Something to Love: The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 1

It is that time once again where we get to enjoy a brand-new Star Wars series on Disney+. With the release of Episode 1 of The Book of Boba Fett, I decided to channel my hype and optimism for what was to come for the series into a new series of articles dedicated to the series. I use writing and Star Wars as forms of escapism - things I go to when I need to get away and need a boost of positivity in my life. This is what I hope to accomplish with this series of articles - focus on what I really enjoy about each episode, what made me as a lifelong fan of this world lean closer to my screen in awe of what I just watched. This is not a full-on review or analysis, but rather a collection of thoughts and a desire to focus on the good. The Book of Boba Fett was a great way for me to get started with this project, not because the show looked underwhelming, quite the opposite, there just wasn’t much to gather on what to expect for the series going on. An unimpressive marketing campaign for the series left us knowing two things about the show going in: 1. That Jabba the Hutt ruled with fear and 2. That Boba Fett intends to rule with respect. And that’s all we really knew, the trailers and adverts showing very little of the show's plot aside from Boba Fett and Fennec Shand continuing where they left off as the new crime lords of the Tatooine underworld. As we go through the series week-by-week, I’ll take a look at the things in each episode that I really enjoyed as a fan.

Here is what I loved about Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land.

*THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Framing of the Flashbacks

A large portion of this first episode is flashbacks to Boba’s story following his escape from the Sarlacc Pit, answering many questions we’ve had about the character since his return in Season 2 of The Mandalorian last year. We see how the notorious Bounty Hunter was able to escape from the inescapable Sarlacc, how he lost his armor, and from there much of these flashbacks follow Boba being taken captive by a band of Tusken Raiders, who found him left for the dead on the Tatooine sands. Great connections are also made to Boba’s story in the Prequels, quick shots of the roaring waves of Kamino’s Tipoca City and the aftermath of the Battle of Geonosis beginning the episode’s opening flashbacks. While it was nice to get answers and see what occurred before Boba’s return and seemingly newfound perspective on the universe, how the flashbacks themselves were presented was what I really enjoyed about them. Framed as dreams Fett has while healing in his palace’s Bacta tank, seeing Boba’s memories in this way can be interpreted as a part of Boba’s healing process itself, having to confront his own past to move forward and embrace his new life as a crime lord, no longer wishing to be the famed Bounty Hunter he was for decades.

Boba and Fennec Adjusting to a New World

The crime lord and underworld aspects of the episode were far and away my favorite parts of this first episode. Inheriting Jabba the Hutt’s former criminal empire in the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian by killing Bib Fortuna, Boba now finds himself in unfamiliar territory compared to his bounty hunting past. Wanting to rule with respect compared to the fear that Jabba ruled over Tatooine with (as emphasized in just about every TV spot for the series), this clashes with Fennec’s master assassin mindset, frequently showing signs of going against Boba’s desire to not kill their adversaries, stating that fear and power is important when ruling over an empire. Most of the episode that takes place in the present day sees Boba out of his element, coming off quite awkward when accepting gifts and pleasantries in his throne room, and quickly causing conflict with Mos Espa’s Mayor, leading to an attack in the city streets, which seems to be setting up one of the main overarching conflicts of the season. The fight scene itself was my favorite part of the episode. We see Boba overwhelmed and beaten down, a far cry from the badass image that spread throughout the galaxy from his days as a coldhearted bounty hunter, it is in fact Fennec that takes out the opposition in a tense chase scene, ending with Fennec only bringing back one of the two attackers alive, continuing to show signs of dissent towards Boba’s more benevolent way of ruling. Seeing Boba interact as a crime lord, clearly growing into the role and already seeing threats to his empire, is what I cannot wait to see more of going forward. Whatever is coming with this conflict with the Mayor, as well as potential future clashes between allies Boba and Fennec, have me very intrigued in what is coming in Boba’s journey as an inexperienced crime lord out of his element.

An Outstanding Musical Score

Ludwig Göransson is back composing the main themes of this series after striking gold with his excellent score of The Mandalorian, and he continues here to put out absolutely excellent work with this episode’s music. What I love about Ludwig’s Star Wars music is that it is radically different than that of John Williams’ iconic scores for the films, using musical genres and elements that you would never find in a Williams score, such as hip-hop and trap music, but at the same time, it still feels right for Star Wars, not off putting or distracting. The main title theme used for the opening and closing credits are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, the show once again using the concept art style of ending credits like that of The Mandalorian playing over Göransson’s bombastic theme for Boba Fett’s new rule over Tatooine. The tribal-inspired main theme is just excellent, fitting the series and the main character like a glove, I can definitely see it becoming as iconic and memorable as The Mandalorian’s main theme by the end of the season’s run. With Göransson’s continued excellent work, as well as Kevin Kiner’s regular fantastic work with the animated shows, the music of Star Wars continues to be in excellent hands.

Max Rebo returns!

The only part of the episode that made me scream out loud at my TV.

Hope you enjoyed the first installment of this new series! Check back soon to see what I loved about Chapter 2!