We Gotta Talk About That Evil Wookie In The Book Of Boba Fett
It's a nod to the Star Wars comics.
Warning: Spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett Episode 2 follow. Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett arrived with almost zero hint of what it was about. Of course, some of what the first two episodes have revealed was expected, such as Fett’s escape from the Sarlacc. But there’s a lot of surprises as well, such as the most terrifying Wookiee fans have ever seen. So, who is Black Krrsantan, and why does Boba Fett write him off as a “gladiator”? Let’s discuss his history.
Although the series’ second episode was dedicated to the culture of the Sand People in The Great Tuskan Train Robbery, in the present-day timeline, Boba Fett was learning how hard it is to run Mos Espa. The mayor is sending assassins after him, and a pair of Hutts known as the Twins are trying to lay claim to Jabba’s holdings. Perhaps they could have managed going up against a weakling like Bib Fortuna, but Boba wasn’t so easily cowed.
The Hutt twins (who go unnamed in this episode) are brand-new characters, but their muscle is someone Boba already knows, as do hardcore fans. The eight-foot-tall, black-haired Wookiee is known as Black Krrsantan, and he’s straight out of the Star Wars comics.
Also known as “Santy” or “BK,” Krrsantan is a longtime bounty hunter initially introduced in the post-Disney era. When the House of Mouse bought Lucasfilm, one of the behind-the-scenes changes was to move the comic to Marvel (also owned by Disney). Marvel’s first run of Star Wars comics in 2015 introduced Black Krrsantan as a disgraced Wookiee forced to flee the Kashyyyk homeworld. Tough as nails and desperately in need of money, he went to work for slave trader pit fighting crime bosses known as the Xonti Brothers.
Krrsantan stood out among the Xonti Brothers’ gladiator crew as the only one who was there voluntarily. He eventually left their employ, but not before becoming Heavyweight Champion of the Galaxy and swearing he would have vengeance on them.
With his fighting career behind him, Krrsantan turned to the next best job he could hold: bounty hunting, which he did for Jabba the Hutt. That is where he and Boba Fett originally crossed paths, as Jabba would pair them up as his “two best bounty hunters.” But when Boba Fett found himself loaned out to the Empire, where he eventually was set to hunt down Darth Vader’s enemies, Krrsantan wound up doing smaller jobs in the outer rim. One of those many adventures included one in which he tracked down Owen Lars over water tax issues. Upon taking Lars hostage, he discovered himself face to face with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi bested Krrsantan, who was not expecting to face a Jedi; this turned them into lifelong enemies.
Bringing the comic book villain into the live-action world may seem like a deep-cut easter egg for now, but that connection with Kenobi is why fans sat up so eagerly. Rumors have been going around that Ewan McGregor, who will return to his role as Obi-Wan in the forthcoming Disney+ series, Kenobi, will make a cameo appearance in The Book of Boba Fett.
Although there’s currently no proof of such a cameo, the arrival of Kenobi’s longtime antagonist hints the two standalone series may connect if Fett’s flashbacks start involving his pre-Sarlacc time working for Jabba when Kenobi was still alive. Since Krrsantan showed up, perhaps old Ben will too.
The Book of Boba Fett streams new episodes weekly every Wednesday on Disney+. Kenobi is expected to premiere sometime late in 2022. Don’t have Disney+ yet? You can sign up here.
