A Stranger in a Strange Land

The absolute chokehold that Disney has on Star Wars fans in totally consensual.

There will be Spoilers in this article so you've been warned.

I will confess that when I heard about the Mandolorian starring Pedro Pascal, I was not excited. After the continual dumpster diving content that Disney had given us with the new Star Wars trilogy, my bar was real low. I waited almost a year before I actually gave up and watched it during the Pandemic (aka the dumpster fire that was 2020).

Words cannot convey how wrong I was to doubt the glorious work on Jon Favreau. In the words of Princess Buttercup "I will never doubt again."

So when Favreau revealed Boba Fett in the Mandolorian, I cried with happiness. Like so many others, Boba Fett is my ultimate favorite character in the OG series. From the bada** suit to his stoic stance and even his modulated voice is cool. Temuera Morrison is the only person to bring this character to life in the modern age.

When they announced the Book of Boba Fett, again I cried happy tears.

My boy was finally getting the solo show he deserved.

Yeah, the Christmas Special and the Animated series with him are great, but who didn't want Boba to fly solo for once?

Say what you will about the Episodes 1-3, they gave Boba a proper backstory. How he was simply another clone of his 'Father' Jengo Fett, a famous Bounty Hunter and original base for the Clone Army. Boba was fiercely loyal to his father and their mission (for lack of a better word), and to lose his father to the Jedis' I can see how he would gladly serve the Empire. It's a story that we can all recongize, the loss of a loved one will make you do things you never considered before.

When Boba arrives in the Mandolorian, it's a shock because that show takes place roughly five years after Episode 6 where Boba is fed to the Sarlacc. Where we all assumed he died.

SURPRISE

In the first episode of the Book of Boba, we learn that Boba literally blasted his way out of the Sarlacc pit. Well, I guess fireballed would be a better word.

He is found in the desert by the Tusken Raiders after his armor is taken by the Jawas. Did anyone else immediately want to shout the Tusken walk in a line to hide their numbers? I know they were walking through a sandstorm so they didn't have to follow that rule but you know, it's just a nerd reaction to spout that when you can.

He's not having a good day.

He is dragged across the desert to the Tusken Camp, where he naturally tries to escape but is snitched on. He then is put on another march with the Snitch and a Tusken child(? age is not determinable yet but the Tusken is a lot smaller than Boba). They watch a Moisture Farm burn with the raiders painting a strange symbol on the house before they flee. When the Tusken child (?) makes him and the other prisoner dig through the sand for strange water pods, another monster bursts fromthe sand. Boba is able to kill it, with the same maneuver Leia used in Episode 6 by choking it with his own chain.

When they return to the Camp, the leader hands Boba a pod of water. A show of respect or appreciation for Boba protecting the child.

This whole flashback sequence is broken up, but I assume you've already seen it so it doesn't matter how I present it. I'm more intrigued with the 'present' timeline where Boba Fett is now the Crime Lord of Tatooine after overthrowing the Hutts.

Boba holds court with the bada** Fennec by his side, she is my favorite character so be prepared for a lot of love going her way. Ming-Na Wen is m idol and I will love her forever.

When he holds court, he is expecting tributes to be brought to him from the communities he ... lords over...as a crime lord? I guess? I mean, I'd pay tribute just to be in his presence, you know like paying for a Disney Pass which would equal the amount of gold he got in this episode alone.

There is one holdout from the Mayor of Mok Shaiz's Majordomo (pretty sure that's the whole thing but forgive me if I'm wrong), where he expects tribute from Boba.

...yeah, I thought Fennec was gonna b*tch this mofo into the next Film Trilogy.

"If you had spoken such insolence to Jabba, he'd have fed you to his menagerie."

Per-fec-tion.

Boba decides to dismiss this character with no tribute, who says his Mayor will send another delegation to clear of the lack of tribute. SO we have a set up for the future.

Boba then goes into Mos Espa, *GASP* without a litter. Fennec advises him to embrace more of the customs that the Hutts grew accustomed to. Personally, I thought Jabba was put in a litter because he didn't walk - er - slug? wobble? Advance as quickly as he would have preferred.

Before he can head back to the palace, he's attacked in the streets. Boba gets wounded and taken back to his bacta pod to heal from several bouts of getting tasered by these supposed assassins. Fennec corners two, but brings one in alive. She really only needs one alive, I think we can all agree on that.

The episode ends with a lot of questions.

What happened to Boba in the Tusken camp?

Why did he want to take over Jabba's throne?

Why is he being so benevolent to those who outwardly insult him?

Who is trying to kill him?

Hopefully we can get some answers in the next episode, with only 7 slotted for this first season, we are definitely promised a lot of intel before it ends on a cliffhanger. Yeah, they always end on a cliffhanger, don't live in denial.