with Baajik , a Chadra - Fan working as a double agent for both the Rebels and the Hutts , who would be able to provide him with Phoedris ' s location . Cypher met with the Chadra - Fan in the Drunken Bantha , speaking to him in the cantina ' s shadiest corner . Phoedris had learned of his brother ' s arrival on Ord Mantell , and had followed him to the cantina , using all his effort and concentration to block their mental link . However , when Phoedris noticed Baajik — whom he believed was a loyal agent of the Rebellion — his concentration broke for a moment , and Cypher was able to sense his presence . Realizing this , Phoedris fled the cantina , though Cypher pursued his brother . Sensing his sibling ' s fear , Cypher tracked him outside , eventually taking up a position in the shadows and firing a single blaster bolt at his eggmate ' s shoulder . With Phoedris injured , Cypher tackled him to the ground , telepathically announcing his intentions to impersonate his brother and infiltrate the Rebel Alliance . The two continued to wrestle , and although Phoedris ' s pain at his wound was transferred to Cypher ' s body , his cybernetic implants allowed him to bear the discomfort . After absorbing any potentially lucrative memories from his brother , Cypher pinned him down as he bled to death . From Phoedris ' s memories he was able to learn some of the specifics about a planned Imperial shipment of credits that the Rebels hoped to raid to pay for their base on Hoth . Cypher took his brother ' s clothes and made for the secret Rebel headquarters on Ord Mantell , the location of which he had taken from his late eggmate . He relayed the specifics of the impending mission that only Phoedris had known to the other Rebels hiding in the headquarters , maintaining that he was in fact Phoedris ; as Nalrithians all looked the same to Humans , they did not suspect his true identity . However , when Baajik entered the base , he immediately realized who he was looking at , drawing a blaster and preparing to shoot the bounty hunter . Cypher was too quick for the Chadra - Fan , however , launching himself at Baajik ; the sheer force and strength of Cypher ' s lunge killed the tiny Chadra - Fan . Baajik attempted to warn the others , telling them that he was Cypher Bos , and not Phoedris , but he died before he could fully explain . Maintaining his charade , the Nalrithian told the other Rebels that Cypher had ambushed him , but the bounty hunter had been killed . The Rebels believed him , and Cypher stayed on Ord Mantell , waiting for an opportunity to reveal his true identity . Kidnapping Solo and Organa . Some time later , Han Solo arrived on Ord Mantell with the " Millennium Falcon " . Cypher was ordered to escort Solo , along with another female Rebel and an astromech droid , to an Imperial base on the planet so that they could hack into the facility ' s system . The details of the mission were kept from the Nalrithian bounty hunter , so he listened intently for any hints as to what exactly the Rebels were planning . They broke into the Imperial facility , and Cypher took Solo , his companion , and R2 - D2 to the computer terminal . The droid began to infiltrate the system ; while it worked , Solo referred to the other Rebel as " your royalness . " Cypher realized that the female was in fact Princess Leia Organa , who was wanted by the Empire . Although he knew that Jabba would pay handsomely for Solo , and the Empire for Organa , Cypher waited before making his move , so that he could learn more about the Rebel mission . After Solo spoke with another Rebel located elsewhere , Cypher was able to put the pieces together and realized that they were going to steal the Imperial credit shipment . After Solo ended his comlink conversation with the other Rebel , Cypher acted : he pulled a blaster pistol on Solo and Organa , ordered them to drop their weapons and disengage the droid , and announced his true identity . Organa began to plead with Cypher , telling him that the Rebellion would pay him more money than the Empire or the Hutts ; Cypher was not taken in by Organa ' s offers , though , knowing that the Rebellion was low on funds itself . Solo began stalling after Cypher ordered him to hand over his comlink and gunbelt , remaining calm in an attempt to irritate the Nalrithian . Solo threw his gunbelt at Cypher , knocking the bounty hunter ' s blaster out of his hands and leaving them both disarmed . Cypher was impressed at Solo ' s trickery , though he was confident that the Human would not be able to reach his blaster before he reached his own . Solo did not heed Cypher ' s warnings , though ; the two made simultaneous lunges for their weapons , reaching them at the same time . Solo was able to evade the Narithian ' s blaster shots and killed Cypher , and he , Organa , and R2 - D2 escaped with the Imperial funds . Over twenty years later , in 24 ABY , Han Solo told the story of his encounter with Cypher Bos to his son , Jacen Solo . Personality and traits . Described as vile and self - centered , Cypher Bos cared only for himself . His desire lay only in profit , and he could never understand other beings ' comparative lack of interest in money . Cypher reveled in the way other beings reacted to him — with great fear — and it often gave him amusement to watch other sentients attempt to hide themselves when they saw him . While many thought of him as just a simple thug , Cypher was in fact very intelligent , and planned his infiltration of the Rebel Alliance very carefully . Cypher Bos was extremely confident in his abilities , believing himself to be one of the best bounty hunters of his era . Because of his high success rate , he was taken by surprise when someone managed to get a foothold on him in any conflicts , such as when Han Solo threw his gun - belt at the Nalrithian . Cypher ' s overconfidence eventually proved to be his downfall ; he did not believe it possible that Han Solo ' s reactions were quicker than his own , though he was mistaken . Equipment . Cypher possessed a Corellian YT - 1300 light freighter transport , and also carried with him at least one blaster , a vibroblade , and several hellfire grenade s , which erupted into flames when triggered . He favored his modified heavy blaster pistol — which included additional custom settings and a secret compartment in its handle — though Cypher was also proficient at unarmed combat . He wore a suit of custom body armor , and had special cybernetic pain inhibitors implanted along his spine , which drastically reduced the amount of pain he felt when injured . Like each member of his species , Cypher had heightened senses , and he used the scents of other beings to recognize what species they belonged to . Behind the scenes . Cypher Bos was created by the late Brian Daley in 1984 , as part of " Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell " , a radio dramatization intended to document " the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell " mentioned by Han Solo in in 1980 . However , several years before , Archie Goodwin ' s " The Bounty Hunter of Ord Mantell " implied that another bounty hunter , Skorr , was the one to whom Solo was referring . The official StarWars . com Databank confirms that it was Skorr , because his story was told first . Cypher went unreferenced for over ten years until Michael Mikaelian penned " Double Cross on Ord Mantell " , a short story published in " Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 5 " . Illustrated by Walter McDaniels and Shawn Martinbrough , it acts as a prelude of sorts for " Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell " . Cypher was later mentioned in " Crimson Bounty " in 1997 and " " in 1998 . Another ten years on , Cypher was briefly mentioned in Rich Handley ' s short story " " , exclusive to Starwars . com ' s Hyperspace section .