The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 review: "Wizard!"

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Spare a thought for Temuera Morrison. The actor has delivered a powerhouse performance as Boba Fett, a character aggressively macho yet equally tender when looking after Banthas. Yet, Morrison has been let down by a plodding overarching narrative. And now, worse still, Boba’s been completely overshadowed by Din Djarin.

The episode starts with the returning Mandalorian collecting a bounty. The Beskar-clad warrior slices through some aliens, appropriately based in a butchers’ freezer – a classic gangster hideout. Mando struggles to truly grasp the Darksaber, confirming that we’re witnessing events set after he defeated Moff Gideon and gave Grogu to Luke Skywalker. 

Mando walks out of the mob boss’ backroom, the target’s head in a bag, and there’s no denying that this should have been the template for The Book of Boba Fett. The galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter has been sat on Tatooine this entire series; seeing Mando travel to a Halo-like world covered in sprawling cities is a thrilling breath of fresh air.

Exploring the galaxy, being told epic stories about planets being wiped out, seeing a lightsaber in action – these are the reasons we love Star Wars. You can have a central hero plucked from the series’ iconography, but when they’re grounded on an all-too-familiar planet with nothing to do, then what’s the point? Seeing Boba Fett hovering over a Sarlacc Pit can only get you so far.

With “The Return of The Mandalorian”, Jon Favreau has written an episode that finally ignites the show’s thrusters and essentially launches The Mandalorian season 3. Introducing Din Djarin, once a knock-off Boba Fett, pushes the story forward, but not without giving us further context to the past. We’re given a mythology-expanding sermon by the Armorer, who goes further into the events of The Night of a Thousand Tears. Why Boba’s escape from the Sarlacc and time with the Tuskens wasn’t delivered in a similar way, who knows.

Mando, meanwhile, misses his foundling, Grogu. Their relationship was the driving force behind their series, and even without Baby Yoda physically present, the creature looms large. The galaxy even has a few more Earthly touches added in, such as the commercial carriers that require no weapons on board. Unlike the Space Mods, it all feels like a genuine part of the same universe.

Mando soon arrives in Mos Eisley to purchase a new ship. He reunites with Amy Sedaris’ Peli Motto and her droids, and they start work on an N-1 Starfighter, ripped straight from the prequels. The Pykes get a mention after some Jawas stole from one of their spice barges, a reminder that, oh yeah, we’re watching Boba’s show. When the N-1 starts working, Mando blasts off for some more nostalgia-bait – and now I wish we were getting a podracing series. Hurry up, Disney, give us prequel fans some spin-off content! That would be really wizard.

Fennec Shand eventually appears to spoil the party. Unlike Boba Fett, Djarin has so much texture: a Mandalorian struggling with his beliefs; a warrior who has completed his main quest saving a foundling and is struggling without purpose; a bounty hunter given a blade with the power to unite a people. Boba Fett wants power in Mos Espa because… he’s Boba Fett? Temuera Morrison deserves better. The showrunners have shown they can deliver that with Mando, now let’s do the same for Boba.

The Book of Boba Fett is released weekly on Disney Plus. Check out our full The Book of Boba Fett release schedule for more details. And if you want to know even more about what's coming to that galaxy far, far away, then read our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and show heading your way soon.