The Book of Boba Fett episode 2 review live

Anyway, that was the Book of Boba Fett episode two! As I said, altogether a stronger episode than the first, but still a little lacking in movement for the present-day storyline.

Hopefully as we move on from quite as many Tusken flashbacks we can see more of what faces Boba in the present day, and introduce some more fun surprises (like the evil Wookkie).

Still, credit where credit's due - that was a fun 53 minutes or so of action and adventure, and I'm feeling much more positive about next week's episode.

Hopefully, see you then! For now, I'm off to my Tusken graduation ceremony – fingers crossed I remember all the steps.

I was right- he is an existing Star Wars character (in fact, I think I had a vague awareness of him, which is why I made the joke about his spin-off novels).

Well, he probably is anyway. A lot of fans have noticed he's a dead ringer for rare "bad Wookkie" and bounty hunter Black Krrsantan, who has appeared in some Star Wars comics. He has the exact same detailing on his belt and so on, so it seems like it's definitely meant to be him.

Also, the Pyke aliens running the spice have some history too - they were in the Clone Wars animated series (as spice runners) and then appeared in live action for Solo: A Star Wars Story. Nothing is wasted in Lucasfilm!

It's interesting to wonder how else these first two episodes could have been presented. I wonder if there was a version where we saw all the present day stuff in one episode, and an entire flashback episode. Given how this episode started almost certainly not, but it could have been another approach.

Episode two's attitude to flashbacks was a bit different to episode one's anyway. Last week, we cut back and forth a bit between flashbacks and present day, and focused more on the flashbacks in the episode's beginning.

This week, we had a half entirely focused on the present, followed by one that laid out the past. I think I preferred it – easier to focus on one strand or another – though I won't be sorry if we're done with flashbacks now. It feels like, truly, we're all caught up now, even if Boba did have a few more adventures with the Tuskens.

Unless of course they'll now try to fill in the gaps of Boba and Fennec's relationship between The Mandalorian seasons one and two? It's very possible...

And that's the end of the episode! I have to say I enjoyed that more than the series opener, but it had similar issues - where have we progressed beyond "Boba faces opposition to his rule" and "in flashbacks we see how he got his stick"?

That's the position we started at from the first trailer several months ago. Is the story too hobbled by these flashbacks to progress much? It feels like in some ways, we could have had the Hutts arrive in episode one.

Again, I don't really get how the Tuskens were portrayed as so clueless about speeders and so on when they use like, carpentry vices and all sorts of advanced carpentry techniques. Anyway, nice to see Boba go through his own Jedi-like metamorphosis.

Is this where we leave the flashbacks behind, now that we've caught up? First, looks like we're in for one more ritualised sparring session. Or is it a dance?

He brought back a branch from the weird magic tree, which I'm guessing they might carve into one of those fighting sticks for him.

Looks like he's being inducted as an honourary member of the tribe. Will he get one of their face masks? Because presumably they look quite different underneath too.

Nah no mask; he's just how he was when we met him in The Mandalorian season two.

Boba gets given a lizard in thanks for his help...and it burrows into his head to get him all trippy, it would seem. It will help guide him...from inside his head.

Dream sequence time. Lots of blurry effects, Boba looking at weird trees, hallucinating his armour...classic stuff.

Ooh some little shots of his life on Kamino, when he was played by Daniel Logan. Fans will eat this stuff up. Funny, remember when everyone hated the prequels? Guess THAT'S the nostalgia now.

Boba successfully defeats the evil train gang. They are spice smugglers.

"These sands are no longer free for you to pass."

Basically Boba says they need to pay the Tusken Raiders a toll to use their sands. He makes them walk in the desert as a punishment.

I guess we're seeing why Boba feels able to try and be a crime boss in the present day. He did quite well here!

That one Tusken Raider is like an action movie hero. Love him for that.

Anyway train driver robot has broken everything then legged it. Can Boba still save the day by pulling a big lever? (yes) Why don't they all just get off?

With this and Solo, who would have thought so much modern Star Wars would involve train heists? Who even needs trains in the Star Wars universe?

Anyway this is a fun little action sequence, Boba's doing well-ish here, helped by his Tusken pals.

You know what, all things considered I am enjoying these flashbacks more. They're telling me things I didn't know! Unlike last week's.

You know, they know how to use technology like binoculars, why wouldn't they know how to at least have a go on a speeder?

Anyway, back to the evil train now. Wonder who owns it.

OK, Boba's going to teach the raiders how to ride speeders so they can stop the evil train. Looks like this is going to be a whole thing.

Quite funny to see Boba's attempts to teach the Tuskens, who somehow haven't tried this until someone else showed them. Is this Star Wars colonialism?

Boba's here to beat them up while Temuera Morrison makes crazy faces. Funny to think that's presumably what Boba was doing the whole time he wore his Mondo helmet, we just didn't see.

Anyway, yes, he beat them up pretty handily, and nabbed their speeders. Were they the Star Wars equivalent of a biker gang?

Is this the legendary Tosche station, where Luke was going to pick up some power converters? Looks pretty dope, to be fair. Albeit now full of nasty pirates playing videogames and generally being unpleasant.

This day has gone poorly for them. Looks like Boba's little pal didn't make it. But who had the train? And what were they up to?

According to my subtitles "weeping continues"

You know what, Boba really is a guy who goes with the flow. He's very invested in Tusken Raider stuff, and doesn't seem that bothered by the horrific experiences he's had lately.

Boba learning his stick skills there from one of the main Tusken Raiders, Mr Miyagi style. Now, according to my subtitles some "ominous music" is playing. Looks like...an evil train?

Yes, it's an evil land train that shoots at people. Thomas the Tank Engine's heel turn.

Just as I was thinking we'd probably go without flashbacks this week, Boba's back in his magic memory tank and remembering his days with the Tusken Raiders. Maybe after this one he'll stop living in the past.

Ooh, this guy looks hard as hell. He's probably a fan-favourite character with three dedicated novels, I'll check that later.

God those poor guys are really struggling under that litter. Anyway the Hutts aren't taking Boba's claims, looks like he'll have to deal with them later on.

At the mayor's suggestion, Boba has popped back. Good to see Max Rebo alive and kicking – as many noted last week, he escaped the barge explosion in Return of the Jedi (unless this is his cousin).

Anyway, boss lady tells Boba that Jabba's cousins "the twins" have laid claim to Jabba's old empire. More Hutts! And they know how to litter in style.

I'm enjoying the running gag about Boba Fett not having a litter.

The mayor is called Mok Shaiz. Andddd he killed the assassin. And he's now insulting Boba.

WAS it Jabba the Hutt's throne? How did he fit on that? It's kind of Jabba's platform.

Another little Easter Egg for fans – the assassin fell into the Rancor pit exactly how Luke did in Return of the Jedi. Though of course, it's been lying empty since Luke killed it.

Episode title: Tribes of Tatooine. Now they're off to meet this mayor, who sent the assassin after Boba Fett. But you know that, you're also watching it.

You know, I keep forgetting Boba has Jabba's old digs now. Very efficient recycling.

Anyway, this fella doesn't want to chat much...apparently he's from the Order of the Night Wind, a legendary organisation of assassins.

"You're paying for the name" says Fennec.

Looks like the episode has dropped a few minutes early. Little recap, seems like this mayor character will have a part to play.

Hello and welcome to this Book of Boba Fett live blog!

We'll shortly be kicking off with our blow-by-blow reaction to the latest episode when it drops at 8:00AM GMT. Not long now...