Strong characters never die, at least not in the movies. When last we saw the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter, back in Return of the Jedi in 1983, he was unceremoniously dumped into the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine. Since then he’s refused to die, at least in the minds of fans across the decades, who have speculated on Fett’s survival and eventual emergence from the Sarlacc.
In Disney’s season two of The Mandalorian, Fett’s survival became canon, as they say. Now, with The Book of Boba Fett, a seven-episode series from Disney that debuted in late December 2021, the story continues. Played by the same actor who played his father in Attack of the Clones (2002), Temuera Morrison, this Boba Fett seems much older than the one who was disposed of so easily only a few years ago (in terms of Star Wars chronology). Morrison is around 60 years old during the time of filming; the events in the show take place around 9 ABY (after the battle of Yavin in Return of the Jedi), so he should technically be in his early 40s, as he was born 32 years before Yavin. Perhaps getting partially digested by the Sarlacc, and then spending 9 years hanging around with Tusken raiders have aged him, and no disrespect to Mr. Morrison, but this Boba Fett seems somewhat diminished at this point. He spends time in a healing chamber; he loses fights and gets wounded. How will he not only survive, but hang onto his new role as the replacement for crime lord Jabba the Hutt?
I do think that if a younger actor played Boba Fett, his journey from the wilderness to crime lord would make more sense, as at this point in time he’s still so new to his role that mistakes will be made, he will be forced to grow and assert himself. With six episodes to go, it will be interesting to see how this story develops. He does have a loyal (at the moment) associate, the assassin Fennec Shand, but will she remain loyal for long? He’ll face takeover attempts, assassination attempts, and other dangers, for as he says, he seeks to rule with respect, not fear. I fear that in the underworld, respect doesn’t keep you on top of the hill for long.
Could another actor have played Boba Fett? Sure, it would have disappointed loyal fans, but there are limits to fandom, especially where art is concerned. Nostalgia, here, has won the day. It’s a nod to the modern fanboy culture, with its callbacks and easter eggs, and the reluctance to let go and experience with new ideas. It’s the reason the newer Star Wars movies failed, in my opinion, as they just couldn’t let go of old characters. Then again, we’re about to see two more Star Wars shows with old characters – Obi Wan and Ashoka. What made The Mandalorian so unique was the brand new character, yet in a familiar universe. I wish the powers at Disney/Star Wars would see that as a way to explore newer stories, and not strip mine old ones.
