Book of Boba Fett - season ending episode review.
As I am once again in procrastination mode, I will take on one of the really big issues of the day: The Season-ending episode of "The Book of Boba Fett!" Reviewers are deeply divided. Below is a link to a very positive review. But it's easy enough to find negative ones (I link to one in at the end).
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-book-of-boba-fett-episode-7-review
Here are my own thoughts (which include plot spoilers - so be WARNED):
The positive:
- This was a fun and exciting episode to watch! The battle was dramatic, and there were a few genuinely moving scenes, most notably Grogu's reunion with Mando. My attention virtually never wavered, which can't be said for some of the earlier episodes.
- Grogu chooses Mando over Luke Skywalker and the Jedi! And I think the viewers are meant to sympathize with this decision, and consider it right. This is an obvious critique of the cruel Jedi ideology of non-attachment (particularly raising children that way). It also solves key plotholes left over from "The Mandalorian," such as why Grogu isn't helping Luke fight the First Order in the sequel movies, and why we don't see any of Luke's other students aid the resistance in that conflict. Presumably, Luke and Ahsoka Tano nix the idea of building a new Jedi school after Grogu rejects them. Also, Grogu must have given Luke bad scores on the student evaluation form! That, in turn, deterred future applicants:).
- There were some notable homages and twists on iconic past movies, including "The Magnificent Seven," "King Kong," and more. But with the possible exception of the Rancor imitating Kong, it all worked well.
- We see the payoff from Boba Fett's laborious efforts to develop relationships of trust with a variety of allies, including Fennec, the Rancor, the big Wookiee, and others.
Negative and miscellaneous observations:
- Once again, small arms in the Star Wars universe are remarkably primitive and ineffective. For a civilization that has faster than light travel, it's remarkable their firearms actually have less firepower than infantry weapons that we have today. Also, very few of their troops can shoot straight. The Pyke Syndicate forces are only slightly more competent than Storm Troopers in that regard!
- At the end, Fennec Shand VERY easily disposes of the Pyke Syndicate leaders and their bodyguards all by herself. If Boba had simply sent her to do that before the battle, much trouble could have been avoided, and many lives saved.
- Much of the moral ambiguity of the early episodes of this season seems to go by the wayside here. Boba and his allies are obviously the good guys, and the Pykes and Cad Bane are villains. However, there is this fly in the ointment:
The conflict arises from a situation similar to the War on Drugs! The Pykes offer to leave Boba and his friends alone so long as the Syndicate gets to continue its spice trade. Why not just let them? Is preventing this really worth all the death and destruction that happens in Episode 7 (hundreds are killed, Most of Mos Espa gets destroyed). Boba and the Freetowners rationalize this by pointing to the supposedly destructive effects of the Spice (though these are never really explained). Perhaps the substance is unhealthy and/or addictive. But even if it is, trying to suppress it is unlikely to help matters. And the history of the War on Drugs shows that eliminating one set of illegal dealers (here, the Pykes) just leads to the emergence of others. And organized crime, in one form or another, will continue to be involved. - Cad Bane is suitably menacing and creepy, and has lots of great lines. But his strategy doesn't make a lot of sense. Also, for someone whose main goal is to look out for himself and avoid unnecessary risks, it's strange that he takes on a risky one on one duel with Boba, even though he could probably have just escaped.
- While we see much more of Boba Fett and his crew in this episode than the last two, it still sets up the next season of "The Mandalorian" better than it sets up the next season of its own show. Mando and Grogu are set for some exciting new adventures! By contrast, most of Boba's Tatooine plotlines seem to be resolved. Perhaps Season 2 will feature him trying to get his tributary population to plant new types of crops in the desert, so they won't be tempted to get into the illegal spice trade!
- Speaking of "The Mandalorian," while Grogu has rejected the Jedi, he clearly has developed substantial Force powers, and will get more as he grows up. Presumably, he has an incredibly high Midchlorian count! This raises the question of why he doesn't play more of a role in subsequent history.
- Even more on "The Mandalorian": the flaws in the Jedi ideology should not obscure those we have seen in the more extremist versions of the Mandalorian world view (e.g. - never taking off your helmet!). Mando seems to have forgotten the hard-earned lessons of Season 2 of "The Mandalorian" on that score. Perhaps Grogu will remind him in Season 3!
- The fact that so much of the above is actually about Mando and Grogu is a sign that Book of Boba Fett still has a ways to go in establishing its independent identity. Being a subplot of another show is NOT the way - at least not in the long run.
A negative review : https://www.gamesradar.com/book-of-boba-fet-episode-7-review-recap-star-wars