Since his debut in The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett has been a surefire fan favorite in the Star Wars series. So, back in November 2021 when the official campaign began, fans went crazy for the backstory of their favorite character: The Book of Boba Fett. Beginning on December 29, 2021, the show would begin airing for the next nine days, until February 9, 2022. Across seven episodes, director Robert Rodriguez reintroduces fans to Din Djarin and Grogu, more commonly known as Mando and Baby Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Cad Bane, and the Pyke Republic.

Chapter One – The Champion

Chapter One begins in an abandoned Jabba’s palace, where inside Boba Fett, played by Temura Morrison, is being treated for the injuries seen at the end of Mandalorian Season Two. Moments later, the viewer enters a dream of Fett’s as we are flashed back into his childhood. Boba is displayed carrying his father’s helmet after his apparent death in The Empire Strikes Back. A sudden flash takes viewers into the belly of a Sarlacc, where Boba Fett and several Storm Troopers can be seen. After retrieving oxygen from one of the Storm Troopers suits, Boba emerges from the pit, gooey and exhausted. 

An eventual-pass out flashes two events: One where Boba’s armor is stolen by Jawas, and one where he is captured and stowed away by the Tusken Raiders. Boba, an apparent prisoner, is taken out to the desert where he and other prisoners are forced to dig for water. The other prisoner, who looks like Greedo, finds a pod of water, and then he does it again, and the chain continues until he finds the leg of a creature. A creature who would emerge from its resting place in a sudden rage. To the common viewer, this appeared to be a death sentence for anyone involved. Faux Greedo, a young Tuskan, and the famed Boba Fett. A brutal, old Star Wars-escape, and fight scene breaks out in which the beast ends up beheaded and lifeless. An elated young Tuskan warrior celebrates all the way back to camp, as if he himself had defeated the monster. Knowing this is obviously not the case, the elders at the camp reward Boba, and their relationship continues to trend upward — a relationship that will prove essential even through the final episode. 

Chapter Two – The Assassin 

A flash forward into present time shows Boba being attacked by ninja-looking people outside of his palace. Upon interrogating the defeated ninjas, with a little fear installed by the tank below Jabba’s palace, Boba, Shand, and their new service droid 8D8 discover that the ninjas were sent by the Mayor of Mos Espa, an ally. Boba introduces his presence by breaking into the capitol building and confronting the mayor – who claims to have not sent the attackers. 

Boba and Fennec embark on their way back to their palace; however, Jabba’s cousin and a new, heavily armored Wookie have been waiting outside. They claim that as Jabba’s cousins, they have the right to his palace, and they come with an interesting holograph to prove it. Boba and Fennec do not seem to be intimidated in the slightest. This scene does not appear to be significant in regards to the timeline, but seeing the Hutt family for the first time since Star Wars:Episode I – The Phantom Menace feels pretty surreal. 

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A large portion of the plot comes from this event– Once back in the Tusken village, a train can be seen approaching in the distance while a simultaneous group of Tuskens are attempting to bring in a meal. As the train continues to approach the Tuskens, it lays fire on the tribe – killing several. An event that does not particularly sit well with the tribe, and especially not Boba. Fett continues to train with the head raider until he is ready to approach a militia gang, and rob them of their speed bikes — ones he will use to attack the train. 

Again, this series brings back an older Star Wars feel through the hijacking scene, similar to the hijacking from Solo: A Star Wars Story. Fett and the Tuskens start at the back of the train and work their way forward, making quick work of any forces that stand in their way. At the front of the train, the conductor droid does the work for Boba and self-destructs– leaving the train derailed. Fett integrates the remaining forces once the train has crashed, and he figures out they are transporting spices from the slave mines of Kessel. The crew is given no particular punishments, but they are forced to walk home in the desert, and tell whoever sent them that they must now pay a price to safely travel through the sands. 

As a reward for stopping the train, the head Tusken offers Boba a gift, kinda. He “offers” a lizard that immediately hoists itself into Boba’s nose. The Tusken motions the saying “He will guide you from inside your head.” What Boba thinks is a hallucination guides him to an ancient-looking tree in the Middle of Nowhere. Clips of the tree are shown, but not much happens until Boba is seen returning to the camp with a large branch from the pictured tree. 

