‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Episode 4 – “The Gathering Storm” Review

The Book of Boba Fett returns to our screens with a fourth episode that continues the setup of the season. This is a spoiler review, so please check out our previous coverage of the series HERE.

We start off The Book of Boba Fett in the bacta tank, it’s a flash back scene. Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) is alone on his bantha riding through the Dune Sea. He arrives at Jabba’s palace. It appears as if he’s been keeping an eye on it for awhile, but there’s always been too many guards. Fett shares some of his dinner with the bantha, when he sees an explosion in the distance. It’s Fennec Shand’s (Ming-Na Wen) time in the flash back! He picks up the almost dead Shand, and takes her to a  mod-parlor! It looks like somewhere the Cyborgs get all of their modifications. We get a very cool sci-fi, futuristic moment seeing the machinery installed in Shand’s stomach to save her life.

Shand wakes to see Fett and the bantha around a fire. They talk about how Fett survived, and how Shand can repay her debt, and Fett says he wants her help to recover his Firespray gunship. Fett and Shand arrive at the palace and Shand sends in a small probe droid to see how many guards are in the palace. While that’s happening, Fett sends his bantha off to make baby banthas. Fett then tells Shand he wants to “kill the pig who double crossed him” and take his territory. Shand asks why he’d want to rule a gotta, and he says he’s tired of hunting for people who will get him killed. Fett says he was ready to leave hunting behind, and Shand says people like them don’t get to decide when they’re finished.

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The droid returns and Fett and Shand see there’s still too many guards. So they decide to go in quietly, through a water duct. They make their way through to the hangar housing the firespray with some quick fights. Shand starts to take down the guards that come in while Fett makes sure his firespray can still fly. It can! While Fett tries to get the ship going, Shand continues to prove she’s still just as good while Fett tries to get them out, and Shand takes care of the problem, proving she still never misses. Once they’re flying, Fett says he has some scores to settle, and asks Shand where she wants to be dropped off as her debt is paid. She says she wants to tag along for the ride. 

That ride includes killing the Nikto speeder bike gang, and heading into the sarlacc pit to get his armor. While searching the pit for the armor, the sarlacc attacks the ship! Showing a feat of strength, the sarlacc manages to drag the full ship down before Shand manages to release a sonic mine and they officially kill the sarlacc. Fett travels into the pit, not managing to find his armor. Afterwards, Fett reiterates his desire to form his own house, he wants to protect bounty hunters and help the crime world make better decisions. He offers Shand loyalty if she’ll commit to being a part of his house. She declares living with the Tuskens made him soft. Fett says no, it made him stronger. You can only get so far without a tribe. 

We see the post credit scene from The Mandalorian where they take out Bib Fortuna. And Fett gets out of the tank, with the med droid declaring him fully healed. Shand asks about the scars on the inside, and he says that will take a little longer. He asks about the majordomo, and Shand says he’s helping. Fett asks for his armor, saying he still wants to be seen around town. Shand reminds him the Mods are keeping an eye on things. 

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We then get to Garsa’s Sanctuary, where we see Krssantan! He’s only getting more and more angry seeing a group of trandoshans playing cards. He attacks the trandoshans, and Garsa (Jennifer Beals) tries to talk him down, affectionately calling him Santo. She fails, but Krrsantan only takes one of the Trandoshan’s arms. And they grow back! Krssantan walks outside, and Fett offers him a job. We then see Fett and Shand sitting down with the families of Mos Espa. They ask for the families’ help in defeating the Pykes. Or for them to remain neutral. With some help from the rancor, the group remains neutral. After the party, Fett and Shand converse about the Pykes, and needing muscle for the war as the episode ends.

This chapter of The Book of Boba Fett is directed by Kevin Tancharoen, and it does a better job at recovering from last week’s episode. It feels like a good middle point for the show. Music between Ludwig Göransson and Joseph Shirley is once again, majorly on point for the show. The music is what helps the episode along. Now, you might say we spent too much time in the flashback scenes this episode, as it’s 2/3 of the episode, but I would disagree. I think we learned some valuable information, and really see how Fett and Shand started their relationship. It’s key points in how they work so well together in the present tense of the show. We’re done with Bacta, as Fett is fully healed, plus we’ve caught up to The Mandalorian season 2, so it doesn’t feel like the scenes are necessary anymore.

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To breakdown some things, Shand makes a comment after Fett saved her, about how the Nikto speeder bike gang taking out the Tuskens was unbelievable. We may see that return, as an additional factor to the Pyke Syndicate coming in. Another point, you can see Fett wears Din Djarin’s clan symbol affectionately on his beskar shoulder plate. That has probably been there in the other episodes, but it’s the first time I’m noticing it. Curious it’s such a focal point when they’re talking about hiring muscle. Granted, there have been several rumors Din Djarin would make an appearance in The Book of Boba Fett, but we shall see.

Overall, the episode is good. Nothing epically remarkable, but Tancharoen does a good job redirecting the feel of the show from last week’s episode. I like Wen getting to get back in the spotlight of an episode, as she’s truly a force to be reckoned with. “The Gathering Storm” is a good halfway point for the show, and I look forward to what’s coming next! –Katie Rentschler

Rating: 7.5/10

The Book of Boba Fett episodes 1-4 are now streaming on Disney+. New episodes air every Wednesday on Disney+.