THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT Review: A Grounded Approach To An Iconic Character in the Expansive Galaxy Far Far Away…

THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT Review: A Grounded Approach To An Iconic Character in the Expansive Galaxy Far Far Away…

Whether it be the Star Wars Holiday Special or Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, one thing many fans can agree on is that Boba Fett captured our attention and has been a fan-favorite character in the Star Wars universe since. It’s no surprise that when The Mandalorian was announced many fans flocked to the series as it was a remnant of the little piece of Boba Fett we had gotten in the original trilogy. It went even further when Temuera Morrison reprised his role of Boba Fett in the second season of The Mandalorian which earned him and Ming-Na Wen their own spinoff series, The Book of Boba Fett.

This was the perfect gift for Star Wars fans and it arrived in the week of holiday cheer between Christmas and New Years Day and it delivered what we have all wondered and hoped would be answered one day. The main thing was, how the heck did Boba Fett survive the Sarlacc Pit, and it turned out to be much more emotional and darker than any of us could have imagined. The re-introduction of Boba Fett in the premiere episode was a more quiet route than that of what we have seen before and it took us on a journey of what we can expect to see from Boba Fett in the future and answered those lingering questions of what he went through since we had last seen him before re-emerging in season 2 of The Mandalorian.

The series was written by Jon Favreau and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The pair do a phenomenal job of picking up where we last saw Fett and Fennec on Tatooine and utilizing flashbacks to give us a blend of timelines that shows what Fett has endured getting where is after escaping the Sarlacc pit, how he lost his armor, and the time he spent with the Tusken Raiders and it was done in a way that doesn’t overpower the narrative they are trying to push forward as it feels almost like flashes of a nightmare for both Fett and the viewers.

An interesting point in the present was just how severe Fett’s injuries are as the series opens with Fett in the bacta treatment bath and even he can still hold his own in a fight, he is quickly depleted and needs treatment as we see just how severe the damage from the Sarlacc pit was. For a character that is held on such a high pedestal and glorified, it was really interesting and refreshing to see just how human he is and see that even as one of the universe’s greatest warriors, he still has his limits and might just not be the same bounty hunter he once was.

Much like we saw in The Mandalorian, we are seeing a character who instead of focusing on the glory of their race, slowly unearth the human side of the person under the armor all the while he works alongside Fennec to secure his rule in Mos Espa after ridding it of Jabba the Hutt’s tyrannical rule. Whereat one point Fett mentions that where Jabba ruled with fear, his goal is to rule with respect, and you’d expect nothing less from a Mandalorian bounty hunter. Between Fett and his trusted companion who is as much a key to their success and sits on the arm of his throne, Fennec Shand brings a stronger hand to the series as Fett looks to take a softer approach, she at many times looks to Fett to allow her to use force to resolve issues. I am for one very interested to know how they came to cross paths and hope to know more about Fennec’s past, so if the blended timelines and flashbacks continue, I hope that expands to her character as well.

Disney has broken some serious ground with the new series and has presented fans both old and new with more on a character that we have all loved since he was introduced in 1978. Although a slower burn than some fans may be used to, Morrision and Wen bring a level of personality and kick some serious ass in the new series that is refreshing to see from some veterans in the industry. The duo has made quite the pairing and continues to build off their chemistry in the new series to give us not one, but two spectacular leads to cling on to. With the series seemingly aiming for a more story-focused adventure, it shows the beginnings of bridging the gap for Boba Fett’s untold history while building his future and leaves us with many open doors to explore in the expansive universe of Star Wars.

The first episode of The Book of Boba Fett is streaming now on Disney+.