The Book of Boba Fett (SPOILERS possible)

[Rob]

Not my favorite episode but it wasn't the worst thing I've seen.

That’s where I’m netting out.  But the biker gang kids with their robot implants are absurdly dumb…

[StBrianOfMinneapolis]

Not my favorite episode but it wasn't the worst thing I've seen.

That’s where I’m netting out.  But the biker gang kids with their robot implants are absurdly dumb…

Yeah. The hipster cyborg gang on space vespas were underwhelming. I need to be whelmed. The 15 mile an hour chase wasn't helping anything either.

I'm starting to wonder if Favreau was hospitalized during production and Disney just went nuts.

[Nicklab]

Some quick notes?

-Cyborgs and people with replacement limbs aren't exactly new to Star Wars - see Anakin / Darth Vader, Grievous, Luke, etc.  I seem to recall a cyborg bounty hunter from the comics whose name eludes me.  People doing this by choice seems like something that might happen if that technology is available.
-Stephen Root in Star Wars?  And as a sleazy water monger?  Nice casting!
-And just like that the Hutts are out?  But then it seems like the factions at play are becoming much more clear.
-Danny Trejo in Star Wars?  And as a *SPOILER*RANCOR KEEPER?*SPOILER*?  Yes please!
-Black Krrsantan didn't waste a lot of time and was thoroughly ferocious.  But a little shorter than I was expecting.  I looked up the actor and he's 6'7".  Joonas Suotomo who now plays Chewbacca is 6'11"
-I was kind of expecting what happened in the Dune Sea.  It's a harsh place. 
-Still waiting on that meeting between Boba Fett and his vassals - the Trandoshans, Klatooinians and Aqualish.  I think that might be coming very soon.
-Agreed on the speed (or lack thereof) of the chase.  But I liked the Majordomo's speeder.  The bikes?  Eh.  But they were reminiscent of the Vespas that the Mods rode in the 60's.  See the film "Quadrophenia" for great examples of how the Mods would bling out their Vespas and Lambrettas.

[Rob]

Some quick notes?

-Cyborgs and people with replacement limbs aren't exactly new to Star Wars - see Anakin / Darth Vader, Grievous, Luke, etc.  I seem to recall a cyborg bounty hunter from the comics whose name eludes me.  People doing this by choice seems like something that might happen if that technology is available.

All true, but the design and execution on theses four was absurdly stupid.  I don’t know of another way to describe it… they were like a bad cartoon.  Something out of the Disney Channel… stuff that only an 11 year old would look at and think it was amazing.

[Matt_Fury]

My most negative critique of the episode was the slow sped chase through Mos Espa.  That should've been shot to look a lot faster.

I wasn't a big fan of the swoop gang's space vespas..but George Lucas was a big fan of classic cars and I can see Favreau and Rodriguez trying to pay homage to that.

Loved the Black Krrsantan/Boba Fett fight...I have a feeling we have not seen the last of him.

The Tusken Flashback was very moving...I have a feeling we are going to see the employment of some violence in the next flashback.

Seeing the Pykes emerge as the main antagonists is an interesting twist.  I'm expecting the big banquet scene next week as Fett tries to consolidate the factions behind him and organize them against the Pykes.

[Nicklab]

I've seen a good deal of people who have taken issue with the speeder chase.  And I have to wonder if the show may have run into some of the limitations of the production techniques that they've been using.  Can the Volume (the virtual projected set) deal with or capture a sense of speed for something like a chase scene?  Could there be a speed limit where the background images blur too much to capture it well in camera?

Likewise, if there's an actual set, how much of a budget does a show like this have to build a practical set that can be used for a chase scene?

[P-Siddy]

Yeah, that speeder chase was rather perplexing with the lack of perceived speed.  Maybe they were all obeying the posted speed limit in those Mos Espa streets, though I think the majordomo would get a pass from the mayor.

The cyborg teen/20s gang was also rather puzzling.  They didn't have jobs or money to pay for water (a necessity) but had the money for implants and fancy speeders.  Is that a jab at current society? Also, those speeders looked out of place on Tatooine since they were new.  Tatooine is a considered to be a backwater (though without water). 

I had a feeling Boba would lose his Tusken family... especially so when Fett had a conference with the local Pykes... but I don't think the Pykes are in control of the situation, even though we are led to believe so.  I think there's something bigger going on.

I also felt like Boba was channeling some Daenarys vibes as well.  We'll see.

