The newest episode of The Book of Boba Fett continues the story after the series premiere, where assassins attacked crime lord Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand. In this episode, Boba and Fennec interrogate one of the assassins, who is revealed to be working with the Order of the Night Wind, a highly regarded group operating within Hutt Space. After the underwhelming series opener, “Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tattooine” is a mild improvement over its predecessor, with ideas that are just beginning to be fleshed out.
After a loving tribute to Return of the Jedi, where an assassin is dropped into the rancor pit, we learn that Mok Shaiz, the mayor of Mos Espa, hired the assassin. Shaiz denies this and sends our characters to Garsa’s Sanctuary, where we are introduced to the Twins, cousins of Jabba the Hutt who want to claim Jabba’s throne. In addition, we’re introduced to a Wookiee bounty hunter named Black Krrsantan, who initially appeared in comics. When Boba refuses, the Twins withdraw.
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The present-day storyline, with Boba making a name for himself as a crime lord while facing opposition and a threat to his life, is serviceable. The show is continuing to build the world with the introduction of the Order of the Night Wind, but so far, the storyline has not been very compelling. The character relationships remain in the same place they have always been, with Fennec getting a few lines and moments of charm here and there but not being fully realized as a character beyond what we’ve seen from her in The Mandalorian and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. There are some mysteries to be solved, but the present-day storyline has generally been unexciting.
But the series appears to be getting acclimated to its nonlinear structure, once again featuring Boba entering the bacta tank and dreaming of his past. The Tuskens train Boba in combat and survival and are soon ambushed by a Pyke Syndicate spice train. This leads to Boba arriving at the Tosche Station, where he encounters Laze Loneozner and Camie Marstrap, a character who first appeared in deleted scenes from A New Hope. As Boba steals speeders from a gang, we get a showcase of his power and how dangerous he is. The action sequence is exceptionally directed by Steph Green, and it leads to Boba teaching the Tuskens how to ride the speeders.
As the Pykes return to attack the Tuskens again, we get the best action set piece of the series so far. Boba and the Tuskens stop the train in a thrilling sequence that gets better and more intense as the train gets faster and faster. After it ends, Boba prevents the Pykes from entering the Tuskens’ territory in the future without paying a toll. As he gives these terms, we see the beginnings of Boba’s intention to rule with respect, and the growing trust between Boba and the Tuskens is fascinating.
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The Book of Boba Fett has started to find its footing. Admittedly, taking a villain from the original Star Wars trilogy and making him the protagonist of a TV series is an intriguing concept that doesn’t immediately make him the most sympathetic character. Furthermore, it can be difficult for audiences to connect with the Tuskens as they don’t have facial expressions, speak Galactic Basic, or feel distinct from one another. So far, the flashbacks have been more compelling than the present-day storyline, but the show may do more exciting things in the future. This is a slower, more distinct flavor of Star Wars than what we’re used to, but it has the promise of becoming a fan favorite.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
