This week’s episode of The Book of Boba Fett is one of the most engaging pages of the show I’ve had the privilege to watch so far. The best thing about this episode is that we get a closer look inside the mind of Mr. Fett. He clearly wants to do well in terms of being a good boss but is also deeply afraid that things might turn violent when he is trying not to be the person he used to be.
This entire episode stems from Boba Fett having issues with the Mayor due to the assassins from the first episode. As a result, Boba Fett has been put in a position where he must go after some humans who have augmented themselves with robot parts. After some deliberating, these people become part of his team, so to speak.
Furthermore, in dreamland again, we learn the Tusken Raiders were still having to deal with their home being attacked, and Boba Fett calmly bartered for them to have a safe place to live only to discover that they’ve been slaughtered by a gang. Given the previous couple of episodes, it’s a sad revelation.
When Boba Fett wakes from this dream, he is attacked by the Wookiee Krrsantan (Carey Jones), owned by the Hutt siblings introduced last week. Furthermore, he realizes that the Pyke syndicate will come and attempt to take away his power in the near future. This comes after learning the Pykes are partnered with the Mayor of Mos Espa, Mok Shaiz. So many things for one simple clone/crime lord to deal with.
If this episode sounds like a complete mess, it’s not. It’s a clear continuation of the idea that Boba Fett is trying to be a different person, and the world around him is not making it easy for him to change this identity. This whole show seems to revolve around the idea of growth. At first, we saw it from Boba Fett’s POV. Chapter 2 showed growth from his time with the Tusken Raiders. Now, we see growth in the relationship between Boba Fett and the augmented humans who are now part of his team.
My only real question is, where does all this growth lead to? Tatooine may be a desert planet, but it has so much character it’s hard not to want to continue to journey throughout its many miles. There are fewer funny moments in this episode and more attempts to make the show and its characters more poignant. My favorite moment of the episode arrives when Boba Fett receives a new rancor, with the always fun Danny Trejo standing by as its support (director Robert Rodriguez naturally couldn’t resist). The old version of Boba Fett would probably be abusive and controlling of the animal. Here, he is kind to the creature and treats it with respect.
This shows the character’s significant evolution. We need moments like this that continuously endear the character to the audience. This strategy constantly works because we’re watching how Boba Fett changed as a person after he got out of the Sarlacc pit and what’s he’s been able to reflect on since.
One main gripe I have with this episode is that we don’t get much of Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand. This continues to be an issue with the show. The creators and showrunner have a fierce woman who has continually proven to be a badass fighter and a great dramatic actor. And yet, the series is failing to use her in more exciting ways. I want to see her do more soon or even learn about her origins. Until then, I’ve still invested in this journey into a galaxy far, far away.
The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+.
