Book of Boba Fett twist just helped fix the show's biggest problem

The Book of Boba Fett episode 3 spoilers follow.

The Book of Boba Fett should have always been a page-turner. This is Boba's first solo venture, after all, and a Star Wars legend as iconic as him deserves nothing but the best. Yet opinions on the show have been divided thus far.

For every fan who's become obsessed with Boba Fett's intricate world-building, there's another who's already tired of the flashbacks just two episodes in.

At first, they felt necessary. Episode one kicked things off by explaining precisely how Boba Fett survived his "death" in Return of the Jedi, all those many years ago. This was always to be expected given how little we actually know about his past, but the flashbacks didn't stop there.

Last week's chapter leaned even heavier into the past with origin scenes that took up almost two thirds of the episode. While they did a great job of finally humanising the Tusken Raiders following their mistreatment in the films, this admittedly fun nostalgia-fest also pulled focus from the main narrative, which is where the most important storyline actually takes place.

Just as The Twins and Black Krrsantan took centre stage in episode two, Boba then submerged us all again in the bacta tank with an even longer flashback that took us all the way to the end credits.

Was the trippy nose lizard a highlight? Of course. But did we want to see more of Boba's feud with the Hutts, not to mention everyone's new favourite Wookiee? Of course we did. Yet instead of striking a balance between the past and the present, The Book of Boba Fett's second episode created a frustrating disconnect between the two.

That's not to say the flashbacks aren't important. Each glimpse into the past fleshes Boba's character out further, and the two eras will almost certainly collide in spectacular fashion by the end. However, prioritising the backstory over what's happening right now detracts from key characters like Fennec Shand who still have very little to do on a show where they share top billing.

Thankfully though, it looks like that might all be in the past, for want of a better term. Just as episode three threatened to slow things down with yet another over-extended flashback, Boba's nap-time is rudely interrupted by Krrsantan as he rips him out of the tank and tries to kill him in his pants.

While the writers obviously didn't plan this twist in response to weekly fan reactions, this violent switch from the past to the present does almost feel like a direct response to that backlash. And from this point on, 'The Streets of Mos Espa' is firmly set in the present, much to the relief of those who have grown tired of seeing this story sidelined up to this point.

It's at this point that The Book of Boba Fett truly comes alive. And no, we're not just talking about the arrival of that adorable Rancor calf, or even that high-speed chase through the town.

By devoting more time to Boba's struggles in the present, this show's drive and direction has finally begun to crystallise in a meaningful way. Yes, this is still a Western firmly entrenched in the Star Wars universe, much like The Mandalorian. But Boba's feud with The Twins and The Pykes — not to mention that Big Bad cliffhanger — begins to cement this show as the crime saga it was always meant to be.

With its eyes seemingly set now more on the future, The Book of Boba Fett has the potential to really do this character justice in the back half of season one. And if Temuera Morrison is to be believed, we might be heading for something truly special and perhaps even game-changing by the time episode seven closes the book on this particular chapter.

The Book of Boba Fett season 1 airs new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

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David Opie

After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival. 

In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.

David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.

Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends. 

As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound. 

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