Book of Boba Fett Thoughts

[Lord_S_Gray]

So what does everyone think of the Book of Boba Fett so far?

I guess having grown up with the Expanded Universe version of Boba Fett its hard to set aside that characterization, and this version seems less 'gruff' and cold so that's a change.  It's hard to get a read on exactly what this Boba Fett's motives are, the closest I can figure is he considers his escape from the sarlacc like a 'rebirth' and time to start anew, but that may be me having inbuilt EU expectations.

There have been some good moments (Sand People etc.) but also some kind cringe worthy ones (Speeder 'chase', Rat Catcher...), some very fleeting characters (Hutts, Mayor) and some seemingly random insertions (Rancor)

Bit of a mixed bag so far from my point of view.

[Taegin Roan]

I completely get the "mixed bag" feeling, and I kinda agree. At least in as much as there are some moments (speeder crawl) that are really not good at all. In general though, I've loved the show. Not perfect, and not technically as good of a show as The Mandalorian, but I'm enjoying it more. I would like to see some more savage Boba moments though. I think we will in these last 2 episodes.

[Lord_S_Gray]

I would like to see some more savage Boba moments though. I think we will in these last 2 episodes.

That would be interesting, I think they also really need to tie up Boba's motivations behind wanting to 'rule' Tatooine, at the moment it feels a bit odd, I get the whole avenging/protecting the Sand People thing and 'working for yourself' kind of points there but, maybe its just me, but it doesn't feel enough at the moment and just seems like 'he might as well do that to have something to do'.


One thing I'm really wondering is just who is this aimed at audience wise, I get the sense it's trying to appeal to everyone  - young and old, casual and more invested fan [with the Wookie connection and a few other little mentions of things] - which is understandable - but I think that very fact is what makes it feel to me a bit of a hodge podge in terms of elements.

[Lord_S_Gray]

Actually after watching episode 6 it seems more Mandalorian Series 3 - the Fan Service. Weird like I can follow what is happening but the why of any of it starts to elude me, perhaps most of all why Boba Fett is no longer in his own show, there is of course a narrative necessity to show other characters and places but the extent is becoming vast. Hopefully they can tie it all together.

[Taegin Roan]

It definitely feels like it needs another episode for Boba before the finale, but since that's not happening, oh well.. I do trust Jon and Dave to be able to wrap it all up good, but I agree. I will say that I've got absolutely zero issues with the Cobb Vanth storyline. I feel like that works really well (plus it introduced one of my favorite characters of all time to live action  ).

[Darth Tepes]

I never actually saw this as Boba's "own" show.  The title lead me this conclusion..."The Book of Boba Fett" sounds exactly like a side character getting their own chapter in a larger story.  I figured this was going to just be a fill in the gap of Boba questions that people had but ultimately it was to get us to Mando season 3...and I got exactly what I thought was gonna happen.

[Lord_S_Gray]

I never actually saw this as Boba's "own" show.  The title lead me this conclusion..."The Book of Boba Fett" sounds exactly like a side character getting their own chapter in a larger story.  I figured this was going to just be a fill in the gap of Boba questions that people had but ultimately it was to get us to Mando season 3...and I got exactly what I thought was gonna happen.

Interesting I thought the opposite based on the title, that it would be a detailed expansion on his story pre- and post ROTJ, filling the gap between Clone Wars and ROTJ a little bit. Guess I'm a bit disappointed in that sense, the most it has shown is the odd Kamino flashback. Perhaps there will be some in the next episodes but not confident. 

But yeah you got it right!

There is sort of a meta story feel to it now though, I wonder if all the other dozens of spin offs will link into to a central arc in the same way.

[Darth Tepes]

Interesting I thought the opposite based on the title, that it would be a detailed expansion on his story pre- and post ROTJ, filling the gap between Clone Wars and ROTJ a little bit. Guess I'm a bit disappointed in that sense, the most it has shown is the odd Kamino flashback. Perhaps there will be some in the next episodes but not confident. 

But yeah you got it right!

There is sort of a meta story feel to it now though, I wonder if all the other dozens of spin offs will link into to a central arc in the same way.

This is just a personal observation I've seen through out reviews, articles and message boards but it seems to me the ones most disappointed in BoBF are people that have been Boba fans since the OT.  Same as what happened when his origin was revealed in the prequels...there had been this build up around him and then the canon couldn't match that.  For me and others I have seen that were not Boba fans..(didn't hate him...just indifferent.)  What little weve seen made him actually interesting.

