Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett Episode 2! If you haven't already, be sure to check out IGN's review of "The Tribes of Tatooine."
The Book of Boba Fett may feature the most iconic bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe, but he's not the only one angling for a big payday. The series' second episode introduces another fearsome hunter who may be familiar to fans of Marvel's Star Wars comics. The Wookiee gladiator known as Black Krrsantan, Fett's former colleague, has made his live-action debut.
Who is Black Krrsantan, and why does this cameo hint at the long-awaited debut of another fan-favorite Star Wars icon? Let's explore the bloody history of this terrifying Wookiee enforcer.
Wookiees tend to be portrayed as heroes in the Star Wars saga. Not only is Chewbacca the unsung MVP of both the Rebellion and the Resistance, but the Wookiee people helped the Jedi win a decisive victory against the Separatists before being betrayed and sold into Imperial slavery.
However, not every Wookiee is cut from that noble cloth. Black Krrsantan is walking proof. This towering, black-furred Wookiee cares for little else besides lining his pockets and honing his fearsome fighting skills. He's one of the few bounty hunters whose track record rivals that of Boba Fett himself. Even Jabba the Hutt once considered Fett and Kyrrsantan to be his two best agents.
Even if this episode doesn't make it explicit, Fett and Krrsantan do have a history together. You might have noticed a look of recognition on Fett's face during their brief stare-down. He's probably none too thrilled to see his former coworker on the enemy team.
Black Krrsantan has been a recurring character in several of Marvel's ongoing Star Wars comics since his original debut in 2015's Star Wars: Darth Vader #1. At the time, Krrsantan and Fett were hired by Vader himself to work separate but related missions. While Fett tracked down the Rebel pilot who blew up the Death Star, Krrsantan was ordered to hunt Cylo, a cybernetic agent of Emperor Palatine.
Subsequent comics have fleshed out Krrsantan's history more, revealing he was exiled from Kashyyyk and honed his fighting skills in the Xonti Brothers' gladiator pits. By the time her emerged from the pits and joined Jabba's court, Krrsantan was already a legend in the criminal underworld.
Krrsantan has also encountered a number of familiar Star Wars heroes over the years. For instance, he once battled Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine, though he wound up suffering a humiliating defeat and earning that nasty facial scar that distinguishes him from other Wookiees. He even briefly tussled with Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Star Wars: Vader Down crossover. Neither Wookiee emerged the clear winner in that brawl, so we wouldn't be surprised if the two have a rematch at some point down the line.
However, Krrsantan may be best known at this point as the frequent partner of rogue archaeologist Doctor Chelli Aphra. Aphra was also introduced in the pages of Star Wars: Darth Vader, before spinning out into her own ongoing comic book series.
Aphra is among the most popular and most unusual Star Wars characters to emerge outside the movies and TV series. She's basically the closest thing the franchise has to an Indiana Jones figure, though she's far more amoral and self-serving in her archaeological exploits. She's also one of the few people in the galaxy who can brag about standing up to Darth Vader and living to tell the tale (not that he hasn't tried to correct that error).
It would be a stretch to call Krrsantan Aphra's friend, but he has served as her bodyguard on several dangerous missions. He's happy to stick around so long as her money is still good, despite her annoying habit of saddling him with cutesy nicknames like "Black K" and "Santy." To be fair, Shyriiwook is a pretty difficult language for humans to speak.
It remains to be seen what role Black Krrsantan will play in future episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, though it seems all but a given he and his former colleague will battle it out before the end of the season. But more importantly, if this Marvel mainstay has made the jump to live-action, can Doctor Aphra be far behind?
It's not as if Black Krrsantan's surprise appearance is the first time a Disney+ series has inducted a character from the Star Wars books into live-action. The Mandalorian: Season 2 featured Timothy Olyphant as Cobb Vanth, a character who previously appeared in the Star Wars: Aftermath novels.
Black Krrsantan may serve as The Book of Boba Fett's gateway to Doctor Aphra. Aphra could be introduced as a supporting character in this series before spinning out into her own Disney+ project, similar to how The Mandalorian set the stage for Star Wars: Ahsoka. As much as Fett insists he's no longer a bounty hunter, he may be the only one with the skills to help Aphra track down her latest prize.
And if Aphra shows up, that may open the door to even more Star Wars comic book favorites. What about Sana Starros, the woman who made waves by introducing herself as Han Solo's estranged wife? Or what about Aphra's treacherous droids, Triple-Zero and Bee Tee? This fearsome Wookiee may be a sign of things to come, as these Disney+ shows forge more connections to the various novels and comics of the Disney era.
For more on the future of the Star Wars franchise, find out what to expect from Star Wars in 2022 and see the first details about Quantic Dream's game Star Wars Eclipse.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Continue reading...
