War has finally broken out among the Syndicate and Boba Fett, as this action-packed episode concludes the season, leaving Star Wars in the balance as to what comes next.
The finale of The Book of Boba Fett wastes no time with getting into its action. There is a moment of negotiation, where Fett is taunted by his former enemy, Cad Bane. Once this is done, Fett encounters the painful realisation that he is heavily outgunned in the upcoming fight but decides to not only hold out for the good of his people, but also hold out in the town.
That is the mark of a respectful ruler. The action sequence with him and Din fighting side by side is what the audience has been waiting for all season, and it doesn’t disappoint. Both take on several foes, and when one becomes stunned the other covers. Respect for his community is what gets Fett out of this situation alive.
Whilst Boba Fett is the titular character of the series, the last two episodes have demonstrated that they are willing to shift focus to other characters and leave Boba out of the action. This idea is continued somewhat in this episode as well, while Fett enjoys a much larger role in the story this time, he is easily lost in the cascade of characters. This unfortunately shows a lack of focus on the character, which is a shame for a character with such a huge following.
The other characters that get some of the spotlights are generally well liked, Krrsantan gets more of an action sequence, as well as Din and Grogu who get to share a touching moment when the pair reunite; the villages of Freetown also get to showcase their fighting skills. But there are a few characters that end up being quite annoying. The Major-domo somehow survives the episode, despite his overly talkative demeanour. There are several points any of the characters could have shot him, and it’s a shame none of them took the opportunity. The Mods also survive the episode, despite being pinned down and heavily outmatched.
There are some subtle but appreciated references in this final instalment. The tank droids that the Pykes use have an insectoid design and shield array that are instantly comparable to the Droidekas used by the Separatists during the Clone Wars, perhaps even representing an evolution in design.
The duel Fett has with Bane not only pays off themes and ideas set up in previous episodes but also in unfinished arcs of the Clone Wars, tipping the hat to anyone who closely followed that series. The audience got Fett riding the Rancor like the Night Witches of Dathomir, but because important bonding scenes were left out, it feels somewhat rushed. More than a few pages are missing from this book.
One of the biggest disappointments of this finale is the post credits scene, which is very underwhelming. While it is nice to have confirmation that Cobb Vanth is still alive, the audience was awaiting a teaser for an upcoming Star Wars project. When the end of Mandalorian Season Two teased this series, audiences were left talking about it for weeks.
This just isn’t the case here. It’s both surprising and disappointing, leaving the audience and the franchise in limbo, waiting on any official announcement from Lucasfilm about their upcoming projects. They are being unnecessarily cagy, sapping away from any hype they could be building.
Overall, this finale is average. It doesn’t top the stakes or excitement of The Mandalorian Season Two, mainly because elements of story are missing. A lack of overall focus on the titular character’s story has been the main stumbling block all season, and the finale is not only partially emblematic of this issue but also comes too late to fix it.
The Book Of Boda Fett is available to stream on Disney+
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: Lucasfilm/Disney