The new Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett premiered this week, and it is full of easter eggs and references to older Star Wars films. Whether you are a new viewer in need of some context or a seasoned Star Wars fan, we could all use a little refresher. The far-reaching Star Wars universe offers a great variety of settings and characters, but it can be difficult to keep all of the times and places straight.
The first episode of The Book of Boba Fett orients viewers through flashbacks. We see the rainy planet of Kamino and a young Boba Fett (later played by Temuera Morrison) holding his father's helmet. The Kaminoans used their cloning technology to create many copies of Jango Fett that the Republic used to fight against the Separatists during the Clone Wars. As part of his payment, Jango requested one clone that he could raise as a son, and Boba Fett was created.
The Book of Boba Fett takes place long after the child from Attack of the Clones grew up. It picks up where The Mandalorian season two left off, with Boba in a new position of power on Tatooine. All of these events take place sometime after the fall of the empire in Return of the Jedi but well before the political conflict in The Force Awakens. Here are some of the details you may have missed in the first episode to help catch you up.
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Escaping the Sarlacc Pit
Since Boba Fett made his appearance in The Mandalorian's second season, fans have speculated as to how Boba escaped the Sarlacc pit. (In the opening scene of Return of the Jedi, Boba is swallowed by a sand monster called a Sarlacc, which slowly digests its victims over 1,000 years.) In the comic books by J.D. Montgomery, Boba escapes the Sarlacc pit by using telepathy to trick the Sarlacc into activating Boba's jetpack. Then Boba creates a path out with grenades. However, in the series, Boba escapes with no psychic link required. He tears himself free and uses a flame thrower to burn a hole out.
We can't be sure when exactly he reemerges from the pit. However, we do see the abandoned wreckage of Jabba's transport in the background. The bounty hunter must have escaped not long after the events of Return of the Jedi, but long enough after that scavengers have already come and gone.
Mos Espa
Boba takes control of the palace in Mos Espa during this episode. Mos Espa is in many ways the commercial center of Tatooine. It is one of the few cities in the outer rim properly equipped to allow ships to dock and take off. This city is where Anakin Skywalker grew up and is home to podracing and cantinas. All of Tatooine's deserts can blend together, but Mos Espa should not be confused with Mos Eisley where Obi-wan and Luke found Han Solo.
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Tusken Raiders/Sand People
There are few stories that spotlight the Sand People of Tatooine as they are highlighted here. Fans will remember the Tusken Raiders as the hostile tribes that attacked Luke and R2-D2 in A New Hope. Boba's initial encounter with the Sand People in this episode shows the brutality Tusken Raiders are known for, as they capture Boba and take him as a slave. Boba's experience brings to light new information about the inner workings of their tribes, showing the Sand People as creatures who protect their own and struggle to find water. Their pet, the Massif, is a vicious creature that helps them hunt.
There are whispers online that the leader of the Sand Tribe in this episode could be Darth Krayt. Darth Krayt is a man from Star Wars legends raised by the Sand People who studies the way of the force and becomes a powerful Sith Lord. The dark robes of the tribe leader certainly leave room for speculation. However, the episode reveals so little that it is too soon to make any predictions.
Bacta Tank and Boba's Throne
Characters all over the galaxy have used Bacta Tanks to heal serious wounds; Luke Skywalker uses a Bacta Tank to recover from hypothermia and other injuries in The Empire Strikes Back. Throughout the episode, we see Boba sleeping in a Bacta Tank, which means he probably has some severe injuries. This is unsurprising given his cutthroat lifestyle, but still leaves the audience questioning the extent of his wounds.
Boba's old age could become a reoccurring theme in the show. He is wise and deliberate about his political strategy, but maybe that experience comes with a cost. Or maybe something in his battles gave him a more serious wound than we realized.
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In the end credit scene for The Mandalorian season two, Boba Fett and Fennec easily took over the palace from Bib Fortuna. When Boba takes his place on the throne it suits him well… surprisingly well. The writing on the throne is in an ancient Sith language. It loosely translates to "Boba Fett."
Characters
Many of the minor characters in this episode tie directly back to the original trilogy. Boba Fett hires Gamorrean Guards that were formidable protectors for Jabba the Hutt. The hulking green mountains of muscle are known for their strength and combat skills. They show a little of that in this premier when the Gamorreans helped fight off an ambush.
We know from The Mandalorian that Cobb Vanth purchased Boba's armor, but we didn't know how Boba lost it. In this episode, Boba passes out after escaping the Sarlacc pit. While he is unconscious the Jawas steal his valuable armor. These Jawas are the same creatures that captured R2D2 in A New Hope. They are likely the same creatures that sold the armor to Cobb Vanth.
The droid which introduces new characters to Boba at the palace was Jabba's torture droid in Return of the Jedi. However, Boba doesn't seem to share Jabba's cruelty; Boba himself said that he "intends to rule with respect, not fear." So, we may not be seeing this torture droid again anytime soon.
When Boba and Fennec enter the cantina, they walk into a joyful atmosphere complete with live music. Fans of the original trilogy will recognize Max Rebo playing in this episode as the same member of the Max Rebo Band which serenaded Jabba the Hutt from the original trilogy; even Figrin D'an (from A New Hope) seems to be jamming with them as they perform a groovy remix of the classic cantina song. All in all, the premier of The Book of Boba Fett excitingly intertwines various threads within the Star Wars universe.