THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT -- Boba Fett is Back

2/9/2022

S1E7: "Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

The Book of Boba Fett has been a highly anticipated show by many including myself. The character of Boba Fett has had many ups and downs throughout the history of the Star Wars universe. What Favreau has done with his back story has been very rewarding and quite entertaining thus far. Changing his bounty hunter ways has been met with a bit of a disappointment, but he has never lost his killer instinct and that shows in the final episode. Robert Rodriguez has made sure of that.

Boba Fett has amassed a handful of supporters including Fennec Shand, Black Krrsantan, the Mods biker gang, two Gamorrean guards, a Rancor, and The Mandalorian to defend Mos Espa after the cowardly bombing of the Sanctuary cantina and the assassination of Cobb Vanth at the end of the last episode. Cad Bane has arrived in Mod Espa to negotiate on behalf of the Pyke Syndicate, but it's a trap that the Pykes have laid for Boba Fett and his crew, laying waste to their ranks. Mok Shiraz feels like he may be over his head aligning with the Pykes and the ruthless Cad Bane. He will see.

Robert Rodriguez, Jon Favreau, and the other directors of the show have made a conscious effort to give The Book of Boba Fett a feel of classic gangster films such as The Godfather and westerns such as High Noon and some Clint Eastwood films, along with a moment that resembles Lone Wolf and Cub with the decision involving Grogu and Luke Skywalker. Their love for classic cinema knows no bounds. Using such great films as references for this show makes it all the more special in my eyes and fans of Star Wars.

Favreau as the writer keeps the viewer guessing with every twist and turn this show has. Yes, it had a slow beginning, but it has picked up steam ever since episode five when the Mandalorian showed up on the scene. Maybe this was the plan all along, who knows? Combining these two shows was an ingenious idea. Creating this television Star Wars universe is going to be pretty tricky, but if anybody can do it, Favreau can. I have faith in him. He hasn't proven me wrong yet.

I have enjoyed the first season of The Book of Boba Fett. It has expanded on the lore of Star Wars while also making a show that fans will love. The next season will hopefully create new adventures that we as fans can get behind. Boba Fett is the star of this show as the title suggests and the next chapters of this book will unfold without any back story. That may be good for the show moving forward in the future.

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

Rating: 5/5

S1E6: "Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Boba Fett is starting to gather a quite formidable group of adversaries to fight the Pykes. After his encounter with Fennec Shand at the end of Chapter 5, he tells Fennec he has to make a trip first. Before Din Djarin, The Mandalorian, would help fight Boba Fett's battles, he has set off to a far-off planet to visit his little friend Grogu, who is learning the ways of the Jedi from Master Luke Skywalker. I thought for sure Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni would save this stuff for season three of The Mandalorian. Strangely, they are including this in The Book of Boba Fett instead.

The fact that Din Djarin wastes his time on this mission isn't wasted on me. The visuals look better than ever in this chapter though. These shows are creating a cinematic universe for fans to be proud of, but the story needs to focus back on Boba Fett and his mission to rid Tatooine and Mos Espa of the Pykes. That's the story that needs to conclude by the end of the season. It will be a letdown if this doesn't happen. Favreau and Filoni haven't let me down yet and I hope they make an entertaining conclusion to the season. They need to start with Chapter Six before they get to Chapter Seven.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes stream every Wednesday.

S1E5: "Chapter 5: The Return of the Mandalorian"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Boba Fett came to an understanding with the families who control the rest of Mos Espa, but he still doesn't trust them as far as he can throw them. He's starting to amass a nice group of supporters who are very loyal to him, including Fennec Shand, two Gamorian Guards, Black Krrasantan, his biker gang, and the pet rancor that was gifted to him by the twin hurts. He is left with a decision to make on how to proceed going forward regarding how to deal with the mayor Mok Shiaz and or the Pyke Syndicate. War is coming!

Like the title suggests Din Djarin, The Mandalorian, is back in episode five. He is on a mission to prove himself as being part of the Mandalorian culture. There are a few returning characters from his last couple of seasons. Some dialogue from one of those friends lets Mando in on some of the goings-on Tatooine regarding the Pyke Syndicate. On Tatooine, things are starting to get interesting. The team is coming together nicely for the end battle with only two episodes left. Boba might have enough muscle to deal with the Pyke's and his preparation for the war he intends to bring.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes stream every Wednesday.

Rating: 5/5

S1E4: "Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Mayor Mok Shaiz (voiced by Robert Rodriguez and played by John Rosengrant) and his majordomo (David Pasqueisi) have been causing quite a problem for Boba Fett. Once again, Boba Fett is healing in his Bacta tank and while he's healing, he remembers his past before becoming the regional Daimyo. This time we finally see how Boba Fett and Fennec Shand come to know each other and work together, seen briefly at the end of The Mandalorian Season 1, Episode 5 chapter 5. Boba Fett saved Fennec Shands's life. This is how they became friends and business partners.

