‘Book of Boba Fett’ is fun but loses sight of titular character
February 26, 2022
“The Book of Boba Fett,” Disney+’s newest series set in the “Star Wars” universe, recently concluded its first season on Feb. 10.
The live-action series, which ran for seven episodes, followed the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett and his journey from a cold-blooded killer to the new ruler of the planet Tatooine.
While the series overall suffered from an inconsistent storyline, it was applauded for bringing in fan-favorite characters and for setting up future “Star Wars” projects. The show also saw the highly anticipated return of Temuera Morrison, who plays Fett, reprising his role from “The Mandalorian.”
“The Book of Boba Fett” begins directly after the events of the second season of “The Mandalorian,” with Fett having taken over the palace of gangster Jabba the Hutt. While Jabba was known to instill fear throughout the desert planet, Fett seeks to rule with respect, which he finds increasingly difficult as the other leaders don’t recognize his authority.
To further complicate matters, a group known as the Pyke Syndicate begins running illegal spice through the city of Mos Espa. The series also delves into Fett’s past and solves the mystery of where he has been since being presumed dead in the 1983’s movie “Return of the Jedi.”
The first few episodes have also attracted positive attention for its portrayal of the Tusken Raiders, the indigenous and nomadic people of Tatooine. In previous “Star Wars” films, the Tuskens were often depicted as villainous and uncivilized people.
However, “The Book of Boba Fett” challenges that assertion by portraying the Tuskens as main characters, with important traditions and strong familial bonds. The portrayal is further highlighted by Morrison, who is of Māori descent, and spoke about how he brought aspects of his own background to the fighting style and culture of the Tusken Raiders.
“Their portrayal was better than it was in the films,” Morrison said in an interview with The Hollywood Report.
“But they are the Indigenous of the sands of Tatooine, and I was creating a little bit more history about their own culture — and I was pulling from my own culture, in a way, in terms of the ceremonies and preparing the warrior and preparing a weapon. And Boba has never experienced a real family before — with the young Tuskens and the old Tuskens — and protecting their land.”
Given how well the Tuskens were received, many fans were upset when they were killed off in the third episode. Moreover, while the Tusken Raiders storyline was well received, other fans felt the scenes were too long and the flashback sequences used to introduce the Tuskens were poorly executed.
Ironically, fans of the series were most divided on the portrayal of Fett. They argued that he was not an engaging protagonist. Though some fans felt that Fett’s journey from a killer to a responsible leader was fascinating, it felt far too rushed for viewers to empathize with his character.
“The Book of Boba Fett Episode 3 is a flat return to Tatooine that spends so much time setting up future plot points it only skims the surface of new and established character development,” IGN wrote in a tweet.
In response to this, Morrison joked in an interview with the New Magical Express magazine that his character spoke excessively.
“I speak far too much. In fact, in the beginning I was trying to pass my lines on to [co-star] Ming-Na [Wen]. I said: ‘Excuse me director, I really feel that Ming-Na should say these lines, ’cause I wanna stay mysterious. I wanna stay quiet,’” he said.
The other positive aspect of the series was its inclusion of fan-favorite characters, which appeared in later episodes. The creators pulled characters from all areas of the “Star Wars” universe, including the comics and the animated shows.
Among the most notable characters are the father-son duo of the Mandalorian and Grogu, or better known as Baby Yoda. Fans of the original “Star Wars” movies will also be excited by the return of Luke Skywalker, who is featured in many action sequences.
It is notable to say that the arrival of the above-listed characters coincided with the most well received episodes in the series. However, those same episodes are the ones where Fett barely appears. While all the storylines eventually come together, this once again exposes the show’s inconsistencies when it comes to his character arc.
Overall, “The Book of Boba Fett” is an intense and action-packed series that keeps the audience entertained. Despite the many characters and storylines, the series is ultimately able to conclude
Fett’s story. It is clear this will be an enjoyable viewing experience for any “Star Wars” fan, even if only serving as an excuse to see our favorite characters