Who Is Mok Shaiz In The Book Of Boba Fett? The Mos Espa Mayor Explained
What a time to be alive if you're a "Star Wars" fan. Each year brings more and newer "Star Wars" content than ever before. All of the long-gestating theories, histories, and lore from the previous four decades are manifesting into movies and TV shows rife with canonical backstories that really flesh out the whole universe that George Lucas started. With it, of course, comes new faces in familiar places. "Star Wars" enthusiasts already know Boba Fett's decades-long bounty hunting career included working as Jabba the Hutt's prime mercenary. Who they may not know much about yet, is Mok Shaiz, the Mayor of Mos Espa — the space port where a young slave child named Anakin Skywalker was once found by Qui-Gon Jinn.
The first episode of "The Book of Boba Fett" starts in flashback sequences that after Jabba's death at the hands of Leia Organa at the end of "Return of the Jedi", Boba Fett managed to escape the sarlacc and through a series of events, including being captured by the Tusken Raiders, ended up the Daimyo at in Jabba's place in Mos Espa. In a scene early in the episode, Fett (Temuera Morrison) and his chief steward and fellow bounty-hunter Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) greet several neighboring leaders, including Dok Strassi (Robert Rodriguez) who Fett once worked for, who come to give gifts as an act of recognition with Fett having taken Jabba's place on Tatooine. One of the most significant characters who visits is the majordomo (David Pasquesi), a messenger and right-hand, of Mok Shaiz. There is confusion among both Fett and Shand as to why the majordomo showed but not Mok Shaiz himself. The unnamed Twi'lekian majordomo explains in curiously jaunty terms that Mok had "been drawn away by pressing matters."
What Do We Know About Mok Shaiz?
Mok Shaiz is a character who hasn't made an appearance before "The Book of Boba Fett" and only his voice was ever heard in the trailer for the series. The mayor of Mos Espa, by not showing himself, seems to hold himself in high regard and presents himself as a man of power on Tatooine. Droid 8D8 introduces him as the "Mayor of Mos Espa and its surrounding plateaus," and the majordomo mentions that the only "tribute" the Mayor offers is "his heartfelt welcome, which I express in his stead." It's a rather bold and patronizing move and proves that Mok Shaiz may become a bit of a nuisance for Boba Fett later in the series.
Fett however seems to respect Mok's title of Mayor. When Fennec Shand, clearly frustrated and fed up with the majordomo's coyness and insolence towards Fett, flatly asks if she should kill him, Fett only responds "he works for the Mayor." Perhaps Fett understands that to be too brash and to flex his muscles too early may cause unwanted attention. He also says later in the episode that his tactics of leading the people will be through respect rather than with fear, the way Jabba preferred to rule. One could also consider Mok Shaiz's needling to be a test of patience. Will Boba Fett, new to his position as crime lord, be a hotheaded troublemaker? Or will he co-operate?
A Chess Game Begins
While Mok Shaiz remains a mysterious identity — we only really know he's male and he thinks highly of himself — his first move is an assertive one against Boba Fett. Not only does he not show, he also expects Fett to pay tribute to him instead of vice-versa. Fett may respect the position the Mayor holds, but he retaliates by having Shand send a thinly-veiled threat. She confidently responds, "We offer the gift of your leave un-molested."
The Twi'lekian messenger of the Mayor matches the condescension with some of his own, yet still masked in jovial voice. The threat that the Mayor potentially poses to Fett is also made known in the last moment, when the majordomo augurs as he leaves, "I would not be surprised if you receive another delegation in the near future." When Fett and Shand travel to Mos Espa later in the episode and are ambushed by six soldiers wearing crimson – a wink to the Crimson Dawn, which also features in the show's music? – it becomes clear that Mos Espa is going to be filled with surprises. It's not yet known whether these surprises are all coming from the direct orders of Mok Shaiz, but the lingering threat will undoubtedly be explored further in future episodes.