The Book of Boba Fett is the most recent Disney+ sensation to take fans of Disney properties by storm. Following the events of The Mandalorian, the show follows Boba Fett in his quest to secure his place as the new crime lord of Mos Espa. Having a show revolve around Boba Fett is a risky choice. It is a risky choice because Boba Fett is both a character who is familiar, yet mysterious. In the original Star Wars movie trilogy, the mercenary speaks just four lines. Additionally, he is on screen for a mere six and a half minutes.

However risky, the decision to have a show revolving around Boba Fett is also a rewarding one. Since the original Star Wars trilogy, the mysterious bounty hunter has been a fan favorite despite the lack of screen time and sparse backstory. The character’s bravado and uniform are likely the driving forces behind Boba Fett’s allure.

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There is little denying that the show will reap great rewards for Disney. Star Wars fans have an insatiable appetite for content, and The Mandalorian was such a wild success that The Book of Boba Fett can practically ride its coattails to victory. However, the show has a narrative momentum problem. It jumps forward and backward in time, sometimes to great success, and at other times in choppy pacing waters. If the show wants to maintain success over all seven episodes of its first season, it needs to address a few matters.

Tonal Inconsistency

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The one constant of The Book of Boba Fett when it comes to tone is that Boba Fett, much like The Mandalorian, is not a man to be trifled with lightly. However, there are underlying tonal issues at play.

This is largely because of the time-jumping nature of The Book of Boba Fett. Is Boba Fett a hero or a victim? Is he a savior or a pernicious meddler? Time will tell as the show unfolds, but it has to decide what Boba Fett is, lest the show unravel further in tone.

Lingering on the Past

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To date, The Book of Boba Fett has spent a vast supermajority of its time in the past. This is both necessary and a pox on the show. It is necessary because of how little audiences actually know about Boba Fett. However, it is unfortunate because the property has to explain as much as it shows.

It is understandable that Disney wanted to demonstrate how Boba Fett escaped the Sarlacc Pit in the events of Return of the Jedi. However, if the show demonstrates in laborious detail how Boba Fett transitions from wayward slave to mob boss, it will drag as much as it provides context.

A Snail’s Pace in the Present Day

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Because The Book of Boba Fett takes place largely in the past (as of this writing), the storyline that drives the present day is crawling. The first two episodes have essentially just displayed Boba Fett dodging an assassination attempt and a stare-down with the Hutteese twins.

If the show wants to stand in the same conversation as The Mandalorian, there have to be monumental events in the present, and not just bad-ass moments that occurred in the past. It is all well and good that Boba Fett is a character whose backstory deserves an explanation, but audiences are chomping at the bit to see the bounty hunter evolve in the present day.

Character Development

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Character development is another area that is somewhat perplexing so far in The Book of Boba Fett. This can also be attributed to the fact that about 80% of the show takes place in the past.

This is a shame because there is great character development on the show so far. However, given that most of the show takes place during bygone years, the character development has essentially already occurred whenever audiences are brought into the present day. The character development should occur both in the past and the present if the show wants to be more balanced. This would also do well to set up a second season – otherwise, The Book of Boba Fett just comes across as a prequel, which is not what fans had expected following The Mandalorian.

Will Future Episodes Rectify the Pacing Issue?

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Fortunately, The Book of Boba Fett is still in its infancy, with five episodes remaining in its first season. This gives the show plenty of time to redeem itself when it comes to balancing the past and present, as well as applying the proper pacing.

Balancing the past and present, or even outright focusing on the present, will essentially fix what pacing issues there are on the show. There is intrigue in Boba Fett’s present and mystery lingering in his past, so it goes to reason that the show does have to give each their time in the sun.

The Book of Boba Fett has the somewhat unfortunate task of being sandwiched between The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and in the shadow of Return of the Jedi. That is a lot of hype to live up to, but to date, the show is favorably viewed. However, the pacing issue must be addressed in order for the show to truly reach its potential.

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