New Details About the Rancor Make This 'Return Of The Jedi' Scene More Heart-Breaking
Rancors, consisting of several subspecies, are semi-sentient reptilian carnivores typically found on Dathomir and Felucia used for work in agriculture and war. Chapter 3 of The Book of Boba Fett, brought back the ferocious rancor from Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, except it was not quite so ferocious. This time the rancor appears to be a lot tamer and much younger than the rancor that Luke Skywalker slew in the dungeon inside Jabba's Palace.
The Book of Boba Fett explains why Malikili, the Rancor Keeper, was so distraught when his rancor was killed by Luke Skywalker. The keeper, played by Danny Trejo, reveals that rancors are emotional creatures. They have feelings that go beyond survival and predatory instincts. The keeper informs Boba Fett that the rancor is peaceful until threatened but is bred for fighting. Therefore, a bond between the keeper and rancor is apparent and puts Malikili’s emotions in perspective.
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Boba Fett begins to bond with the rancor as he pets and talks to the great beast, explaining to the keeper that the rancor is hungry. Next, Boba Fett mentions that he wants to learn how to ride it. Here is where the keeper begins the first steps of helping establish the bond between Boba Fett and the rancor. First, the keeper tells Boba Fett to stand in front of the rancor so it can see that Boba is not a threat when it opens its eyes.
Next, the keeper opens the rancor’s eyes and guides them to look at Boba. The bonding scene between Fett and the rancor establishes that rancors can love and develop strong bonds with their owners. The opposite was depicted in Return of the Jedi over 40 years ago. This new phenomenon adds to the Star Wars saga in depicting creatures possessing human-like characteristics in bonding with humans. To see Boba Fett learn to ride the rancor would be amazing, like Din Djarin in The Mandalorian learning to ride the blurrg only better.
With Jabba the Hutt’s twin cousins presenting the rancor as a gift to Boba Fett, it takes us to episode Rampage of The Bad Batch. Here it was prevalent that rancors were sentient. They understood hierarchy somewhat and followed those in charge, exhibiting sentience although incapable of verbally speaking. Rancors are displayed as horrible people-eating creatures, but as the fanbase and characters in Star Wars are learning, rancors really do have feelings and can form bonds with humans. To put it in earthly perspective, think of how a dog would behave if it was locked up in a cage all its life and was bred to fight. Those dogs and the rancor Luke met have an unfair portrayal at no fault of their own.
The Twins offered the rancor to Boba Fett as a gift after sending the Wookiee gladiator Black Krrsantan to assassinate Fett. Black Krrsantan failed and was captured by Boba Fett. The gift, a rancor calf, was an apology replacing Jabba the Hutt’s rancor from Return of the Jedi. After all, every underworld crime lord needs a rancor. Boba Fett really appeared taken by the rancor and expressed an interest in learning to ride the rancor.
The Star Wars fanbase, once again, has something to get excited about. So many new series and bits of information filling in the pieces to the Star Wars saga is exciting and humorous at times. The introduction of new characters and the revival of classic characters make for an exciting adventure into the Star Wars universe. It is incredible to see the creativity in the Star Wars writers, producers, animators, actors, and actresses. In addition, there is so much new information about existing characters, creatures, places, events, and missions.
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Source(s): ScreenRant, Wookieepedia