[Muftak]

I winced a lot through this episode.

The biggest thing that took me out of it is the sheer fact that Krrsantan should have completely killed Boba when he pulled him out of that tank. There is no reason at all for them to have any kind of brawl when Boba was unconscious, unarmed, and otherwise unaware that a fight was taking place.

The issue as a whole for this episode was how "soft" everything was. Boba's new thugs are milquetoast. The Gamorreans are ineffectual. Fennic chastises him to eat the feast like Mrs. Claus. "Eat, Boba, Eat!" 8D8's promotion to main exposition dumper has gone from cute to overextended.

Last year we were introduced to rearmored Boba Fett in a brutal takedown of a squad of Stormtroopers. I think back to the brutal beating Mando took in episode 2 at the hands of the Jawas--and how he was equally brutal in disintegrating them. I remember the high-speed speeder chase in Solo where droids were brutally beheaded in the crossfire. But a musclebound Wookiee--you know the species that will dismember you over a move in a game of chess--can't kill an unsuspecting naked guy in a hospital bed?

Even Grogu eating frogman eggs has a sharper edge than anything going on between these "Crime Bosses." I am honestly surprised that the Mos Vespa speeders had enough oomph to shred through the McQuarrie painting in the road.

If the Hutts came to the Palace to warn Boba that he needs to vacate before the Pykes arrive (via the Star Wars equivalent of a Greyhound Bus--that's intimidating!) then why did they also bring a housewarming gift that only makes sense if Boba stays in the Palace? Why did they send Krrsantan to kill Boba if they were no longer interested in the territory?

And why does everyone walk to the Palace gates anyway??? I know the droids did in ROTJ, but they're droids. Why does Boba Fett not take a speeder into town, but instead walks and walks and walks?

Even my son commented on how dumb Boba was this last episode, when the mayor's majordomo ducked out the back door and ran. I know that is a craven bad guy trope, but why did he do it? Why was he so invested in not telling Boba about the Pykes--until he was caught trying to dip out, then it came out quick and easy? Boba wants the kids to pay for the water because stealing it is "illegal." Huh? He is the self described "Crime Boss" who murdered his predecessor in cold blood. But stealing water is illegal, kids.

4 episodes to go. It ain't looking pretty.

[StBrianOfMinneapolis]

Some quick notes?

-Cyborgs and people with replacement limbs aren't exactly new to Star Wars - see Anakin / Darth Vader, Grievous, Luke, etc.  I seem to recall a cyborg bounty hunter from the comics whose name eludes me.  People doing this by choice seems like something that might happen if that technology is available.

I doubt anyone has a problem with the cyborg element. Its more that these are lame hipsters shoved into hack sci-fi writing that could have been spewed out of any crappy IP. Its definitely a fail that there isn't a single non-human in the gang and I need toys of none of them.

I was giving the schmaltzy majordomo a pass until all this garbage happened all at once

[Nicklab]

There's definitely a "cyber punk" aspect to this bunch.  And some of the costumes actually reminded me of something from Buckaroo Banzai.  The core of the idea seems plausible.  But where I checked out on them was with how shiny and new everything was - that stands out.  Especially since one of the core aesthetics of Star Wars revolves around the concept of the "used universe".

From a big picture perspective?  Boba Fett is still pretty much on his own.  From the beginning of the series it was just him, Fennec Shand, the two Gamorreans and 8-D8.  The gangs that are supposed to be allied with him really haven't shown up much beyond the Aqualish and Trandoshan that paid tribute to him in the first episode.  He needs to build his organization.  These kids are odd, but they spoke back to Boba, and he seemed to respect their willingness to do so.  Back during the OT I might have expected him to dispatch them quickly.  But the Boba Fett of this series has been through a journey that seems to have changed him on a fundamental level.

Oh...  and I don't trust Danny Trejo's character.

[P-Siddy]

There were several things about the Krrsantan/Fett situation that didn't make sense:

• How did he get in?  Perhaps no one has changed the key code to get in since Jabba's death and the Twins just happened to know it?
• If Krrsantan is an assassin, then why howl as if no one would hear a Wookiee?
• How did Krrsantan know where to find Boba in such a large palace?  And specifically, in the bacta tank?
• Where were his bodyguards?  The Gamorreans were second to show up to the fight after the cyborg group.  Perhaps Fennec was right to tell him not to trust them?
• Where was Fennec?  She was the last to arrive on scene.  I figure if she's so loyal to Fett, then why wasn't she close to his chambers
• When Krrsantan was hanging on to the lip of the trap door, why did everyone just stand around watching until Fennec flung the blade on his hand?  One of the cyborg gang had his blaster point-blank on his head.
   Why give an assassin a second chance to take control of the situation?
• How were the cyborg gang able so adept to fighting a Wookiee assassin?  It would have been nice to see Krrsantan stomp a few heads and show how tough he is.

