The fifth episode of The Book of Boba Fett was, in my opinion, the best episode yet, and the crazy thing is, it didn’t even feature Boba Fett! The title of Episode 5 is “Return of the Mandalorian,” and it got us caught up on what The Mandalorian has been up to since the events of The Mandalorian Season 2!
The episode, which was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, feels like it belongs in The Mandalorian Season 3, but it’s obviously setting up some exciting things to come. I have a feeling that The Book of Boba Fett will have a lot of story threads that will carry on into the third season of The Mandalorian.
It was pretty cool seeing Mando fight with the Dark Saber, and it’s a weapon that he’s still trying to get used to. When he reunites with his clan, where he shows the Armorer his new weapon, there’s a point where they spar and she is giving him some insight on the weapon.
Armorer recounts the Darksaber’s origin saying that it was constructed by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order, over a thousand years ago. After his death, the Darksaber became a symbol of conflict and ultimately leadership among the clans of Mandalore, but as you know, it must be won through battle. She goes on to share, “If, however, it is not won in combat and falls into the hands of the undeserving, it will be a curse unto the nation. Mandalore will be laid to waste and its people scattered to the four winds.”
Then there’s the return of Paz Vizsla, whose ancestor forged the Darksaber, so in an effort to get it back in the family, he challenges Mando to a duel, which he accepts. Of course, Mando wins, but after the duel, he is asked by the armorer if he’s ever removed his helmet. When reluctantly says that he has, he is told he has to leave the clan.
From here he travels to Tatooine before he embarks on his journey to find Grogu and give him a gift that was forged by the Armorer from the Mandalorian’s beskar spear.
When he returns to Tatoonie, he meets back up with mechanic Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), who he and Grogu befriended in the first season. It’s here he learns that the replacement ship she found for him was an awesome Naboo N-1 Starfighter, which was introduced in The Phantom Menace. He isn’t happy with it at first, but after they fix it up, he takes it out for a test flight, which turns out to be the ride of his life!
Mando even flys this thing through Beggar’s Canyon, which is the same place where young Anakin Skywalker’s big podrace took place in The Phantom Menace was, which was pretty cool. He then blasted off into space where he has a close encounter with New Republic Capt. Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), who tracked the Razor Crest after saving Mando and Grogu.
Mando ends up falling in love with his new ship. I’m not sure where he’s going to put his bounties, unless he just plans on collecting the heads of his victims.
The episode ends with Boba Fett’s partner Fennec Shand tracking Mando down so that she can recruit him to help Boba in his efforts to keep his seat at the head of the table. She throws him a bag of credits, but he tells her that it’s one they house. He then says, “But first, I gotta pay a visit to a little friend.”
So… the big question is, will we actually see Grogu in The Book of Boba Fett!? Will the next episode continue Mando’s journey? Probably not. It would be cool if it did, but I think the story that this episode told will pick back up in the season premiere on The Mandalorian Season 3.
What did you think about this recent episode of The Book of Boba Fett?