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The Book of Boba Fett Chapter Three: The Streets of Mos Espa

No hard feelings. It's just business. Take it from an ex-bounty hunter, don't work for scugholes. It's not worth it.

Boba Fett continues to fall into the Sarlaac pit of Tatooine politics and manages to expand his family in a riveting episode.

My first review said I was somewhat disappointed by what seemed to be to be a straightforward plot.

I believe the phrase is 'eating crow.'

This episode, while a bit of a mixed bag, did indeed continue to see us sink into the deeper machinations of Tatooine and Mos Espa as Boba Fett tries to figure out how to consolidate and cement his power. This episode also continues the past/present split in the storylines. I have to admit that there's a LOT of information in this episode and I had to rewatch a couple of times. 8D8 explains there's lots of people fighting for power, and none of them – the Transoshans, Aqualish and Klatooinians – are the Hutts, Pykes or working for Mok Shaiz. I need a visual map to follow all the interactions.

In the past Boba is trying to cement a relationship with the Pikes and get them to pay for protection to the Tusken raiders; the Pikes set him against another gang, and when Boba returns to the Tuskens, he finds the entire tribe is killed. This last part was difficult for me to understand because Boba is almost completely emotionless throughout.

In the present, we get some new characters when Boba is asked by a local water seller to investigate a theft. I loved seeing Boba going to check out a request from a local as Daimyo, realizing the local was actually the oppressor, and hiring the oppressed – Boba taking his helmet off to nod at one of the outspoken youth was a nice moment. When the group of oppressed, grubby cyborg teen gangsters accepted the job offer, and... turned around and ran onto their individually colored, perfectly clean hover-scooters which looked somewhat expensive... the set up started to get a little unconvincing. What for me is cool is that this series is the first Star Wars series to really be location based so we're getting a deeper look into planetary Star Wars culture than I can think of ever seeing elsewhere.

Boba gets attacked by an assassin: Black Krrsantan, the Wookie from the previous episode! In an awesome fight Boba, then the team of teens – let's call them The Rainbow Raiders – and Fennec Shand have to fight him off, but can only barely do so – Shand manages to trap him. I loved the Hutts showing up right then to apologize and... withdraw their bid to control Mos Espa? They also give Boba a rancor of his own. You can see the happy tears in Boba's eyes as he and the rancor cement their love. The Hutts also imply there's war coming, and that whoever's leading the war is more powerful than they are. Now this could be a triple-betrayal, with the Hutts actually just setting their enemies against each other to prevail in the end. At this point it's anyone's game.

Boba and the crew try to speak to the Mayor, but the Mayor seems gone; instead the Majordomo Twi'lek tries to escape futilely from Mos Espa. I have to admit I loved the chase scene, everything from that one cyborg trying to attack the Fleeing Flunky with... a cybernetic stiletto heel?... to the painting of Jabba the Hutt getting turned to smithereens. The chase seems somewhat pointless though – Boba pops out of the sky at the end, and it's clear he and his team have the upper hand. The Majordomo doesn't have good news though: war is coming, and it's with the Pykes. Revenge from the bikers attacked in the previous episode, from the Pykes, or – something else?

Hey did you see–

Tattooine was apparently once entirely covered with water.

I liked that Boba sent the Gammorian guard to the Bacta tank before him to heal.

Fennec Shand didn't get a lot to do in this episode. I think she might end up training the Raiders.

Danny Trejo, AKA Breacher from Flash, shows up as the rancor trainer. Permanently? Hope so.

Recorded by the Protocol Droid

Boba Fett: My name is Boba Fett.
Drash: We know who you are. Go back to your palace.
Boba Fett: Watch your tongue. I'm the Daimyo of this district and I will bring order.
Drash: You're a crime boss. Just like the rest of them.
Skad: If you're a Daimyo, then why'd you let the monger charge us a month's wages for a week's water?
Drash: Not that we have any wages.
Boba Fett: You live in the Worker's District. You all should be working.
Drash: There is no work, mighty Daimyo. Look around you.
Boba Fett: Then you will work for me. You got guts, I'll give you that. You better fight as good as you talk dank.

Boba Fett: I have to send a message.
Fennec Shand: You already did. They sent Krrsantan to kill you. And now he's locked up in your dungeon. I say... you wait for them to show their hand.
Boba Fett: These are Hutts. Waiting will only give them another opportunity so strike again.

Overall

I'm giving this four out of five shiny Rainbow Raider speeder bikes.

2 comments:

  1. I liked this one a little less than you, I think. The Rainbow Raiders were a little cringey to me. They didn't feel like they fit with their bright, shiny motorcycles and their Hot Topic punk outfits. Also the whole tribe was massacred off-screen? Just like that? Really? I'm very disappointed.

    I did like the rancor, though! I kept expecting it to be some kind of trick with Danny Trejo stabbing Boba in the back or something, but the rancor itself was gorgeous. So well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hot Topic made me laugh, Fangirl, you're right. The shiny scooters were an issue to me too. I mean, I was like, couldn't you guys be delivering pizza or something?

      I felt weird about the rancor too, but I liked how it worked out. The rancor actually seems kind of sweet!

      IDK if it was the whole tribe. I was looking for some members whose bodies I didn't see. You know the Billie rule, Josie's Law - if you don't see a body, don't believe anyone is dead.

      Delete

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