The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

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The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

Star Wars' greatest anti hero finally has his own story/series.

In a post credits scene in the final episode of Mandalorian season two, Boba Fett marches into Jabba the Hutt's old palace, unceremoniously disposes of Jabba's former right-hand man Bib Fortuna (who presumably took over the crime lord's empire after Jabba was choked to death by Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi) and takes a seat in Jabba's old throne.

What follows will be SPOILER-FILLED reviews and discussions of The Book of Boba Fett. New episodes will air every Wednesday on Disney+, and the series is rumored to consist of seven episodes.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

I was 10 years old and sitting in Almonte 6 Theater when I watched Boba Fett go sailing into the Sarlacc Pit. In the summer of 1983, I received horrible news -- I had to have my tonsils removed. It wasn't the surgery that had bummed me out, but the date: May 25, 1983, which happened to be the day Return of the Jedi was released. I was a huge Star Wars fan and was crushed I wouldn't be able to see Jedi on opening day. Fortunately, my dad managed to sneak me out of the hospital while I was supposed to be resting and took me to the opening show of Return of the Jedi. My throat was so sore I could barely talk and instead of popcorn I munched on ice during the film, but I will never forget that day. My dad managed to get me back to the hospital about an hour before the doctor discharged me.

And while Return of the Jedi marked the death of four characters (including Jabba the Hutt, Yoda, and Darth Vader), the death of Boba Fett was hotly debated. Half of my friends believed it was true -- that there was no escape from the Sarlacc's belly, and Fett was doomed to spend the rest of his short like being digested alive. Others of us weren't so sure. Wasn't Boba Fett supposed to be the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy? Wasn't Fett's suit covered in weapons and gadgets designed to get him out of just a predicament? We're talking about a guy with a jetpack and a rocket launcher strapped to his back! Surely not even the stomach of a desert worm contain the great Boba Fett!

Since then, Fett's escape from the Sarlacc Pit has been documented in various extended universe novels -- which in Lucas's reign was deemed canon. Unfortunately when Disney purchased the rights to the Star Wars universe, they explicitly stated that only the movies were canon and anything that happened outside them had been wiped from existence. That meant that officially, Fett was still being digested in the Sarlacc's tummy.

Everything changed in season two of The Mandalorian, in which Mando met another man in Mandalorian armor -- the one and only Boba Fett. Fett's appearance in the series (which takes place five years after Return of the Jedi) means that Fett did -- somehow -- escape from the Sarlacc Pit.

And that brings us to The Book of Boba Fett.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

Episode 1: A Stranger in a Strange Land

The first episode of TBOBF has two stories to tell. Obviously, one half of the story (and I assume, the bulk of the series) is the story that begins with Fett taking over Jabba's throne. Through the movies (and more so, novels) we know a bit about Jabba's empire and reign as the crime lord of Tatooine. Jabba had his hand in gambling, pod racing, spice smuggling... and also slave trading, something Disney may try to shy away from. (Last year, Disney quietly and retroactively changed the name of Boba Fett's ship from the Slave One to Firespray.)

In the first episode, Fett begins making the rounds with his new sidekick, mercenary Fennec Shand, letting people know he's the new BMF in town. I have a lot of questions about Fett's motivation, which may be answered in future episodes. Does Fett want to become a crime lord? Is that a step up from being the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy? Future plot lines are set up -- the mayor of Mos Espa not only refuses to make an offering to Fett, but asks for one from him instead. The episode ends with Fett and Fennec Shand being jumped by a team of assassins, which they survive (partially in thanks to a couple of loyal Gamorrean ("pig") Guards).

The other story, told through flashbacks, begins with Fett escaping from the Sarlacc Pit. I've thought about it, I've read about it -- hell, I've dreamed about it! -- but here, finally, we get to see it. It's just as I imagined, with Fett punching, cutting, and burning his way through the liner of the beast's belly before emerging up through the sand before passing out. We then see Jawas stealing his armor (Fett's pursuit of his armor was a big part of the second season of Mandalorian) and getting kidnapped by Tusken Raiders. You might think the Tusken Raiders would put Fett to work, but no, they mostly leave him tied to a stake and let younger Tusken Raiders hit him with sticks.

