The Book of Boba Fett - Disney's Limited Series

[Toby Frost]

One thing that's struck me about the writing is that no strong villain has emerged yet, and various smaller possible villains (the mayor, the Hutts, the Wookiee mercenary, the train, the alien biker gang) have appeared and not led anywhere. It needs a strong villain by now, especially since it's all set in one place.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

especially since it's all set in one place

Talk about a pain in the... Star Wars needs to get off of Tatooine once and for all. I was sick of this empty desert planet twenty minutes into my first viewing of A New Hope, but no, they had to go back in Return of the Jedi, and A Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones, and even Revenge of the Sith however briefly... But also in pretty much every other novel, comic, cartoon (...) expanding the Star Wars universe. Enough is enough. What was that Luke said about his homeworld in 1977? "The point furthest from the center of the universe", huh? The epicenter of Star Wars lore, more like. The alien sand planet trope has run its course. It had run its course by 1980!

I know it's easier to drive a few hours into the Mojave Desert (or take a flight to Tunisia in the 70s) rather than having to painstakingly create an exotic alien world out of CGI, matte paintings-enhanced sets but come on. Now that they have access to this 'virtual set' technology, they can project pretty much any background they like around the actors without going anywhere, and have them react in real time, so there's no excuse.

But even if we start from the premice that The Book of Boba Fett needed to be set on Tatooine, why not expand the planet a little and offer some variety in its locations? Boba keeps going back and forth between the same two locations: Jabba's palace and that bar in Mos Espa. To the point where there no longer is any sense of narrative progression and the flashbacks become a necessary distraction to prevent us from falling asleep. Stuff happens at the palace, then stuff happens in Mos Espa. Then it's back to the palace, then to Mos Espa... If I'm not mistaken and disappointment hasn't completely blinded me, the finale of the latest episode went this way: Boba is at his palace talking with Fennec. They decide to hire the wookiee in, well, Mos Espa, where else? They show up at the bar, hire the wookie and then... they're back at the palace! Just send him an invite next time or, I don't know, show some foresight and don't set such a powerful ally loose in the desert in the previous episode when you know you're going to need some muscle to assert your dominance over the neighborhood.

I swear if you took out all the flashbacks the show would look like a table tennis game with Mos Espa and Jabba's Palace swatting a Boba Fett-shaped ball back and forth at each other.

 

[Parson]

Here's much the same view from The Guardian: Boba Fett is dead: how Disney+ ruined Star Wars’ coolest character

What's wrong with this world anyway?!! The coolest character is Boba Fett (?!) someone I'd never want to be! It seems that media critics always go for the one who is causing murder and mayhem and calling them cool. It's only wonderful if the lead characters are more than a little warped in their view. Well I disagree most vehemently. The coolest characters are those who are trying valiantly to do what's right and good in spite of incredible odds. That's why I like Ender, of Ender's Game, Honor Harrington in David Weber's series, Luke in the original Star Wars. These are the interesting and admirable characters. Anyone can do bad and ugly things like Boba Fett, not everyone has the moral fortitude and selfless to help others at great cost to him/herself. So we should set our sights on what is good, honorable, true, pure, and never make heroes of lesser human virtues. And it should be those who study the films and the books who lead the way in this.

Okay, end of rant. But being bedazzled by a morally corrupt individual is not a healthy situation.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

@Parson I think exploring and confronting everything that is dark and amoral and corrupt in human nature through fictional outlets allows us to strive to be better in our real world. And The Book of Boba Fett doesn't strike me as a celebration of crime, or if it is then it is an even more spectacular failure than I make it out to be.

 

[Dave]

Just to say that Boba Fett has been a cult icon among fans since he first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back. All the detail about his character and life experiences from Expanded Universe, that's all been added much later. Why he is a cult figure is something I can't understand, but I think there is even a thread here somewhere asking that question, but probably just the cool look and whole bounty hunter idea + Clint Eastwood films, Duane "Dog" Chapman.

Is Boba Fett really that cool?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately... everyone is so darn Boba Fett obsessed. Every other SW fan I ask seems to select him as their favorite character. He's not really in the movies that much and when he is, IMO, he comes off as kinda a wuss... so who can convince me otherwise...

www.sffchronicles.com

I agree about the moral ambiguity of him being a crime lord, even if he is a very "nice" crime lord. I would like to see Toby's idea of a Mafia Godfather, who is at arm's length from the actual violence and criminality, but is still absolutely responsible for organising it. We won't see that but you cannot sanitise crime and make it cuddly for kids, so why have they written it at all?

