Jabba The Hutt is a fat, slug-like alien gangster who happens to be one of the most successful crime lords in the entire galaxy, and a member of the Hutt Clan as well as the Grand Hutt Council. He is the most powerful crime boss on Tatooine, controlling the bulk of the traffic in illegal and iniquitous goods, piracy, and slavery that generated most of the planet's wealth. He is also highly authoritative and influential in the entire Outer Rim. During the Clone Wars, Jabba's influence and power over the Outer Rim, specifically its hyperlanes, was sought by both the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, who both courted Jabba's approval. When Rotta, Jabba's son, was kidnapped, the crime lord promised his support to whoever returned his son. When the Separatists were revealed to have orchestrated Rotta's kidnapping, Jabba pledged his support to the Republic. Jabba continued to operate in the Outer Rim after the end of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Galactic Empire, preserving his power base, despite the interference of Darth Sidious, the Galactic Emperor. After the destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance, the Emperor sent Darth Vader to negotiate a deal with Jabba to secure raw materials for Imperial military production. Jabba's alliance with the Empire allowed him and the Hutts to resist the Imperial crackdown against criminal elements in the Outer Rim, as well as rid the Hutt of his competitors.