By Josh Bate
In addition to an enthralling plot line and great character work, The Book of Boba Fett also triumphs as a tribute to Star Wars and its long-standing fans. Seemingly every frame of the series is filled to the brim with easter eggs and references, making rewatches of the seven chapters all the more necessary. Here is an episode-by-episode breakdown of easter eggs, references, and trivia facts from season 1 of The Book of Boba Fett:
Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land
Boba looks upon the helmet of his recently deceased father Jango in a flashback in the opening moments of the series.
Fans have waited a long time to see Boba Fett escape the infamous sarlacc pit.
The Tusken Raider warrior in The Book of Boba Fett is played by Joanna Bennett, who has performed as a stunt double in many films and shows, including Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, and Captain America: Civil War.
The legendary Max Rebo appears in various episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, starting in Chapter 1.
The Trandoshan who pays tribute to Boba Fett in The Book of Boba Fett delivers a Wookiee pelt. This is a reference to the history of Trandoshans hunting Wookiees for fun. The character is also played by executive producer and director Robert Rodriguez.
Sam Witwer voices the Rodian prisoner in The Book of Boba Fett.
Darth Vader says to Boba Fett, “No disintegrations” in The Empire Strikes Back. In Chapter 1, Boba Fett disintegrates one of his attackers.
Chapter 1 of The Book of Boba Fett is titled Stranger in a Strange Land, a reference to Robert A. Heinlein’s novel. The book’s lead was born on Mars, where sharing water was a sign of brotherhood. This mirrors Chapter 1 when the Tusken shares water with Boba Fett.
Crimson Dawn’s theme from Solo: A Star Wars Story can be heard in parts of The Book of Boba Fett’s end credits each episode. Despite rumors, the crime syndicate didn’t end up making an appearance in the series.
Chapter 2: The Tribes of Tatooine
The cinematographer of Chapter 2 is Dean Cundey, famous for his work on Halloween (1978), Jurassic Park, Apollo 13, and Back to the Future.
We see a brief flashback featuring young Boba following the death of his father Jango.
Boba takes the speeders from Tosche Station, which was referenced in A New Hope as a place Luke frequented. Two of Luke’s friends, Fixer and Camie, from a deleted scene of A New Hope reappear as the people saved by Boba Fett.
Boba tells Garsa Fwip, “You’re sweating like a gumpta on Mustafar.” Mustafar is the lava planet Obi-Wan and Anakin fought on in Revenge of the Sith, and has also been seen in Darth Vader comics and The Rise of Skywalker.
The twins delayed their trip to Tatooine to stay on the Hutt homeworld Nal Hutta. This planet has appeared in various stories, including The Clone Wars and The High Republic in which it’s explained its swampy climate is due to Drengir invasion.
Black Krrsantan, the villainous Wookiee bounty hunter, makes his live-action debut in Chapter 2 of The Book of Boba Fett. Krrsantan first appeared in Darth Vader 1 alongside Boba Fett.
Director Steph Green recreates a piece of Ralph McQuarrie concept art in this chapter of the series.
Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa
Boba can be seen burning the stick of the young Tusken child in Chapter 3’s flashback.
Peli Motto and her company of pit droids can be seen in the background of a flashback in Chapter 3.
A roasted nuna is one of the delicacies on Boba and Fennec’s dinner table in Chapter 3. Nunas are frog-like creatures that appeared in The Phantom Menace and other Star Wars projects.
The new Rancor keeper is played by Danny Trejo, who is a frequent collaborator of director and executive producer Robert Rodriguez.
Danny Trejo’s Rancor keeper says, “It is said that the Witches of Dathomir even rode them through the forests and fens.” Witches of Dathomir like Asajj Ventress and Mother Talzin were shown in The Clone Wars.
Boba’s statement “I’ve ridden beasts ten times its size” as he looks upon his new Rancor is a callback to The Star Wars Holiday Special.
During the speeder chase in Chapter 3, a speeder flies through a Ralph McQuarrie concept art painting of Jabba the Hutt for Return of the Jedi.
The fruit stand the mayor’s assistant crashes into in Chapter 3 is full of meilooruns, which were previously seen in Star Wars Rebels.
Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm
The Modifier who patches up Fennec in Chapter 4 is played by bass guitarist, singer, and songwriter Thundercat, who won a Grammy in 2016 for Best Rap/Sung Performance and in 2021 for Best Progressive R&B Album.
