Welcome to this week’s edition of the Nerd Review!  Every week the Nerds give you their take on entertainment from the Nerd-o-sphere.  This week, Patrick and Dave continue their review of the Star Wars Disney+ miniseries The Book of Boba Fett!

• The Show:  The Book of Boba Fett Ch. 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger
• What’s it About:  Following the events in season two of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett had laid claim to Jabba the Hutt’s former criminal empire.  His rise to prominence is not met with open arms and Fett must navigate the Galaxy’s criminal underground in Tatooine.
• IMDB Score: 9.5/10

The Nerds’ Take on Chapter 6 – From the Desert Comes a Stranger:

Patrick: I am officially done with The Book of Boba Fett, it’s probably best that my review is coming first this week as Dave’s is likely to leave a better taste in most fans’ mouths.  This damned show has done its main protagonist dirty for two consecutive weeks by barely including them in the show.  I could get behind this decision if the events taking place in his absence were furthering Boba Fett’s story, but for the second consecutive week the events of the show have minimal implications on Boba’s coming war with the Pyke syndicate.  Rather than wondering whether or not Boba will succeed, the audience is left wondering whether Grogu will return to Din, or continue his training as a Jedi. Jon Favreau has done this miniseries and a beloved Star Wars original character a serious disservice.

Not every aspect of this week’s episode, titled From the Desert Comes a Stranger disregards the problem of the Pyke syndicate.  We do see Din, not Boba, visiting and old friend Cobb Vanth. Mandalorian fans were probably thrilled for Vanth’s appearance as Mando attempts to recruit him to Boba’s cause. In fact, Vanth opens the episode in a brief scene where he stops some Pyke Spice runners from using his town, killing them.  More on that bit later.

Shortly after this opening scene we return to the “anyone but Boba Fett” show as the episode follows Din as he arrives to Luke’s fledgling Jedi Academy to give Grogu the shirt Mando had crafted for him. He is confronted by a returning Ashoka (Rosario Dawson) who acts as an intermediary between Mando and Luke. We witness some of Grogu’s training and learn more of his struggles as a student, and Luke’s struggles to teach him.  This is all interesting enough…if it were in an episode of The Mandalorian.  Din leaves the shirt with Ashoka and returns to Tattooine, but not before debating with Ashoka whether or not he should interfere.  The audience leaves with Luke presenting Grogu with a choice: take the shirt and return to Din or take Yoda’s lightsaber and continue his training – this is where the episode goes to credits.

Outside of this thirty plus minute interlude, Din briefly joins Boba Fett before setting off to find more allies against the Pykes. This brings him and the audience back to Vanth where Din pleads Boba’s case. After Din departs, Vanth decides to advocate for his town supporting Boba and then another stranger from the desert appears.  This stranger is Cad Bane, popular among followers of the various Star Wars animated series. Bane is the most ruthless of bounty hunters.  Bane arrives in the interest of the Pykes and threatens Vanth, killing his deputy. Meanwhile the cantina Boba Fett has been frequenting for information is bombed by the Pykes, thanks for playing, Jennifer Beal (NOOOOOO!!!!).

But no one cares about these moves by the Pykes, and why should they? Very little has been done over the course of this series to show them as anything more than a tropey mob threat and even their actions have seemed half-assed.  They bribed the mayor. They blew up one ally to Boba. One. Instead of using time to build them as something credible to taking Boba’s seat of power, Favreau and Filoni have distracted the audience with Mandalorian hype that has nothing to do with the plot of the series.  Everything I read and see right now post episode six is focusing on the Mandalorian and Ashoka Nuggets. Hell, even digital Luke Skywalker was more compelling in his fifteen minutes of screen time.  I was patient with this series while we replayed Dances with Wolves IN SPACE.  I tried to be patient when we were introduced to a 1950s biker gang straight from a crappy Elvis movie “sped” through Mos Espa in their slow looking bike. Through tropes and silliness, I have been irritate but patient.  I saw hope after episode four, but after back to back episodes of next to no titular character, I have nothing left. It is clear Filoni cares more about hyping what happens after Boba Fett over giving him his story. If he doesn’t care about this story why the hell should I? I will watch the finale and I expect there to be plenty of action as well as tons of set up for The Mandalorian and Ashoka, because more important than Boba. And I firmly believe the episode will probably be fun. In fact, I guarantee there will be at least one more fan favorite debut fans will be buzzing over. Yet, for all that people will be excited for, I will be here angry feeling like I was promised one thing, received something completely different and feel cheated in the process.  Dave Filoni doesn’t care what happens to Boba Fett.  Why should I?