Fett's luck changes when one of the younger Raiders takes Fett and a Rodian (the race Greedo was) slave out to dig in the desert to dig for water filled gourds. The digging awakens a desert creature that can only been described as a scaled down version of the Kraken from Clash of the Titan (seriously -- dead ringer). The Rodian proves to be useless, and the Raider seems to be next on the beast's list before Fett springs to action, taking him out with skills he must've learned from Princess Leia herself. The Raider returns to the village with the beast's head and Fett in tow, and as word makes it through the encampment, the elder Raider shows Fett a simple sign of respect.

I assume we'll see more flashbacks, but when I'm not sure of (but it would be great story writing if it does) is whether or not the two plots will come together. Will the Tusken Raiders rejoin Boba Fett to help him rule Tatooine's crime syndicate, or are they content to return to their animalistic ways in the desert? Only time (and six more episodes) will tell.

I hope we learn more about Boba Fett's motivation to become a crime lord. Right now I'm not sure why he would want to do what he's doing, but Fett always seemed to have a plan, and I doubt that has changed.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

It does put them in a weird spot that they have one guy that looks like a palette swap of Fett doin' bounty hunting and therefore you can't really have two shows of them doing the same thing.

I don't think they will have the discipline to not make him honorable. We're all gonna think, "What a great guy!!!" here at some point.

When you have one thing going well like the Mandalorian, my belief is to "go weird" with the other thing like it. Disney will never go weird. So I don't know. But I am not going to pretend that I won't watch each episode because it is perfect popcorn TV and there is value for that!
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

I just finished watching episode two. I am shell-shocked at how amazing it was. This almost hour long episode is better than anything from Episodes 1-3 or 7-9. Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

Let's discuss the modern stuff first. Tension is mounting in modern day Tatooine. The captured assassin (a member of the Order of the Night Wind) is taken back to Jabba's Palace (Fett's Palace?) where under fear of being eaten by a Rancor that wasn't there, he confesses to behind hired by the mayor. This leads Fett, Fennic, the two Gammoreans and the assassin to visit the mayor, Mok Shaiz who is Ithorian ("hammerhead"). The mayor promptly kills the assassin, denies the claim, and suggests Fett and his crew revisit the Sanctuary. There, Fett is informed that Jabba's twin cousins have laid claim to Jabba's former territory. Moments later we meet the twins arriving on their litter (now we know what a litter looks like!). The Hutts end up leaving but this fight is not over, especially not with a black Wookiee gladiator by their side.

Right up front, they've done a good job of capturing life in Mos Espa. There's an aerial shot that shows just how busy this place is that they failed to capture previously. My new assumption is that Bib Fortuna didn't "take over for Jabba" -- I suspect he was put in place by the Hutts and was working remotely. Just a hunch -- otherwise, the Hutt's timeframe doesn't make any sense (why would they only be arriving now, five years later?). I don't think the assassins were sent by the mayor -- or, if so, it was by order of the Hutts, who can be pretty persuasive. I like the introduction of the Hutt twins but I didn't love the CGI.I did, however, love that new Wookiee. Have we seen a black Wookiee before? I'll come back to that at the end.

I thought it was interesting when Boba Fett told Mayor Mok Shaiz, "I am not a bounty hunter." Things have changed, indeed.

And now, the second half. Ho-ly cow.

Fett is back with the Tusken Raiders. He's not an equal, but he's also not tied to a post being hit in the head by children wielding sticks anymore. The tribe's enforcer is teaching Fett how to fight with a Gaffi stick. Fett's not a member of the inner circle, but he seems to have graduated from slave. Things are going well until the tribe is attacked by a passing train. Children are killed; their bodies burned on a pyre. As the Raiders shrug and squeal "oh well that's life on Tatooine," Fett has a different opinion. "Give me a wooden stick and a rifle and I will take down that train." Armed with those things and wearing long johns, he sets out to do just that.

