Realizing he must take the situation into his own hands lest he walk that dark path, Hett resolved to discuss his worries with Master Koth, and the two eventually came up with the solution that Hett should take a leave of absence. Although Koth was distraught about the departure of his student, with approval from the Jedi Council, Hett and Koth parted ways with Hett feeling comforted by his Master's words. Resolving to return home to join his family, Hett sped off to the planet of his birth. However, once he arrived, Sharad learned that in his absence, a group of offworld rivals had attacked his homeworld and destroying every major city. Hett arrived to the news that his family was dead. Devastated with grief, Hett vowed to never return to Coruscant or the civilized galaxy and aimed his starship towards the Outer Rim.

Eventually, Hett crash-landed on the desert planet of Tatooine, and decided to live out his days as a hermit there. Wandering the deserts seeking answers, Hett lived off whatever scraps he could find. His Jedi skills were of great importance to help Sharad survive in the harsh wastelands. Sharad's survival skills gained the attention of the local Tusken Raiders. Confronted by them, Hett was taken captive by the Tuskens. Hoping that Sharad's blood would be compatible with that of the Tuskens, they adopted him in hopes of augmenting their ranks and gene pool. However, Hett's Jedi skills assisted him here as well as he used them to gain respect among the Tuskens, who lived an unforgiving, rigorous way of life.

Rising through the ranks, Hett became favorable with the Raiders. They taught Hett the way of the Tusken and the way of the desert, and in return, Hett taught the Tuskens new ways of fighting. In time, Hett was made a full warrior of the tribe, and Sharad Hett became a Tusken. When Hett took his leave of absence and ultimately crashed on Tatooine, he wasn't seen or heard from by the Jedi Order and they presumed he had become one with the Force, the loss of a great Jedi. However, Hett was very much alive, living his life as a Tusken. Eventually, Hett married and produce an offspring with the female Tusken warrior, K'Sheek.

Fathering a son, Hett named his firstborn A'Sharad Hett. However, when A'Sharad was still just a baby, his mother, Hett's wife, was lost in a desert storm, never to be seen again. With the loss of his wife, Hett was forced to raise his son on his own, and sensing A'Sharad's affinity in the Force, took it upon himself to raise him in the ways of the Jedi, as well as the ways of the Tusken. Fourteen years later, the Tusken were plagued by having their wells and food poisoned, as well as outright attacks against Tusken camps. With many Tusken dying, an investigation indicated that the Hutt crimelord, Jabba Desilijic Tiure, was behind an elaborate scheme to initiate a weapons smuggling operation on Tatooine.