ReleasingThe Book of Boba Fettso immediately after the second season finale and post-credits tease ofThe Mandalorianhas its upsides and downsides. Perhaps the most substantial stumbling block is how easy it has been to watch fan reactions to the new show and compare it to the hype for the adventures of Mando and The Child.
Some analysts labeledThe Mandalorianthe most in-demand streaming series of last year, an accolade thatBook of Boba Fetthas not approached. While both shows are undoubtedly popular, the ongoing series has struggled to fill the armored boots of its predecessors, because it never should have tried to fill the same space.
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These two series are extremely similar. They share a tone, anesthetic, and a significant percentage of cast and crew.The Book of Boba Fett, despitebeing in the works for decades, could be most accurately described as a spin-off ofThe Mandalorian. Somehow, over the years, the iconic and fan-favorite character’s long-awaited solo project was usurped by something totally different. This flies in the face of the standard operating procedure of Disney’s take on theStar Warsfranchise. There’s a lesson in this ongoing event, but it’s a lesson that the franchise has refused to learn before and will refuse to learn again now. The fact is,The Mandaloriandid something that nothing in the franchise has accomplished in years and so far,The Book of Boba Fettis a massive step backward.
Star Warshas been a pop-culture empire for longer than most of its fans have been alive. The awful truth of the franchise is that,depending on personal taste, there are more bad entries than there are good ones.The Mandalorianwas a groundbreaking moment forStar Wars, a new horizon that was universally beloved among fans and free from the divisiveness of the modern trilogy.
It accomplished this feat through stunningly simple means;The Mandalorianis the firstStar Warsproject in years that’s entirely original. It isn’t relying on a beloved character’s name recognition, it’s not something people have been demanding for decades, and its entire presentation is brand new to the franchise.The Mandaloriantakes the novel approach ofcreating new characters and letting themhave their own adventure in the beloved galaxy far away.The Book of Boba Fettfalls prey to almost every trap thatThe Mandalorianwisely avoided.
The Book of Boba Fettis the culmination of multiple failed attempts to give the famed bounty hunter a solo project.Boba Fett was a minor characterin the original trilogy who attained a new life as a fan favorite thanks to his excellent design, fun role in the narrative, and mysterious presence. Unfortunately, no mystery can exist in a blockbuster franchise today, at least not for long. As the movies and series must march on,Star Warsfalls back more and more on characters they already know have established fanbases.
To avoid retreading old ground, they have dramatized every moment of a character’s life, and eventually, even that runs out. Han Solo already had his solo project. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and evenRogue Oneside character Cassian Andor are on their way to the same dubious honor. These projects are often solid, and they will likely continue to be good in the future, but even when they succeed, they don’t inspire.
A full half ofThe Book of Boba Fettis given over to settling the canon fate of the character after the events ofReturn of the Jedi. Even though the showdoes introduce new charactersand concepts on occasion, it is dominated by callbacks and old news. It takes place almost entirely on the franchise’s favorite planet Tatooine, most of its main cast consists of returning characters, and the whole piece feels bizarrely done before. Even its space-western aesthetic is borrowed from the show it spun off from. That series clearly provided the bones for theBook of Boba Fett, and it also provided a clear lesson of how shows like this can go wrong.
The most controversial point ofThe Mandaloriancomes at the end of season 2 when the series reintroduces old characters to a previously original narrative. Suddenly Din Djarin and his entourage of ragtag space criminals are standing by while Boba Fettand Luke Skywalker becomethe major draw. This is probably the biggest misstep the series makes, but throughout its first season and most of its second, it’s dedicated to being original.
Whenever Disney doesn’t know what to do withStar Wars, it runs back to the comfort zone of recognizable characters and “remember this” fanservice. WithThe Mandalorian, Favreau and company created a groundbreaking story that enthralled fans andmade a new name for itselfwithin the beloved franchise.The Book of Boba Fettretread that ground and added in a mountain of overdone callbacks. It should be clear why the new series simply can’t live up to the show that spawned it.
