A great divide continues to reconsolidate as another chapter of The Book of Boba Fett closes. Ironically, “Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian” is considered to be the best episode despite having not featured a single scene of the title character. “Chapter 6: “From the Desert Comes a Stranger” follows, compares, or surpasses it in rating, and features a silent Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) in only a single short scene. Something Boba Fett did convincingly in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and the Special Edition of Star Wars: A New Hope was to nod. He’s a man of few words, and his reputation was built on that. This is a man to be feared. With Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) heading the project as his voice in a war room, he resumes his build-up to resisting the Pyke Syndicate.
As penultimate episodes go, you can usually expect plots and characters to shock you, and “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger” does not disappoint. It has little room left for more Fett as it overflows with surprise visits from characters throughout the galaxy. Star Wars fans should be thoroughly pleased with this episode.

We open on Tatooine, as usual. The camera pans down an array of moisture vaporators in the middle of what you might figure to be nowhere. Four Pykes are congregated around a speeder, conducting an exchange of credits and spice. It’s way too much spice for personal use, so a visit from the marshal is in order. Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) confidently approaches and confronts them to protect the Mos Pelgo territories. The scene is straight out of the old west. Vanth generously allows one Pyke to leave the scene so he can warn the syndicate to stay out of his town. He kicks over the spice container and lets it spill into the wind.
After the cold open and title, we switch to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) approaching a green planet in his new ride, the as-yet-unnamed N-1 starfighter. It’s a surprise these scenes weren’t saved for the next season of The Mandalorian, so we must assume that they feed into the arc of Boba Fett’s story. It’s still a mystery how, but a welcome one. The gorgeous landscape is enough to hint at who we’re about to see. Familiar beeps and a close-up of a well-known radar antenna ease the revelation of R2-D2 as he monitors the incoming ship. But just as we are made to wait, Mando is made to wait on a bamboo bench built before him in real-time. With what might be the coolest droid concept, we watch ant-like construction droids as they slowly assemble a temple from local stones. The swarm of droids are walkers with six legs and Gonk-ish bodies equipped with mechanical pincers that can carry loads over any terrain. They must have cost the Jedi Academy a bundle. Just wait until Mando gets the tuition bill for Grogu’s education!
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Before we get to see our little green friend again, we must be acquainted with the serene planet. The next few establishing shots take us through the progress of the temple and the various locales we might expect to see a Jedi meditating in. It’s sort of a cinematic walkthrough campus before we get our first glimpse of Grogu in training. He’s facing his master, sitting criss-cross applesauce. Yes, it’s Luke Skywalker! He’s not rendered perfectly, but we’ll always look closely at the characters we know aren’t the original actors. His appearance passes just well enough, and the voice is one we’ll all recognize. The unmistakable voice of Mark Hamill speaks the name, “Grogu,” as the Baby Yoda is distracted from his training. Luke uses his telekinetic powers of the Force, reprimanding Grogu by showing off his abilities, but from this scene, we learn that Grogu has honed his powers a bit under Luke’s tutelage. We learn, as viewers, that “size matters not” is only one insight. Another is ‘numbers matter not.” It’s demonstrated with amphibians, not spoken, but we’ll probably get another chance to see this idea in action as Boba Fett and crew face an ever-growing assembly of Pykes on Tatooine.
As they continue Grogu’s lessons and walk down a bamboo forest path, Luke commences lifting Grogu to keep his own pace in the most adorable way possible. He then kneels before his pupil to help him remember his past. We get a few glimpses of some Jedi protecting Grogu from Clone Troopers during Order 66. The Jedi are massacred, and Grogu is presumed captured as the flashback ends.
While Mando continues to wait, he is startled into raising his blaster at an approaching Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson). She stands, cross-armed, as if the twig-snapping sound wasn’t accidental, but instead a reminder to Din Djarin that she’s quite capable of sneaking up on anyone. Mando and Ahsoka exchange a few pleasantries before he lets her know why he’s there. He wants to deliver the gift he had the Armorer make before she banished him from her version of the Mandalorian order. Ahsoka gently warns him against interrupting Grogu’s training, but Mando is persistent. She shows Grogu to him from afar and finally convinces him that she will deliver the gift of Mandalorian armor.
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The N-1 starfighter leaves, and Grogu senses his longing despite not recognizing the ship. The feeling passes, and Luke continues Grogu’s training, reminding his pupil that, “Through the Force, you will find balance as well.” It’s a figurative lesson, but the next scene is literally balance training. The puppet shows off its advancements convincingly. Grogu continues to show us he’s real. Then, the lightsaber! The character we didn’t know we missed so much. Luke wields it as a demonstration, but it’s really for us. A levitating Grogu looks on, entertained and fascinated. They move on to Grogu learning evasive tactics against a training remote (like the one Ben Kenobi abused Luke with on the Millennium Falcon). The Baby Yoda only needs to be zapped once to know he should dodge it. Eventually, he disarms and destroys the remote using the Force. Ahsoka interrupts the lesson to deliver Mando’s gift. Luke knows, “The Mandalorian was here,” and Ahsoka reminds him of the bond between Grogu and Mando.
We cut to Din Djarin approaching Tatooine to unite with Boba Fett in Jabba’s Palace. Here we see the one and only scene with Boba Fett. Fennec Shand briefs the crew on the crime families of Mos Espa. The Pyke presence and the sudden disappearance of Mayor Mok Shaiz lead them to believe the storm is about to break. Mando arrives casually late to the meeting and stands in the shadows until he is introduced.
Mando then flies out to see Marshal Vanth and meets his overzealous deputy acting as a parking meter maid. Vanth shoos his deputy away so the men can talk. Inside the local cantina, Mando looks to recruit Cobb Vanth’s people to the fight against the Pyke Syndicate. Having already thwarted a local deal with the Pykes, Vanth is unconvinced but promises to consider the offer. The people of Mos Pelgo, known as Freetown by the locals, are done fighting after having defeated their Krayt dragon threat.
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After Mando leaves, Vanth reveals that he’s got instinct. He’s more concerned than he’s let on, and rightfully so. A stranger comes to town, appearing through refraction in the distance. Fans of the animated series The Clone Wars know exactly who it is. When Cad Bane (voiced by Corey Burton and portrayed by Dorian Kingi) tips the brim of his hat up, there was a collective roar of approval amongst the Star Wars community. He looks better in live-action than we could have hoped for. He’s fierce and imperturbable. Vanth and Bane face each other in an old west stand-off, and Bane warns him to look the other way as the Pyke Syndicate moves in. The itchy-fingered deputy rushes the violence along, and he pays for it with his life. Vanth is wounded, but he knows it’s his war now, too. Freetown can’t be free when Cad Bane is in town.
The episode could have ended there and left viewers wanting more, but a message had to be sent. Boba Fett’s territory takes a direct hit as the Pykes leave an incendiary device in Garsa Fwip‘s club. After the explosion, you all might be wondering whether any of those handsome and pretty Twi’Leks survived. Even Garsa herself was on the floor when the bomb went off. But I’m worried about Max Rebo and Figrin D’an. If the Pyke Syndicate killed the most popular music ensemble in the galaxy, there will be hell to pay. Disney’s world of Star Wars has gotten real.
But wait, there’s more! We come back to Luke Skywalker and Grogu for one last scene. Inside the completed temple, Luke offers Grogu a choice. He reveals the gift of Beskar chainmail armor brought by the Mandalorian. He also reveals his old master Yoda’s lightsaber. Grogu can only follow one path and must decide whether he is a Foundling or a Padawan. So much drama! It’s too much for us to handle. Imagine how Grogu feels. Will we know next week?