The Biggest Mandalorian Finale Surprise Wasn’t Even Part Of The Actual Show

The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian ended on a triumphant note, but a bonus scene provided a few clues to viewers who were left wondering where the show would go next. After spending most of Episode 8 plotting to attack Moff Gideon's ship, the post-credit surprise showed Boba Fett and Fennec Shand taking over the Tatooine palace that once belonged to crime lord Jabba the Hutt. You know, the same Jabba the Hutt who was strangled to death by Leia in the same Return of the Jedi battle where Boba was presumed dead after falling into the Sarlacc pit. It's more than understandable that Boba would have a grudge against the people who left him for dead on the sands of Tatooine.

Now, Jabba's palace is run by his former right-hand man, Bib Fortuna. But that reign ends quickly after Fennec and Boba arrive, with Fennec easily killing all of Bib Fortuna's goons and freeing a Twi'lek slave girl before Boba himself puts the final shot in Bib Fortuna. The scene ends with Boba Fett taking the throne that was once Jabba's with Fennec right by his side before the screen cuts to black and the title card “The Book of Boba Fett” appears, with the addendum that the series will debut in December 2021.

In November, Deadline reported rumors that a Boba Fett miniseries was set to start filming before The Mandalorian Season 3, but that speculation was mostly overlooked after Disney announced two completely different Mandalorian spin-offs during its 2020 Investor Day conference last week. The Ahsoka spin-off will focus on Jedi Ahsoka Tano. Little has been revealed about the other show besides its name, Rangers of the New Republic. It's possible Disney wanted to wait to reveal the Boba Fett spin-off until the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, but that's not the only source of confusion — during Investor Day, Disney announced Season 3 of The Mandalorian would premiere in December 2021, leaving many to wonder why Disney would have two different Star Wars shows overlap.

To add to the mystery, it's unclear if The Book of Boba Fett is a whole Mandalorian spin-off series, a mini-series, or perhaps just a new iteration of The Mandalorian itself. Some speculate that the next season of The Mandalorian will shift its focus from Din Djarin to Boba Fett and whatever his plans may be. That would mean The Book of Boba Fett is actually just the name for season three of the series (think: The Mandalorian: The Book of Boba Fett). However, although Boba Fett wears Mandalorian armor passed down to him by his father, Jango Fett, previous episodes have made it clear that Boba doesn't really consider himself a Mandalorian. At the same time, he's far from the typical Jango Fett clone, and perhaps that's one of the dynamics that The Book of Boba Fett will explore.

The Book of Boba Fett's premise is cloudy, but the presence of both Boba Fett and Fennec Shand implies the two could continue doing what they do best: working as bounty hunters. Maybe Jabba's palace on Tatooine will serve as their new base of operations. Regardless of what's next for Boba and Fennec in this new series, it's sure to involve plenty more intergalactic adventures and expert fight scenes, which gives us all something to look forward to.