The war against the Pyke Syndicate heats up in the streets of Tatooine as former bounty hunter, now Daiymo, Boba Fett plans for war.
Thanks to the power vacuum caused by Jabba the Hutt’s death and Bib Fortuna’s lackadaisical leadership, Boba needs to consult with the families of Mos Espa in order to combat the threat from the Pykes who stand poised to take over Tatooine and use it for the spice trade. He also is going to need all the help he can get and it has been alluded as to whom he’s going to turn to.
Warning: Spoilers ahead
Chapter four, “The Gathering Storm,” is the episode where everything at this point comes full circle in Boba Fett’s latest arc. The episode reveals a reason why Boba decided to retire from the bounty hunter profession after spending years in the belly of the sarlaac and being acclimated into the Tusken Raider culture.
Boba’s epiphany on the bounty hunter profession beings In another flashback scene in which he travels to Jabba’s Palace to recover his Firespray ship. While camping out near the palace at night, Boba notices the events that occurred during “The Mandalorian’s” season one, chapter five episode. He finds and rescues Fennec Shand from dying in the sands of Tatooine, after she was shot by Toro Calican.
Fennec is restored with the help of a Mod Artist from the outskirts of Mos Eisley who gives her cybernetics. After Fennec recovers, Boba reveals to her his identity which she quickly dismisses claiming that Boba Fett was dead. Boba agrees by telling her that they were both “left for dead in the sands of Tatooine.”
He also mentions being a part of the Tusken Raider tribe and blaming himself for them getting killed by the Nikto Biker Gang. He then asks for Fennec’s help in recovering his Firespray gunship which she agrees to as long as it settles her debt since right now, the bounty on her head is huge. This is where the partnership between Fett and Shand begins.
It is around this time that Boba shares his views on the bounty hunter profession with Fennec. He tells Fennec that being a bounty hunter has made him “tired of working for idiots who are gonna get me killed.” He notes that after he recovers his armor, which is in possession of Cobb Vanth at this time, he’s going to kill Bib Fortuna and take over Jabba’s criminal empire. Boba also notes that he was ready to leave hunting behind after the Tuskens took him in. Fennec comments that people like the “don’t get to decide when they’re finished.”
After Boba and Fennec infiltrate Jabba’s Palace and recover the Firespray-Gunship, I found the scene in which Boba tells Fennec that there are many advantages to having people think that he is dead was a callback to Captain Rex of the “Clone Wars” animated series. Rex, also a clone of Jango Fett, told the defective clones of Clone Force 99 in an episode of “The Bad Batch” a similar quote to explain why he had kept a low profile during the rise of the Galactic Empire.
Boba enacts revenge on the Nikto bike gang by using his ship to kill them and flies the ship to the sarlacc pit to retrieve his armor. While landing the ship toward the pit, the sarlacc’s tentacles grab a hold of it. Boba tries shooting the sarlacc while Fennec uses the sonic charge to drop it into the creature’s mouth which instantly kills it. After killing the sarlacc, Boba comes out of the pit empty-handed without his beskar armor. Fennec tells Boba that the armor had served its purpose by keeping him alive and that he is in need of a bacta tank since he is burning from the acid.
After the events of the sarlacc, Boba continues to tell Fennec of his plans to abandon the bounty hunter business and to rule his own house. He recruits Fennec to be the brains and muscle in his operation. Boba mentions once more he is tired of bounty hunters like him and Fennec being sent to do the dirty work for their bosses. Fennec also comments that Boba’s time with the Tuskens had made him soft. The former bounty hunter comments that the time he spent with the Tuskens has made him stronger. He also offers her a share of his success and vows to protect her life. After this, several more flashbacks of Boba returning to Jabba’s Palace and killing Bib Fortuna appear.
Seeing this episode reminded me of the character of Boba Fett being seen as a lone gunman that is independent of the organizations of the galaxy. A man of few words who just gets the job done regardless of who pays him. As long as he is paid, that’s all that matters. And that is why so many people gravitated to Boba. We see some of ourselves in the bounty hunter since we do not like the idea of being bossed around. We want to call our own shots and have our own freedom. I also feel that there is a bit of George Lucas in Fett.
When George Lucas made “Star Wars,” he was an independent filmmaker and did not want to be at the mercy of the studios in Hollywood. He was a man who just wanted to make movies. Lucas was able to have almost every studio produce “Star Wars” content including 20th Century Fox with the original and prequel trilogies and Warner Bros. with the “Clone Wars” series. That was until he sold the rights of “Star Wars” to Disney.
The next scene goes back to the present day with Boba emerging out of the bacta tank. Boba is declared fully healed and meets with Fennec who tells him that the mayor’s majordomo is telling her everything regarding the Pykes. Boba warns that power hates a vacuum
Boba goes to Garsa Fwips catina to recruit the wookie gladiator Black Krrsantan to be a part of his Empire. The Black Krrsantan scene was another scene that mirrors Boba’s view on the bounty hunting profession. Black Krrsantan is shown sitting at the catina while glaring at a group of Trandoshans. Fans who have read deep into the “Star Wars” lore know that the Wookies have a resentment towards Trandoshans since they later group would enslave wookies and sell them. And like Boba. Krrsantan was used as a pawn to do the dirty work of those who hired him. And there is no doubt that Krrsantan was almost killed or harmed while doing the bidding of employers like Jabba or the Galactic Empire. He did not see the Trandoshans he had encountered as any different from them.
Krrsantan proceeds to make short work of the Trandoshan gamblers and despite gaining praise from Garsa regarding his past illustrious careers as a gladiator, the ruthless wookie rips the arm off one of the gamblers and leaves the cantina while Boba looks on and follows him. The Daimyo offers the former gladiator a job under his empire and Krrsantan accepts.
Towards the end of the episode, Boba gathers all the families of Mos Espa to explain the situation involving the Pykes who stand ready to take over Tatooine and drain the planet of its wealth by making it a trade route for spice. Dokk Strassi, ironically Fett’s former employer, mentions that the families do make money off the sale of spice. AKlantooian interjects by asking Fett what is preventing everyone from killing the Daiymo and taking what they want. Suddenly, Fett’s rancor slams his claw from underneath the table which scares everyone, except Fett and Fennec.
Fett proposes a defensive alliance to fight off the Pykes. However, several of the families are against the idea. The Klantooian even mentions that the Pykes only threaten Fett’s territory. It is here the Boba tells them that he will fight the Pykes alone to rid them from Tatooine and keep the streets safe. He also tells the families to remain neutral in the fight should the Pykes come to them to betray him. After deliberating, the crime families agree with Fett’s terms.
In the final scene above the citadel of Jabba’s Palace overlooking the Dune Sea, Fennec asks if the families would keep their word. Fett answers that he expects them to work in their own self-interests and that regardless, they were gonna have to prepare for war. Fennec mentions that Boba is going to need a lot of muscle and that since he has a lot of credits, he can find that muscle if he knows where to look. And when those words are mentioned, the Mandalorian’s theme can be heard as the scene cuts to a close.
Does this mean the return of Din Djarin in the next episode? Will he be willing to help Boba take on the Pyke Syndicate? After all, Boba did play a role in helping Din rescue Grogu from the clutches of Moff Gideon. And Din is no stranger to taking on forces bigger than he since he practically took on the Empire while on the run with Grogu.
“The Book of Boba Fett” is streaming online in Disney +.
