Does The Book of Boba Fett Take Place Before The Mandalorian? Or After?

The Mandalorian fans received one hell of a Christmas gift in December 2021 with The Book of Boba Fett. This Disney+ Star Wars TV series follows the iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett and explains how he came to appear in The Mandalorian. While designed as a spin-off from Din Djarin’s tale, The Book of Boba Fett gives fans an up-close look at Fett’s role in between Lucas’ first three films and The Force Awakens.

Yes, Boba Fett survives his ill fate in The Empire Strikes Back, as The Mandalorian viewers know by now. The Book of Boba Fett not only complicates the iconic character’s story, it also shows us another look at Din Djarin. But how does Boba Fett fit into the rest of the Star Wars canon, and does it come before or after The Mandalorian series?

We have the answer. But keep in mind from this point forward, there will be spoilers for both The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 as well as The Book of Boba Fett.

The complex case of Boba Fett’s timeline

The Book of Boba Fett first and foremost expands Boba Fett’s story beyond the original trilogy. When the series begins, we find out that the Sarlacc pit Fett fell into during The Empire Strikes Back failed to kill the bounty hunter. He ultimately escapes, topples Jabba the Hutt’s criminal successor, and finds himself running Tatooine’s most powerful criminal enterprise.

So, where does The Book of Boba Fett cross with The Mandalorian? The TV show is filled with Fett having flashbacks across his life. These take place before and alongside The Mandalorian. Meanwhile, the show’s “present-day” moments follow after The Mandalorian season two’s closing segment, where Fett kills Bib Fortuna and gains control over Jabba’s palace—hence his power over Tatooine’s criminal world by the time The Book of Boba Fett begins.

In Fett’s flashbacks, we learn that it takes him five years to go from his gruesome fate at the Sarlacc pit to his new reign. After Fett barely escapes from the Sarlacc’s digestive system, he’s captured by a group of Tusken Raiders, whom Fett gradually becomes close with. The clan is killed, and sometime after, he rescues Fennec Shand (as hinted at in The Mandalorian’s season 1 episode, “The Gunslinger”) and recovers his old ship. The two work together, culminating in Fett’s official reveal during The Mandalorian’s season 2.

After Luke Skywalker takes Grogu (also known as “Baby Yoda”) with him, Fett and Shand head back to Tatooine and take over Jabba’s Palace at the end of The Mandalorian season 2. This sets the stage for The Book of Boba Fett’s present-day moments, presumably paving the way for The Mandalorian season 3.

So in short, The Book of Boba Fett weaves in and around The Mandalorian, giving us a closer look at what Boba Fett’s been up to since Han Solo sent him into the Sarlacc pit all those years ago.

(Image: Disney)

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