Chapter Three – The Syndicate

Boba finds his way into Mos Eisley, the home of the Pyke Syndicate. After the run-in from last week’s episode, he plans to meet some of the higher-up Pykes where he asks for protection from any sort of threats in the sands. Seen as the Pykes offer protection for several other gangs across the planet, they would fit the criteria to help the Tuskens. Boba explains that the Tuskens have ruled the desert since the creation of time– that they are due for protection from larger syndicates. 

If it hasn’t become apparent by now, the first two episodes switch between past events and current ones. The episode begins with one of Boba’s dreams or a flashback to his Tusken upbringing. Boba begins by walking back to the tribe– now destroyed and burnt. Outraged, Boba arranges a funeral-like service for the fallen Tuskens. This scene is exceptionally touching for the nostalgic viewer. Remnants can be felt from Luke Skywalker returning to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. 

A sudden flash brings the viewer back into real-time. Remember that battle-ready Wookie that Jabba’s cousins introduced? He’s back– and ready to fight. Boba, no longer sleeping in his chamber, bounces off of each wall the palace has to offer. Soon enough, Boba’s gang shows up to define him from who we now know as Black Krrsantan. The Wookie is borderline unstoppable, but the rustling ends when he is wrestled to the rancor pit and dropped in. 

The Hutts return to offer their apologies to Boba– both for demanding the palace and trying to kill him. They release Krrsantan to Boba as well as a brand new rancor, allies that will certainly help in the events to follow. Boba demands that the Hutts must leave the planet, to which they agree, but not for the reason you may think. They suggest a war between gangs is brewing.

Chapter Four – The Battleground

Simply put, this episode was essentially the rebuilding of the Boba Fett Star Wars fans know and love. The episode begins with Boba and fennec Shand breaking into some sort of enemy base, where Boba’s ship is believed to be. Unlike any Star Wars movie I can recall, they make it through the robbery, if you will, unscathed. Boba Fett is reunited with his long-lost ship! 

Outside of knowing who exactly did it, Boba never really punished the speeders for the slaughter they unleashed on his Tusken allies– until now. As he finds the speeders, Boba tests the guns of the ship by blowing every speeder to pieces. One of the cooler modern Star Wars scenes to date, with the ship ominously appearing over the horizon. 

This isn’t the only business Boba accounts for now that he has his ship back. The last flashback featuring Boba Fett’s armor was the very first, when he climbs from the Sarlacc. One can only assume that thing is dead after all of these years. Boba hovers over the gaping Sarlacc with a supporting light, looking for his armor. Suspense builds, eerie music begins playing. A sort of jump scare throws the ship into the grasp of the Sarlacc. Boba fired endlessly into the beast– good thing he tested the cannons first. The clash ends in the Sarlacc dead, for real this time, but there is no luck when it comes to Boba’s armor. 

Chapter Five and Six – The Homeworld, The Warlord

If you’re watching for the plot, these episodes are for you. If you’re watching for Boba Fett, not so much. This episode is almost an immediate teaser for The Mandolorian season three. Mando lands on a planet that one can assume is far off from any other being in the galaxy. We’ll come to learn that the island has three known inhabitants outside of Mando: Ahsoka Tano, Grogu, and Luke Skywalker. 

Ahsoka denies Mando from seeing Grogu right away, despite the gift that he has brought for the youngling. This is when we are introduced to Luke. Assumingly far off from Mando and Ahsoka, we see him teaching young Grogu the skill of his ancestors, the force. A damning scene for any long-term Star Wars fan. Grogu, obviously young and new to the force, is definitely making strides. Despite denial in seeing Grogu, Mando demands he at least be brought the gift. Mind you, the viewer is still clueless as to what may be in the wrapping. An ending in chapter six would eventually reveal the secret gift. In some unshown manner, Luke receives the gift– likey from Ahsoka. 

Thus, a choice must be made Luke and Grogu are shown in a hut-like building on the abandoned planet. First, Luke pulls out a lightsaber for the youngling. Star Wars fans, brace. He explains that the lightsaber was the exact one that belonged to master Yoda. Luke further explains that if Grogu accepts the lightsaber, he will continue his Jedi training as such, but he may never see the Mandoloarian again. The alternative, Luke unwraps the gift from the Mandolorian. A garment made from the remnants of a former Mandalorian’s armor impiercable by lightsabers. A decision that would be left on a cliffhanger until the next episode. 

