Tamal Kundu
The ‘Star Wars’ universe is one of the most vibrant, sprawling, and complex fictional IPs out there. Under Disney’s ownership, it continues to evolve and attract new generations of audiences. While not all steps taken under the new owners have been received well, that hasn’t stopped them from experimenting with the much-loved franchise and introducing new elements to it.
‘The Book of Boba Fett’ revolves around the eponymous iconic bounty hunter (Temuera Morrison). Even though he appears in a handful of scenes in the original trilogy, Boba is one of the most popular supporting characters of the franchise. After surviving the Sarlacc Pit, Boba spends some time with a tribe of Tusken Raiders, from whom he learns the value of having a tribe of his own. When he saves the life of master assassin Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), she becomes intrigued by the idea of a bounty hunter starting a clan of his own. In this context, she uses the word “Gotra.” Here is everything you need to know about it. SPOILERS AHEAD.
What Is a Gotra in The Book of Boba Fett?
The word “Gotra” is most likely borrowed from Hindu culture, where it means lineage or clan. The gotra of a person is the patrilineality traced back to a common male ancestor. The gotras are sometimes used as surnames, but people with different surnames can also be part of the same gotra. Moreover, people from different castes can also be from the same gotra. The primary use of gotras takes place during Hindu ceremonies, especially traditional marriages. Custom states that people of the same gotra cannot marry each other as such relationships are considered incestuous.
It seems that the creators of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ have taken this ancient word and given it their own spin. After learning about Boba’s plan of wrenching control of the criminal underworld of Mos Espa from Bib Fortuna, Fennec asks him, “You Want to head a Gotra?” In her mind, he is a hunter, one of the best in the business. People like Boba and her don’t get to change their profession or say that they are done with working for crime lords who have no regard for their lives.
The Boba from before the Sarlacc Pit would have agreed with her. However, the one in front of her is a changed man. His experience with the Tuskens has taught him the importance of having a clan of his own. So, in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, “Gotra” also means a clan or a house or a tribe of an individual. However, it’s possible that the word is predominantly used while referring to crime families.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the word “gotra” has been used in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. In ‘The Mandalorian’ season 2 episode 1, titled ‘Chapter 9: The Marshal,’ male Abyssin gangster Gor Koresh swears by his Gotra while being interrogated by Din Djarin. This once more reinforces the word’s association with the world of crime in ‘Star Wars.’ There is also a Droid Gotra, a group of droids that advocates for droid rights. They are part of the post-Disney canon and legends (formerly Star Wars Extended Universe).
Read More: Is the Sarlacc Dead or Alive in The Book of Boba Fett?
