The Book of Boba Fett Double Take: Chapter 1

The Book of Boba Fett became the show Star Wars lovers didn’t know they needed upon its surprise announcement at the tail end of The Mandalorian’s second season in December 2020. While Lucasfilm has been feeding fans the entire year in other media (novels, comics, animated series, etc.), December 29, 2021 couldn’t come fast enough for those of us longing for some new live action content. So did The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1, titled Stranger in a Strange Land, live up to the hype? For me it was a resounding yes and let me explain why.

I come from the camp of all Star Wars is good Star Wars because I think entertainment should be fun and not taken too seriously. I have deep-seated nostalgic associations with Star Wars going all the way back to the early 90’s when I was a kid, but I don’t think every single thing is amazing, it’s not even all for me (I’m not a huge The Clone Wars fan, don’t come for me). Having said that, I approached The Book of Boba Fett from the standpoint of gratitude; here is something new coming from the Star Wars universe that I am watching at my leisure on my own schedule and it’s BOBA FETT. I’m not big on theories and generally avoid any toxic online chatter (I also have two young kids, I don’t have the energy to spare folks), so I was genuinely stoked for the show.

There was a lot to love about The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1. First and foremost, the cast. Temuera Morrision is a treasure, he simply is Boba Fett. As the actor who portrayed Jango Fett in the prequels, he has a history with the Fetts that allows his performance to feel natural. This series will allow him the most screen time as Boba and I can’t wait to see what else he does with the character. By this point, who isn’t a fan of Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand? Upon Shand’s introduction in The Mandalorian she has quickly become a fan favorite for being a no nonsense badass who can hold her own against almost anyone in the galaxy, and Wen is the definition of perfect casting. Wen and Morrison’s chemistry in The Mandalorian is on display in The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1, with the two of them already communicating in a shorthand that lives in tension with their fundamental differences in how to run a criminal empire.

Secondly, this specific point in the timeline (five years post-Return of the Jedi), is still pretty unexplored in regards to live action so the unknown of where this series is going makes for a really fun experience. Stranger in a Strange Land took narrative baby steps as much of the episode showed us how Boba got to where he is. These flashback plot points were really fun to see (Jabba’s barge! Epically escaping a Sarlaac! Brutal Jawas!) but were the one sure thing fans were expecting. A cool surprise was the recreation of Boba’s mourning the loss of his father Jango from Attack of the Clones; kudos to the creative team for choosing this scene to recreate, not just for its nostalgia, but also to highlight a moment in young Boba’s life that forever shapes who he becomes.

As premiere episodes go, it’s understandable that the creative team needed to dedicate some time to establish their main character but let’s hope the flashbacks become fewer as the season progresses. I did, however, enjoy spending time with the Tusken Raiders; it’s only in publishing that the Raiders’ culture has been more fully explored and it was great seeing them in a new light here. Plus, the sand creature scene was definitely a highlight of the episode—providing a jolt of action and elicited a “WTF!” from me (yes, that’s a never before seen Tatooine sand monster). Boba choosing to save the Tusken by killing the creature (and allowing them to take the credit with their tribe) is an interesting choice. Was Boba only looking out for himself or was this a truly selfless moment, a glimmer of humanity left in a man who’s been dealt a pretty grim hand?

Whether or not the flashbacks continue to be a narrative device for the series remains to be seen, I just hope that we get to see how Boba continues to grow as a character. By taking over for Jabba he’s made it crystal clear that he will rule in a different way. The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1 shows us how Boba’s been shaped by his past and how he has been willing to use his gifts to help others, but will that follow him into his new life as a crime lord? Can crime lord’s even rule benevolently? I hope next week’s episode starts to delve into that tension.

For a premiere episode, The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1 did an excellent job of setting up the series. It necessarily had some setup work to do but that didn’t take away from the utter joy of experiencing the return of Boba Fett to live action. We’ll be back here next Monday discussing Chapter 2 of The Book of Boba Fett, if you have any questions or topics of discussion let us know on social media!