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

Just to say that Boba Fett has been a cult icon among fans since he first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back.

Since he appeared at Darth Vader's side during a televised Star Wars parade in 1978... He stole the show and all the fans gathered there wanted his autograph even though no one knew who he was supposed to be. Then he showed up in that dreadful Holiday Special event that everyone and their mom watched on TV that same year, and he was the only memorable thing in it. Let's not forget that all the A New Hope's fans also started collecting the movie's action figures, and a mysterious "Boba Fett" figure (with a functional spring-loaded rocket launcher... except not, due to safety reasons) would be mailed to those who had collected enough Kenner stamps after buying the other characters. The whole rocket-launcher situation caused quite the stir and a lot of rumors started to spread about early Boba Fett figures having been mailed with a working spring-loaded rocket, so Boba Fett was already the talk of town for all the Star Wars fans... two years before he even showed up in the actual films.

I believe Boba's appeal is 99% down to his design and portrayal, 1% down to everything else. He is the perfect mixture of all of our collective unconscious's warrior stereotypes: The T visor is reminiscent of a medieval knight's helmet, the poncho, spurs sound effect and bounty hunter activity are a throwback to the western anti-hero, and the quiet and still attitude gives him the same sense of menace as a cool and collected samurai. No matter where you're from, one look at him and you know who you're dealing with. Add to that the battle-worn armor and the fact he has a jetpack and you've got a character built for success.

But when you look at what he actually does in the movies, well... Not much to write home about. Sure, he tracked down the Millennium Falcon to Cloud City but it's not like it was that hard. After that all he did was walk for a bit, look at people and... die a goofy death.

 

[Toby Frost]

And The Book of Boba Fett doesn't strike me as a celebration of crime, or if it is then it is an even more spectacular failure than I make it out to be.

I agree. The problem for me is that it isn't a proper exploration of crime, either. It doesn't have to condone or even be graphic. You could have something like the scene in The Third Man, where the British officer forces the hero to see what Harry Lime's crimes have done.

And yes, I'm getting a bit tired of everything in the Star Wars universe being set in Space Morocco too. Aren't there gangs on Hoth selling Red Weed to the ice-spiders or something? Coruscant must have a huge underworld. Actually, one of my problems with Star Wars is how everyone has to be related to each other and how all the action happens on a few planets. It gives the sense that the galaxy is about the size of Birmingham.

 

[ctg]

Well, a lot of it is shot in the UK. So it might be true, SW universe is the size of Birmingham. Everything is just around the corner.

 

[Parson]

@Parson I think exploring and confronting everything that is dark and amoral and corrupt in human nature through fictional outlets allows us to strive to be better in our real world. And The Book of Boba Fett doesn't strike me as a celebration of crime, or if it is then it is an even more spectacular failure than I make it out to be.

Actually, it isn't that I oppose writing about things that are dark, amoral, and corrupt. I agree there is a place for it, and to the degree it serves as a safety valve for the real thing (if it does) it's good. What grinds me is the celebration and idolization of what is illegal, immoral, and destructive. Violence and anti-social behavior should always seen as, at best, the best of horrible choices, and usually as an utter failure of the best of what is human.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I think too many people expect Breaking Bad in a SW spin-off.

I’ve never understood BF’s appeal beyond what Toby said upthread. Over the past thirty odd years I’ve had many arguments on why BF is nothing special.

This series however has me reaching for the popcorn and screaming at the TV in joy at certain references.

 

[ctg]

Disney / Lucasfilm's Bonus Bounties weekly merch event continues alongside new episodes of The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. The big new addition this week appears to be Hasbro's 3.75-inch Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Boba Fett (Morak) figure, which will be available to pre-order starting at 10am PST / 1pm EST today, January 25th here at Target priced at $20.99. Accessories for the Boba Fett (Morak) TVC figure include a jetpack, pistol, blaster, and removable helmet.

Star Wars The Vintage Collection Boba Fett (Morak) Figure Pre-Orders Launch Today

Disney / Lucasfilm’s Bonus Bounties weekly merch event continues alongside new episodes of The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. The big new addition this week appears to be Hasbro’s 3.75-inch Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Boba Fett (Morak) figure, which will be available to pre-order starting...

comicbook.com

 

[Phyrebrat]

I’m hoarse.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

Looking at Jon Faveous biography list I cannot see him having anything crime related in series or in movies. He has a lot of credit on other things, but not on crime stuff. Maybe that's why Dave Filoni is getting the writing credit (ep 6) at the end of the season.

