The Book of Boba Fett, Chapter 4, The Gathering Storm review: Fledgling Star Wars show regains composure, concludes with tantalising tease

In a single intention, it’s a fight that mirrors Boba Fett’s, as the bounty hunter-grew to became-crime lord remains chained to his previous, but makes edifying makes an strive at re-establishing himself.

Chapter 4 continues the Godfather Share II-model support-and-forth across timelines. And after capacity too many flashbacks dedicated to articulate of being inactive (or, at most fine, rudimentary character enlighten), The Gathering Storm opens with a second that followers absorb been waiting for. The first meeting between Boba Fett and his depended on accomplice Fennec Shand is suitably understated and in overall very candy. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d be willing to wager that Favreau and episode director Kevin Tancharoen looked to Terminator Salvation—the least-remembered of the Terminator sequels—for inspiration.

After in actuality coercing her into accompanying him on a mission—eventually, missions are support!—Boba Fett permits her to articulate her ‘freedom’. In a rare instance of the otherwise steely existing letting its guard down and cracking a smile, Fennec Shand waves away his provide and suggests that she might well per chance per chance absorb to label along with him on extra adventures. And treasure Don Corleone, who modified into a softie in his damaged-down age, Boba Fett doesn’t refuse her provide of companionship.

It’s so bright to seem at two emotionally restrained characters include the warmth in every other that per chance entirely they’ll see. Fennec Shand even makes this commentary in the existing; a self-conscious touch by Favreau. And Boba Fett’s response is equally emotional. “You can entirely uncover to this level without a tribe,” he growls, making a reference to his Tusken pals, who perished in episode three.

Even supposing this second doesn’t excuse the sloppily paced flashbacks of the outdated chapters, it certainly makes the ‘previous’ timeline in The Book of Boba Fett extra bright swiftly.

Importantly, both via tone and visual aesthetic, the flashbacks are no longer any longer all that loads of from the ‘conceal day’ sequences, per chance symbolising the eventual intersection of the 2 timelines. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand’s siege of Jaba the Hutt’s palace is thrillingly staged, with extra humour than what we saw in the flashbacks directed by Robert Rodriguez in earlier episodes.

Tancharoen introduces bodily comedy to the existing, most particularly when he has Boba Fett’s Bantha creature burp after a meal, and then, when a droid chef whacks his food on the head as he cooks it. There’s even a amusing bolt between Boba Fett and a limited creature who looks to absorb been created the use of stop-motion animation. It makes the cutting-edge existing positively artisanal.

All-in-all, here is the major time that the flashback timeline has looked worthwhile. And imagine our appropriate fair appropriate fortune; the ‘conceal day’ bits, although trimmed this time around, are restful powerful. Fennec Shand organises a Assembly of the 5 Families-model uncover-together between Boba Fett and Jabba’s prone captains, in an strive to abet him consolidate his vitality, which isn’t occurring as easily as Boba Fett had imagined. This sets the stage perfectly for the closing showdown, as The Book of Boba Fett nears the tip of its debut season.

Now having recovered from his injuries, Boba Fett has been quietly inserting together a rag-label team of workers of sorts—joining Fennec Shand and his two Gamorrean guards are the Rancor beast and the Wookie bounty hunter Krrsantan, who gets a scene all to himself in Chapter 4. But it certainly is a throwaway line muttered on the tip of the episode, and accentuated with a song cue that is particular to ship chills down your spine, that tantalisingly teases the build we might well per chance very neatly be headed next.

The Book of Boba Fett, Chapter 4, The Gathering Storm


Director – Kevin Tancharoen


Solid – Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen


Ranking – 4/5