Fett doesn't take down the train, but he does walk into a bar and gives everybody a free fighting lesson with his stick and his rifle. He also steals four speeder bikes, takes them back to the Tuskens, teaches them to ride, and prepares them to take down the train, which leads to one of the most exciting Star Wars action scenes I can remember.

Fett and the Raiders take down the train, which was smuggling spice and guns across the desert. Fett informs the spice runners that they will pay a fee to pass through the Raiders' portion of the desert from now on.

The episode ends with Boba Fett going on a vision quest, led by a face full of dust and a lizard that literally climbs up his nose. Fett returns from the desert dehydrated and delirious, clutching a branch from a tree. Fett is then directed to turn the stick into his own Gaffi stick. The episode ends with a ceremony and a dance. Boba Fett is now a member of the tribe.

This episode humanized Tusken Raiders in a way we've never seen before. We're starting to see how they survive and how the tribes are organized. In Episode 2, we watched them torture, beat, and do terrible things to Anakin's mother. We have been told countless times that they are no better than animals in human form. And yet here... here, we see otherwise. Is it retconning? Or were we simply never presented this side? Who knew that the Tusken Raiders were gift givers? Sure, that gift could end up being a brain lizard, but it came in a nice box.

Random thought -- I've noticed the color black appears more here than it has in the past. Is that a sign, or am I overthinking things? Fett's under armor jumpsuit, formerly gray, is now black. The Tusken Raiders, formerly clad in head to toe in browns, now wear some black. The evil Wookiee is black.

I loved this episode. I don't know how I feel about the humanizing of the Tusken Raiders (things are different "from a certain point of view...") but overall, this was a great episode. I feel like the day I walked out of theater after seeing Return of the Jedi.

I am loving all the old references. The Dune Sea! The Spice Mines of Kessel! It's coming together!
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

This is the thread! Lemme delete the other one.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Holy shit, episode 2 was awesome. Episode 1 was good too. Was it as good as the first one? I'M NOT TALKING. Wait, yes I am, don't throw me into a pit where a terrible monster eats me. I'll talk! I'll talk!

/dies

JC Denizens, how are YOU enjoying the new Boba Fett show? With your newly minted millions, are ya buying the toy that has the rocket shoot out?
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

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Trust me, by the end of that train heist, my rocket had shot out.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

I didn't love the latest episode. I guess if you think of these less like a series and more like an inflated film, the third episode would have been the end of act one, setting the stage for act two.

The flashback sequences were overshadowing the current timeline plot and I've been wondering how and/or when that was going to come to an end. I guess we got the answer to both questions in one last (?) flashback.

I though the conflict with the water vendor was pretty weak. I'm not sure why Fett as the Daimyo would bother getting involved with a group of teenagers pilfering a bit of drinking water and take his entire entourage to handle the situation. Couldn't he just tell those pig guards to go kick those kids in the head and get on with business?

George Lucas is in love with the 1950s (see: American Graffiti) and I never loved it when he snuck that 50s aesthetic into Star Wars. I hated when he did it in the prequels, and I hate that Disney did it in this episode. I really disliked those shiny new space Vespa scooters in this episode. I assume each one was a different color for toy marketing purposes later on down the line.

Our Wookiee gladiator made a return sooner than I expected. In Episode 4, Han Solo warned R2-D2 and C-3P0 not to upset Chewbacca as Wookiees were known to rip people's arms out of their sockets, but here we have a trained gladiator who can't kill a guy while he's asleep. I always wondered how Luke Skywalker strutted into Jabba's Palace back in Return of the Jedi -- it made sense that he used his Jedi mind powers to convince someone to open the door, but apparently that's not even necessary as anyone can just waltz in. The Daimyo either needs better guards or better locks on his front door, one or the other.