Simultaneously, an event of similar magnitude takes place back on Tatooine. After being sent away from Grogu, the Mandalorian, on behalf of Boba Fett, requests help from a friend, Cobb Vanth. Upon Mando’s departure, Vanth spies a person in the distant sands. The person would draw closer, and closer, and closer, and stop. Dedicated Star Wars fans would know this as none other than Cad Bane. An old-school Western shootout leaves Vanth dead in the sands. “Tatooine belongs to the syndicate,” Bane says as Cobb Vanth lies in the sand. “As long as the spice keeps flowing, everyone will be left alone” (Keane, CNet). 

Chapter Seven – The Showdown

The finale, at last, is here. Boba Fett’s alliances with the Tusken Raiders, Fennec Shand, the Mandalorian, Black Krrsantan, and the mayor are all ready to prove their worth. Knowing the threat is imminent, Boba, Mando, and the mayor hunker down in Jabba’s palace. All of Boba’s gang and Krrsantan each have their respective places to hold down in the town. The Fett army knows there will be an attack, but they are not exactly sure of how it will come. An eruption of screams breaks out downtown as perceived civilians reach for blasters and staffs to terrorize the town. The “bad guys” begin a march towards the palace, where they plan to discuss surrender terms with the Fett army. Knowing Boba Fett, this simply was not going to happen. 

Boba and Mando use their jetpacks to emerge from over the palace, raining hellfire on the members of the Pyke Syndicate. A standoff that would end in an apparent victory for the Fetts. It wasn’t until the Scorpenek Annihilator droids marched into town that the Fetts realized victory was not yet. The shields of the droids made it impossible for Boba’s blasters or rockets to reach the droid itself. The same can be said for Mando and his darksaber. A battle ravages the town, until Boba takes charge with one of his elaborate plans. The brand new rancor Boba received from the Fetts? It comes roaring over the townside and straight towards one of the annihilator droids. Only the brute strength of the rancor was going to defeat these droids anyway. 

The first droid goes down relatively easily; however, the second one puts up much more of a fight. In this battle, we learn more about the decision of Grogu, now accompanying Mando in his new suit. The rancor struggles to take down the droid alone without the help of Grogu. Must I remind you that he received lessons from the most renowned Jedis in the universe? It’s clear that Grogu chose to be with the Mandalorian rather than continue his Jedi training, but his understanding of the force is ultimately what saves Boba Fett and the town. 

Once the droid is defeated, Cad Bane reappears in the most ominous “Cad Bane” way. He addresses Boba, the same way he had addressed Cobb Vanth just one episode ago. Yet another old Western shootout takes place. This one leaves Boba Fett wounded and on the ground. Cad Bane two, good guys none. The way any bounty hunter would, Bane taunts Boba as he lay on the ground reaching for his blaster. Bane reveals that the speeder gang that raided the Tusken village was a company of the Pyke Syndicate. An event that causes Boba to wield his Tusken staff and drag Bane to the ground. The skills taught to Boba by the Tuskens finally come into play. A rather anti-climactic fight scene draws out leaving Cad Bane stabbed straight through the torso. Good guys one, Cad Bane none. 

https://youtu.be/VtxXCEwoyPc – graphic content, please beware!

Analysis

In terms of the plot, The Book of Boba Fett, screams modern Star Wars. To me, I was much rather hoping for an older Star Wars style. Outside of a few easter eggs, much of the show catered to the newer viewers. I think that the ending was great. It really elaborated on the fact that bounty hunters don’t belong to a side. After all, the final conflict was bounty hunter versus bounty hunter. 

With regards to future speculation, the final episodes of the series open the door for many, many possibilities. It’s obvious that Grogu chose to be with Mando rather than continue learning the ways of the Jedi; however, his use of the force in the final episode shows that he knows enough about it to take down the Rebels. Could this open opportunities for a new chapter in Star Wars where a character can be both a bounty hunter and a Jedi? Imagine Darth Vader or Yoda with the additional skill set of Han Solo or the Mandalorian. Regardless of what may happen in future installments of The Book of Boba Fett or The Mandalorian, I think any Star Wars fan, new or old, can agree that this most recent series can be added to the long list of Star Wars greats.