Discussion Does Everyone Get Chain Codes? [Tracking FOBB Technology]

[Cassus Akovin]

Here is the wookiepedia for Chain Codes and Tracking Fobs.

I know already that this is mostly plot-device magic, but in the context of Star Wars who gets Chain Codes? Are they like social security numbers and distributed (and thus could be scrubbed of info, or simply not received, etc.) or some techno-wizardry where they are applied to individuals without their consent meaning ANY person with the code (or some portion of it, as in the case of Grogu) could hypothetically track them using a Tracking Fob?

For example, let's say a rebel spy discovered Emperor Palatine's chain code (or some portion of it) after decrypting some portion of a secret document. Could they then release that code to the galaxy for Bounty Hunters to go hunt the Emperor? Why or why not?

 

[Siv Dragr]

From what we know in Canon and that is discussed in the Mandalorian, at least part of a chain code corresponds to and identifies an individual's biological information. Din Djarin was only given the last four digits of Grogu's chain code, which according to him identifies the individual's age.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Siv Dragr yeah that's how I understand it to work too, but does the chain code exist for everyone?

During a scene in the Mandalorian when Greef Karga is trying to get back into Navarro a stormtrooper asks for his Chain Code as if he asked everyone that. Are there people that exist with no code at all, or does everyone have at least some portion of it in existence when they're born etc.?

Maybe its based of off some kind of registry of lifeform scans or something like that.

I don't know, because then it gets funky with individuals like Grogu who only had their age known... but then again maybe the imps were just being stingy with Din Djarin and didn't want to give him the full code in case he decided to hunt for it again after delivering it or something crazy like that.

 

[Siv Dragr]

I personally interpreted the scene as the Imperials being stingy. But it's possible that was all they could provide.

From what we know, I imagine that different parts of a chain code will correlate to different immutable biological features of an individual. These chain codes are then used as identifying codes by governments, law enforcement, etc. as official identifiers to work around stuff like name changes, etc. which is why they would be helpful for a Bounty Hunter tracking down a target. Some people may not have 'complete' chain codes because maybe there isn't enough information given, and that could be a reason why the Imperials only gave Din the last four digits, unless they were just being stingy.

So sorta similar to a SSN, but instead of it being a randomly generated number its just composed of your biological identifiers put in some sort of number cipher.

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

My understanding is that it's a lot like a biometric social security number, based on species, age, height/weight/sex, etc. So I would guess tons of people don't have one, just because they're in a part of the galaxy that doesn't have that sort of advanced population tracking. Grogu probably had one because he was at the Jedi Temple. Luke, however, probably didn't have one, and I'd guess Han probably would only have a very out-of-date one. It definitely makes sense to be an Imperial innovation as a means of controlling the populace.

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

In the very beginning when Greef Karga first brings up the tracking fobs, He mentions something about all the targets skipping bail or something.
Seems to me that law enforcement creates a chaincode for anyone tied up on the wrong side of the legal system.

So I'm assuming that prisoners and anyone that enters jail or worse get's a chaincode.



The you have Boba Fett's chain code, Which I think might just be a mandalorian thing, Embedding the code in the armor so it's easy to tell who's who. Might be even be unique to Boba or just something individuals do of their own volition. I've started embedding them in mine though for rp shenanigans

 

[Jsc]

Plot magic meets biometric scanner. But mostly, plot magic.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Seems to me that most people think chain codes are government issued, and thus not everyone has them implicitly.

Very interesting.

So I wonder if certain people would be opposed to having chain codes for Bounty Hunting purposes on Chaos. Hmm

 

[Siv Dragr]

I think they can be government issued. But if you go with them being based on immutable biological features, then even if a being doesn't have a chain code they can be easily issued a unique code, or parts of a code like in the case with Grogu where they only gave the last four digits because they don't have all the biological information on him required to generate a whole new code.

 

[Ikenna Tahj]

Seems to me that most people think chain codes are government issued, and thus not everyone has them implicitly.

Very interesting.

So I wonder if certain people would be opposed to having chain codes for Bounty Hunting purposes on Chaos. Hmm

In the case of Boba, Mandorian armor in both legends and canon was often passed down from family to family, so for HIS specific code or any Mando chain code I imagine it's sort of done like the armor's geneology.

 

[Tae'l Vizsla]

Cassus Akovin UPDATE: As seen on the bad batch(spoiler territory, click at your own risk) Everyone get's chain codes. And honestly that's kinda scary lmao

Spoiler

Link to video, Spoiler territory click at your own risk

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Tae'l Vizsla actually not quite.

Spoiler: Evidence

The Chain Codes are not innate to the biology of the individual, otherwise the Bad Batch stealing codes for the family wouldn't have worked.

Additionally, in order to use currency you had to exchange your old credits for Chain Codes, implying they are a bureaucratic function of the Empire and only the Empire, though it makes sense that the New Republic adopted this system soon after. Whether or not this system could persist into our own timeline is difficult to say but it may be one of those cases where once the cat is out of the bag for this tech it can be used in virtually any Era thereafter.

There is a tiny wrinkle here though, as Grogu technically shouldn't have any Chain code, since he wouldn't have been around for the exchange (or would have been executed if he attempted to).

Does that make sense?

 

[Siv Dragr]

Cassus Akovin

Discussion below, includes spoilers for Bad Batch

Spoiler

I believe they are still innate to the biology, because iirc one of the reasons why the Bad Batch couldn’t get chain codes legitimately is that they’d be ousted as clones. While this can be interpreted as “oh they’ll see we look like clones,” I lean towards the interpretation that their biology in the chain codes would’ve given them away because throughout the episode the Bad Batch aren’t hiding their faces from every single Clone/Stormtrooper they see.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Cassus Akovin

I believe they are still innate to the biology, because iirc one of the reasons why the Bad Batch couldn’t get chain codes legitimately is that they’d be ousted as clones. While this can be interpreted as “oh they’ll see we look like clones,” I lean towards the interpretation that their biology in the chain codes would’ve given them away because throughout the episode the Bad Batch aren’t hiding their faces from every single Clone/Stormtrooper they see.

Might want to spoiler that

Spoiler

but the deserter in the family (also a clone) did hide his face with a hat on more than one occasion, and almost got recognized in the end anyway before Bad Batch caused a ruckus. Additionally the Bad Batch themselves look different enough from "Regs" I'd argue they are less susceptible to being recognized anyway (Wreckers face being all f-ed up, Hunter with the facial tattoos, Techs glasses, Echo is a Cyborg, and though he's not on their side any more even Crosshairs looks much thinner/gaunt than a regular clone.)

At the end, they still end up getting Chain Codes that were usable, which in of itself indicates these are administratively awarded and not tied technologically to biology. If it were, there'd be a more suffisticated verification system that'd match their biology to the codes, which doesn't happen. The only thing we see is a clone scanning the codes, basically making sure they exist.

I don't think we have enough information yet, but based on this most recent episode, only imperial citizens seem to get them. Anyone outside the system would only get codes if they were imprisoned or naturalized to the Empire.

 

[sabrina]

No, as it would havê only been imperial citizens, hutts and other nations also exsitted

 

[Saija Kwann]

In the case of Space Bail, part of the agreement with the bondsman could to be implanted with a microchip. If they skip bail, then the tracking fobs start beeping.