Unless I missed something, the return of the Hutt twins was 100% for plot exposition and served no other purpose. They delivered him a baby Rancor and split while telling him the Pikes are taking over... why? Why not just get on a ship and skip town? I guess I could see it as a truce offering after their assassination attempt, but... I dunno. It didn't hit me as being realistic.

This was a transition episode with two action sequences thrown in for good measure. Hopefully the conflict introduced in this episode pays off in the next. There's no question if I'll watch every episode, but we really need a solid villain at this point to get things moving. What's Boba's story? What's his destiny?
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

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I liked it more than Flack, but liked the second episode less than Flack. We like it evenly!
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

Every review I can find online agrees with you and disagrees with me.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Roody_Yogurt »

I don't really like the show but I find it interesting in that it's basically what we would have loved to see released maybe four years after "Return of the Jedi" (although, of course, special effects and technology of the time never could have allowed it to happen back then). The show is basically all fan service without the added charm and coolness added to "the Mandalorian." That said, it's not like I don't like some of the fan service. The rancor scene in this most recent episode was probably my favorite one from the episode.

I have mixed feelings about all of the recognizable character actors, too. On one hand, they have included some actors I have really liked, but on the other hand, none of their characters are that interesting so it seems like having recognizable faces is the entire point, unlike some of the brilliant casting in "the Mandalorian."

I don't find Boba Fett himself all that charismatic. It's nice that they used the same actor from the prequels to maintain continuity and given how long the character has been alive, it makes sense that he's old and out of shape, but I really find his performance just functional and not great. Last night as I watched the most recent episode, it occurs to me that when he's trying to look contemplative, he has this sort of Resting Trump Face.

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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Jizaboz »

Roody_Yogurt wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:35 am the brilliant casting in "the Mandalorian."
..with exception to Sasha Banks of course lol
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Casual Observer »

I can tell those reviews Powered by Flack(tm) are amazing, can't wait to read them after I see the episodes.

I dropped DisneyPlus so didn't even hear about this. Now I think of it I'm not sure I finished Mando's last season (and an entire season of Rick and Morty). Torrenting now, it's a 3 show binge tonight with glasses of wine.

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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

Roody_Yogurt wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:35 am I don't really like the show but I find it interesting in that it's basically what we would have loved to see released maybe four years after "Return of the Jedi" (although, of course, special effects and technology of the time never could have allowed it to happen back then). The show is basically all fan service without the added charm and coolness added to "the Mandalorian." That said, it's not like I don't like some of the fan service. The rancor scene in this most recent episode was probably my favorite one from the episode.
I think a year from now when we take a step back and look at the show, its biggest problem (and I assume one Disney had from the beginning) is how do you take a "bad guy" and turn him into the star of a show on Disney+? And the answer is, you justify every single conflict he has. I don't think he has instigated a single fight on the show. The Tuskens enslaved him. The assassins attacked him. The Wookiee attacked him. It's hard to reconcile "the baddest bounty hunter in the galaxy" with a guy who sits around waiting to get attacked from every direction.
Roody_Yogurt wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:35 amI don't find Boba Fett himself all that charismatic. It's nice that they used the same actor from the prequels to maintain continuity and given how long the character has been alive, it makes sense that he's old and out of shape, but I really find his performance just functional and not great. Last night as I watched the most recent episode, it occurs to me that when he's trying to look contemplative, he has this sort of Resting Trump Face.
If I remember my trivia correctly, Fett had four lines of dialog in the original trilogy. If you include the special edition of A New Hope, he made a silent appearance there lurking around Mos Eisley with Jabba the Hutt, confronting Han before they took off. Come to think of it, Fett worked either for or at least with Jabba for a long time, so not having a basic understanding of how his crime syndicate operates is odd. I get what you're saying with age, and I'm sure when they picked him for Attack of the Clones in 2002, they didn't expect him to be resuming the role in 2022. I like the guy well enough, but at times he comes off more confused than cold and calculating.
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Casual Observer »

