The Book Of Boba Fett Ending Explained: Honor Prevails
After seven weeks, a whole lot of discussion, and much non-linear build-up, "The Book of Boba Fett" has reached its conclusion with Chapter 7 of the "Star Wars" show now available on Disney+. As anyone would expect from anything connected to a galaxy far, far away, the conclusion brought a lot to the table and left much up for discussion. That being the case, we're here to break down the ending of "In the Name of Honor" and discuss what happened, as well as what it all means.
Warning: major spoilers ahead for "The Book of Boba Fett" finale. Proceed with caution.
Never Tell Them The Odds
The episode largely focuses on the long-awaited showdown between the Pyke Syndicate and Boba Fett's gang who are held up in the remnants of the cantina that was blasted to pieces in the previous episode. The Pyke came out in force to meet Boba, Mando, Fennec, and the rest of the rag-tag crew the former bounty hunter has put together, and they brought a few surprises. They paid off various sects of the town to rise up against Boba's forces which put them all in a tough spot. Not only that, but they brought gigantic and deadly Scorponek droids to the party. It kept Boba and Mando on their heels virtually the whole time.
However, Mando and Boba largely stare down all of this in the name of their somewhat differing codes of honor. As does everyone else who has banded with Boba in an attempt to make Mos Espa a better place, and that all circles back to the title of the episode. Despite the odds, the overmatched rose up to fight the good fight, and that's been a theme in "Star Wars" going all the way back to the scrappy Rebellion taking on the Empire and blowing up the Death Star. In that way, it was very much a conclusion befitting the franchise.
This is also why the people of Free Town decided to show up at the 11th hour to help save Boba and Mando from certain doom. Even though Cad Bane had gunned down Cobb Vanth in the street, they felt the need to show up and fight alongside Boba to honor their agreement and to try and make Tatooine a better place. Come what may, they knew that sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing would only allow the Pykes to do as they please bringing crime and problems to their now peaceful town. Despite the overwhelming odds, it came down to doing what was right.
The Bounty Hunter Showdown
One of the major events towards the end of the episode is a long-awaited showdown between Boba Fett and Cad Bane. These two characters were familiar with one another from "The Clone Wars" but there were some deleted scenes/episodes that never made it to air that actually had some influence over what went down here. Because these two duked it out in an episode that never made its way officially into the world, this duel carried some extra meaning for those who had any attachment to these characters. Earlier in the episode, Cad tries to goad Boba into a fight at an inopportune moment. Fennec talks him out of it and it demonstrates a change in the ruthless bounty hunter we once knew. Fans will likely feel one of two ways about that but "The Book of Boba Fett" has largely been about offering a changed version of this character.
The showdown does, however, come much later after the Pyke have largely been handled (in no small part thanks to Grogu, who decided to be with Mando rather than train with Luke). Cad wants to prove something, perhaps to himself, and the two have a very old-school, western-style shoot out in the streets. Two old men whose best days are arguably behind them settling scores with guns while the sun shines high in the sky. At first, Cad definitely gets the better of Boba, shooting him a few times with his quick draw. But it's when Cad decides to monologue and remove Boba's helmet to finish that job where the tide turns.
Boba uses the training he acquired from his adopted Tusken Raider family to pull a quick one on Cad using his Gaffi Stick — not his blaster — to take out Cad. In a moment of old-school, cold-blooded Boba Fett goodness, he stabs Cad in the chest, leaving him dead in the street. Or does he? We do get that lingering shot of Cad's chest armor beeping that might indicate he's not as dead as some think. At the very least, he was left for dead and Boba came out on top. Again, the man with a code of honor got the better of the exchange and that was the simple theme that runs through this entire episode.
Spectacle Conquers All
As mentioned previously, Grogu shows up to reunite with his pal Mando, seemingly for good this time — but he does happen to have a better grip on his Force powers. That becomes incredibly useful during the climactic battle in the streets of Mos Espa as the little guy not only helps to focus Mando but he actually becomes a crucial element in the victory against the Pyke's forces. As does Boba, who ends up paying off something from much earlier in the season to defeat the giant, city-wrecking droids that mere blasters are simply no match for. Yes, Boba heads back to his palace to get his Rancor, which he rides into the city in a pretty epic bit of action. Rancor vs. Scorponek droids. Let them fight, as it were.
The whole episode was a bit shoot-out, but this took the action to another level. We get to see the Rancor dismantle these droids bringing some monster movie-esque spectacle to the table. For better or for worse, Chapter 7 of the show was more focused on spectacle than anything else. That seems to be why Mando and Grogu were brought in for this spin-off show, and that's certainly why the Rancor was set up earlier on in the season. It's all about delivering on the action.
Unfortunately, the Rancor gets loose which leads to some more peril aside from the Pyke. When all hope seems lost, it is Grogu who comes to save the day. Using his enhanced Force powers, the one they call Baby Yoda managed to calm the deadly beast with the wave of a hand and nothing more. Only this time, he didn't pass out as he did at the end of "The Mandalorian" Chapter 2 when we first see him use the Force to calm a beast. Grogu has evolved. With that (mostly) comes peace, save for Fennec dealing with the Mayor and the head of the Pyke, taking them out with precision to ensure that their ugly business is good and truly done on Tatooine.
The Honorable Ones Win The Day
The very end of the show sees Boba and Fennec walking the now peaceful streets of Mos Espa, with its citizens grateful to have their new leader in charge. He intended to rule with honor as opposed to fear, and Boba delivered on that promise. We also see Black Krrsantan healed up and patrolling the streets alongside the speeder gang. All is well. Perhaps too well for Boba's liking, as it turns out, as he says to Fennec that they're not cut out for this, seemingly implying that he is going to leave the throne behind.
The implication here seems to be that he is going to let Black and Drash's crew run the show. They fought with honor and are honorable people who again manage to come out on top as a result of all of this. Good prevailing over evil and all that jazz. But what does this mean for Boba? What is he going to do if not sit on the throne that Jabba once occupied? He sure stirred up a whole lot of crap to secure the throne. Was all of this for nothing? In a sense, no, given that Mos Espa now knows peace but from our main character's perspective it does seem a bit dumbfounding on some level that he so quickly seems ready to walk away from the thing that put this all in motion.
In any event, "The Book of Boba Fett" ended on a spectacle-first note that saw those with honor walking away clean and happy, while those without honor mostly winding up dead. That may be a reductive take on "Star Wars" but that is often what this franchise boils down to, so the shoe does fit.