Three years ago,The Book of Boba Fettintroduced a fascinating arc for Grogu and Din Djarin, butStar Warsthen sadlyfailed to do anything with this story. The connections betweenThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fettare interesting because, whileThe Mandalorianis largely considered one ofStar Wars’best TV shows,The Book of Boba Fettremains one of the most criticized projects among allStar Warsmovies and TV shows.
This is particularly shocking givenThe Book of Boba Fetthad some massive cameos, including Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. There are a host of reasons why audiences took issue withThe Book of Boba Fett, the most pressing of which seems to be the sentiment that the plot was boring. Yet,The Book of Boba Fettintroduced a truly compelling arc for Din Djarin and Grogu—Star Warsjust failed to stick the landing.
Din Djarin & Grogu Both Gave Up Their Mandalorian & Jedi Paths For Each Other
This Was A Major Moment In Star Wars
The Mandalorianseason 2 finalesaw Grogu and Din Djarin both at shocking points in their story arcs. Luke Skywalker had arrived to take Grogu with him to his Jedi Temple on Ossus, seemingly kicking off Grogu’s Jedi path, and Din Djarin had not only removed his helmet in front of Grogu (and the others present) but also allowed Grogu to touch his face, completely going against the Creed. Although this was a loving moment between the two beloved characters, this separation was also gut-wrenching.
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However,The Book of Boba Fettnot only saw Din Djarin and Grogu reunited but also confirmed just how much the father-son duo were willing to give up for one another. When Luke Skywalker insisted that Grogu pick between the path of a Jedi and Din Djarin, fully committing to the Jedi rule against attachments, Grogu picked returning to Din. Likewise, because Din had removed his helmet, he was banished by the Armorer from his Mandalorian sect, the Children of the Watch.
Both twists were genuinely surprising, particularly because these massive changes were taking place not inThe Mandalorianbut rather inThe Book of Boba Fett. For Grogu,The Mandalorianseason 2 had seemingly confirmed that his future was about to go in an entirely different direction. Din Djarin’s fate also seemed permanently altered, as his dedication to the Children of the Watch had been a key aspect of his character from the beginning. Sadly,Star Warsfailed to carry this incredible story of self-sacrifice forward.
This Idea Of Loving Sacrifice Should Have Been Carried Forward
This Message Has Unfortunately Been Undermined Somewhat
Although Din Djarin and Grogu’s willingness to give up their respective paths for one another was a profound moment inStar Wars, the effects of that story were more or less lost in the end. It’s true that Grogu seems to have permanently stepped away from the life of a Jedi, so his sacrifice has a lasting impact. It’s worth noting, though, that the life of a Jedi was nowhere near as important to Grogu as the Children of the Watch had been to Din—for Din, it had been his whole life.
This only makes it more disappointing thatThe Mandalorianseason 3 was a return to the status quo. Din Djarin was ultimately redeemed, and Din and Grogu were right back to what they had been doing beforeThe Book of Boba FettandThe Mandalorianseason 2 finale. To be clear, I was delighted to see Din Djarin and Grogu come back together again; I am just disappointed to realize thatStar Warseffectively abandoned the incredible message of self-sacrifice established inThe Book of Boba Fett.