Flack wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:09 pm
Roody_Yogurt wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:35 am I don't really like the show but I find it interesting in that it's basically what we would have loved to see released maybe four years after "Return of the Jedi" (although, of course, special effects and technology of the time never could have allowed it to happen back then). The show is basically all fan service without the added charm and coolness added to "the Mandalorian." That said, it's not like I don't like some of the fan service. The rancor scene in this most recent episode was probably my favorite one from the episode.
I think a year from now when we take a step back and look at the show, its biggest problem (and I assume one Disney had from the beginning) is how do you take a "bad guy" and turn him into the star of a show on Disney+? And the answer is, you justify every single conflict he has. I don't think he has instigated a single fight on the show. The Tuskens enslaved him. The assassins attacked him. The Wookiee attacked him. It's hard to reconcile "the baddest bounty hunter in the galaxy" with a guy who sits around waiting to get attacked from every direction.
Roody_Yogurt wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:35 amI don't find Boba Fett himself all that charismatic. It's nice that they used the same actor from the prequels to maintain continuity and given how long the character has been alive, it makes sense that he's old and out of shape, but I really find his performance just functional and not great. Last night as I watched the most recent episode, it occurs to me that when he's trying to look contemplative, he has this sort of Resting Trump Face.
If I remember my trivia correctly, Fett had four lines of dialog in the original trilogy. If you include the special edition of A New Hope, he made a silent appearance there lurking around Mos Eisley with Jabba the Hutt, confronting Han before they took off. Come to think of it, Fett worked either for or at least with Jabba for a long time, so not having a basic understanding of how his crime syndicate operates is odd. I get what you're saying with age, and I'm sure when they picked him for Attack of the Clones in 2002, they didn't expect him to be resuming the role in 2022. I like the guy well enough, but at times he comes off more confused than cold and calculating.
Really really enjoyed the first three but people should stop pretending that there is anything remotely resembling "Star Wars Canon" anymore so please can the nerds stop keeping track and writing articles about it for clickbait? It's funny, the comedy cartoons are dabbling in becoming more serial but a movie series that obviously was serial has morphed into a franchise that's throwing out interchangeable "campaign/problems per episode" CGI eye candy with no real story.

I won't do spoilers and I don't like to write the way Flack and ICJ do so here's a bullet point things of what I liked, may be updated into more of a review after I re-watch and re-consider:
- Flack's right but it's all the bad guys that are good now. Fett and his ilk, Mandolorians, Tuskan Raiders, the Jawa don't seem quite as bad, etc etc. Kinda like Lucas did in the second trilogy where he showed that the Empire at some point used to be good. BTW, the home planet of the Empire was clearly lifted from Foundation, maybe Lucas could have done that story better than fucking Apple+. This "making bad guys good" is the same thing as everything Kobra Kai is doing.
- Visually amazing, great fight scenes. Will admit that without a real story so far that could become tedious.
- Loved the aliens with the big eyes and anuses for mouths!
- Still love Bubba's chick, she's fucking badass
- Loved the CGI Parkour, some of the best CGI Parkour I've seen
- Love those two green stocky guys, ass kickers and also turned good
- OMG, becky, have you ever seen a more badass Wookie? They should have hired him too along with the modified street kids.
- Street kids have potential, they have cool tech powers and she's kinda cute with that gorgeous flat burgundy robot arm
- Nice classic take the spiritual journey with the hypnotic drug (cute lizard) then bring back what you will fashion your weapon with.
- Sand Train. Let's talk about the sand train. First, fucking awesome. Way better than SnowPiercer in my opinion. But. Why if you're going across sand deserts which is hard anyway, if there's no tracks then WHY. A. TRAIN? Seriously, why not just a huge sandspeeder? It was awesome, right out of wild west train attacks complete with every single cliche. Great but could have used Denzel Washington (watch his train movie).
- Cool ass motorcycle speeders. Shoulda realized when I first saw those retro decked out scooters that they would pull such a complete catalog of every single cycle chase cliche that it must have taken Amazon AI on demand to get it done.
- Didn't like his hooked sand person weapon at first but it grew on me
- would love to have a personal healing tank. [American Psycho edit]"where do you healing bath Bateman? Spa. Me, I heal bath at home, you should look into it.
- what was up with the clearly 2020's millennials in the bar, dressed like they just walked through the SF Tenderloin before he got his ass kicked? Did they just pull in two people from the LA street that day and not bother with wardrobe?
- guess a little more Mandalorian mysticism could have made it more interesting.

