Boba Fett might sound like a goofy name but in the Star Wars Universe, the mere mention of his name will strike fear in the hearts of those who have reason to fear retribution.
It’s fascinating that the most recognisable – yet faceless (back then) – bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe became a legendary icon from just five minutes or so of screen time.
Temuera Morrison, who originally played Jango Fett in the Attack of the Clones, puts his face to the Boba Fett name, and his portrayal in The Mandalorian was particularly excellent. So it’s delightful that he gets his own series as well.
Despite their legendary prowess, Jango and Boba Fett in the old movies have always looked clunky and stiff in their action scenes. But The Mandolorian showed that this version isn’t beyond showing off some flamboyant moves for the highlight reel, and arguably this helps to sell the believability of Fett’s status as a living legend.
The Book of Boba Fett picks up where The Mandalorian left off, as Fett, accompanied by Fennec Shand (Ming Na Wen), unceremoniously dispatches Bib Fortuna and takes over Jabba the Hutt’s empire.
Ming always has that smug look on her face like she’s trying her hardest not to drop zingers and inappropriate innuendos at every given opportunity – and it’s a real hoot. She seems like the perfect foil for the stoic Morrison, and while it is too early to tell, their implied good cop, bad cop dynamic (guess which one’s the bad cop) should play out nicely in a down and dirty underworld war setting.
The trailer suggests that the series will focus on the trials and tribulations that the legend will undergo as he tries his hand at Change Management, complete with the inevitable run-ins with the local underworld.
They’re not giving much away in terms of plot so I expect a few surprise cameos in the vein of The Mandolorian, and who’s to know that there won’t be an epic space battle thrown in for good measure?
The John Favreau and Dave Filoni partnership is probably the best thing to happen to the Star Wars brand, as fans can almost be certain that the dynamic duo behind the scenes will do the onscreen pair justice.
Update
The first episode picks up where it left off in The Mandalorian and right off the bat, Mos Espa quickly gives Fett a taste of the dog-eat-dog world that Jabba was once a master of. But more satisfyingly, we’re treated to a series of flashbacks that write into canon how the bounty hunter managed to escape the Sarlacc pit and documents his subsequent journey. I guess this is how they’ve chosen to weave the two stories together and it will be interesting to know how much of Fett’s backstory will be told in this series.