The curious thing is why these didn't come up on Disney's test viewing?

He was in episodes of the Sopranos. Writer is listed as Todd Kessler, but some of the dialogue is very Favreau-esque.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

Just finished episode 5. On a scale of ESB to the Holiday Special, I give it three Bea Arthurs.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

Well that explains it!

 

[ctg]

Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) opens a new chapter in The Book of Boba Fett, but the ex-bounty hunter has an old score to settle with his father's killer: Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). In 2002's Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the Jedi Master's purple-bladed lightsaber beheads armored bounty hunter Jango Fett (also played by Morrison) in front of a young Boba (Daniel Logan) during the Battle of Geonosis. Decades after Windu's own apparent demise in 2005's Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, losing a hand to Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) before he's electrocuted and defenestrated by Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Morrison wants to put a bounty on the potentially still alive Mace Windu.

"I owe him big time for my dad. He's done. He's done," Morrison told IMDB's On the Scene. "I've got my eye on him. He's top of the list, in fact."

When co-star Ming-Na Wen suggested "slow torture" at the hands of Master Assassin Fennec Shand, Morrison said, "Definitely, yes."

Five years after Return of the Jedi in the era of The Mandalorian, recurring dreams of his father's death disturb Boba during healing sessions inside a bacta tank. Despite his creed to rule with respect from Jabba the Hutt's throne as new Daimyo of Mos Espa, Morrison believes Boba would seek revenge on Windu and avenge Jango.

"Being a young teenager, fatherless, he had to make his own way. So yeah, he's got a few chips on his shoulders, all right," Morrison said. "I think we better let [The Book of Boba Fett creator] Jon Favreau know that we should have another series and [Boba and Fennec] looking for Mace."

In 2016, Jackson disputed Windu's supposed death when he told Entertainment Weekly he believed the Force-powerful Jedi survived the events of Revenge of the Sith.

"Of course he is [alive]! Jedi can fall from amazing distances," Jackson said. "And there's a long history of one-handed Jedi. So why not?"

Like the exiled Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) on Tatooine, the wounded Windu likely went into hiding from Darth Vader and the Empire after the Star Wars prequel trilogy, according to Jackson. The actor said at the time he hadn't had talks with the creative forces of Disney-Lucasfilm about Mace Windu's return, but revealed saga creator George Lucas approves his theory about Windu's fate.

"Only George, but George doesn't have anything to do with it anymore," Jackson said. "George is like, 'I'm okay with that. You can be alive.'"

Temuera Morrison Wants Revenge on Mace Windu in Boba Fett Season 2

Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) opens a new chapter in The Book of Boba Fett, but the ex-bounty hunter has an old score to settle with his father’s killer: Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). In 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the Jedi Master’s purple-bladed lightsaber beheads...

comicbook.com

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

Well, now that the show's over, I'm only comforted in my opinion that I do not want another season of this. Let Boba enjoy his time off and look after his city. Let's move on to far more interesting pursuits with The Mandalorian, who is the actual Boba Fett, and Baby Yoda.

 

[ctg]

Looks very cool and the price tag is 28 dollars in the US market.

Cad Bane's Next Cameo Appearance Is on Your Toy Shelf

Hot off a return in both The Bad Batch and now The Book of Boba Fett , Hasbro's latest Star Wars figure is ready to claim his next bounty: your wallet.

gizmodo.com

 

[ctg]

[/sarcasm]

 

[ctg]

Temuera Morrison first appeared in Star Wars back in 2002 when he played Jango Fett in Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones. While his character was killed by Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) in the film, fans spent years campaigning for Morrison to return to the franchise as Boba Fett, a clone of Jango. Folks finally got their wish during the second season of Star Wars: The Mandalorian when Morrison appeared on the series, and his exciting return led to the spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett. The show's finale dropped on Disney+ earlier this month, and Morrison just took to Instagram to call out someone who referred to him as "Boba Fat."

"Someone called me Boba Fat so I thought I'd do something about it Thanks my trainer and bro @jenkuosungoff," Morrison captioned the post. You can check out his workout video below

The Book of Boba Fett Star Temuera Morrison Shares Behind-the-Scenes Workout Video After Being Called "Boba Fat"

Temuera Morrison first appeared in Star Wars back in 2002 when he played Jango Fett in Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones. While his character was killed by Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) in the film, fans spent years campaigning for Morrison to return to the franchise as Boba Fett, a...

comicbook.com