Ever since Boba Fett released Black Krrsantan from the twins' employ, he has turned up in the Mos Espa at the Sanctuary run by Garsa Fwip (Jennifer Beals). Boba Fett attacks him down there and offers him a job. He starts to get the remaining families on his side regarding the Pyke Syndicate taking over Tatooine. A dinner sequence is a perfect way to talk to the other families. Once again, this scene is straight out of The Godfather Part II, where Michael tries to gather support against another family that is trying to take over. Favreau's influences for the show are very evident and I love where he's going so far.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes release every Wednesday.

Rating: 4.5/5

S1E3: "Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

(Counterclockwise from center): Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) and Gamorrean Guards in a scene from Lucasfilm's THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

After running into the Twins, Jabba's cousins, and Black Crasanton, Boba and Fennec Shand start to discover that there is a lack of respect amongst the city of Mos Espa. The comparisons to The Sopranos and the Godfather films are uncanny. The Book of Boba Fett has a distinct gangster feel to it. He even starts to make alliances with street gangs and such to assure his leadership in the district/city of Mos Espa. Assassins are coming out of the woodwork. Bobba has to determine who is the real threat to him and his leadership. It's easier said than done.

Boba Fett and Fennec Shand's patience is running thin, and their alliances with some are starting to bear fruit while others are still dry. Other alliances between his enemies are starting to cause trouble for him. This makes Boba uneasy. A potential war with the Pikes is imminent and could cause problems for his family. Rodriguez and Favreau are once again falling back on a lot of gangster tropes and guest appearances from famous actors to fill out the episodes. I am absolutely eating up the entire season so far. and can't wait to see where this show is going to take me as a fan.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes release every Wednesday.

Rating: 4/5

S1E2: "Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Episode two picks up right after the first ends. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand interrogate the assassin they caught and he leads them to the mayor. In turn, the mayor tells them it was the Hutts that sent the assassins not him. This story starts to get interesting as the cousins of Jabba the Hutt, the twins, confront Boba and Fennec outside a popular watering hole. This is a typical gangster storyline in the Star Wars universe, which is what fans of the characters signed up for.

Flashbacks continue to tell the tale of how Boba Fett got where we saw him last in The Mandalorian. Boba Fett has once again earned the trust of the tribe of Tusken Raiders who have taken him in. They learn from him and in turn, he has become part of their family. This is a different Boba Fett than what we've seen in the Star Wars films. He was a bounty hunter who worked alone in the films, but now he has learned to work with others to the extent where they plan a heist of a train that belongs to the Pyke Syndicate, who are spice traders. His journey with the Tuskens is more than he bargained for, though, because he has become part of their tribe now. The worldbuilding of episode one stands aside for more character building in episode two.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes release every Wednesday.

Rating: 4.5/5

S1E1: "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land"

Review by Dan Skip Allen

Nobody thought that a throwaway character that appeared in the Star Wars Holiday Special and a parade in Northern California would turn out to be one of the most beloved characters in Star Wars lore. When he once again appeared in The Empire Strikes Back as a bounty hunter, this opened up new doors for this character and where George Lucas could take him. The fact that he collected the bounty on Han Solo showed he was a badass character that was not to be trifled with. His relationship with Jabba the Hutt, though, almost proved to be fatal as he was ingested by the Sarlacc. But not for a thousand years because he eventually escapes. That's where The Book of Boba Fett picks up.

The show starts in a dream sequence where we learn what happens to Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) after he escapes the Sarlacc Pit, while he's in a bacta tank recovering from his wounds. It also picks up after the end of The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 16, "The Rescue", where he has anointed himself the new boss of Mos Espa, replacing Bib Fortuna who previously replaced Jabba the Hutt. The first episode bounces back and forth between these two storylines. Fett is learning the ropes as a gangster. He says he wants to rule with respect, not fear to his trusted sidekick, master assassin Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) but that's easier said than done

Robert Rodriguez, known for the El Mariachi Trilogy, From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, and most recently, Alita: Battle Angel, is the showrunner of The Book of Boba Fett. He first directed Chapter 14 of The Mandalorian, "The Tragedy", where Boba reappears after his cameo at the end of Chapter 5, "The Gunslinger", where he rescues Fennec Shand from Mando. With the help of writer Jon Favreau, he infuses The Book of Boba Fett with a lot of things that fans of Star Wars will love. The visual effects and creature effects are both very good so far. He brings everything he's learned as a director to the table in this new show. While also bringing back familiar races such as Gamorians, who make good guards, Twi-leks, a Rodian, Jawas, and Tusken Raiders.

Fett's various appearances in The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 showed there was still an appetite for this legendary character. The episode involving him getting his armor back from Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) was very impactful and nostalgic. He was once again whole with his new friend at his side. The potential of where Rodriguez and Favreau can take this character is endless. This show is just another tip of the iceberg of what Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy can do with this universe. The Mandalorian was just the start and Obi-Wan Kenobi is around the corner. For now, we get to watch where the next chapter leads for Boba Fett. From this first episode, it can only go up.

The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes release every Wednesday.

Rating: 4/5

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