Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett episode 2.
The Book of Boba Fett is making sense of why the former bounty hunter was so different when he returned to the franchise in The Mandalorian season 2. After serving as a cold-blooded antagonist to the main characters in the original Star Wars trilogy, Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) briefly battled Mando (Pedro Pascal) and emerged as an ally in his efforts to protect Baby Yoda.
Since his return, Boba Fett hasn't comes across as the villain he was in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. While he’s very much still a character who operates in morally grey areas, he transitioned into the role of an anti-hero in The Mandalorian season 2. The Disney+ series doubled down on Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ interpretation of Boba Fett as a character who has a capacity for acting in the interests of others, and not just in the pursuit of profit. Traditionally, Boba Fett is regarded as a character who follows a strict code, and though The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett have stayed true to that concept, it’s become abundantly clear that there are some differences between who he is now and who he was in the original movies.
The Mandalorian season 2 didn’t really provide an explanation for the change in his character, but The Book of Boba Fett appears to be making up for that. In addition to telling a story about Boba Fett taking over Jabba the Hutt’s criminal empire, Disney’s second live-action Star Wars TV series is offering a separate story that dives into the events that took place between Return of The Jedi’s ending and his return to the franchise in The Mandalorian. The currently unfolding storyline involving Boba Fett and the Tuskan Raiders suggests that by the end of the series, viewers will have a much better understanding of the changes made to his character.
The Book of Boba Fett has only released two episodes and a few clues have already been dropped. The bounty hunter losing a one-on-one battle with a Tusken Raider showed that despite how formidable the character is, he’s far from unbeatable. Boba Fett being humbled by one of the Tusken Raiders could have allowed him to reach the realization that he still has much to learn. Later, he was shown being accepted into the tribe. Rather try to leave the Sand People when he had the chance, he seemingly embraced their ways.
Living with the Tusken Raiders surely had a life-changing effect on Boba Fett, as it would naturally result in numerous adjustments to his lifestyle, and possibly his philosophy as well. The enlightenment he may have received and the time he spent in isolation from humanity could explain why he seems so much wiser in The Mandalorian. As The Book of Boba Fett continues, even more gaps could be filled in about what happened after the sarlacc pit.
The Book of Boba Fett releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney+.