The Essay of Boba Fett
What really went wrong with The Book of Boba Fett?
In the midst of contemporary mass-industry entertainment, blockbuster enterprises, money-sagas and other big-money-sounding phenomena, there is this little series called The Book of Boba Fett. For more reasons than many, I have (negative) things to say about it — much more than fit a little tweet or anything in that manner.
(This essay was written just after the release of episode 5)
First off, the series is a complete flop. Each episode (but the latest) is divided between past and present, that transition without any given motivation. This has not the effect you’d think; you want it to show the growth of the character — to make us more interested in and understand Boba Fett. This is what made the first Star Wars movies so good; Luke’s path from wanting to become like his father and to end the evil to eventually realising that his father is the evil he wants to become, to letting go of his hunt to end Darth Vader and all evil for his realisation that his father likewise could become like himself — which he does and kills the emperor. Good story. Good character development. But in The Book of Boba Fett, this is not the way. Character development is left to the side in an attempt to create emotional investment in the Tusken tribe and Boba’s (short lived) relation with them. Sure, in this they somewhat succeed, but I am left wondering why? What’s the purpose of a series which only ingredient is things happen? Isn’t that the dilemma of pretty much every sequel out there (that wasn’t either meant to be initially, or is Die hard 2)?
Within the broad frame that is things happen, there is the frame that is called Would be suited for Star Wars. This series ventures beyond that. It instead looks in the garbage can that is current progressive aesthetics. That’s the only explanation of why there’s now gangs of teenagers in Star Wars following the latest Cyberpunk trends, driving hovering vespas and being miserably materialistic and into techno music. The only thing missing is someone pulling up a phone and recording themselves dance.
Compared to its twin series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett is what Storm Trooper armour is to Han Solo’s blaster (or right about anything really). The Mandalorian depicts a growing relationship between its Bounty hunter-main character and his little bounty gone adoptive child-ish. It involves character development and does hold on to its mysticism gently — who is the child? Why is it important? Will the child survive? — all questions that throughout the series are being answered with hints, and a general well thought out story. Things happen, but within the right frame, and things are at stake. In The Book of Boba Fett, I can’t imagine that a surprising death of Boba would be too sad. Nothing is at stake. Perhaps then I’d only feel relieved that it’s over.
The thing with Boba Fett is that when introduced in Empire Strikes Back, he is this ruthless, smart bounty-hunter that even dares to confront Darth Vader. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself being eaten by a Sarlacc, presumably killed. Fast forward 37 years to 2020, and he’s back — reintroduced in the abovementioned The Mandalorian. He’s still ruthless, but a kind of ruthlessness stemming from complete bewilderment and not him being a true professional. He’s also perhaps a little bit older than expected considering only 5 years had passed since the Sarlacc-incident. Then when his own series begins, it takes off where The Mandalorian ended. The flashbacks mentioned earlier only show so little. They add the emotional element which was enough for three episodes and do some plot-laying and explanation of how they ended up where they are. But now any trace of who Boba Fett once were is gone — even in the flashbacks. He’s weak, a bit chubby, and even something of a pacifist (he offered the other captive in the Tusken tribe help in a very egalitarian way, which other voices draw concerns too as well) and he doesn’t feel like bounty hunting is for him anymore; he’s a “simple man”. It’s almost like there was something in the sarlacc’s stomach fluids that can change a man. Scary.
Anyhow, here I suggest is one of the biggest flaws with this series. It begins with Boba completely changed and exposed — nothing like the movies. Who is he? Well, none of the previous traits any longer work. Smart? Not really. Ruthless? Probably not, at least not in the right way. Mysterious? Hardly. If these changes are what the writers wanted for the character — make the story about those changes. Do not change the character and then make a story about how he is when changed (and changed for the worse that is) — make a story of how he changes, explore his traits, use the mystery of his character in the story’s favour.
So, when I sat down to watch the fifth episode, I thought I knew what I was going to get — the same old tame Boba. It turned out Boba didn’t even make the episode — not even a second. Instead, we followed Din Djarin, the Mandalorian, for around 50 minutes. It was exactly like an episode of The Mandalorian. In the words of David Opie at Digital Spy.com: “Did someone over at Disney+ accidentally upload the wrong episode?”. According to IMDb it is the best rated episode thus far, by a stretch (it has a rating of 9.4 as of writing this, second best is Episode 2 with a rating of 8.3), and this only gets to show that People Are Not Liking This Series. They like the Mandalorian much more. And it also shows that the showrunners have absolutely no idea what they are doing. This episode had nothing with Boba Fett to do. It even reveals major plot points that should be part of the Mandalorian’s own series. It’s almost like The Book of Boba Fett is as empty as a series as the depiction of Boba himself. They are not doing him justice at all.
But am I being too harsh? Can’t I look beyond all the hollow writing and find an entertaining story? Well, in any attempt to disregard all that what is already mentioned, you’re faced with a series that still oozes flaws and shortcomings. I can think of loads. For instance, why is Mos Eisley — one of the most depicted cities in Star wars — in this series and in this series alone, completely dead? And small. There’s no-one there. Hello? I remember when there were live jazz-musicians (not techno beats on a speaker, as this series so kindly provides), bounty hunting action, and when Jabba the Hutt hosted epic parties. No more. Boba Fett is not about that. The Book of Boba Fett is not about that. Perhaps this explains why there is no showing of respect towards him — he lacks authority altogether. The only four people he managed to win over was the vespa-riding teenagers, and that sidekick of his, who to me seem as unmotivated a character as …well, not even Jar Jar Binks.
The fact that there are only two episodes left makes me wonder, what has happened so far? And, is it possible that after an entire season has gone by to wonder what exactly you just have seen, and the answer to that question being nothing? At least Seinfeld had humour.
Jakob Wilmer — January 2022