The Book of Boba Fett may feature the most iconic bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe, but he's not the only one angling for a big payday. The series' second episode introduces another fearsome hunter who may be familiar to fans of Marvel's Star Wars comics. The Wookiee gladiator known as Black Krrsantan, Fett's former colleague, has made his live-action debut.
Who is Black Krrsantan, and why does this cameo hint at the long-awaited debut of another fan-favorite Star Wars icon? Let's explore the bloody history of this terrifying Wookiee enforcer.
Who Is Black Krrsantan?
Wookiees tend to be portrayed as heroes in the Star Wars saga. Not only is Chewbacca the unsung MVP of both the Rebellion and the Resistance, but the Wookiee people helped the Jedi win a decisive victory against the Separatists before being betrayed and sold into Imperial slavery.
However, not every Wookiee is cut from that noble cloth. Black Krrsantan is walking proof. This towering, black-furred Wookiee cares for little else besides lining his pockets and honing his fearsome fighting skills. He's one of the few bounty hunters whose track record rivals that of Boba Fett himself. Even Jabba the Hutt once considered Fett and Kyrrsantan to be his two best agents.
Even if this episode doesn't make it explicit, Fett and Krrsantan do have a history together. You might have noticed a look of recognition on Fett's face during their brief stare-down. He's probably none too thrilled to see his former coworker on the enemy team.
Black Krrsantan's Star Wars History
Black Krrsantan has been a recurring character in several of Marvel's ongoing Star Wars comics since his original debut in 2015's Star Wars: Darth Vader #1. At the time, Krrsantan and Fett were hired by Vader himself to work separate but related missions. While Fett tracked down the Rebel pilot who blew up the Death Star, Krrsantan was ordered to hunt Cylo, a cybernetic agent of Emperor Palatine.
Subsequent comics have fleshed out Krrsantan's history more, revealing he was exiled from Kashyyyk and honed his fighting skills in the Xonti Brothers' gladiator pits. By the time her emerged from the pits and joined Jabba's court, Krrsantan was already a legend in the criminal underworld.
Krrsantan has also encountered a number of familiar Star Wars heroes over the years. For instance, he once battled Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine, though he wound up suffering a humiliating defeat and earning that nasty facial scar that distinguishes him from other Wookiees. He even briefly tussled with Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Star Wars: Vader Down crossover. Neither Wookiee emerged the clear winner in that brawl, so we wouldn't be surprised if the two have a rematch at some point down the line.
Black Krrsantan and Doctor Aphra
However, Krrsantan may be best known at this point as the frequent partner of rogue archaeologist Doctor Chelli Aphra. Aphra was also introduced in the pages of Star Wars: Darth Vader, before spinning out into her own ongoing comic book series.
Aphra is among the most popular and most unusual Star Wars characters to emerge outside the movies and TV series. She's basically the closest thing the franchise has to an Indiana Jones figure, though she's far more amoral and self-serving in her archaeological exploits. She's also one of the few people in the galaxy who can brag about standing up to Darth Vader and living to tell the tale (not that he hasn't tried to correct that error).
It would be a stretch to call Krrsantan Aphra's friend, but he has served as her bodyguard on several dangerous missions. He's happy to stick around so long as her money is still good, despite her annoying habit of saddling him with cutesy nicknames like "Black K" and "Santy." To be fair, Shyriiwook is a pretty difficult language for humans to speak.
Will Doctor Aphra Appear in The Book of Boba Fett?
It remains to be seen what role Black Krrsantan will play in future episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, though it seems all but a given he and his former colleague will battle it out before the end of the season. But more importantly, if this Marvel mainstay has made the jump to live-action, can Doctor Aphra be far behind?
It's not as if Black Krrsantan's surprise appearance is the first time a Disney+ series has inducted a character from the Star Wars books into live-action. The Mandalorian: Season 2 featured Timothy Olyphant as Cobb Vanth, a character who previously appeared in the Star Wars: Aftermath novels.
Black Krrsantan may serve as The Book of Boba Fett's gateway to Doctor Aphra. Aphra could be introduced as a supporting character in this series before spinning out into her own Disney+ project, similar to how The Mandalorian set the stage for Star Wars: Ahsoka. As much as Fett insists he's no longer a bounty hunter, he may be the only one with the skills to help Aphra track down her latest prize.
And if Aphra shows up, that may open the door to even more Star Wars comic book favorites. What about Sana Starros, the woman who made waves by introducing herself as Han Solo's estranged wife? Or what about Aphra's treacherous droids, Triple-Zero and Bee Tee? This fearsome Wookiee may be a sign of things to come, as these Disney+ shows forge more connections to the various novels and comics of the Disney era.
For more on the future of the Star Wars franchise, find out what to expect from Star Wars in 2022 and see the first details about Quantic Dream's game Star Wars Eclipse.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Continue reading...