The following article contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett.
Last week’s episode of The Book of Boba Fett set the tone for the remainder of the series’ run on Disney Plus, yet in its penultimate outing, it’s again time for The Mandalorian to choose the rhythm when the finale is just around the corner. That makes it almost two full episodes where the show’s titular character has been mostly absent, thus raising the question of whether this Boba Fett’s story at all.
After being left to die in Return of the Jedi, Disney decided to bring back one of Star Wars’ most recognizable characters, one whose helmet still continues to fuel the sales of tons of merchandise and, most crucially, whose design is at the heart of the franchise’s currently more successful property. Nevertheless, Boba Fett rise from the dead has been a rocky affair for the bounty hunter, and it seems almost poetic that Temuera Morrison’s character desperately needs Din Djarin both within the series’ story arc and to make it worth watching for some fans, so why has it been that way?
Epic Cameos Aplenty
“The Return of The Mandalorian” signaled how The Book of Boba Fett is mostly supposed to work as setup for Mando’s third season, however, even beyond that episode, this week brought not one but three heavy hitters back that tease how The Mandalorian could impact the franchise as a whole. So far, both shows sit comfortably in between the legendary Original Trilogy and the much-maligned Sequel Trilogy, and yet having Luke Skywalker, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano, and Cad Bane opens a potential door to tie the two together to correct some mistakes made during the Disney era.
For example, film writers were always reluctant to go into too much detail regarding how Luke built his Jedi Temple, proof of that is how the show doesn’t bother disclosing on which planet it’s actually being built when Mando drops by to visit his adoptive child. In any case, the rise and fall of Luke’s quest to train a new generation of Jedi is in itself a new story waiting to be explored, and now that Lucasfilm has employed new deepfake masters, it shouldn’t be surprising to see him show up in the future again.
Meanwhile, Grogu’s unique qualities automatically turn him into a character that’s brimming with potential in the grand scheme of Star Wars’ future once Taika Waititi takes over, given his age could allow him to become a sort of new Yoda in the long run. As for Ahsoka, she is still one of the more popular characters to come out of Clone Wars and, despite the glaring issues in The Book of Boba Fett’s story, the prospects of her solo series already seem more bright since she was always someone fans wanted more out of.
All in all, with the sole exception of the Cad Bane making his live action debut, who can certainly give Boba Fett with a much-wanted rematch, the biggest cameos in the show are meant to influence the future of the franchise much more than what they can do for Boba Fett’s actual story. Bringing all these magnificent characters back means they are going to steal the show from Boba Fett no matter what he does, and although writers may be aware of that, what’s more interesting is how it will impact Boba Fett’s usability in the future.
The Mandalorian Season 2.5
There’s an old Wall Street adage that says “Let your winners run”, and in all fairness The Mandalorian taking over what is supposed to be a Boba Fett series makes perfect sense. See, contrary to the mixed reception the entire Sequel Trilogy and Book of Boba Fett got, The Mandalorian is -pretty much- universally loved and Disney will surely want to bank on what could potentially an even bigger show.
The Book of Boba Fett was conceived the way it’s turning out because of this, as the series was never supposed to be about the oldest Star Wars bounty hunter (since 1978), who for all intents and purposes could even meet his end in the series finale. Regardless of that, when the show’s three final episodes see Mando come and save the day, it does cheapen the rebirth story told in the first few chapters.
With The Mandalorian plotlines taking up at least 30% of The Book of Boba Fett (arguably the best parts), it’s arguable that the latter should have never been made or even that Boba Fett’s quest to rule Tatooine could have been condensed into a couple of episodes. The way things are going this is what has happened in all but name only.
The show’s finales should leave Boba Fett facing some irreversible consequences or decisions (at least it should), but at the end of the day, these probably won’t matter much because he’s no longer the fan favorite he used to be 30 years. That title belongs to Din Djarin now, his story is why most people will watch the final episode, and he’s the only reason Boba Fett got a show in the first place, even if it doesn’t really belong to him.