Mini Warror

'I've had her credentials for a year'

When the last episode of The Book of Boba Fett came out, I thought about what score I’d give the show, and found I had mixed feelings.

I loved a lot of it, but even in Episode 8, there’s a bunch of moments where I was going “do I really need to see/listen to this? Get to the point!” and my finger was constantly hovering on the >> button.

But beyond problems regarding structure, I really wanted to cover something I actually was pleasantly surprised with: Boba’s character.

On the one hand, I sorta get when folks get mad about Boba being “weak” in BoBF. Like, when the preview of this show was this…

… (which is very reminiscent of the badass, no-bullshit, John Wick-like Boba Fett from the EU) and instead you get a lot of this…

… there will obviously be some disappointment. And even when Boba does get some good hits in, the fighting choreography still isn’t on par with what was shown in The Mandalorian or in Episode 5 (which makes you wonder… like… why? Was the stunt coordinator busy on another shoot during Episodes 1 through 4? Is it because they shot Episode 8 first?).

So, sure, overall, on an emotional “gimme that sweet, sweet action!” level, I can understand and share the frustration.

But that being said (trying to focus on the positive, here)… as a character, I don’t mind the more “passive” Boba.

First off because this moment is goddamn glorious:

And before anyone says “it’s out of character”, please look at who he shares his genes with:

But also because, thematically, this change in personality makes sense and it gives the character some extra dimension.

Unlike EU Boba who kept roaming the galaxy after crawling out the Sarlacc pit (twice), Canon Boba found peace with that Tusken tribe and it calmed him down. It taught him a new path:

“Respect rather than Fear.”

Sure, the tribe was wiped out, but he grew during his years with them. He became a better man, a man who’ll earn your respect to get what he wants, rather than the guy who’ll beat you to a pulp and scare you shitless.

Like, as badass as the guy in the above picture is… he’s a bad person who got his ass handed to him by a blind guy, on Jabba’s sail barge.

So now, Boba knows better.

That fear-inspiring path laid out by Jango Fett, Aurra Sing and Cad Bane, led him straight into the gullet of a Sarlacc. Which is why he’s trying to run a criminal empire by following the principles of the new path the Tusken taught him.

Examples:

In The Mandalorian Season 2, he’s not just beating up stormtroopers and looking cool. He’s making a pact of honor with Din and he’s honoring that pledge for a good three episodes.

Before his time with the Tuskens, Boba would’ve simply shot Din, grabbed his armor and flew away. Instead he offered to help him. He does the same thing with Fennec and pledges his life to protect her.

And he even tries to do the same with the Mos Espa gotra lords.

Like, you’d never see Tommy Shelby, from the show Peaky Blinders, take that kind of shit from anyone. A rival gangster talks to him like that, they’ll get their throat slit.

And Boba could very well just shoot that guy and ask the other gotra leaders: “any other objections? But that’s not what Boba’s about, anymore. Now, he’s all about:

Inspiring respect to build his tribe.

Using strength only to protect that tribe.

So I love the changes to Boba’s character, love his character arc… but a lot of this, admittedly, is me extrapolating from what little we were shown on-screen.

A clearer way to convey this arc would’ve been by, y'know… focusing on it? Rather than cutting away to Din for two episodes?

I mean, Fennec and Cad Bane are the ideal philosophical antagonists for Boba’s character, in the show.

Fennec is seen contradicting him and having reservations about the way Boba moves forward. And Cad Bane, well, he’s basically an embodiment of who Boba used to be (and was doomed to remain, had he never met the Tusken).

By developing these two characters more, you develop Boba more.

Bad pitch, but let’s have Fennec and Boba get into an argument where she tells him “look, you’re Boba Fett, you could end this all in one night, why are you letting the gotra disrespect you and the Pykes attack you?!” & having him explain that he’s not that guy anymore, that guy died in the Pit of Carkoon and he values inspiring respect and loyalty over inspiring fear. If they’ll attack him, he’ll show strength. But he won’t go looking for trouble.

Maybe Fennec talks to Drash and they bond over both being orphans in a large galaxy, forced to turn to crime in order to survive. That’s when Fennec learns that the mods are all loyal to Boba Fett ‘cause he’s the first one to give them a chance, and she sees the value of his approach.

And if we really do need to cut away from the main action for a whole episode, let’s see one focusing on old man Cad Bane as he completes a bounty or something. We intercut between the mission and flashbacks of him training Boba (if you’re gonna deepfake Luke, I think you can deepfake young Boba). 

We see him blow up yet another T0-D0 which shows just how much his philosophy is the stark opposite of Boba’s. He only values money and is still stuck in the same rut, whereas Boba values family and has grown up.

Eventually Fennec adapts with the times and comes around to Boba’s point of view… and Bane doesn’t, which results in his death.

(And before you say anything, I know what it’s trying to do. It’s trying to show just how alone Sabine is.

BUT…was she? Really?! Hera talks to Sabine later in the med center, and their conversation is easy. Jacen calls Sabine “Aunt Sabine”. Sabine wears her “Hera” jacket. I just don’t think it panned out.)

