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| Images courtesy Disney/Lucasfilm |
Chapter 5 of The Book of Boba Fett is a conflicted episode that serves as an offshoot from the main story line. Straying away from Boba and his bacta tank, Din Djarin steals the spotlight for a callback episode that reminds us just how good Disney+ can do when they put their mind to it.
Star Wars fans will be happy to see the return of The Mandalorian in an episode brimming over with fan service. They might also find fault that the central character of the story is fully missing from this latest chapter. On the other side, the series has had an extremely mixed response that has seen the fan outcry cranked to full bore that Disney is once again messing up their precious Star Wars. Yet, at the end of the day, this is definitely the best directed bit of the seven episode event series so far. Let's keep it going in this way because it's finally getting really good.
Bryce Dallas Howard is back in fine form helming Return of The Mandalorian and throws everything at the screen this time around. From Tie Bombers, to a scene that echoes the famed pod race, to the all familiar landscapes of Tatooine, Howard takes full control of our sense of nostalgia and takes advantage of our keen sense of entertainment. Or perhaps the familiarity of seeing Mando kick ass and take names just feels like home. Either way, Howard knows her stuff and delivers something so pure that it's hard not to wonder why TBOBF hasn't been this good so far. And this is coming from an apologist. It's definitely been different and mostly in a good way.
Taking numerous cues from the original trilogy and the work that Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have done so far, The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 is televised Star Wars in its perfected form. It's a diversion from the first four episodes (which have seen a divisive critical response) and starts to pull together the stories between the two shows. At last, Boba will be assembling his team to take full control of the criminal underworld on the desert planet. This is a lead up to the final two episodes and really begins to move the story forward, at the distinct cost of a missing Fett.
If you've been on the fence up to this point, the new episode is pretty much what we've been hoping for. It'll be nice if they can stick the landing when the two two come together in the final weeks to up the ante on the action and see some real momentum for the story. They have a lot to do in less than two hours of programming. We still don't know if there are plans for another season. But we'll be standing by, holding out for a new hope.
The Return of The Mandalorian is a great tease for what's to come in season 3 of Mando's own show. Bryce has such control over this galaxy, we think it's high time she gets her own Star Wars feature film.
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