The Book of Boba Fett's biggest problem is Boba Fett
With dodgy characterisation and unclear goals this new Boba was already ropey – but now fans' favourite episode is one he doesn't even appear in.
As Disney pens another chapter in The Book of Boba Fett, the sprawling galaxy of Jedis and Jawas is once again in danger of going stale. Boba’s long-awaited solo outing has blasted free from the ashes of Josh Trank’s canned Boba Fett movie, but with the seven-episode series bogged down in exposition and a lead that doesn’t quite lead, it’s Boba himself that’s the biggest problem right now. Is it just a Jedi mind trick, or does The Book of Boba Fett already have a bounty on its head?
As the twin suns burn bright over Tatooine, The Book of Boba Fett has finally filled in the gaps and brought the once-forgotten Expanded Universe back into mainline canon. The gruff bounty hunter popped up in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes back and quickly became everyone’s favourite action hero - despite speaking just four lines in George Lucas’ original trilogy. Even though he has more to say this time around, this is where the first of Boba Fett’s problems raises its head.
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Temuera Morrison recently told NME that he thinks the once-stoic Fett talks too much. Of course it'd be a challenge to make a TV show where a largely silent character is the MVP, so creator Jon Favreau reportedly shot down Morrison’s fears and made Boba the chatty Sally he is today. But fans fell in love with Boba because he was so unknowable, cool and ruthless – surely it was a mistake to remove every part of that appeal in his own series?
We might have expected to see a more sympathetic side to Boba, but so quickly after The Mandalorian got beneath the tough exterior of Din Djarin, it’s a rinse and repeat formula. Season 1 has even featured Boba gathering his own team of outcasts like Mando did in his last run of episodes.
Frankly, from the moment The Book of Boba Fett was announced it felt like this post-credit stinger from The Mandalorian season 2 was rushed into reality. Elements like Boba’s escape from the Sarlacc have been glossed over, while his time with the Sand People feels dragged out. Kudos for redeeming the once villainous Tusken Raiders, but it would’ve been easy to streamline their tragic tale and the boring backstory of the Pykes into a single episode. While we’re still a long way off Phantom Menace or The Last Jedi level of fan hate, we’d say The Book of Boba Fett is firmly in the middle ground alongside Solo: A Star Wars Story.
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Aside from Boba sauntering around Mos Espa without his helmet and Din keeping on his shiny armour, not much sets these two apart. However, whereas The Mandalorian had a heart thanks to the relationship between Mando and Grogu, there’s no Baby Hutt here for Boba to take under his wing. The cold-faced (but brilliant) Fennec Shand doesn’t quite work the same, as even the most die-hard fans find themselves asking what Book does that The Mandalorian can’t.
This was compounded by January 26’s Book of Boba Fett episode Return of the Mandalorian - an episode some have affectionately dubbed The Mandalorian’s season 3 premiere. It’s no great sign when the show’s main character doesn’t feature in an episode, let alone when Bryce Dallas Howard’s decidedly Boba-lite episode is held as one of the best.
Within its own story, despite plenty of Easter eggs The Book of Boba Fett has done little in terms of establishing new characters or locales. Black Krrsantan is already poised to be a fan-favourite, but remember, this grumpy Chewbacca was introduced by Marvel Comics. And although Jennifer Beals’ Garsa Fwip has potential, we’ve barely seen her. Instead, we’ve been left with a Cyberpunk-inspired gang of street thugs that seem ready for frosty chocolate milkshakes at the local diner.
Assuming Book’s final two episodes are heading toward a Siege of Jabba’s Palace with a reveal of who is pulling the strings, something like Game of Thrones would’ve made this a high-stakes affair. Here, we find ourselves struggling to care for what happens to this war-torn hunter. Yet again, The Mandalorian set the precedent for how finales are done, meaning everyone is expecting a similarly cosmos-shattering cameo to Luke Skywalker saving Mando and co. from Moff Gideon. There are continued theories that Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra will be revealed as the big bad head of Crimson Dawn, and although her return would tie up some loose ends while finally teasing the long-rumoured Solo series, she’s a relatively niche villain.
The future’s bright, the future’s Boba
Not all is lost though. Exploring Ming-Na Wen’s promise that big surprises are on the way, many fans believe the wild idea that Samuel L. Jackson could reprise his role as Mace Windu. This would give Boba a typically Star Wars-esque vengeance arc thanks to Windu’s decapitation of his "father" Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones. Despite his death in Revenge of the Sith, Jackson has previously championed the Jedi Master’s survival, while even Wen told Digital Spy the cast of Book is aware of the wild Windu theory. There have been enough Bacta tank flashbacks to Boba’s troubled childhood to make this relevant, and let’s be honest, stranger things have happened.
And if they made that satisfying enough, a season 2 isn't out of the question. In terms of where The Book of Boba Fett goes next, a Suicide Squad of bounty hunters would be a welcome addition to season 2. Big names like Bossk, Dengar, and Cad Bane are out there somewhere, and if they were going to appear anywhere, a Boba show makes the most sense.
But mainly, we need more of the feared bounty Boba and less of Ol’ Uncle Boba who’s washed the blood off his hands and regales everyone with stories from his prime. Instead, Boba needs his own scenes like Return of the Mandalorian, where Pascal's Mando strolled in holding a bloodied head in a bag.
If The Book of Boba Fett has taught us anything, it’s that we’re in danger of entering an era of Star Wars saturation. Despite the proposed Rangers of the New Republic being axed, this year alone has Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan shows, as well as a packed future including Ahsoka, The Acolyte, and Lando. That’s before we tackle the myriad of movies that even we’ll admit we might’ve forgotten about. You can already see the Disney cogs whirring for potential Fennec Shand and Black Krrsantan spin-offs, but if the foundations aren’t there, it’s hard to justify more shaky standalones.
Back in the day, Boba Fett was clearly made to market toys, but in 2022, you need more than a poseable action figure to please the ever-impatient Star Wars fandom. Remembering that The Mandalorian season 1 was a far from perfect outing, The Book of Boba Fett hasn’t quite been exiled to the Dagobah system just yet – but it's definitely in danger of a one-way trip to meet the Rancor if it doesn't pick up soon.
Here’s hoping the final few episodes can turn around The Book of Boba Fett’s disappointingly average freshman season – and that Boba’s growing pains are just him struggling to fit back into his old armour.
The Book of Boba Fett releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year.
For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
