As has been the case with every episode of The Book of Boba Fett, there were plenty of Star Wars easter eggs included in the episode for those who were paying close attention. In fact, there were some Star Wars easter eggs that weren't really all that well hidden. In fact, there was one scene particular part of the plot that had several easter eggs all grouped into one particular basket.
While there were quite a few easter eggs in this episode of The Book of Boba Fett, there were actually a few less than some of the other installments. That might have been because Episode 3 was more about moving the plot forward than doing as much fan service. Still, there hasn't been an installment of the show that hasn't had a bit of fan service, if for no other reason than because the showrunners seemingly wanted to make sure people understood this show is very much tied to everything that came before it.
Rancor Makes A Return
Perhaps audiences of The Book of Boba Fett should have known that this creature was going to make an appearance at some point, considering the fact that Jabba's favorite pet was dead and gone was pointed out in the very first episode of the show. The monster was presented to Boba in this installment by Jabba's cousins who were trying to end hostilities between themselves and the former bounty hunter after a murder attempt didn't go as planned. This creature, of course, was the same kind of monster that Luke Skywalker had to kill in Return of the Jedi in order to show off just how powerful he really was. It turns out that the appearance of what - it was later explained - was a "calf" actually set off a chain reaction of easter eggs.
Danny Trejo Makes An Appearance
The appearance of Danny Trejo in this episode of The Book of Boba Fett was a nice little surprise fairly early on in the show but it's not yet known just how much he'll be around. Trejo came along with the Rancor as he is its trainer. He also changed the way Star Wars fans are supposed to see that scene where Luke kills the giant monster. Trejo explained to Boba that the reason the Rancor was just sitting there was that it was depressed and that this particular type of beast is a "deeply emotional" animal. He also explained that the Rancors are often bred for fighting because they're good at it, but they are first and foremost loyal and loving animals.
It was pretty clear at this point that viewers were supposed to realize that the scene where Luke killed one was supposed to make people feel bad. This also further explained the after-effects of Luke taking down Jabba's Rancor, when the trainer was basically inconsolable. It's pretty clear that these creatures are the pit bull of the Star Wars world, and can be just loving pets if they're treated correctly. Danny Trejo being the actor that played the Rancor trainer was a bit of an easter egg all on his own, as he's appeared in several Robert Rodriguez films. Rodriguez is was the director of this episode.
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Yet another easter egg in The Book of Boba Fett popped up when the former bounty hunter is speaking to the Rancor trainer. He talks about once having ridden a great beast that was far bigger than this particular creature. That appears to be a nod to the Star Wars Holiday Special that included an animated tale of Boba riding Paar’s ichthyodont. This was officially the first time the bounty hunter appeared on screen and is usually considered the best part of the famously bad holiday special. This seems to mean that the special is now part of Star Wars canon.
The Witches of Dathomir
Yet another easter egg that was born from the Rancor scene is when Boba Fett was talking about where he found the massive creature he was riding. During that tale, he mentions the Witches of Dathomir. Dathomir just happens to be where Darth Maul is from, so there's one easter egg there. These witches are also known as the Night Sisters which featured prominently in The Clone Wars animated series. In fact, one of that show's biggest baddies was a member of the order of the Night Sisters. There's a chance the mention of The Witches could be a bit of foreshadowing as well.
The stars of The Book of Boba Fett have hinted that a big surprise is coming in Episode 7. While Darth Maul is thought to be dead, there have been whispers over the years that he might make another appearance somewhere along the way. Might he be the surprise coming?
Stormtroopers Helmets on Pikes
While most of the easter eggs are callbacks to long ago appearances in the Star Wars universe, there was at least one that was quite a bit more recent. When Boba is riding into town to talk to the Pyke Syndicate, he rides past a collection of Storm Trooper helmets that have been mounted on pikes. This particular tableau was first seen in the first episode of The Mandalorian and was basically used as a way to set up the timeline that the show existed in. It does double duty here, as it makes it very clear that Boba was busy doing his own thing with the Tusken Raiders while the events of the first season of The Mandalorian were unfolding. That show started hinting that Boba would appear at one point or another early on, but then his armor made an appearance on another character early in Season 2.
It wasn't long after that the former bounty hunter crossed over into the world of The Mandalorian. This scene actually contained a second easter egg of sorts, as some viewers believe that a woman with dark curly hair can be seen walking past the piked helmets. It's thought this was supposed to be the mechanic that helps Grogu and The Mandalorian during Season 2.