Episode one of The Mandalorian dropped this week, and as always, eagle-eyed fans were “combing the desert” for Star Wars easter eggs. Boy, there were plenty of them! The one that has been getting a lot of hype this week, however, is a possible glimpse of Boba Fett in the background. Sorry to burst your bubble, fanboys, but that’s not Boba.
Boba Fett is NOT a Mandalorian. Neither was Jango.
Let’s go back to the prequels for a moment.
I know, I know. You don’t want to, but we need to.
(fan art by Florent Llamas)
Picture it; Kamino during the Clone Wars, 22BBY. Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi drops by for an overdue visit to the cloning facility and hears the story of Master Syfo Dias ordering a clone army for the Republic. Obi-Wan wants to meet the bounty hunter whose DNA is used for the clones. Enter Jango Fett, the bounty hunter with a cloudy past, but ain’t no Mandalorian. Dave Filoni says so, himself.
“In discussions directly with George, he was adamant about Jango not being Mandalorian… I think the assumption that when Attack of the Clones came out, of course Jango Fett must be Mandalorian because he has the armor, but he’s a bounty hunter. Bounty hunters we show in the series (The Clone Wars) wear all kinds of armor, of course famously Boba Fett wearing the armor so there is a tradition of the father/son wearing the armor but it doesn’t speak to the bigger warrior caste.”
Dave Filoni, to Rebel Force Radio, May 2019
If Jango isn’t a Mandalorian, then neither is Boba. Not even of the “technical” variety. I could walk down the street dressed like Count Dracula, but because I’m pasty and wear a black cape doesn’t make me a vampire any more than someone wearing Mandalorian armor makes them Mandalorian.
So Why Was That Not Boba Fett We Saw?
Think this through a moment… In episode one, The Mandalorian went to a place where their sacred Beskar armor is made. A forge with a forgemaster steeped in the knowledge of how to make Beskar into Mandalorian armor resides there. Special tools, special equipment, the Mythosaur skull over the doorway… it’s a place where Mandalorians go. Real ones. That isn’t someplace a pretender like Boba Fett is going to be.
Don’t even try the whole “maybe they don’t know he’s not a real Mandalorian.” Yes, they would. That forgemaster knew the actual Mandalorian’s story from when he was a child (the flashback to the Clone Wars). If she knew that, she’s going to know who Boba Fett is, too. How would she know, you ask? Since he was the most notorious bounty hunter in the galaxy, I’m safe to say they would know who he was.
Then there’s the old comic argument, where Mandalorian is a warrior culture where any race can belong to it. Even Rodians can wear the armor! You’re right, they can, but as much as you want to call them such, they aren’t Mandalorians either. Even Wookieepedia says this about Jango and his authenticity:
“Although Fett wore a set of Mandalorian armor during his time as a bounty hunter, the government of Mandalore regarded him as a renegade and pretender.”
Wookieepedia on Jango Fett
Other Rumors Say The Mandalorian Is Actually Boba Fett. What About That?
No, he’s not. Jon Favreau is insulted you think he’s that bad of a writer. Next question.
Stick with That Hashtag Show for all your Star Wars news and rumor bubble-busting on The Mandalorian! If you think that is Boba Fett, maybe this Screenrant article is for you.
How do you know young Boba Fett didn’t venture off to Mandalore after Jango was killed?
I suppose we don’t, but as this takes place after the fall of the Empire (RotJ), it’s safe to assume Boba is still trying to escape the Sarlacc pit. I say that, however, without watching episode 6 of The Mandalorian yet, so there’s always room to be wrong. I just say that the Mandalorian we see in the background of that episode is not Boba Fett.