Characters That Mean More Than You Realize In The Book Of Boba Fett

Considered one of the "Star Wars" universe's coolest characters since his debut in the late '70s/early '80s, Boba Fett has just always had the look, the swagger, and the weaponry. Unfortunately, his on-screen time has rarely felt commensurate with the bounty hunter's reputation. That is now changing, however, with "The Book of Boba Fett," as show creator Jon Favreau shines a spotlight on the man who captured Han Solo. Now, Fett's legion of fans just have to hope the show succeeds in telling a story worthy of its jetpack-clad antihero.

If "The Mandalorian" was a Western in the Star Wars milieu, "Fett" appears to be more of a crime caper for the galactic set. After crawling from the belly of a Sarlacc and surviving harrowing confrontations with local Jawas and Tusken Raiders, Fett (Temuera Morrison) has set his sights firmly on the late Jabba the Hutt's criminal empire. It's "Carlito's Way," in a galaxy far, far away.

As with "The Mandalorian," the likelihood of familiar faces popping up is high — even if many will only be familiar to diehard fans. Which is why it's important to keep track of the good, the bad, the evil and the just plain freaky. Below, a breakdown of the secondary characters surrounding Boba Fett, in an easy-to-track format that should help ensure we can judge this "Book" by more than its cover.

This blue, elephant-snouted musician first arrived in the Star Wars Universe in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi." That appearance remains most people's touchstone for "Star Wars" piano man Rebo. However, it turns out he has a pretty extensive backstory and has appeared, in and out of continuity, in everything from picture books to video games to Simpsons-starring shorts. He, more often than not, appears in blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameos — and as such, little is know about him beyond the fact that he's kinda adorable. "The Book of Boba Fett," however, might be his time to shine.

According to the online source Wookiepedia, the type of music Rebo and his band plays is called Jizz (insert your own joke here). An Ortolan, Rebo has risen to prominence as one of the galaxy's most popular Jizz-wailer musicians, and leader of the Max Rebo Band. While not particularly criminal-minded himself, Rebo spent most of his life playing for various criminal types, most notably Jabba the Hutt. Rebo also had a brother Azool who worked for Jabba, but primarily as punishment for daring to steal without permission in the Hutt's territory.

The little we've seen of Rebo seems to indicate he has more loyalty than sense. When his brother stole, Rebo attempted to cover for him (and likely saved Azool's life). When Princess Leia freed herself from slavery by killing Jabba, Rebo continued to play for those still committed to the organization. While expecting much plot-related activity from the character in "Book" is probably a mistake, he could potentially surprise viewers with a scene — or at the very least, perhaps a jizzy, intergalactic cover of the "Axel F" theme. 

A couple (played by Mandy Kowalski and Skyler Bible) spotted in the equivalent of a Tatooine dive bar (which may very well be Tosche Station) seemingly just want a nice night out. Unfortunately, a local tough decides their appetizer (a bowl of what resembles chips) and the man's beverage look too tasty to not partake. Despite being outnumbered and not looking like the type to get in many bar throw-downs, the man stands up for himself, ignoring the woman's warnings. Thankfully, Boba Fett shows up before things go seriously awry.

This couple seems somewhat important, right? Why else would they get to be the central figures in this brief depiction of Tatooine's rough and tumble daily life? Well, it turns out they're not important. But they nearly were.

The character's names are Camie Marstrap and Laze "Fixer" Loneozner, and in the late '70s they were played by actors Koo Stark and Anthony Forrest in a scene from the original "Star Wars" (now known as "A New Hope") where they hung out with Biggs Darklighter and soon-to-be-hero Luke Skywalker at Tosche Station. As friends of Luke — Camie gave him the nickname Wormie — they similarly spent their days covered in sand and staring into space. George Lucas had to eventually cut the scene for pacing, but fan edits have brought it back in context for completists, and Camie and Laze even appeared in some (now non-canon) comic books. But until now, you'd have to be a real die-hard fan to recognize those names — even if they have been action figures.

The most impressive thing here might be how "The Book of Boba Fett" found two actors who look so similar to two others who were left on the cutting room floor nearly 50 years ago. In 1977, Camie and Laze seemed much more interested in losing their third wheel and heading off to make out — as we see them in "Boba Fett," it appears they haven't made it much further in life. But at least now, they've finally received their moment in the Tatooine sun(s).

