Is The Book Of Boba Fett Done With Flashbacks Now?
"The Book of Boba Fett" just set up a major confrontation with "The Gathering Storm," the fourth episode in "The Mandalorian" spin-off series that has further expanded the "Star Wars" universe. We've been expecting some kind of face-off between Boba Fett and at least one of the crime families in Mos Espa since the former bounty hunter chose to take over Jabba the Hutt's territory, and it's clear there's a war coming with the Pyke Syndicate. But what we weren't expecting quite so soon, like the slaughter of the Tusken Raider village Fett became acquainted with, was the apparent end of the flashback visions he has been experiencing while healing in the bacta tank.
Caught Up to the Present
The flashbacks in "The Book of Boba Fett" served two purposes. First, they allowed Boba Fett to spend time healing in the bacta tank so he didn't look like Lord Voldemort's shriveled up grandfather, ensuring Temuera Morrison spent significantly less time in the makeup chair on set. Secondly, it filled in the narrative gap between Boba Fett's fall into the sarlacc pit and his arrival in the second season of "The Mandalorian" with bounty hunter Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) by his side.
Since "The Mandalorian" already revealed where Boba Fett ended up after meeting Fennec Shand and retrieving his ship, which has now officially been referred to as the Firespray instead of Slave I (more on that over here), we've officially caught up to the present day where Boba Fett killed Bib Forturna and took over Jabba the Hutt's criminal empire. So does that mean we're completely done with flashbacks?
When Fett awakes from the bacta tank after reliving the assassination of Bib Fortuna, his helpful droid says, "Congratulations, Master Fett, you are completely healed." Since his time in the bacta tank is what initiated those flashbacks, does that mean we won't see any more of Boba Fett's past? If so, that feels like a missed opportunity.
Boba Fett is Still Largely a Mystery
One of the greatest elements of Boba Fett is his mysterious nature. The masked bounty hunter had plenty of stories that came after his brief appearances in the "Star Wars" trilogy as an enemy of Han Solo and the Rebel Alliance, but those have since been relegated to "Star Wars Legends." In the new "Star Wars" canon, he's mostly a clean slate, especially since "The Book of Boba Fett" has seemingly wiped away much of what fans thought they knew about the bounty hunter (for better or worse) as he takes on a new role and attitude in the galaxy, seemingly brought upon by his time spent with the Tusken Raiders. There's still so much we don't know about this character, and if Lucasfilm is going to set him on this new path, they might as well show us more of his former life that's still shrouded in mystery.
Personally, I hope there's a way for the flashbacks to continue in some capacity. Surely Boba Fett will need to heal after certain battles, giving us the chance to learn more about the character's past. Though "Star Wars" doesn't have the best track record when it comes to digging into the origins of beloved characters, Boba Fett's transition from a bounty hunter to a crime lord who rules with respect rather than fear allows for a compelling juxtaposition between the life he used to live and the path he's following now. Much like the series "Lost" gave the flashbacks outside of the island a narrative tie to what was happening on the island, "The Book of Boba Fett" could use stories from Fett's past to inform his story in present day. Consider it repenting for his past sins.
As it stands, it looks like "The Book of Boba Fett" is shifting gears to focus on the present day narrative, including what seems to be the implied return of The Mandalorian. But it would be nice if "The Book of Boba Fett" turned the pages a little further back into the bounty hunter's past to flesh out the character once again, perhaps bringing in some of the details that have been relegated to "Star Wars Legends."