That Huge Cameo In The Book Of Boba Fett Chapter 3 Means More Than You Think
Contains spoilers for "The Book of Boba Fett" Chapter 3
"The Book of Boba Fett" is nearing its halfway point, and the Disney+ "Star Wars" show just keeps on getting better in its third episode, "Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa." Here, the legendary Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) continues to settle into his new role as a crime lord daimyo, while his flashbacks continue to illustrate his past acquaintance with the Tusken people.
All of this is great for fans of the iconic bounty hunter and his right hand, Fennec Shand (Ming Na-Wen), but even if you're not a "Star Wars" person, you're in for one particular treat that transcends even the considerable powers of the Galaxy Far, Far Away. We're talking, of course, about the brand new rancor monster Fett receives as a gift — or rather, the eternally cool Danny Trejo, who plays the creature's handler.
As welcome a sight as Trejo is, the man with Hollywood's finest scowl is not necessarily the first person you'd associate with the "Star Wars" franchise. However, there's a very decent chance that Trejo's appearance in "The Book of Boba Fett" is more than a "just because" situation, and has a deeper meaning than you might initially assume.
Director Robert Rodriguez has a long history of working with Danny Trejo
Danny Trejo's as-yet unnamed rancor keeper is a warm and wise presence, who informs both Fett and the viewers about the rancor species and its surprising ways. In fact, the things he says about the animal's complicated nature go a long way toward explaining why the rancor trainer in "Return of the Jedi" is so aghast when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) slays the creature.
While Trejo is certainly perfect in the role, one can't help but think that a major reason for his presence in the show is the fact that the episode is directed by Robert Rodriguez. Ever since the two worked together in Rodriguez's 1995 movie "Desperado" — and, as it happens, found out that they're second cousins – Trejo has often appeared in the director's projects (via The New Zealand Herald).
It's more than likely that Rodriguez' involvement is a major reason why Trejo ended up in "The Book of Boba Fett." As a result, we now live in a world that contains a glorious scene of a delighted Temuera Morrison interacting with a baby rancor while Danny Trejo looks proudly on.