Review | The Book Of Boba Fett: Chapter 7 (In The Name Of Honor)

“The Book Of Boba Fett finale produced many wonderful jaw-dropping moments, many of which I thought I’d never see.”

After last week‘s mind-blowing sixth chapter of The Book Of Boba Fett, it’s time for the twin suns to set on our time in Mos Espa. We’ve enjoyed seven wonderful weeks of Star Wars lore, easter eggs, cameos, and mind-blowing action. But can the season finale stick the landing and banish the detractors once and for all? Let’s jump to lightspeed and find out.

A FITTING CLIMAX?

Like the rest of this series, the season finale is a mixed bag. Yes, it delivers plenty of awesome action. Yes, it brings all the plot threads of the past few weeks together and resolves many of them in air-punching fashion. But is the resolution the pulse-pounding finale we were all yearning for? The answer depends greatly on your own point of view.

THE SHOWDOWN

Clocking in at a very satisfying sixty minutes, the finale kicks off by building the tension between Boba Fett and Cad Bane. Fans of The Clone Wars will know of their bitter rivalry, but sadly, the cancellation of the series curtailed it from being committed to film. Thankfully, this rivalry is renewed with vigor and as the episode unfolds, both Fett and Bane are drawn to one another like a Mynock to power cables! Their eventual confrontation is the showdown we’ve all been yearning for. And when the dust finally settles, the climax is as satisfying as we’d hoped.

Both Fett and Bane are coming into the showdown on different sides. But they are more alike than either would care to admit. And in the end, it comes down to personal growth. And Fett has outgrown his old life and now has a new sense of responsibility to the people of Mos Espa. Boba fights for a cause. Can Bane say the same?

THE BATTLE FOR MOS ESPA

What follows is the all-out war we have been promised. All the players are finally in place and as Fett’s forces are stretched to breaking point, he finally gets his time to shine. And when he does, it’s the payoff we have been waiting for. His benevolent side banished. His defiance reinvigorated. And his lethal prowess bringing down waves of enemy combatants. Needless to say, Boba is back to his lethal best. And in the finest western tradition, the midway point of the episode feels more akin to that of the gunfight at the Ok Corral.

The battle plays out on three fronts. The street gang, the Gammorean Guards, and Krrsantan all get their moments in the sun. While Fennec Shand leaps into action with lethal precision. But when all is said and done, two Mandalorians stand together to turn the tide. And with both wearing jetpacks – the sequence is the stuff dreams are made of!

THE MANDALORIAN

Of course, the finale benefits from Din Djarin’s extended guest-starring role which plays out in a suitably pleasant fashion. Grogu’s fateful decision is revealed and his choice will have far-reaching consequences moving forward. But fans will be smiling from ear to ear when the fate of the duo is revealed. And tears may be shed. And that is a testament to the writing chops of Jon Favreau.

Once again, he has crafted an exceptional episode that delivers on action and hits home emotionally. And the culmination of the series is as tense as they come. And yet, as the twin suns descend to the dune sea, something is missing. As exciting as the finale is, there’s something amiss. And the previous two episodes are to blame. Although essential to the overall story, neither episode featured Boba Fett, and as a result, the season finale condenses two hours into one. And it feels rushed as a result.

In hindsight, if the preceding episodes had focussed solely on building the tension between Fett and the Pyke Syndicate, the payoff would have been greater. And maybe, just maybe we would have been rewarded the send-off we deserved. But instead, we will all be left to ponder how the story would have unfolded if Boba Fett had been the focal point of those episodes.

VERDICT

After the past two weeks, I was desperate to return to Boba Fett’s story, and thankfully Jon Favreau delivered. The finale produced many wonderful jaw-dropping moments, many of which I thought I’d never see. And in the finest monster tradition, many of them are directly influenced by King Kong and the great Ray Harryhausen. These we will explore at a later date, but needless to say, when the kaiju action gets going, the influences are an absolute joy to behold. And that is cinema at its very best. ILM’s continued use of the Volume is paying dividends and has helped to expand the scale of the series. And if this is the shape of things to come, then the possibilities of the galaxy far, far away on the small screen are limitless.

What Jon Favreau, Robert Rodriguez, and Dave Filoni have crafted for the finale is nothing short of spectacular. It hammers home the moral of the story and shines new light on Boba Fett’s path toward redemption. His showdown with Cad Bane is symbolic of his evolution and as the suns set on the series, we find Fett rejuvenated with a new purpose. And that in itself is wonderful to see. But in the end, it all comes as too little too late.

ANTICLIMACTIC

In a series devoted to Boba Fett, having two episodes in the second half of the series gifted to Mando and Luke Skywalker was detrimental to its star. And as a result, the finale feels somewhat anticlimactic. Whether or not the series will be rewarded with another run remains to be seen. After all, a mid-credits stinger hints at what may unfold should we return to Mos Espa. But when all is said and done, if we are rewarded with another season, let’s just hope that Boba Fett is treated with the love and respect he deserves. In a series packed full of stunning action, Boba’s shining moments are few and far between. And although we leave him with a new sense of pride and purpose, Boba Fett has been shortchanged in his own series. And that in itself is criminal.

The Book Of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney Plus.

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Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts is the owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. He is a huge fan of Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies.

If he’s not in the cinema he’s probably streaming something equally awesome!