[Taegin Roan]

I never actually saw this as Boba's "own" show.  The title lead me this conclusion..."The Book of Boba Fett" sounds exactly like a side character getting their own chapter in a larger story.  I figured this was going to just be a fill in the gap of Boba questions that people had but ultimately it was to get us to Mando season 3...and I got exactly what I thought was gonna happen.

Honestly, this is kinda what I've been thinking too. A heavily Boba centered side story that ties directly in to the events of The Mandalorian and the rest of the story that Jon and Dave are creating.

[Maestro Jones]

This is just a personal observation I've seen through out reviews, articles and message boards but it seems to me the ones most disappointed in BoBF are people that have been Boba fans since the OT.  Same as what happened when his origin was revealed in the prequels...there had been this build up around him and then the canon couldn't match that.  For me and others I have seen that were not Boba fans..(didn't hate him...just indifferent.)  What little weve seen made him actually interesting.

You're close.  It's more like the ones that are the most disappointed are the ones that only like the three original movies and nothing else (maybe "The Mandalorian", but that is it).  I've liked Boba from the very beginning.  Like, the first time we saw him on the infamous "Holiday Special".  I like BoBF, but am actually disappointed that they added two episodes of "The Mandalorian" to the show.  I'd like to see more Boba.  Don't get me wrong, I liked the last two episodes but they took away from Boba's character development, and that is what the series has been about: take a popular character, but one that has not been fully fleshed out, and give them a chance to flourish.  I understand that some were irritated with the whole Tusken arc but it was necessary to show how Boba survived and how he transformed from a straight up bounty hunter to someone like we saw in "The Mandalorian" (which, let's be honest, is not what we would have expected after what we saw pre-ROTJ).

As to those two Mando episodes, I look at them as a means to an end.  You just can't have Mando show up to help without showing a little of what he has been up to.  You also, can't have Grogu and Luke show up to help without some exposition (I wouldn't be surprised if Grogu choses Mando meaning Luke has to take him back and decides to "lend a hand" (pun intended) to Boba's cause.  After all, that is his home too, and Boba's cause is actually just).  Those characters just showing up unexpectedly at the end would be as if the Avengers just met up on the helicarrier without showing what they were up on their own before then.

Anyways, that's my two credits worth.  Back to my cave...

[Lord_S_Gray]

I like BoBF, but am actually disappointed that they added two episodes of "The Mandalorian" to the show. 

I think this is the essence of it in part as well as not taking more time to fill out his character pre RotJ, which I think given the tabula rasa of the Disney canon might have been more helpful in making the 'rebirth' among the tuskens more impactful e.g. if we see some scenes of his working for the Hutts or whoever /perhaps some sense of social disconnection before RotJ it would add more credence and weight to his desire to be his own boss and joining the Tuskens etc. Perhaps they will add some of this later though but I suspect in narrative terms the ship has sailed.

But yeah the Mando inclusion while likely necessary for his role in whatever conflict feels like a very MCU crossover style move, not surprising I guess it is all Disney, but perhaps unexpected and a bit jarring in how sudden and extensive it was.  Having said that it means viewers will be more prepared for such cross overs in future series so it won't be as much as a shock, its like they now have an Mando Streaming Universe - MSU!!

[Lord_S_Gray]

Well now it's all over.  For the series as a whole I would say not quite what I expected overall, some cringe worthy moments especially the 'chase' scenes and the 'Mod' gang as a whole, a very kind of low scale gang war ending (maybe 50 combatants on both sides in total?) and some bizarre and incomprehensible decisions and actions on behalf of the participants.

I'm still not sure why Boba Fett is opposed to the Pykes selling spice or why he suddenly believes Mos Espa people are 'His people' (given his only meaningful on screen connection was with the Sand People), or indeed why the Pykes care if he is opposed to it when given Tatooines size and transit options its easy enough to sell it via Mos Eisley and forward it on to Espa.  Maybe I missed it but I just still don't understand why Boba Fett is doing any of what he is doing, if it was framed as a way to protect the Sand People I could get it but that point isn't made explicit at all at the end (though beating Cad Bane with a gadaffi stick is maybe an implicit callback). 

