Tamal Kundu
In its pilot episode, titled ‘Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land,’ ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ pays homage to feudal Japan and Samurai Culture, which have served as the major sources of inspirations behind the development of the ‘Star Wars’ franchise as a whole. It also solves the mystery of how Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) escaped from the Sarlacc pit.
As Boba assumes control of the criminal empire previously run by Jabba the Hutt, he encounters new challenges, including the hostile mayor of Mos Espa, Mok Shaiz. In flashback scenes, Boba’s life after the Sarlacc pit is depicted. Here is everything you need to know about the first episode of ‘The Book of Boba Fett.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Book of Boba Fett Episode 1 Recap
The series begins as Boba dreams about the past as he undergoes treatment inside a bacta pod. He recalls the ocean planet Kamino, where he was created. The dream shifts, and he is now clutching Jango Fett’s (also portrayed by Temuera Morrison) helmet after the latter was killed by Mace Windu. The dream shifts again, and Boba is now inside the Sarlacc. He is eventually taken captive by a tribe of Tatooine’s native Tusken Raiders or Sand People.
In the present time, Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) wakes him up to let him know that influential Tatooine personalities have arrived to pay tribute to him. They address him as “Daimyo,” a title historically used for the high-ranking feudal lords of Japan in real life. However, it appears that Mok Shaiz, the current mayor of Mos Espa, seeks to establish his own control over the spaceport and demands tribute from Boba instead.
Boba and Fennec later visit a business run by a twi’lek named Madam Garsa. Boba assures her that her business will continue to exist and thrive under his protection. After they come outside, they are ambushed by a group with shields and some kinds of electric batons. With the help of his newly recruited Gamorrean bodyguards and Fennec, Boba survives the attack. But as he suffers serious injuries, he instructs the Gamorreans to take him back to the bacta pod.
Meanwhile, Fennec chases down the remaining two attackers. She kills one by kicking him from the roof of a building to let the other know what a thin line he is treading now. As ordered, Boba is taken back to the bacta pod, and he resumes dreaming. He is taken to water harvesting by one of the Tusken children. The harvesting involves finding these black fruits in the sand. These fruits appear in ‘The Mandalorian’ in ‘Chapter 9: The Marshal’ (season 2 episode 1). These are probably black melons that have previously appeared in the ‘Star Wars’ transmedia franchise.
Suddenly, they are attacked by a six-limbed monster. Boba’s fellow captive, a Rodian, is killed. However, Boba saves the life of the Tusken child and kills the monster. After they return, the chief of the tribe shares his water with him. As water is revered in the Tusken culture, we can safely conclude that Boba has been accepted in the tribe.
The Book of Boba Fett Episode 1 Ending: How Did Boba Survive the Sarlacc Pit?
Despite his limited appearance and lines in the original trilogy, Boba Fett is one of the most popular characters of the ‘Star Wars’ franchise.’ In ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’ (1983), he tries to shoot Luke Skywalker with his MM9 mini concussion rocket launcher, but Han Solo accidentally damages his jetpack which leads to Boba falling into the pit.
The series premiere of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ reveals how exactly he survived. He wakes up inside the Sarlacc and spots a dead Stormtrooper. He uses their oxygen to breathe before burning his way out of the creature with his ZX miniature flame projector. While he is unconscious, the Jawas steal his armor. He wakes up in the middle of it, but one of the little thieves knocks him out. Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) later got the armor from the Jawas in exchange for a camtono worth of silicax oxalate crystals. It seems the acid mark on the armor has come from the Sarlacc’s stomach acids.
Boba is eventually discovered by the Tuskens, who keep him captive. At one point, he tries to escape. He subdues the massif placed there to guard the captives, but the Rodian mentioned above draws the attention of their captors by shouting. Although Boba tries to run away, the Tuskens eventually catch up to him. One of their warriors has a one-on-one fight with Boba and easily defeats him.
An interesting thing to note here is that the staff the warrior uses is the same that Boba has in his first full appearance in ‘The Mandalorian’ in ‘Chapter 14: The Tragedy’ (season 2 episode 6). In fact, his other weapons and parts of the attire at the time also seem to be of Tusken in origin. As the first episode ends with Boba seemingly being accepted into the Tusken society, the series will probably explore the culture of these desert dwellers in detail in future episodes. We will come to know in what circumstances Boba receives the staff from the Tusken warrior.
Read More: Where Is The Book of Boba Fett Filmed?
