Chapter One of The Book of Boba Fett took us to the very heart of the Galaxy’s most popular and indeed most dangerous bounty hunter. We finally discovered how Boba Fett survived the wrath of the Sarlacc and what actually happened once he emerged damaged yet victorious. After being taken in by the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine, Boba began learning their ways. Gradually, the Sand People started to accept this newly reformed bounty hunter. Meanwhile in the present, the new Daimyo, with the help of Fennec Shand, attempts to let it be known that he is in control now. However, not everyone is pleased to see Boba Fett as the new Daimyo. But who would dare challenege the legendary Boba Fett? In comes Chapter Two– The Tribes of Tatooine.
One of the only issues I had with the first episode was that apart from revealing Boba’s survival, it was very much an expositional episode. It focused primarily on setting the stage for what’s to come. We were introduced to potential political enemies as well as a mysterious plot to get rid of Boba Fett once and for all. But it was all very vague and secretive because the main focal point was what transpired after Return of the Jedi. That was the hook. We, as fans, needed to know what happened to Boba Fett after he disappeared into the Sarclacc’s maw. As a result, the criminal underworld side of The Book of Boba Fett was undeveloped.
For me, Chapter Two was pretty much perfect. It was a well-balanced episode that fully developed and even escalated the events transpiring in Mos Espa. At the same time, we got an even greater look at Boba’s life before claiming the title of Daimyo. While I am definitely loving the criminal syndicate element now that it is flourishing, it’s actually the flashbacks that have stolen the show so far.
It’s so refreshing to see the Tusken Raiders in a new light. We’ve spent almost the entirety of Star Wars history being taught to hate and fear the Sand People of Tatooine. However, The Book of Boba Fett actually humanises them. They have traditions, routines, fears and the capacity to love and mourn. It’s actually quite beautiful and light-hearted in the sense that it’s enlightening. The Dark Side and the Light Side clearly dictate the good and the bad, but for most species it’s never that easy. These thoughts and emotions completely drive this week’s episode alongside the epic heist that ensues through the Dune Sea.
Chapter One had it’s small skirmishes. But Chapter Two is on an entirely different level. After seeing some contrasting thoughts online about the weakness of Boba, any concerns should be fully rectified. While we haven’t seen that Boba action in full bloom in the present day, anything revolving around the Sand People has just been epic. From both the Tusken Raiders and Boba. We get a fantastic train heist which evokes that true Western vibe that The Mandalorian nailed. It was amazing, simply put. Not only did it look fantastic, but there are actual stakes despite it taking place in the past. I never thought I’d say this… But I was genuinely concerned for the safety of the Sand People. That’s what this episode achieved. It presented us with glorious Star Wars action while also refining and transforming a very well-engrained aspect of Star Wars.
This episode is full of brilliant throwbacks to the Original Trilogy and the Prequels. Certain locations pop up, Boba experiences further flashbacks to his life on Kamino, and the legacy of Jabba the Hutt is brought up as a major talking point… With surprising consequences. There are some really nice surprises in this episode and I found myself smiling all the way through. The Book of Boba Fett has done such a great job at concealing every twist and turn, anything that does happen is a genuine surprise. In a world mostly consumed by spoiler culture, it is hard to be surprised in this age of social media. But not for The Book of Boba Fett.
In proper Star Wars fashion, similar to the likes of The Mandalorian, we see a convergence between the printed side of Star Wars and the live action content. It’s still early days so I won’t spoil anything, but a very special character has a small cameo and it’s safe to say that we haven’t seen the last of them. Well, we certainly hope not.
Surprises like these may be lost on certain fans that haven’t immersed themselves in the comics, but what I love about these shows is that they never punish you for it. There is so much content out there and it’s near on impossible to absorb it all. So what it does is allow watchers to extend their knowledge while providing hardcore fans with the opportunity to speculate. If this particular character can appear… Why not this one? I can’t wait to hear what people think. Speculation is dangerous but it’s quite intoxicating.
Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine was spectacular. I loved every minute of it so thank heavens it was a longer episode. This episode finally developed a previously undeveloped element and the direction it is going in is incredibly exciting. At the same time, it is also very difficult to predict what’s next. Which is a great thing. There’s a lovely blend of classic Star Wars action/adventure and intrigue. They get the balance spot on this time whereas Episode One seemed to favour the flashbacks. The story following the Tusken Raiders is drastically more exciting but in its own unique way. That element is more viceral and explosive, whereas the Daimyo side is laced with political drama. In a way, it somewhat reminded me of the Prequels. This episode finally gave us a full taste of what is to come and with five episodes left… Anything is possible
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What did you think of Chapter Two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Don’t forget that Chapter Three will be dropping on January 12th, 2022. What’s next for the Galaxy’s deadliest duo? Find out next week.
The Book of Boba Fett stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are the executive producers. Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck serve as co-executive producers, with John Bartnicki producing and John Hampian as co-producer.
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