I still don’t know what to make of this show. It is slow. When I say “slow”, I’m talking about we’re two episodes in and I still have no idea where this thing is going other than a general idea that the Tusken Raiders are going to join in at some point to help. Otherwise, why would we be getting the amount of backstory? Kudos to whoever is doing the raider lore though; there’s plenty to dive into in regards to a character-type that was originally just weirdo bad guys with a donkey yell.
This definitely feels like the original trilogy Star Wars as far as aesthetic goes. Aliens aren’t just background CGI here, and that’s something that we can be thankful for. I would like to see more variety in the aliens, but for now it’s fine. We need some creatures that aren’t bipedal hominids, even if that’s going to cost a little bit more money (I’m talking about main characters too, not just throwaway baddies). I also really like the train-capture sequence as it continues to dive into the western genre for Star Wars series, and that seems to be a natural pairing.
Not all is positive for this second episode, though it is far superior to the first. I’m still not buying Boba Fett as a bad guy turned anti-hero… like at all. I’m tired of throwing people into a rancor pit and there’s no rancor. That’s a great metaphor for this series… pretend to be tough and there’s no follow-through. Flames don’t incinerate people, they blow them into the wind. Maybe I’m asking a bit much of a show intended to be kid-friendly, but how did we go straight from bounty hunter Boba Fett to John Smith Boba Fett training with the savages? And also, are we not tired of that trope yet? Technological savvy Boba Fett joins a primitive tribe, learns all their customs, becomes the best, masters it all, saves them in some way, then earns their blessing.
There’s still no hook, and that hurts the series more than just about anything else. Unless you really care about the Jabba koopalings or comic book wookie, what is it that is pulling people back in? And just like I was griping about when it comes to this series being afraid to go gritty, why can’t Jabba Jr. just eat the freaking mouse? What wussies have we become that bad guys can’t even eat things anymore in Star Wars?
Overall, this episode may help Boba Fett grab a few more viewers. Unless we get to the point where this thing matters, however, this is going to be a heck of a letdown. There’s still nobody in this show that I even care about. Compare that to Loki and how quickly we were thrown into a world where characters and outcomes counted… even if we didn’t understand it yet. Still, I’m willing to give Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni the benefit of the doubt. Chewie versus bad wookie at some point? Never say never.
Just remember, there are no drugs in this Star Wars series… you gotta go with space lizard babies that shoot up you nostril for that analogy. And if you’re going to use the spice analogy for an anti-slavery message (and who doesn’t hate slavery?), you might want to address your own problems with Southwestern China at some point, Disney. It would be nice to stop playing nice with real markets that still employ the thing we all know to despise.
So what did you think? Did you enjoy the episode? Let me know what you would score it in the comments below. As for me, I’d give this episode:
Score: 6.5 (Good)