[Muftak]

How were the cyborg gang able so adept to fighting a Wookiee assassin?  It would have been nice to see Krrsantan stomp a few heads and show how tough he is.

See, those are the types of stakes that have been missing from this show. The only real consequences to any of this have happened in flashbacks, but by definition Boba Fett isn't in danger in a flashback.

And he should be dead in the present after that encounter with a Wookiee Gladiator that was sent to kill him.

[StBrianOfMinneapolis]

That epic speeder chase seems so familiar.
https://gfycat.com/badbarehyracotherium

[JediJman]

Agreed on pretty much all the faults with this latest episode.  The plot is meandering and so much doesn't make sense in terms of character behavior and motivation.  The Hutts make a big scene, send an assassin, then turn tail to run but take time to explain their actions and leave a gift.  The cyberpunks have nice clothes, new speeders, and expensive implants, but can't afford to buy water.  Fett is all about weapons, armor, and gadgets, but doesn't have a security system for his fortress, any protection for his bacta tank, or a speeder to get into town.  He is super excited to ride a Rancor though.  And the rancor keeper guy is part of the gift like a slave?  And the Pykes are a huge criminal faction but need public transportation and have to pay for protection?  The only characters that were actually interesting and seemed true to form were the Tuskens, and they quickly did away with them. 

I could honestly overlook a lot of this stuff, but there are two things I'm really struggling with for this show and honestly the direction of the SW franchise.

#1 - Why in the hell is the galaxy's most notorious bounty hunter acting like a sweet grandma running an orphanage?  He's soft on the Tuskens, plays nice with the mayor, forgives the assassin, mediates the issue with the water broker and the cyber punks, let's the hutts go, and on and on and on.  What are these sad images of him watching his father fly away on Kamino when he should be disintegrating fools left and right?  As the Daimyo/mobb boss he has all the ruthlessness of Winnie the Pooh.

#2 - Who the hell at Disney approved all this?  The whole show feels like a rough cut draft of some potential plot ideas just kind of slapped together.  It feels like a rushed homework essay that maybe had some good ideas, but the writer ran out of time and just had to turn it in before the deadline.  I get the Disney influenced skittles colored speeders.  I appreciate all the connections back to the OT (Niktos, Tuskens, Trandoshans, Aqualish, Gamorreans, Rancors Klaatuans!) and even the Pykes from the Clone Wars or Black Krrsantan from the comics.  The sets and costumes and characters are all there to make this great.  But there's no story, no pacing, no rhythm to the show whatsoever.  How does someone in charge not see that slow "chase" scene and think, "wow, this looks ridiculous compared to the Endor Speederbike chase...you know, the one using special effects from 40 years ago!"  For whatever reason, the whole thing feels rushed to market in comparison to shows like Mandalorian or the Marvel flicks.  I'm not even really looking forward to the rest of the series at this point.

[P-Siddy]

#1 - Why in the hell is the galaxy's most notorious bounty hunter acting like a sweet grandma running an orphanage?  He's soft on the Tuskens, plays nice with the mayor, forgives the assassin, mediates the issue with the water broker and the cyber punks, let's the hutts go, and on and on and on.  What are these sad images of him watching his father fly away on Kamino when he should be disintegrating fools left and right?  As the Daimyo/mobb boss he has all the ruthlessness of Winnie the Pooh.

This is what really doesn't make sense to me... the radical turn of character from the Mandalorian episode "The Tragedy" when he's taking out Stormtroopers and also during post-credit scene when he just straight-up wastes Bib Fortuna without uttering a word to the I want to rule with respect and be kind to others.  Perhaps Boba is playing weak in order to draw out the other factions against him?  Still, he does have a weakness that he has to rely on the bacta tank to recover from (what I assume) injuries due to his time in the Sarlacc... that really hasn't been explained in the show.

Oh, and I totally missed the Peli Motto cameo, too (in the background where the Stormtrooper helmets are on spikes in case you didn't notice, too).