Patrick’s Rating:  1.14/5.0

Dave For the second consecutive week, The Book of Boba Fett had very little to actually do with the titular character of the series. While Patrick’s review of this Episode is expected to be scathing, to say the very least, I believe it is time to look at The Book of Boba Fett for what it really is: A table setter for everything else Star Wars related that is likely happening in 2022-2023.

At least in Episode 6, we did get to see Boba Fett, albeit very briefly. But, as mentioned last week, everyone knew where we were heading for Episode 6 so hardly anyone was too upset when Din Djarin showed up on a far-flung planet where he sees hundreds of droid-like creatures constructing some sort of building. Although I kind of predicted she would show up, I was nevertheless quite surprised when Ahsoka Tano showed up to speak with Din. Meanwhile, we get an enormous amount of Luke Skywalker footage. Luke has been training Grogu and we learn that Luke plans on having Grogu be the first of his students at a new Jedi Academy. Meanwhile, Din wants to give Grogu a child sized shirt of beskar to protect him as a gift. Ahsoka, however, cautions Din against doing this as she tells him how much internal conflict and confusion it would create for Grogu, who has already been struggling, a bit, trying to adjust to his life as a Jedi. Ahsoka convinces Din to leave, but Din insists that she give the beskar armor to Grogu. Ahsoka, instead, gives it to Luke. Luke, realizes that giving the armor to Grogu could create a very unhealthy attachment to Din. So, instead, Luke presents Grogu with a very difficult choice: Take the armor and return to being with Din for good, or stay with Luke, obtain Yoda’s lightsaber, become a Jedi and, in all likelihood, never see Din again. The Episode then ends just before Grogu informs Luke of his choice.

Once Din returns to Tatooine, he goes to see Boba at Jabba’s old palace and is quickly brought into the fold of Boba’s inevitable war with the Pyke Syndicate. Looking to bolster their ranks for the coming battle, Din seeks to recruit Cobb Vanth, who we had not seen since the first Episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, along with the people of Freetown to join in the fight. As Din flies off, a mysterious figure approaches Vanth from out of the desert. Fans of The Clone Wars series immediately recognized the silhouette but still could not believe that a live-action version of Cad Bane was staring down Vanth and business had proverbially picked up. Bane and Vanth have a great, old-fashioned, Old West duel and Bane proves faster than even Vanth as he guns him down. In between all of this, the Pyke Syndicate bombs the cantina and the stage is set for what should be an interesting season/series finale.

So, this Episode advanced the plot of Boba’s story a bit better than the last one. The forces arrayed against Boba and his allies, for the first time, now seem formidable, especially if Bane has aligned with them. Bane is someone who has stood his ground against Jedi such as Quinlan Voss and even Obi-Wan Kenobi so he is no one to be trifled with. He also has a bit of a history with Boba Fett, making his allegiance, and to whom, subject to speculation. Still, we have to figure that a big confrontation between Bane, Boba, and possibly Din (who will not let the shooting of Vanth go unpunished) is on the horizon. The show may have strayed away from Boba Fett the last two Episodes, but I feel like they will pull it together here at the end.

The bigger question now is whether we will get Grogu’s choice here in the final Episode of the series or whether they will wait for the Season 3 Premiere of The Mandalorian to tell us what Grogu decides. It would be very interesting, indeed, if Grogu and Luke show up at the end of Episode 7 to save the day. This seems a bit unlikely. Still, with this show, nothing seems to be off the table at this point.

I understand the complaints about this Episode. That it, again, had nothing to do with Boba Fett. But, at this point, you have to just let some things slide as Disney is clearly setting the table for other projects and trying their damndest to tie those into The Book of Boba Fett. Whether that pays off in the end, or crashes and burns, we will find out very shortly. As for this Episode though, there is just too much great stuff here to ding this one much. Ahsoka telling Luke that he is so much like his father really hits hard for those of us who know all Ahsoka went through with Anakin Skywalker and then with Darth Vader. It was a huge moment and one that should not be overlooked. We also find out that Grogu witnessed the events of Order 66, the same as Ahsoka. Will Grogu choose the Path of the Jedi, or will he return to his friend? And the appearance of Bane, and the pending confrontation that will explode in Episode 7, has me equal parts curious and excited to see how this all turns out.

Dave’s Rating:  4.75/5.0

Overall Nerds Rating for The Book of Boba Fett – Episode 6:  2.95/5.00