With rumors about a
Boba Fett spin-off film heating up, inevitably the suggestion is being made by some to have the film set after
Return of the Jedi and feature Boba making his escape from the Sarlacc pit. This is not a new idea by any stretch. Ever since
Jedi, fans have speculated about whether Boba could escape from the pit. The Expanded Universe went that direction having Boba escape from the Sarlacc and continue bounty hunting for (at least) another 30 years. Even George Lucas considered adding a scene of Boba crawling out of the Sarlacc pit in a subsequent release of
Jedi.
While there certainly is a precedent for Boba escaping, ultimately it would be a mistake to pull him out and go on adventures post Return of the Jedi. Keeping Boba in the pit limits the stories that can be told with him and that will ultimately preserve some of what we first found so intriguing about him, the mystery.
There is no denying that Boba is one of the most popular characters in the saga. Because of the fascination with Boba and his Mandalorian armor, the Mandalorians have become on of the largest sub-factions of Star Wars fandom. There are countless books and comics about them, an entire costuming club dedicating to them (The Mando Mercs), and even their own language (Mando'a) and fandom name (Fandalorians). All this based around a bounty hunter that had barely twenty minutes of screen time in the Original trilogy. So why then is it best to keep Boba dead?
The answer, of course, is the risk of over saturation. Boba has appeared in practically every Star Wars medium out there, he's in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy, The Clone Wars, books, comics, video, games, and then there's the Mando culture (listed above) that has spun-off from this. At what point do audiences become sick of Boba Fett?
Lets look to another franchise for a comparable, the X-Men and Wolverine. Hugh Jackman's portrayal of the mutant super hero Wolverine was a fan favorite in the early X-Men films but as the franchise has gone on there seems a feeling that audiences have seen enough of the character. Between the first X-Men trilogy, two solo spin off films, a one liner cameo in X-Men: First Class, and a key role in the upcoming Days of Future Past, it's not hard to understand why the once mysterious character has become stale.
That could happen to Boba. If Boba is allowed to escape the Sarlacc then it's open season for the creators to do whatever they want with him, and to answer any questions they want. With his origins known from the prequels, there are only so many mysteries about Boba left (and please don't suggest the Boba from the prequels be killed off and
replaced by some unknown). By limiting the time in which stories about Boba can be told, you limit the number of stories which can be told. This will place limitations on what the creators can do, so that Boba doesn't come face-to-face with his long lost granddaughter (a la the
Legacy of the Force novels).
Then there's this issue, if Boba escapes the Sarlacc, how does he die? What death could possibly be enough to satisfy the legions of Boba fans? Certainly not old age, and we know Star Wars characters don't live forever (some for 900 years, but not forever). So how? And when? And who should pull
the trigger? Fans don't want Boba to die a failure, hence the desire for him to survive the Sarlacc, so how do you give him a meaningful death that is in line with his character? It is hard to imagine a death for Boba that will live up to the the legend and mythology that has been created around him.
As popular as Boba is, it's time for fans to come to terms with the fact that he's dead. That's not to say the debate about whether or not Boba could survive the Sarlacc should not go on. Fandom is based around discussion and that's one that will (and should) go on forever, but the risks of bringing him out of the Sarlacc far outweigh the rewards. There's always possibility for more Boba Fett stories, but for now let's keep those set in the Dark Times and Rebellion eras.
So what do you think? Do you agree Boba Fett should stay in the Sarlacc, or would you rather he survives? Let us know in the comments, tweet us
@TheSWU, or join the discussion in
Club SWU on Facebook!
This article is an opinion piece and represents the views of the writer, and not the entire Star Wars Underworld organization
