Boba Is A Blank Slate – And That Works In The Film’s Favor
Thanks to the old EU – and various fan films – Boba Fett is intensely popular among hardcore Star Wars lovers. This is not the case with general audiences, however. Sure, thanks to both Attack of the Clones and Return of the Jedi, everyone is aware of Fett’s origins on Kamino, and his supposed demise on Tatoonie. But aside from this, these questions remain: who is Boba Fett? And why should we care about him?
Indeed, many critics have stated that Fett exists as a cool Star Wars costume, more than as a character in his own right. It’s a harsh point, but it does ring true somewhat. Even outside of the occasional comic, and Fett’s formative, vengeance-fueled years in The Clone Wars series, the current Star Wars canon has yet to detail the mindset of this dangerous man.
But couldn’t this actually work in the film’s favor? Take Solo. Its poor box-office performance has been blamed on a number of issues, from its ill-advised release date and production troubles, to its ineffective marketing. It’s a shame really, because despite all of this it’s a solid and entertaining movie. However, it must be acknowledged that there wasn’t as much of a demand for Solo. Why? Because audiences already know and love him – they didn’t need a prequel to get to know him. But, it’s a different scenario for Boba Fett.
Despite his previous appearances, there’s very little that defines his adult life. Because relatively little has been established about the character, scriptwriters James Mangold and Simon Kinberg have more leeway for their narrative. As a result, they’re able to create something fresh and exciting to pique audience interest, and give them a reason to like Boba Fett.
Does he do the job just for money and kicks? Or is it something else entirely? As we previously discussed, the protagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be the son/clone of Jango Fett inside that armor. But if it must be, then what are his redeeming qualities? Did he retain that infrequently used wry sense of humor? Would he struggle with his origin as a clone? Or does he wrestle with escaping – or eclipsing – his father’s legacy? These could be really meaty themes for Mangold and Kinberg to explore, and they would make for very interesting viewing.