Comparing The Fan Reception To Grogu Vs. Boba Fett
Star Wars fans are always up for a conversation of what personally appeals to them, especially when something new drops. Depending on its execution it can light the internet on fire! Let's go back to 1977, when there was no internet, and people sat in the cinema for the first time in their lives and watched the epic adventure George Lucas created, Star Wars.
Star Wars broadened the minds of many people, ushering in a new era of storytelling. Introducing characters Luke, Leia, Kenobi, Vader, etc. establishing a space fantasy saga that will stand the test of time. Inspired by wild west films and stories, the character Boba Fett was born. Essentially a mysterious one man army who made his profession in the world of bounty hunting, giving Boba the reputation of the most dangerous bounty hunter in the galaxy. However, George Lucas felt something was missing in Boba's appearance, so he commissioned concept artist Ralph McQuarrie to bring this new character to life.
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George Lucas had ideas for Boba Fett, including him in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. This marked Boba's first ever on-screen appearance, giving fans the very first sound and actions for Boba Fett. While the overall Holiday Special was underwhelming and not well-received by fans, one thing was for sure, Boba Fett was a hit! Still unsure about his final look, In the Disney+ documentary Under The Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett George Lucas states, "There were a few different versions of it, because each character, when we do it, we do other alternative versions of it to see where we go." Implying that the extremely memorable character Boba Fett was an ever-changing and growing original character as time went on.
George Lucas went on to say, "It's a good character, people like the bad guys." Boy was he correct about that! By the time of Empire Strikes Back, fans knew of Boba and knew nothing of him at the same time. It was a subtle chill when Vader asserted, "I want them alive, no disintegrations." and hearing Boba's muffled reply; "As you wish." Now fast-forwarding to Return of the Jedi and the unsavory death of the mysterious bounty hunter, left fans feeling uncertain. "Killed" by Han Solo when he accidently ruptured his jetpack, causing Boba to whiz through the air, crashing into Jabba's sail barge and down the throat of a sarlaac, spelling the end of Boba Fett. It wasn't until 14 years later in the 1997 Star Wars: A New Hope Special Edition that fans saw an added scene of Boba Fett played by Mark Anthony Austin.
Shifting gears to the 2019 streaming series, The Mandalorian, which ushered in Disney+'s first month as a new streaming service. Introducing characters Din Djarin (the Mandalorian) and the Child, who fans dubbed "Baby Yoda." Writer Jon Favreau gave fans a strikingly similar, if not the exact same species as Jedi Master Yoda but in child form. Giving us a first look at the little guy in Season 1 Episode 1 blew the fanbase away. However, with adorable eyes, cute smile, and misty-eyed moments Grogu stole the hearts of the public, even of those who don't follow the fandom.
See by this point in the fandom, Star Wars fans were on extremely different sides after the sequel trilogy was underway, to be concluded with the ninth installment in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker, in December of 2019. Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi had exploded the fanbase in opposite sides, leaving a rather largely divided reception of the sequels in general. While many also felt Disney was incapable of telling a compelling Star Wars story.
The Mandalorian was a show that waded passed all of the insanity and managed to stand on it's own two feet. All because we were given a gunslinging, brooding, and mysterious Mandalorian who had a soft spot for a toddler, (bare in mind the Child at this point is 50 years old). Caught between epic action, awesome blaster battles, and cute Baby Yoda moments, the show and the Child were quickly seared into the memories and hearts of Star Wars fans across the fanbase.
After Mando and Grogu's recent appearance in the 2021 show The Book of Boba Fett, fans are more excited than ever for The Mandalorian Season 3. So stay tuned for news about the newest season set to release later this year!
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