The characters (excepting the Mandalorian series who have back story already) just felt very thin in their presentation and development, and the story itself just felt lacking to me, the 'rebirth' among the Sand People was fine, nothing overly exceptional, but fine, the rest just seemed to happen 'because'.

Entire sections seemed far too long and pointless (the Naboo star fighter stuff especially), some characters woefully irritating (Peli Motto, the Mods, the Free Towners without Cobb Vanth) I was genuinely hoping some would die in the fighting, it seems very few did, no real losses which is weird, the action was average - a grittier street by street, block by block, gang war would've been far better.   Even the climatic duel was kind of meh, having never seen the Clone Wars my GF had no idea who Cad Bane was so for her, and likely many other people, his inclusion was irrelevant he was just 'that blue guy with tubes in his face' and his death(?) meant nothing.

And it felt more like a Mandalorian season 3 trailer than anything else at the end.

Overall a sub par and very strange series in my opinion, I'm not sure who its aimed at or what it was trying to achieve for the character and the future of the Disney Plus shows apart from the Mando angle which could've been done utterly independently without any loss to either story....

Twi'leki dude was kind of funny...

[DeadSh0t77]

There’s a reason for all this - my understanding is this was done extremely impromptu because Pedro Pascal didn’t have enough appearances left on his contract for a full season 3 and was threatening to walk over the helmet thing so they threw this together very quickly (by LucasFilm development standards) to give them more time to negotiate and figure out that situation.  And I think it definitely shows.

As a result, I don’t think the show should be judged by the same storytelling standards.  (But obviously most won’t feel that way.)

Personally, I loved the deep dive in Tusken culture and was obviously thrilled to get Cad Bane in a live action setting.  Also, Black Krrrsantan came from the Aphra-verse, so if we get Doc Aphra and her murder droids soon, I will be so pumped.

I’m just viewing it as something I’ll enjoy for the personal highlights and not trouble myself over the rest.

[Taegin Roan]

Personally, I loved the show. Beginning to end. I had some problems, but for some reason it just worked really well for me. I could nitpick all the same things everyone else has, but I don't really feel like it.

I will say that my preferred ending would've been for Cobb to come into town with the Freetowners (since he so clearly was shot in the right shoulder, and not anywhere vital), and even if he couldn't do a ton, still have a presence there. Then, at the end, after the duel between Boba and Cad (which I actually have far less problems with than most others it seems), we find out that it is Cad Bane who is in the bacta tank, and not Cobb Vanth who doesn't really need it.

[TheDutchman]

I think that everyone's perspectives and salient points are, if not completely valid then certainly poignant.  Was there A LOT of fanservice?  Absolutely.  Were there some continuity/pacing/plotting problems?  Yes.  Was Boba Fett's characterization different from the Original Trilogy AND out of focus for a couple of episodes?  Again, yes.  Was it an enjoyable show?

For me: FRELL YES 

I was happy to explain to Mrs. Dutch (who is NOT a SW fan, but besides from that particular foible--the other being married to me  --is otherwise an unmitigated GENIUS) just WHO Black Krrsantan, Cobb Vanth, and Cad Bane were...and then there was Luke.

THIS was what I was HOPING for with the Sequel Trilogy (of which, I hated considering the final product that we got): a Luke Skywalker that I remembered from the Original Trilogy, harkening back to my childhood.  And--if the rumors which I've read about are true--THIS version of Luke WILL skew closer to the Legends characterization (doing away with the previous dogma of "No Attachments" to bring the Order in line with a new and IMO better doctrine).  Time will tell with this one...

As I stated: Boba WAS different...but I can ascribe that to his experiences with the Sarlacc & the Sand People and the attendant character development.  Is some of it contrived?  Unfortunately, yes...but not enough for me to suspend disbelief nor to diminish my overall enjoyment of the series.  And after the debacle that was the Sequel Trilogy, "The Book of Boba Fett" continues to generate the goodwill that the first two seasons of "The Mandalorian" have established, giving me more hope for future projects (especially the upcoming Obi-Wan series).

I can agree that, at times, it seemed like "The Mandalorian" Season 2.5...which is fine BUT I would've liked to see a story that's fully centered on Boba (just look at his MANY appearances in the Legends continuity; I know that there is A LOT more about the character that can be told).  Perhaps in the (allegedly planned; no confirmation yet) BoBF Season 2, we'll see a narrative that focuses exclusively on Fett.

This is a wonderful discussion^^