Obi-Wan Kenobi And Book Of Boba Fett Stole The Best Plots From Each Other
I have tried to remain optimistic and fair in my appraisal of Disney+ Star Wars content, but let me tell you, Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and The Book of Boba Fett (2021) really made it hard. Both shows could have been good—great even!—if they had done one simple thing: switched plots. Keep Kenobi on Tatooine and send Fett off-world, and you’ve got a recipe for success. Instead, Lucasfilm did it the other way around, and we, the fans, suffered for it.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Plot Makes No Sense
While not explicitly said, it’s heavily implied in the original trilogy that Obi-Wan Kenobi hadn’t left Tatooine since Luke was born. He’s in hiding, for crying out loud!
Kenobi gallivanting across the galaxy with lil’ Leia makes about as much sense as The Book of Boba Fett, keeping its main character on the planet where he almost died instead of going after the man who put him there. Oh, wait…
Even more absurd was Obi-Wan Kenobi facing off against Darth Vader prior to A New Hope. I don’t care how much context you add or how much you parse the dialogue; George Lucas absolutely meant for the duel on the first Death Star to be Mustafar 2.0.
He did everything but have Obi-Wan Kenobi say, “Vader, I haven’t seen you since I left you burning to death on a lava planet 18 years ago. How’ve you been?”
The Book of Boba Fett Also Makes No Sense
Meanwhile, The Book of Boba Fett made even less sense than Obi-Wan Kenobi. I know that Boba Fett’s rivalry with Han Solo in the canon isn’t half as bad as it was in Legends, but you mean to tell me Fett didn’t blast his way out of the Sarlaac and immediately jump in the Sla—oh, sorry—”Boba Fett’s Ship” and start tracking Han down?
He’s the most feared man in the galaxy, and he was taken out by accident by a blind man. There is no Star Wars universe where Fett doesn’t seek revenge on Solo.
Stole Each Other’s Plots
It almost feels like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi stole each other’s plots. Not literally, obviously. I don’t mean that Obi-Wan should have taken over Jabba’s criminal empire, and Fett should have gone on an adventure with a mini-Princess of Alderaan.
More in the sense that The Book of Boba Fett should have followed Fett as he scoured the galaxy looking for Han Solo. Only the first episode should have taken place on Tattooine as opposed to the whole series.
By the end of the first season, Fett ends up tracking down Chewbacca, but the Wookie escapes before he can tell Boba where Han is. The second season of The Book of Boba Fett would involve the titular bounty hunter going after Lando Calrissian to try and get to Solo.
You could easily get 2 or 3 seasons out of Fett’s quest without ever having to even show Han Solo. The smuggler would only be the McGuffin and serve to drive Fett’s quest for revenge.
Obi-Wan Should Have Never Left Tatooine
Obi-Wan Kenobi, meanwhile, should never have left Tatooine. Instead of Boba Fett, he should have gotten tangled up in Tatooine’s criminal underworld.
Maybe Owen Lars comes to Obi-Wan looking for help because Jabba has been squeezing all of the moisture farmers for more money than they have to give. Or even better, maybe Obi-Wan actually ends up helping Jabba against a new, even worse gangster looking to make Tatooine their home.
You know, like a “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t,” situation? I’m just spitballing here, but c’mon, can you actually tell me those ideas don’t make more sense for the characters than what we actually got?
Obi-Wan And Leia Should Not Have Met
Who watched Obi-Wan Kenobi and said to themself, “Yes! I always wanted Obi-Wan Kenobi to meet Leia before A New Hope. It makes so much more sense that way!” No one, that’s who.
Just like no one watched The Book of Boba Fett and thought, “Yeah, Boba Fett should hang out with the Tuskens for a few years and then go take over Jabba’s crime syndicate, but you know, have it do less crimes.”
Should Have Switched
I’m not saying that there were no redeeming factors on either show because there definitely were. Little Leia was actually pretty cool, and seeing Boba Fett ride a rancor was the joy in my life I didn’t realize I needed.
But for the most part both Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett would have been better if they got Freaky Friday-ed. Yeah, I just used Freaky Friday as a verb. Deal with it.