We'll see if anything else occurs, chances of finishing this season at this point 100%
Last edited by Casual Observer on Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

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I love bangs on girls. Okay?????????????
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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

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Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:53 pm I love bangs on girls. Okay?????????????
Best bangs joke ever. Rip Norm. Vark, you'd have to listen because that's all he offers.


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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Casual Observer »

I think the Sand Train, as awesome as it was, is a good example about what's awful about this series: unoriginal

I started out thinking: Why a Train? No point actually asking why a train versus other means of transportation, why go across the stupid desert at al? There's no possible rational explanation why you would load up a speeder train, staff it with guys with guns and then go speeding through dangerous desert when you have stuff like, IDK, SPACESHIPS. Why not just land the damn ship wherever you want? They didn't do any of it because it makes sense.

They used a train not because it made sense but because they wanted to do a Star Wars train heist scene with all the cliché bells and whistles. It's like those Youtube videos showing disney cartoons that are exactly the same except re-skinned. This scene could have been almost copied from hundreds of westerns, probably also one of the versions of the Great Train Robbery. It's goddam lazy. So many examples of them just taking the easy way and copying from pop culture instead of coming up with something unique.

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Re: The Book of Boba Fett (2021/2022)

Post by Flack »

Episode four was hit and miss for me.

The Tuskens are done, but the flashbacks are back. We get Fett saving Fennec's life, and Fett recovering his ship, the [s]Slave 1[/s] Firespray. Both were fun, I guess, but these are two things that we already know happened. Star Wars has been doing this for years now. In A New Hope we get Han talking about the Kessel run; in Solo, we get to watch it. We know Fennec won't die from her wounds, we know Boba Fett will recover his ship, and we know the Sarlacc won't suck them in because we've seen what happens in the future.

Every shot of Fett riding on his Bantha in the Tatooine desert makes me wonder just how far apart things are on Tatooine. In every shot all we see is sand. Does it take hours? Days? Weeks? Didn't it seem like Luke had to travel for hours in his Landspeeder just to find civilization?

After Fett and Fennec broke into Jabba's Palace (at least they didn't waltz in through the front door this time -- but still, a couple of iron bars covering a door-sized entrance doesn't seem smart), I started getting a strong Phantom Menace vibe. Here come the funny droids. Maybe I won't dislike it as much upon second viewing, but on one hand you've got essentially a mafia film and then you drop slapstick stuff in the middle.

Don't get me started on the modders.

Each time I guess something may come back, I push it way too far into the future. I assumed Black Krrsantan would return in episode six or seven, but no, we get him here again. Will the series' newest Wookiee decide to work for Boba Fett? My guess is yes, since it appears they spent a lot of money on that costume.

The "family" scene toward the end was cool, but even better was finally getting a glimpse at Boba's motivation. We don't know how Bib Fortuna backstabbed him, but we now know he did. We also know why Fett wants to be a crime lord instead of a solo bounty hunter. And finally, we now know why Fett appears ready to go to war, even if it ends up being him and a rag tag group he's assembled against an army.
"I failed a savings throw and now I am back."

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