Credit: LucasfilmSince the Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm from George Lucas for a record-breaking $4.05 billion in 2012, Star Wars has experienced more than its fair share of highs and lows. Sequel Trilogy aside, one of its earlier Disney+ entries, The Book of Boba Fett, became one of the most divisive releases to date, with many putting showrunner Robert Rodriguez on blast for tarnishing the legacy of its iconic title character. Today, the series is still widely regarded as a stain on the franchise, but in honor of its upcoming two-year anniversary, here are some reasons why The Book of Boba Fett might be worth a second chance.
Boba Fett’s ‘Star Wars’ History and Enduring Legacy
Holiday special origins and ‘Empire Strikes Back’
Although most Star Wars fans likely remember the first time they saw Boba Fett in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), serving as Darth Vader’s right-hand man, many forget that the fierce bounty hunter actually made his onscreen debut in the animated segment of the non-canon 1978 Holiday Special, set after the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977).
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Technically, however, Boba Fett was first introduced to audiences in the San Anselmo Country Fair parade on September 24, 1978, in which he was an instant hit with spectators. Semantics aside, Boba Fett has always played a somewhat minor but crucial part in the galaxy far, far away, with his signature “shoot first, talk later” swagger and iconic green-plated armor.
Prequel era, ‘Clone Wars’ appearances, and Disney+ debut
Although Boba Fett had virtually zero dialogue in the Original Trilogy before being eaten by a particularly hungry Sarlacc in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), that didn’t stop him from becoming a full-blown phenomenon. Because of his enduring popularity among fans, George Lucas decided to give him a fleshed-out backstory in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), where he was revealed to be a genetic clone of the Mandalorian bounty hunter, Jango Fett.
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His story was also continued in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, which detailed his escape from Kamino following the death of his father and his introduction to the criminal underbelly as a teenager. Years later, in the aftermath of the Galactic Empire, Boba Fett escapes from the Sarlacc Pit on Tatooine and stumbles across a certain beskar-clad bounty hunter in Season 2 of The Mandalorian.
The character was originated onscreen by Jeremy Bulloch before he was taken over by Daniel Logan for Attack of the Clones. Temuera Morrison, who’s held the role since 2019, is currently Disney’s live-action Boba Fett.
Boba Fett remains one of the most beloved and iconic Star Wars characters today. His resurrection for the sophomore season of The Mandalorian remains an especially memorable moment for fans, and by the sounds of it, this chapter of Boba Fett’s book is just getting started, as he’ll likely play a pivotal role in Dave Filoni’s upcoming “Mando-Verse” crossover movie.
What Is ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ About?
Early development and Disney+ release
After his return to the galaxy far, far away in Season 2 of The Mandalorian generated much buzz amongst Star Wars fans, Lucasfilm wisely capitalized on this new wave of Boba Fett hype by greenlighting his very own Disney+ series.
Speculation that a Boba Fett-centric spinoff series was secretly in development at Lucasfilm was already running rampant as early as November 2020. However, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy didn’t officially announce The Book of Boba Fett until Disney’s Investor Day event on December 10, alongside other releases, including Ahsoka and the ill-fated Rangers of the New Republic. It was confirmed then that Robert Rodriguez would serve as showrunner, with scripts penned by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.
The Mandalorian Season 2’s finale, titled “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” confirmed its release window in a surprise post-credits scene, which saw Boba Fett and his trusty right-hand woman, Fennec Shand (Ming Na Wen), returning to Mos Espa to kill Bib Fortuna (Matthew Wood), who had ruled in Jabba the Hutt’s place. Now claiming the throne for himself, the sequence ends with a title card for The Book of Boba Fett, along with a release window.
The first episode, “Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land,” premiered on Disney+ on December 29, 2021, and concluded its seven-part run on February 9, 2022 with the finale episode “Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor.” A making-of special, Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett was subsequently released on the unofficial Star Wars day, “May the Fourth,” later that same year. As of now, there’s been no word on whether a second season is in the works, though it seems increasingly doubtful, according to less-than-positive remarks made by Morrison about his Star Wars future.
