Bounty Hunter: Difference between revisions

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Born of the [[The Western|Old West]] but found in many other genres since, the '''Bounty Hunter''' makes a living pursuing criminals for the price on their heads. His line of work often makes him gruff and cynical, if he lives long enough, and in the eyes of some citizens he may be only slightly better than the criminals he hunts.
Born of the [[The Western|Old West]] but found in many other genres since, the '''Bounty Hunter''' makes a living pursuing criminals for the price on their heads. His line of work often makes him gruff and cynical, if he lives long enough, and in the eyes of some citizens he may be only slightly better than the criminals he hunts.


Sometimes, the '''Bounty Hunter''' captures criminals and brings them back to face trial (which is how real bounty hunters operate nowadays). But other times, especially in Westerns, the bounty hunter's reward is of the "Dead or Alive" variety, and many bounty hunters of the latter type kill their bounties rather than let them [[Run for the Border]]. These kinds of bounty hunters are often called "bounty killers," or more pejoratively, "assassins" or "headhunters." This has almost never been [[Truth in Television]], though that problem can be [[Hand Wave]]d if the bounty in question is put out by a criminal or a corrupt, tyrannical or failed state.
Sometimes, the Bounty Hunter captures criminals and brings them back to face trial (which is how real bounty hunters operate nowadays). But other times, especially in Westerns, the bounty hunter's reward is of the "Dead or Alive" variety, and many bounty hunters of the latter type kill their bounties rather than let them [[Run for the Border]]. These kinds of bounty hunters are often called "bounty killers," or more pejoratively, "assassins" or "headhunters." This has almost never been [[Truth in Television]], though that problem can be [[Hand Wave]]d if the bounty in question is put out by a criminal or a corrupt, tyrannical or failed state.


Sometimes the '''Bounty Hunter''' is a villain, a sadist who profits off the death and suffering of others. Sometimes he's a [[Glory Seeker]] who wants to bring down the toughest targets. More often, though, he is a just a working stiff who tries to do the right thing—or something close to it. Buried deep within his grizzled, world-weary exterior is still an idealist with a heart of gold. Because there is nothing that prevents a '''Bounty Hunter''' from taking both legal and shady bounties, this character is usually a [[Lawful Neutral]].
Sometimes the Bounty Hunter is a villain, a sadist who profits off the death and suffering of others. Sometimes he's a [[Glory Seeker]] who wants to bring down the toughest targets. More often, though, he is a just a working stiff who tries to do the right thing—or something close to it. Buried deep within his grizzled, world-weary exterior is still an idealist with a heart of gold. Because there is nothing that prevents a Bounty Hunter from taking both legal and shady bounties, this character is usually a [[Lawful Neutral]].


The '''Bounty Hunter''' is increasingly popular in [[Speculative Fiction]] ever since [[Star Wars|Boba Fett]] made it cool. It helps that space is thought of as ''another'' [[The Final Frontier|"frontier"]], and Western tropes [[Space Western|go well with science fiction]]. And since it's so cool, most often bounty hunters in fiction are depicted as extremely skilled individuals and will prove a challenge for the main characters unless they are either there just to show us how overpowered our hero is or if the bounty hunters are themselves the main character(s).
The Bounty Hunter is increasingly popular in [[Speculative Fiction]] ever since [[Star Wars|Boba Fett]] made it cool. It helps that space is thought of as ''another'' [[The Final Frontier|"frontier"]], and Western tropes [[Space Western|go well with science fiction]]. And since it's so cool, most often bounty hunters in fiction are depicted as extremely skilled individuals and will prove a challenge for the main characters unless they are either there just to show us how overpowered our hero is or if the bounty hunters are themselves the main character(s).


When in the company of actual bounty hunters, you will speak of them as [[Insistent Terminology|"bail agents"]].
When in the company of actual bounty hunters, you will speak of them as [[Insistent Terminology|"bail agents"]].
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{{examples}}
{{examples}}

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Bounty hunting is the occupation of Jet Black, Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine and about 300,000 folks in the ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' universe. In fact, so many people make a living chasing criminals in the future that a cheesy Western-themed TV series (a cross between ''[[Bonanza]]'' and an interplanetary ''[[America's Most Wanted]]'') exists to provide them with intel on known bounty heads. All bounties must be taken alive, which is why the cast [[Perpetual Poverty|miss almost every big bounty]], as well as in one particularly unlucky case the guy ''crashed into a police station'', and once when they weren't given a bounty for stopping an AI in a satellite as it technically doesn't count as "alive".
* Bounty hunting is the occupation of Jet Black, Spike Spiegel, Faye Valentine and about 300,000 folks in the ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' universe. In fact, so many people make a living chasing criminals in the future that a cheesy Western-themed TV series (a cross between ''[[Bonanza]]'' and an interplanetary ''[[America's Most Wanted]]'') exists to provide them with intel on known bounty heads. All bounties must be taken alive, which is why the cast [[Perpetual Poverty|miss almost every big bounty]], as well as in one particularly unlucky case the guy ''crashed into a police station'', and once when they weren't given a bounty for stopping an AI in a satellite as it technically doesn't count as "alive".
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*** Really bored/crazy/skilled private individuals, whether on their own or as a group.
*** Really bored/crazy/skilled private individuals, whether on their own or as a group.
*** Finally, to top it all off, the relatives of the hunted individual(s). Given the economic situation in the Philippines, your good-for-nothing, hunted relative could pay off some debts.
*** Finally, to top it all off, the relatives of the hunted individual(s). Given the economic situation in the Philippines, your good-for-nothing, hunted relative could pay off some debts.
* Bounty hunters do exist somewhat like they are portrayed in fiction over in the middle east, most of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay came from these guys. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15361458/page/2/\]
* Bounty hunters do exist somewhat like they are portrayed in fiction over in the Middle East. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15361458/page/2/ Most of the detainees in Guantanamo Bay came from these guys.]



{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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