The Mandalorian Season 2 has been a non-stop, thrill ride since it began, but the latest episode really took the cake. The installment – “Chapter 14: The Tragedy” – saw Star Wars icon Boba Fett make his formal return (after that season premiere cameo) and, with his armor in tow, he did not disappoint in the slightest. While fans are happy to see Fett back in the fold, many are likely still wondering how he’s still alive in the first place, given what occurred in Return of the Jedi. One would think that Boba and Jango Fett actor Temuera Morrison would have the answer, but it turns out he’s also in the dark when it comes to the subject.
Boba Fett was last seen in 1983’s Return of the Jedi, during which he appeared to meet his demise when he fell into the Great Pit of Carkoon, seemingly becoming a snack for the sarlacc. Nevertheless, a few years later (in the Star Wars timeline) he’s alive, albeit physically scarred from the ordeal.
Temuera Morrison recently admitted to The New York Times that he’s fully aware of the unresolved plot threads surrounding his fan-favorite character, though he can’t fill in the blanks himself. He can only point to the savviness of Star Wars fans, who he says he can even learn from:
Ah, no, I don’t. There’s quite a bit of loose ends, and I’m not one of those guys that knows too much about the actual history. The fans of Star Wars, they have better knowledge of, What’s happened? How can he still be alive? I thought he was stuck in this place? I can find out more on the internet.
Although Star Wars fans can be a bit “spirited” when it comes to discussing the franchise’s vast lore, Morrison is correct in noting that many of them have deep knowledge of the franchise. Even if they don’t have the concrete facts, they can sometimes rationalize reasonable explanations based on common logic or other aspects of the continuity.
The exact circumstances regarding Boba Fett’s survival may not have been revealed, but we did learn a few other things about him and his infamous father. Fett revealed that his dad, Jango, was actually a foundling – a child adopted into the Mandalorian culture (not unlike series protagonist Din Djarin). With this, we now know Boba is not a true Mandalorian, yet he does still follow some kind of creed, which is what’s leading him to aid Mando in reclaiming The Child from Moff Gideon.
The question of Boba Fett’s survival after Return of the Jedi will probably continue to linger in fans’ minds for a while, something that producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni likely know. The two Star Wars gurus may end up giving us answers at some point but, even if they don’t, I’m sure it won’t take away from fans’ joy of having the veteran bounty hunter back in action.
New episodes of The Mandalorian drop Fridays on Disney+.
