Temuera Morrison also weighed in on these colorful motorbikes, which inspired some derision online.
“The Book of Boba Fett” is only three episodes long in its Disney+ run, but the show’s launch hasn’t been as smooth as its predecessor, “The Mandalorian.” Reviews have been mixed, with some critics praising how the series expands the “Star Wars” universe and others accusing it of misunderstanding Boba Fett as a character. Fans have been focusing on two controversial elements of the show’s first season lately: the deaths of its Tusken Raider characters and a colorful “biker gang.” in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, stars Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen weighed in on the speech online.
“The Book of Boba Fett” gained positive attention for its depiction of Tusken Raiders, the indigenous people of Tattooine. In the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the Tusken Raiders were largely portrayed as unsophisticated supporting characters. “The Book of Boba Fett” expanded their roles, showing them as capable main characters with rich lore, and fans praised the new Disney+ show for fleshing them out. So when the characters were unexpectedly killed off in an early episode, fans expressed some frustration. But Morrison defended the decision and the show’s portrayal of the Tusken Raiders as a whole.
“[Their portrayal] was better than it was [in the films]”, said Morrisson. “Then I read [in the script that] we were throwing corpses right on the fire and I was like, ‘Oh wait, we need to put some ceremony in there.’ But they’re the Tatooine Sands Natives, and I was creating a bit more history about their own culture – and I was drawing from my own culture, in a way, in terms of ceremonies and warrior preparation and preparation of a weapon. And Boba has never known a real family before – with young Tuskens and old Tuskens – and the protection of their land.
Her co-star Wen echoed the sentiment, saying “we knew so little about the Tuskens, and [the show] really gave them an amazing story. She also defended the decision to have their bodies burned by Boba Fett, calling it a tradition that dates back to the earliest “Star Wars” movies. “There is this ceremonial desire on Tatooine to burn the bodies instead of leaving them lying out in the open in the desert,” she said.
On a lighter note, the recent appearance of a “biker gang” on the show has drawn online ridicule from “Star Wars” fans. The new characters are seen on very colorful Vespa-like motorcycles that deviate significantly from the “Star Wars” color scheme, and some fans have pointed out their resemblance to cartoon characters. Asked about the controversy, Morrison largely dodged the question, saying “some of these things are out of our control. As interpreters, we cannot say: “We don’t want to work with these people, it’s not enough”.
Wen also defended the creative risk, saying the “Star Wars” franchise has always been something of a pastiche of American culture, albeit viewed through a science fiction lens. “It’s a real homage to the things George Lucas has always loved – be it mods in the 60s or ‘American Graffiti’. At the same time, it lends itself to learning more about Tattooine.
“The Book of Boba Fett” is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes released every Wednesday.
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