Audience reception
Despite not being universally loved upon its release in late 2021, The Book of Boba Fett did clock some impressive viewership figures for Disney+. According to Samba TV, 1.7 million US households watched the premiere in its first five days on the streaming platform, breaking a Star Wars record for the IP’s most-watched Disney+ series at the time, even toppling The Mandalorian.
However, despite kicking off to a strong start, with the first few episodes following Boba Fett’s rise as Tatooine’s newest Daimyo while also detailing his past via flashbacks and shedding some much-needed light on Tusken culture, viewers gradually started to fall off the Book of Boba Fett bandwagon. By the end of its first season, reception was mixed at best, especially since the show’s two most popular episodes, which featured Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), Grogu, and even a CGI-hybrid Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), barely involved the title character at all.
To many, The Book of Boba Fett was a narrative Trojan horse on more than one occasion and failed to establish a clear identity for its central character. Showrunners danced between highlighting the ruthless, badass bounty hunter seen in the Original Trilogy and a compassionate Daimyo who wants to rule Tatooine with respect, laying down his guns for a more just cause. As a whole, the series currently sits at a 53% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Star Wars’ worst-rated Disney+ original.
Although critics praised the performances of Ming Na Wen and Temuera Morrison, audiences had several complaints by the time the spinoff series reached its conclusion on Disney+. Some were sick of seeing Tatooine take center stage in yet another Star Wars project — a sentiment commonly echoed in Obi-Wan Kenobi discourse — while others tired of its sluggish pacing, lackluster VFX, and, perhaps most infamously, its obnoxious band of colorful hipster moped riders — no explanation necessary. The end product was a jumbled, confusing entry in an increasingly MCU-ified Star Wars franchise, though some were more receptive – and for a good reason.
Why ‘Star Wars’ Fans Should Give ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ a Second Chance
Its stellar first two episodes
Look, a lengthy deep-dive into Tusken Raider lore might not’ve been what you signed up for when you clicked on the first episode of The Book of Boba Fett, but there’s no denying that these nomadic, sand-dwelling warriors have a pretty interesting history on Tatooine. Seeing Boba Fett gradually become accepted into a clan of Tuskens while learning the importance of community, survival, and found family perfectly set up his arc for the season, set against otherworldly visuals of the vast Dune Sea. We also got to see Boba learn his way around a Gaderffii stick, integrating this new weapon with the fighting tactics he had learned during his time as a bounty hunter to become more powerful than ever before.
Rancors, Hutts, and Original Trilogy nostalgia
If there’s one thing Disney and Lucasfilm know, it’s that a little bit of nostalgia goes a long way — within reason, of course. To many, the first three Star Wars films were formative to their imaginations, especially throughout their childhood years. Instead of shying away from acknowledging Boba Fett’s roots, The Book of Boba Fett embraces it, telling an entirely new story while also paying homage to what made the Original Trilogy so memorable in the first place.
From Bib Fortuna to the Hutt twins seen in the episode “Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine” and, of course, the towering Rancor handled by Danny Trejo’s friendly keeper featured in “Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa,” The Book of Boba Fett was, in many ways, a tribute to the campy, lighthearted days of Star Wars past. Besides, whether you liked it or not, even that infamous speeder chase seems like something pulled straight out of George Lucas’ book, with full 70s and 80s nostalgia setting the tone of the spinoff show.
The dynamic duo of Boba Fett & Fennec Shand
Temuera Morrison and Ming Na Wen are Disney royalty in their own right, so it’s no wonder these talented actors were tapped to take the lead in The Book of Boba Fett. Their relationship compellingly flips the dynamic seen throughout the Original Trilogy, with Fennec, in many ways, being to Boba what Boba was to the Empire: a loyal right-hand man. However, their friendship goes far beyond duty and obligation, with the self-proclaimed Daimyo of Mos Espa setting aside his usual ego and taking advice from his trusted sidekick on a number of important decisions.
