Book of Boba Fett episodes are making Grogu into Anakin

This week’s The book of Boba FettEven to casual Star Wars fans, there are obvious parallels. But underneath all the quoted lines and homage scenes and surprising character reveals, there’s one more fateful pattern.

[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for Book of Boba Fett through episode 6.]

Jedi Academy Blues

Lucasfilm

Until late in its runtime “From the Desert Comes a Stranger” could have fooled you into thinking the stranger was Luke Skywalker, who grew up in the very desert in which most of Book of Boba FettThe episode is now complete. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, co-writers of this episode, devote large portions to the reskinning the Dagobah sequences. The Empire Strikes back with Luke and Grogu instead of Yoda and Luke — with a bit of Luke, Obi-Wan, and the training remote tossed in.

Luke demonstrates everything he was taught about the Force — its powers, its demands, and the way it links all of existence together — to his first pupil. This is the very beginning of the Skywalker scion’s fated Jedi school, set to burn to rubble with its students inside some decade and a half after this. The CGI recreation of Luke — complete with a deepfaked voice — is nearly as robotic as R2-D2, but if any emotion does come through, it’s the gratitude he has for Yoda’s teachings, prickly as the old muppet might have been. It’s bittersweet.

There’s just one problem though.

Darth Vader is literally this.

Step One: An inexperienced teacher, who believes it his duty to educate this student in honour of his deceased mentor.

Step 2: A student older than usual with anger problems stemming out of childhood trauma. This student must be emotionally detached from their parent in order to learn.

Final: The requirement that the child student choose between emotional attachment and Jedi status.

Star Wars has many motifs that are always repeated, which is part of what makes it so fascinating. Sheesh. We’re just one Obviously Evil crusty old dude and a vague allusion to the Dark Side’s power to make all the student’s dreams come true — and bam! The galaxy’s back on the hook for another 20-year war.

Ahsoka’s right that Grogu should not be taught, and is exhibiting true Jedi zen when she shrugs and says she’s not in charge of Luke. The young master has to make his own mistakes — and he will, Ahsoka. He will, hoo boy.

Grogu can be a little hobbit for the greater good of the galaxy and wear the mithril shirts. Hey, Mandalorians get lightsabers too, now! Cooler lightsabers, even! There are many ways to get beskar a lightsaber! Grogu, tiny green king of the Mandalorians — it sure beats another galactic civil war.