Every Episode Of The Book Of Boba Fett Has 'Big Surprises' From The Star Wars Saga
Remember when "The Mandalorian" quickly transformed from a relatively niche "Star Wars" term to a household name practically overnight? Thanks in part to its weekly release schedule — but mostly due to that episode 1 reveal of an adorable baby Yoda — Mando Fever quickly swept the globe and firmly established that the galaxy far, far away isn't just for the big screen anymore. "Star Wars" could survive and thrive on Disney+ as well, carving out a niche for itself by focusing on less galactic-wide stakes while still delivering on all the epic action and storytelling that fans have come to expect from the franchise. "The Book of Boba Fett" will attempt to recreate that success by spinning off from the main adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu and focusing instead on the return of Temuera Morrison's Boba Fett, who came back from (apparent) death in "Return of the Jedi" to play a supporting role throughout season 2 of "The Mandalorian."
While some may be tempted to think that this spin-off series couldn't possibly become as much of a must-watch as "The Mandalorian" has, director and showrunner Robert Rodriguez has other plans entirely. By all accounts, this new show will quickly establish itself to be appointment television as fans can anticipate "big surprises" in each and every episode.
Expect the Unexpected
The latest trailer for "The Book of Boba Fett" provided plenty of material for eager viewers to chew over and analyze, but there is apparently much more that we still haven't seen and likely won't until the episodes begin streaming on Disney+ later this month. In a profile with THR, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and writer Dave Filoni explained how the unique storytelling opportunities in "The Book of Boba Fett" will allow this series to establish itself apart from its parent show. Naturally, the presence of the legendary bounty hunter "invites a whole world from the underworld in with him" in a way that Pedro Pascal's (mostly) faceless Mando could not. As Filoni tells it:
"Boba gives us a direct connection to the 'Star Wars' saga since he was involved in that story. This creates a nice crossover point for both classic characters and new characters. Much of 'The Mandalorian' was new, or had not been seen onscreen. Through Boba Fett, we can weave some of those characters and tales together using a character we know but don't know a lot about."
There are absolutely no lies detected in that last statement, as the popularity of Boba Fett's "character" (a word I use very loosely) has always stood in stark contrast to, well, how little we actually got to know him in the last two films of the Original Trilogy and, later on, his and his father Jango's appearance in "Attack of the Clones." "The Book of Boba Fett" will be our first real opportunity to dig deep into whatever layers the grizzled bounty hunter may have, but that's not the only source of entertainment value in the series. According to Rodriguez:
"Things turn up you don't expect, you see things we couldn't believe we got to do. Every episode has big surprises."
Personally, I'm not sure how badly I need "big surprises" from a Boba Fett spin-off show, as opposed to a change of pace that focuses on some low-stakes adventures set among Tatooine's criminal underworld. But we're at a point where every "Star Wars" movie or show needs to feel like a massive event to justify its own existence, for better or worse. Time will tell if "The Book of Boba Fett" can create its own identity. Expect the new show to premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2022.