Although Fennec is often Boba’s voice of reason, the two also have a sort of “good cop, bad cop” dynamic that makes for some particularly memorable moments, with Fennec being Boba’s, occasionally over-eager attack dog, jumping the gun on whether or not their adversaries should live to see another day. Given his history, it’s interesting to see the fiery Boba be the more level-headed of the two. Their rock solid partnership only goes to show how far Boba has come in learning how to trust people, ask for help, and be the firm leader Tatooine needs him to be.
The Pyke Syndicate and Tatooine’s criminal underbelly
George Lucas’ vision for the Star Wars sequels would’ve been very different from the controversial trilogy we ended up with, and even Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has gone on record to admit he “regrets” ditching Lucas’ original treatment. However, Lucas’ Protégé, Dave Filoni, and other Star Wars creators working today have found clever ways to integrate some of these plotlines into new content — and The Book of Boba Fett is no exception.
When describing his original Star Wars Sequel Trilogy treatment, Lucas revealed that the criminal underbelly, led by Darth Maul, now the head of the Crimson Dawn syndicate, would play a significant role. With crime factions on the rise following the power vacuum caused by the Empire’s fall, plenty of debauchery is taking place at this point in the canon timeline. So, with this in mind, it makes sense why The Book of Boba Fett wisely picked up on some of the plot threads left by Lucas, making the Pyke Syndicate — a powerful part of the spice cartel — the series’ primary antagonist.
Although the Pyke Syndicate storyline (and the return of Corey Burton’s Cad Bane) arguably didn’t get enough time to breathe throughout The Book of Boba Fett‘s seven-episode run, it does prove that Rodriguez and Co. have a deep understanding of Star Wars lore. Plus, even though we didn’t spend too much time learning about the criminal underbelly and its reach, it did lay the foundation for similar Star Wars stories down the line, with a potential spinoff show following the rise and fall of Crimson Dawn being a compelling option.
Expanding the focus beyond Boba Fett is a good thing, actually
A central complaint about The Book of Boba Fett involved the characterization of the title character and how seemingly unimportant he ultimately was in his own story. While it’s fair to want to see a similar version of the no-BS, cold-blooded killer we know and love from the Original Trilogy, marking a new direction for the character was, ultimately, a good move by the creative heads at Lucasfilm, especially as the “Mando-Verse” continues to expand with new entries like Ahsoka and the upcoming Skeleton Crew.
Distinguishing Boba from his bounty hunter persona was always going to be divisive, as many fans crave familiarity whenever Star Wars decides to resurrect legacy characters for its new projects. However, a character who never grows, changes, and learns from their mistakes isn’t, really, much of a character at all. For Lucasfilm to justify bringing back such an iconic figure from Star Wars history, they had to establish a clear tone for him, as believe it or not, he didn’t have much of any personal identity in the original movies.
Audiences clung to a version of the fierce bounty hunter that only ever existed in their heads when tuning into The Book of Boba Fett, which led to their inevitable disappointment when their expectations weren’t met. Although there are plenty of fantastic Legends novels, comics, and other source material that shed light on who Boba Fett truly is, this shift in characterization, however well-executed it may or may not have been in the show, was necessary if he were to continue popping up throughout the “Mando-Verse.”
So even if his first solo outing was somewhat rocky, hopefully, it’s all in service of laying down a more complex, heroic version of Boba Fett as he prepares for his inevitable team-up with Mando, Ahsoka, and the New Republic to take down Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) when Dave Filoni’s “Mando-Verse” movie eventually arrives in theaters.
Did you like The Book of Fett? What do you think is the most underrated Star Wars entry, movie or TV show? Let us know in the comments below!