PSA: Boba Fett is not a true Mandalorian

The first season of The Mandalorian (available on Disney Plus) is over, and many fans have been left surprised by the fact that Boba Fett, an iconic and beloved Star Wars character that was known for his bounty-hunting skills and Mandalorian armor, did not make an appearance. He did fall into the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi, true, but many fans held out hope that he managed to survive. There's even a fan theory that he was the mysterious figure that showed up at the end of Episode 5. Even if he did, though, there's a good reason why we haven't seen any of Boba Fett in the show: he isn't a true Mandalorian. Here's a full breakdown about who Boba Fett is.

Boba Fett's past

Boba Fett was a clone of the bounty hunter Jango Fett created by the Kaminoans at the request of Jango himself. Unlike all of the other clone troopers, Jango specifically asked the Kaminoans to not give Boba accelerated aging so that he could raise him as his son. Despite wearing their armor, Jango has no ties to the Mandalorians, according to Mandalore Prime Minister Almec in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show.

When Mace Windu killed Jango at the Battle of Geonosis, Boba Fett was left fatherless and alone. As he grew up over the Clone Wars and the reign of the Galactic Empire, Boba worked with various crime lords as a bounty hunter and a mercenary. His goal was to continue his father's legacy and become the most decorated bounty hunter in the entire galaxy. Like his father, he chose to wear Mandalorian beskar. Also like his father, though, Boba has no confirmed ties to any Mandalorians, which means that he most likely got the gear by stealing or buying it on the black market with his earnings.

If you've watched Return of the Jedi, you know that Boba doesn't get a happy ending. In the movie, he gets knocked into a Sarlacc pit, known to house the titular creature, and is presumed dead.

Could Boba Fett eventually appear?

While Boba Fett currently doesn't have any ties to the Mandalorians, that doesn't mean that he might not appear on the show. If he did survive the Sarlacc pit, it's completely plausible that either Mando or Greef Karga will run into him since they all have ties with the Bounty Hunter's Guild. Since Mando is likely going to be off with Baby Yoda to find out more about his Force powers and his species in Season 2, it's more likely that he would run into Greef Karga specifically.

There's also a chance that we'll see Boba accepted into a clan of Mandalorians at some point during the show as well, assuming he does appear. During the finale of Season 1, Mando made a point of saying that Mandalorians aren't a species but rather a people with a unified culture. Anyone can become a Mandalorian, as long as they're willing to follow the Mandalorian code. This means that while Boba might not be a true Mandalorian now, that can change.

Finally, many fans believe that Boba Fett is already being teased by the show. A popular theory is that the mysterious figure standing over the body of Fennec Shand in the closing moments of the show's fifth episode is Boba, as the person makes the same spur-jingling sounds when walking that Boba did. While it's a stretch to think Boba will be in The Mandalorian just because of a sound, it would fit with a report from Deadline that stated that "several established characters from the Skywalker saga's feature films mythology will make appearances during the show's sophomore season." Considering Boba was in three of the nine Skywalker saga films, there's a good chance he's one of these "established characters" if the report is accurate.

Your thoughts

What do you think about Boba Fett and the potential chance for him to appear in The Mandalorian? What about the fact that he (and his father) have no ties to Mandalorians at all? Let me know. I'm sure this will be a contentious topic among Star Wars fans, so I'm curious to hear your opinions.

You can watch the first season of The Mandalorian now on Disney Plus with a subscription, which costs $7/month. Make sure to read our round-up of everything there is to know about Season 2 so far, too.