Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Book of Boba Fett episode 2
The Book of Boba Fett makes Anakin Skywalker's Tusken Raider massacre in Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones even more unforgivable. Despite coming from a place of grief and deep rage due to the loss of his mother, Anakin's justifications are proven immensely wrong not only in episodes of The Mandalorian but now in the latest episodes of The Book of Boba Fett as well. Not only does the new series de-vilify the Sand People, but they're also more humanized than anything that's ever been seen before in the Star Wars galaxy.
In Attack of the Clones, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker began having visions of his mother suffering and in pain while he was protecting Senator Padmé Amidala. Agreeing to join him, Padmé travels with Anakin back to his homeworld of Tatooine to check on his mother, only to discover that Shmi Skywalker had been taken by Tusken Raiders. Hunting down the tribe, Anakin Skywalker finds his mother only for her to die moments later. This generates an extremely vengeful response from Anakin, murdering every Tusken Raider he can find (including the women and children).
While Anakin claimed that he slaughtered the Tuskens like animals because that's all they were in his eyes, he couldn't be further from the truth, especially after The Book of Boba Fett episode 2. As Fett discovers during his time living with the Tuskens, the Sand People have an ancestral birthright not only to the various desert territories of Tatooine but also to its scarce waters (hence their attacks on moisture farmers they see as intruders). A proud and noble clan of warriors, Boba earns the Tuskens' respect and trust, becoming one of them after his escape from the sarlacc. During his time with them, Boba discovers and adapts to their culture, proving that they're more than the savage animals Anakin slaughtered, making his massacre and first major step into the dark side even more unforgivable than it already was.
Remarkably, The Book of Boba Fett has been incredibly successful in humanizing the Sand People. While The Mandalorian season 2 began this reveal when Din Djarin brokered a truce between a tribe of Tuskens and a settlement of humans to defeat a krayt dragon, this new Star Wars show goes even further as Boba Fett has discovered their routines and daily lives. The flashbacks in the series have seen him integrating himself into their society and culture, showing that they've always been much more than savages or animals.
Naturally, the death of Anakin's mother was of course still tragic. However, Anakin's justifications for his revenge and slaughter of the entire tribe are now even more criminal and unforgivable. If there's one thing The Book of Boba Fett has done well thus far, it's showing that the Tusken Raiders are far more than just raiders. The Sand People are people with lives to be valued just like any other race of sentient beings in the Star Wars galaxy.
The Book of Boba Fett releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.
