The Book of Boba Who? A Review of Chapter Six.
WHOSE SHOW IS THIS?
The name of the series is The Book of Boba Fett, but in this episode as well as the previous episode, Fett is NOWHERE to be seen.
There are legacy characters from the original trilogy as well as characters from The Clone Wars animated series. Hell, they even brought back a character from an episode of The Mandalorian!
We see these characters continue their arc as they learn new things about themselves and each other. They learn lessons about family and detachment. They learn lessons about love and restraint. Everyone is learning something, experiencing something.
But you know who isn’t doing any of these things?
BOBA FETT.
Over the first four episodes, we crept through Fett’s life after the sarlaac pit. We’ve seen him get spat in the face (figuratively) by the denizens and gangsters of Tatooine. He’s like a caged lion with the door swung open. Do we see him spring into action? No.
I’m already half way through this episode, and so far Fett has not appeared in a single frame.
(Ten minutes later...)
Okay, I just saw Fett in a single scene. He doesn’t say one damn word. He barely has any presence. He exhibits no agency. As he is given information and strategies proposed by Fennec Shand, Fett himself is passive. One could say he’s returned to his taciturn self, but he’s also immobile. Once again, Din Djarin (I doubt this is a spoiler if I mention his name) is the proactive one. He calls in favors and marshals forces to Fett’s side. This show may as well be called The Book of Din Djarin.
A familiar face to fans of The Clone Wars warns that Boba Fett is “a cold blooded killer.” Really? Apart from “The Tribes of Tatooine,” he hasn’t lived up to that reputation. Even then he was doing it to protect the Tuskens who took him in as kin. He was unmistakably bad-ass in that chapter, but “cold blooded?” Which Fett are we talking about here?
The Pyke Syndicate takes drastic measures to seize control of the opulent city of Mos Espa while Boba Fett broods in his palace. In the final scene of the chapter, we are far away from Boba Fett and far away from his world. There are at least three storylines being followed in this sixth chapter. All of them are fascinating, All of them barely touch on Boba Fett.
The last chapter premieres next Wednesday. Will Boba Fett be at the heart of it? Will he at last take action? Will he at least take a footstep? Will he even pick his nose? There have been a lot of setups in the previous chapters and very little payoff.
As engaging as this chapter was, I am losing my patience with the title character.
- JJB
As long as the seventh and last episode isn’t titled “Grogu’s Choice”, I’ll be fine with it.
ReplyDelete*Sigh.*
DeleteI'm gonna break "Grogu's Choice" down to two possible outcomes. One is how his story SHOULD play out and the other is what is most likely GOING to play out.
In the final scene, Luke presents Grogu with a small shirt of beskar chain mail. He also shows Grogu Yoda's lightsaber. How Luke got it is anyone's guess, but I digress.
One day, Grogu will be big enough - as big as a member of his species can be - to take up the lightsaber. He will have long outgrown the tiny chain mail proportioned to his infant gait.
The answer is obvious: Grogu should pursue his Jedi training. Din Djarin was a good and loving caretaker, but he is an attachment Grogu must sever to grow, learn, and advance. He has the raw talent. He is attentive to Luke Skywalker's training and has proven to be a quick study. As much as Grogu loves Djarin, the disgraced Mandalorian will only hold him back.
Here's what's GOING to happen.
Grogu is still a hot property. Call him what you want: Grogu, The Child, Baby Yoda... the audience for the Mandalorian (some of us anyway) will demand his return into Djarin's life. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will probably take the path that will win fans and the casual viewing public back to their flagship show. Djarin and Grogu. Lone Wolf and Cub reunited.
This last option is the WRONG move.
Djarin has two missions: One is to prevent the Darksaber from falling into the hands of unscrupulous characters who selfishly crave it to magnify their own power. Without a doubt Paz Visla will hunt Djarin from one end of the galaxy to the next to seize his family's heriloom. The second mission is to ritually redeem himself by returning to Mandalore so he may be accepted by his nation as one of their own. As a friend suggested, he may not want to. He may set aside the beskar armor once and for all.
In short, Djarin won't have the time or the energy to care for Grogu, especially in such dire cicumstances. Grogu is safer with Luke. He would achieve great things as a Jedi.
But no, Favreau and Filoni will no doubt decide that Djarin and Grogu should be together in order to boost ratings. Luke will lose his first padawan.
Which leaves him with Ben Solo, aka, Kylo Ren.
Jesus Christ.
- JJB
I kind of have that same feeling that they’ll have him go with Team Mando and drop Team Jedi. But we don’t know yet. Going to find out soon enough. My point was really that the last episode needs to emphasize the upcoming war in Tattoine against the Pike Syndicate with maybe a much shorter scene resolving the Grogu cliffhanger.
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