The cook droid in Chapter 4 is a COO-series cook droid. This type of droid first appeared in Attack of the Clones. The droid in The Book of Boba Fett also adopts a battle stance similar to General Grievous.
The seismic charge that ultimately kills the sarlacc has become an iconic feature of Star Wars cinema and television. It first appeared in Attack of the Clones when it was used by Boba’s father Jango.
Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian
The creature who crows like a rooster on Tatooine is known as a Sand Bat. They previously appeared in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game before showing up in The Book of Boba Fett.
The BD droids first seen in Jedi: Fallen Order reappear in Return of the Mandalorian. The BD is short for “buddy droid.”
Mando’s new ship is an N-1 starfighter. Peli Motto notes that the ship was “handmade for the royal guard and commissioned personally by the Queen of Naboo.” These ships were previously seen in The Phantom Menace.
Peli Motto also says the N-1 starfighter is as fast as a fathier, a reference to the horse-like creatures seen in The Last Jedi.
The X-wing pilot Lt. Reed in Chapter 5 is played by Max Lloyd-Jones, who was Luke Skywalker’s body double in the season 2 finale of The Mandalorian.
Din uses the term ‘wizard’ to describe what it was like to fly his new ship. This term has been used by Kitster Banai when speaking of Anakin, Zeb when speaking of Ezra, Owen Lars used it as a derogatory term towards Ben Kenobi & Ram Jomaram coined it in the High Republic era.
Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger
Like master, like apprentice. Mirroring Yoda’s demonstration of the Force by raising the X-Wing in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke demonstrates the Force to Grogu by lifting frogs from the pond.
The symbol of Barriss Offee can be seen in the background of the Jedi Temple during Grogu’s Order 66 flashback.
We see the beginning stages of Luke’s Jedi Academy in Chapter 7 of The Book of Boba Fett. This was previously seen in The Rise of Kylo Ren as Luke trained young Ben Solo and others and in The Last Jedi when we tragically see it burn to the ground.
The dilemma Luke poses to Grogu – to choose between the path of a Mandalorian or the path of a Jedi – is a duel of the fates-esque scenario, harkening back to various pivotal points in the Star Wars saga in which central characters were tasked with making monumental decisions with widespread implications.
Cad Bane made his long-awaited live action debut in Chapter 6 of The Book of Boba Fett. And Corey Burton returned to voice the character following his work on The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch.
Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor
Cad Bane’s arrival to the Pyke headquarters is framed the same way as Boba Fett’s first appearance in The Mandalorian when he approaches Fennec Shand.
The majordomo references the planet Oba Diah when negotiating with the Pykes. Oba Diah is the home world of the Pyke Syndicate that first made its appearance in The Clone Wars season 6 when Anakin and Obi-Wan visit to learn more about Sifo-Dyas.
Boba Fett and Cad Bane come face to face in the finale. This marks a rematch between the two deadly bounty hunters following an unaired clash in The Clone Wars.
“Well, If That Isn’t The Quacta Calling The Stifling Slimy.” Cad Bane uses the same line to Boba Fett as Boba used to insult Koska Reeves in The Mandalorian.
During the final battle, Peli Motto arrives in a RIC droid, the same type of droid that carries Anakin and Padmé in Attack of the Clones.
Grogu can (possibly) be heard saying “dada” as he leaps into Mando’s arms.
Grogu reaches out to lift Mando’s helmet, which is a throwback to the last time the two met when Djarin finally unmasked.
In Legends, the Scorpenek Annihilator droids were supposed to replace Droidekas, but their expensive price tag prevented this from happening.
The Rancor’s destruction of Mos Espa is a reference to the original King Kong film.
Before Boba rode on top of his Rancor, Rancor riding has been seen several times in Star Wars, including Avar Kriss in Cavan Scott’s The High Republic series.
Skad’s much spoken of spin move during battle mirrors a similar move used in Desperado, another project directed by Robert Rodriguez. And, in the words of young Ani, spinning is a good trick.
And, as many expected, the astromech space in Mando’s new ship is where Grogu will be as the two fly into the next season of The Mandalorian.
The Book of Boba Fett’s end credits tag marks the second time we’ve seen a post-credits scene in the Star Wars universe. Is this something we should expect in Star Wars moving forward?
Images courtesy of Disney+ and Lucasfilm