The Book of Boba Fett went heavy on the fan service, namely having Grogu and Mando reunite.
ATTENTION: THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Season 1 of The Book of Boba Fett concluded last week, and boy was it a jam-packed episode. But despite the plot lines involving Boba and the Pyke Syndicate and Cad Bane and yada yada yada, the main thing fans were watching for was the potential return of Grogu, née Baby Yoda.
In the penultimate episode, Mando travels to visit Grogu, who is now being trained in the Jedi arts by Luke Skywalker. Although he was just there to say what's up and to give Grogu some authentic Mandalorian apparel, Luke and Ahsoka Tano weren't having it. Grogu was already holding onto his feelings for Mando, and them meeting again/receiving a gift would only hurt his development as a Jedi. Luke decides to offer him a choice; take the chain mail armor Mando wanted him to have, or take the lightsaber, which belonged to Master Yoda. Essentially, shit or get off the pot, buddy. We have a strict no-visitors policy here.
I knew it right then and there; he should pick the lightsaber, but he's gonna pick the Mandalorian chain mail. Star Wars, especially recently, has become addicted to fan service.
The Negation of The Mandalorian
There's no denying the awesomeness of seeing Grogu, sporting his new armor, leaping into the arms of Mando in the season finale. What irks me is how this turn of events negates much of The Mandalorian. Mando went to Hell and back over and over and over again in order to deliver Grogu to someone who could develop him properly and keep him safe, in a way Mando never could. Ahsoka Tano wasn't about it, but Luke was, which produced nothing short of a perfect ending to Season 2.
The finale of The Book of Boba Fett negates this struggle, though. What did Mando do all of that for? Was it to secure the future of a super-powerful child at all costs? Or was it just to make a new friend? Plus, wouldn't Mando have wanted Grogu to continue his training, knowing he is woefully unqualified to handle a force-sensitive being like this? Seems a bit out of character. But at least father and son are reunited, right?
Grogu choosing the chain mail nullified the most important plot line of what has been the best Star Wars creation in decades.
What Happens When...
Mando pretty much puts it all on the line every day. Such is the life of a Mandalorian. As such, his life expectancy can't be too long. Even if we assume he lives another 40 or so years, what happens to Grogu then? He will still be a child at that time, and he will have just lost the most important person in his life, someone he has an incredibly strong connection with. For a force-sensitive being like him, that's, like, really really bad.
The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian hinted at the similarities between Grogu and Anakin Skywalker, in that they fear the loss of important people in their lives, which can lead to terrible consequences. Staying with Mando, only to inevitably experience his death, will hurt Grogu. This is not unlike Anakin losing his mother, Shmi; essentially, the beginning of his descent to the Dark Side. To make matters worse, no Jedi will want to train Grogu at that point, not after the trauma he's gone through. If we look at how things usually go in Star Wars, does a child with incredible-but-raw abilities who is untrainable (by a Jedi at least...) and who has experienced major trauma sound like a good formula?
Picking the lightsaber was the right choice in terms of plot, but it wasn't what our hearts wanted. The latter wins.
One Problem
The one issue with Grogu choosing Yoda's lightsaber was what happens when Luke's Jedi Training Camp gets destroyed by Kylo Ren and Co.? Again, he is still a child at this point, so he is probably toast. Maybe he hides like he did in the Jedi Temple when Anakin/Darth Vader ran roughshod through that daycare? Maybe he is not there when it happens, for whatever reason? I don't know, but they could have explained if/how he survived with one post-credit scene.
His future as Mando's sidekick, though? That raises a lot of troubling questions and possibilities. We'll see if Season 3 of The Mandalorian answers any of them.
SIDE NOTE: Please get rid of the fucking Power Ranger Vespa gang.
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