The Star Wars franchise has a huge stable of both characters and settings. The Book Of Boba Fett exemplifies this, introducing the audience to fascinating new denizens of the galaxy like Krrsantan and the Twins. But the show also takes advantage of the huge reserve of characters and locations the original trilogy has to offer.
Though some may raise cries of “fan service”, many viewers often clamor to see their favorite characters together in familiar environments. Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Favreau, and company have not been hesitant to oblige them.
Tosche Station
Tosche station’s most consequential appearance in A New Hope comes in a deleted scene, but it gives more backstory to one of the movie’s closest friendships: Luke Skywalker and Biggs Darklighter. It’s at Tosche Station that Biggs tells Luke he’s joining the Rebellion.
In the show, Tosche station hosts an equally important, if less emotional scene. Fett saves Luke’s old friends, Camie and Laze, from a speeder bike gang, dispatching them and acquiring their mounts to equip the tribe of Tuskens who saved him from the desert. It’s an excellent nod to the original films, and a rousing action set piece in the show’s second episode.
8D8
Fans first became acquainted with the sadistic 8D8 in Return of the Jedi, pressing hot pokers to the feet of a hapless gonk droid. 8D8 was in charge of torturing the many droids of Jabba’s palace, quick to inflict pain at even the slightest infraction.
Under Fett’s rule, 8D8 becomes Fett’s herald, ushering supplicants into his presence to render their tribute to the new Daimyo. 8D8 is equally as obsequious toward his master as he is cruel to the other droids in his charge. Helping him to become one of Boba Fett’s more memorable droids is Matt Berry, who shines as the droid’s voice, reveling in the dry humor and sarcasm of a character the writers clearly enjoyed pulling off the scrap pile.
Jabba’s Palace
The home base of the vile crime boss Jabba the Hutt, this palace comes equipped with a Rancor pit, Gamorrean guards, and a spacious dungeon. Luke, Han, and Chewie were all imprisoned here before their impending execution, and the palace housed Fett’s Slave I for years.
Infiltrating the palace to steal back his iconic Star Wars starship is a major plot point of Chapter 4, and pulling it off gives Fett the firepower to settle some old scores. Returning to the palace to establish a base of operations for his crime family, Fett wisely appropriates one of the symbols of Jabba’s power to solidify his claim to the territory.
Max Rebo
The leader of Jabba’s house band, Max Rebo was present for the intended execution of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Rebo somehow survived the explosion of Jabba’s sail barge, and continued to book his band all across Tatooine.
Fans can spot Rebo at the Sanctuary Cantina, one of Boba Fett’s most important businesses in Mos Espa. In one of the series’ more subtle Easter eggs, the band fires up a smooth acoustic version of the Cantina Band song from A New Hope as Fett walks in for the first time. It remains to be seen if Rebo survived the bombing by the Pyke Syndicate, but, considering his track record, it would be unwise to bet against him.
Sarlacc Pit
The nesting place of the Sarlacc, Fett’s descent into the pit in RotJ was a distressing moment for many viewers upon the movie’s release. For decades, the character waited in limbo, and fans theorized about how he could return.
The prologue of Chapter 1 shows in graphic detail how Fett managed his escape. Holding a well-earned grudge against the creature in the pit, Fett returns after retrieving his ship from Jabba’s palace. It proves a more challenging prospect than he initially believes, and a seismic charge is needed to dispatch the creature once and for all. It was a satisfying moment for Fett fans everywhere, a just ending for the would-be devourer of the bounty hunter.
Luke Skywalker
The scion of the Skywalker clan returns, still attempting to establish his Jedi academy nearly six years after the destruction of the second Death Star. Luke has come a long way from his farm boy roots, and would probably no longer feel at home on Fett’s Tatooine.
Luke’s heavy presence in Chapter 6 was a controversial choice, leading many fans to wonder if the show would simply follow Grogu and the Mandalorian’s story until its conclusion. Luke gives Grogu the best training he can, but, in the end, tells him he must choose his own destiny. It’s safe to say that with the digital face replacement technology on display in Chapter 6, Star Wars fans have not seen the last of Luke.
Mos Eisley
Tatooine is one of Star Wars’ best planets and no trip here would be complete without a visit to Mos Eisley. As Ben Kenobi put it best, “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
The city is the home to the Pyke Syndicate’s operations on Tatooine by the time of Fett’s rule. During the climactic battle, Fennec Shand infiltrates the city to find and eliminate their high command. Mos Eisley is also home to Pelli Motto’s hanger, and it’s here that Luke’s X-Wing deposits young Grogu to be reunited with the Mandalorian. With Fett firmly in control of Mos Espa by the series’ end, it’s fair to assume Mos Eisley will be in his sights next.
Boba Fett
Returning to the screen in season 2 of The Mandalorian, in The Book of Boba Fett Fett travels back to Tatooine to claim Jabba’s territory and take revenge on his enemies. Teaming with new allies and old friend Din Djarin, Fett secures his throne and defeats the rival crime syndicates.
The ultimate fan-favorite character, it was only a matter of time before Boba Fett became the star of his own project. First introduced in 1980s The Empire Strikes Back, Fett’s backstory was filled in by later movies and shows; however, his supposed death in Return of the Jedi seemed to preclude the furtherance of his story. No word yet on a second season, but it’s safe to assume Temura Morrison will get more chances to play the Daimyo of Mos Espa.