Sometimes, people will describe someone unusual as having a screw loose or a head full of bad wiring. In the case of EV-9D9, that's very accurate. Sadly, it didn't make the droid just a bit off — it made her cruel and pitiless, which is how she went from a moisture vaporator mechanic to Jabba the Hutt's torturer droid of choice. Unlike many droids, EV-9D9 actively delighted in her work. She went as far as to get an additional receptor installed to better appreciate the pain of those she was dismembering. Despite the vastness of the universe, it didn't take long for her reputation for sadism to spread.

Viewers are most likely to recognize EV-9D9 from one of two appearances. The droid's introduction to the saga came in "Return of the Jedi." There she oversaw the conscription of R2-D2 and C3PO to Jabba's droid ranks. Thankfully, the beloved droids were rescued and Jabba slain before EV-9D9 could prove her hype was not without merit.

More recently, Din Djarin encountered her tending bar in "The Mandalorian." Her demeanor and position suggested a reprogramming that somehow addressed her sadism. Who knows what happened after hours, however.

She seems to be in a similar role when Boba Fett invades Hutt's palace in search of his gunship in "Book" Episode 4. A quick strike on the head left the droid out of commission, and viewers with little more information. Given the ability of droids to be rebuilt and reprogrammed, however, there's a good chance this won't be EV-9D9's last appearance.

Paz Vizsla (voiced by Jon Favreau and performed by Tait Fletcher) disliked Din Djarin from the first time they met. Understandably angry with the Empire for destroying the Mandalorian home planet and slaughtering his people, Vizsla could not tolerate Djarin's choices. The bounty hunter's decision to work with former Empire members for Empire currency seemed unconscionable to Vizsla. Only The Armorer's well-timed intervention prevented a full-out brawl between Vizsla and Djarin.

However, dedication to his faith outweighed his personal distaste. When Djarin needed to flee from several bounty hunters seeking to steal Grogu, Vizsla joined with several other Mandalorians to ensure his disliked brother-in-arms could escape with his life.

In "Book" Episode 5, Djarin's visit to The Armorer and Vizsla renewed the rivalry, even if at first both greeted each other with appreciative words of brotherhood. 

But since Din Djarin carried the hallowed Darksaber, Vizsla was triggered to say the least. As a descendant of the Mandalorian Jedi for whom the blade was first forged, he felt entitled to the weapon. As is tradition, he challenged Djarin to a duel, the winner keeping the weapon. Vizsla lost the contest, something that seems certain to only increase his antipathy towards the bounty hunter.

Captain No Sentimentality is, as she alludes, a former Padawan learner who trained under Anakin Skywalker. Their relationship was initially rocky, but in time the two settled into a strong dynamic as Anakin began to call her Snips.

Tano's (Rosario Dawson) resistance to connection comes from more than just the usual Jedi warnings on the matter. While still in training, a friend and fellow Padawan betrayed Tano, forcing her to go underground to clear her name. During that time, the Jedi High Council excommunicated her. Once cleared of responsibility, the Council invited her back into the Jedi Order. However, she had become disillusioned with what she felt was the Council's willingness to so quickly cast her out.

Her perspective only hardened further when Anakin turned to the Dark Side and helped enact Order 66. While she helped create Rebel splinter cells throughout the galaxy, her days of creating bonds with those she served alongside were over.

The character made her live action debut in "The Mandalorian" Season 2, when Din Djarin approached her as a possible teacher for Grogu. She refused, but did put him on the path to Luke Skywalker.

Her vague response to Luke about what she plans to do next, her connection to a dangerous character on this list, and her own upcoming Disney+ series suggests that she may play a significant role in "Boba Fett" going forward.

This fearsome, blue-skinned, sharp-toothed bounty hunter is no stranger to fans of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." Cad Bane (Corey Burton, Dorian Kingi) gained a reputation there and in "The Bad Batch," "Rebels," and the Darth Maul comics series for being a ruthless killer. He certainly lived up to that reputation during his brief first live-action appearance in "Boba Fett."

Bane is a character with many connections to the players on this show. Like many, he worked for a time for Jabba the Hutt. He apprenticed under Jango Fett and taught Boba in a storyline planned but never told. He has had encounters with both Fennec Shand and Ahsoka Tano as well, events that endeared him to neither.

His actions in "Boba Fett" Episode 6 all but ensure an encounter with Fett. However, given his history and the characters that have appeared in the series, it is entirely likely that Shand, Tano, Din Djarin, and perhaps even Cobb Vanth will be having a word (and likely much more) with the Pike Syndicate's newest enforcer.