Anyway, I just think it’s a weird choice. I don’t for one second think the other Spectres would have skipped this. I think Hera and Zeb could’ve definitely gotten a day off in peace time, and I don’t think they would’ve abandoned Sabine on this day OR disrespected the memory or sacrifice of both Kanan and Ezra.

You are here.

We're living the lead-up to Revenge of the Sith, and it scares me so much a) it feels like there is so little we can do, and b) young people are acting as if there is nothing we can do.

If you don't know what's going on, I need you to wake up and get engaged.

I have two history degrees. My whole life I've always been the person saying, "When people say, 'This is the most important election ever," it just shows how little they know about history.'"

So please believe me when I tell you that THIS is the most important election (cycle, not just presidential race) that you will likely ever be a part of.

Trump is not Hitler. He's too stupid to be Hitler.

But our democracy only held together in 2020 because of a few people like Mike Pence who were willing to stand up against Trump when it was truly the last line of defense. I know that's hard for some of you to hear, but whatever you think of his beliefs, Pence showed he has integrity and stands by the Constitution.

There will be no Mike Pences this time around. Trump will not make the mistake of surrounding himself with those who are not fully committed to him.

Trump is a convicted felon. He is running to avoid his convictions and likely jail time more than anything else. If he wins, he will be able to pardon himself of his federal crimes, but he's going to keep acting like Donald Trump. If he's still alive in 2028, do you think he will leave the White House peacefully and just submit to further cases against him?

Please watch John Oliver's recent expose on Project 2025 and Trump's Second Term. It is linked in a comment below.

Trump and his administration are already putting in place plans for sweeping reforms that truly will make America look like The Handmaid's Tale. Presidents usually will push for more when they're in their second term because they don't have to worry about another election campaign, but this is different. This is about dismantling the democratic system so that it only benefits the most radical conservatives and Christians.

Christians, I am one of you. I was raised Evangelical (capital E meaning politically motivated culture warrior), and I am still evangelical (lower-case e, referring to theological beliefs). This is not the posture of Christ-followers. There is no good that comes from state-mandated religion, which both coerces people to claim that they are believers for social and cultural clout AND waters down the true religious fervor of the church because most people are only nominal believers.

There is NOTHING about Christian Nationalism that is in the best interest of Christians or in the best interest of the neighbors Christians are called to sacrificially love. If you need a reminder of who your neighbor is, read Luke 10:25-37.

Please start talking with your friends. Young people, please register to vote and bring your friends to do the same.

I know so many of you are disillusioned. I am too. Things that are going on in Palestine and Ukraine and so many other places make it very hard to vote for people with "D"s behind their names (especially after the recent presidential debate).

But punishing Joe Biden is not the revenge you want to pursue here. Are you unhappy with him giving Israel $12.5 billion? I am too, but do you think that number won't be repeated multiple times under Trump? Again, I was raised Evangelical. A staple of (politically-focused) Evangelicalism is that Christians (and thus America) must support (the modern state of) Israel no matter what because they have a hyper-literal understanding of the verse where God tells Abraham that he will bless those who bless him (including his descendants who became Israel).

Do not underestimate the importance of that view in their ideology. Nearly every member of my biological family has shunned me for suggesting that this is not a blanket endorsement of every action the modern state of Israel takes.

Trump is a criminal running for president to save his skin. He supports Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel who is now himself wanted for war crimes. Trump has aligned himself with the authoritarian leaders/dictators of Hungary, China, North Korea, and Russia. He is open about his love for Russian president Vladimir Putin's authoritarian regime and stands against Ukraine's democracy and national sovereignty.

This is what happened before World War I and World War II.

I know this isn't what you follow me for.

But George Lucas was showing the dangers of authoritarianism. He shows that democracy is hard. It's frustrating trying to negotiate with people you disagree with vehemently. It may seem like nothing gets done.

Go and watch the Naboo picnic scene. Go and do it. And after chuckling at all the funny memes it's given us, let me tell you why it scares me so much.

Because Padme laughs.

Anakin tells her who he is, and she laughs.

She passes it off as a joke, or as flirting, or maybe even as just the ignorant views of a boy who views life as far more black and white than she knows it to be.

But the alternative to all of that frustrating democracy, all that gridlock in the Senate, all those choices and compromises you have to make in order to benefit the people at all ... the alternative is a dictator who says, "I will make all the decisions for us."

That's why there are people who applaud Palpatine. That's why we as viewers see Bail and Padme as the reasonable ones and think it's crazy that anyone would applaud, but they do.

The applaud because Palpatine says, "You don't have to be frustrated anymore. You don't have to be worried about those who disagree with you anymore." Safety and security and ease are powerful temptations when you live in a polarized society, and Palpatine offers them all of those things.

That's why many people applaud Trump, too.

There were also people who applauded Palpatine who did see the danger of what he was doing. But they applauded because it was easier to do so. He had already amassed power because they didn't stand up to him before. They applaud him now because standing against him now would have dire consequences they wouldn't have faced if they had stood against him before.

So vote. And get your friends to vote.

If there is any part of you that believes Star Wars has important things to tell us about real life, then I need you to fan that flame into a fire.

Otherwise, you won't be living in the prequels anymore. You will be living in the time of the Empire.