A major Star Wars villain makes his live-action debut on The Book of Boba Fett
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett episode 6.
The sixth episode of The Book of Boba Fett was so chock-full of fan-favorite guest appearances that it's hard to rank them all (Luke Skywalker! Grogu! R2-D2! Ahsoka Tano! Cobb Vanth!) But potentially the biggest surprise was the first live-action appearance of major Star Wars villain Cad Bane (voiced as usual by The Clone Wars' Corey Burton, with Dorian Kingi handling the physical performance).
If you haven't watched The Clone Wars, Cad Bane bedeviled the galaxy as one of its most infamous bounty hunters during the titular conflict, and as a hired gun for the Empire after it emerged from the ruins of the New Republic. He faced off with the Jedi multiple times before their destruction and fought off Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) during her animated appearance on The Bad Batch. But though he's been a prominent villain in Star Wars lore, this was the first time he showed up in live-action.
In this episode, which was directed by Lucasfilm creative director Dave Filoni, Bane emerges from the Tatooine desert to warn Cobb Vanth (a returning Timothy Olyphant) to stay out of Boba Fett's war against the Pyke Syndicate after Mando (Pedro Pascal) made a personal appeal to him to join. Of course, the Marshall of Mos Pelgo (and, in another galaxy, of Harlan County and Deadwood) doesn't take kindly to such threats, but for once in Timothy Olyphant's screen career, he gets outdrawn and Bane strides off. Hopefully Vanth just got a flesh wound, because it would be sad to lose such a great addition to the Mandoverse right now.
Lucasfilm Cad Bane on 'The Book of Boba Fett'
While Cad Bane's appearance was a quick hit (pun intended) and Boba (Temuera Morrison) himself only made a small appearance, the bigger, more emotional stuff happened off Tatooine when Mando went to go visit Grogu at the site of Luke Skywalker's emerging Jedi school (you know, the one that later got destroyed and sent him into exile). Coming face-to-face with R2-D2, Mando tells our old droid friend that he wants to visit his little green son, but R2 stalls the best he can while Luke (Mark Hamill, reprising his role with the assistance of much more naturalistic CGI this time) attempts to train Grogu. But despite Grogu's strength with the Force, he's having a hard time, which Luke can sense.
Luke continues the training, carrying Grogu on his back, the way he carried Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. Using his own Force powers, he helps Grogu remember what happened to him the night of Order 66, as the tender creature watched the Jedi slain by the Clone Troopers, but we don't see who saved him from a similar fate.
Mando has fallen asleep waiting for Luke and Grogu to arrive but sensing a presence nearby, he draws his weapon on Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson). Mentioning she's an old friend of the family (a little sob for SkyGuy and Snips), Mando finds out that R2 brought him to her for a reason. Grogu misses Mando so much that it's interfering with his training, and it might not be good for him to see his adoptive dad right now. Even masked, it's obvious that it kills Mando not to see Grogu for himself, but as he watches Luke and Grogu in the distance, he's willing to make the sacrifice. First, however, asks Ahsoka to give Grogu his gift.
Lucasfilm Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano in 'The Book of Boba Fett'
This leads to the scene that Star Wars fans have been waiting for for years, where Luke Skywalker finally shares a scene with his father Anakin's beloved padawan. Ahsoka gives Luke Mando's gift for Grogu and Luke confides his worries to Ahsoka that Grogu's heart isn't in his training. "So much like your father," Ahsoka says (did it get very dusty in here?). He asks for Ahsoka's advice and she tells him to "Trust your instincts" before taking her leave with "May the Force be with you."
Instead of deciding for his tiny student, Luke gives the choice to Grogu. Showing him Mando's gift of Beskar armor and Yoda's old lightsaber, he cautions Grogu, "You may choose only one." If Grogu chooses the armor, he will return to the Mandalorian and forsake the Jedi. If he chooses the lightsaber, he will become Luke's first student, and will learn the way of the Jedi but will forsake his attachment to Mando.
No one ever made Luke choose between the Jedi and Leia, so this seems slightly unfair to Grogu, but still the choice is what it is. Mando or the Jedi? But considering we've never seen evidence that Grogu was at Luke's school when it got destroyed and Mando's new ship has just the tiny space for him, it doesn't take a Force user to figure out what Grogu's eventual choice will be.
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Related content:
