Star Wars has released two highly-anticipated pieces of content today: The Book of Boba Fett Chapter 6, which is streaming on Disney+, and Crimson Reign #2, the latest issue of Star Wars’ new event series from Marvel Comics. Unless you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan who has eyes on the larger franchise (books, animation, live-action TV, Comics, games, movies, etc.) you may not know how these two releases connect – but the Crimson Reign comic may just setup key backstory for a big twist that could drop in The Book of Boba Fett‘s finale. Here’s what you need to know:
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New Crimson Dawn
The Crimson Reign event series is set in the Original Trilogy era, in the timespan between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. A preceding crossover event, “War of the Bounty Hunters” revealed that Lady Qi’ra (Han Solo’s childhood love interest from the Solo movie) became the new head of Crimson Dawn after Maul’s fall. Qi’ra re-introduced the group as a shadow network of spies, assassins, informants, and influencers, embedded in every faction of the galaxy.
Qi’ra’s first act was to steal Han Solo’s carbonite-frozen body from Boba Fett, before it ever got to Jabba the Hutt. Crimson Dawn had the underworld, Empire, and Rebellion all at each others’ throats, and ultimately cleared the way for Crimson Dawn’s future – one Qi’ra saw lasting beyond Palpatine’s Empire.
Crimson Dawn’s New Prisoner
In Crimson Reign #2, Qi’ra sends an assassin named Deathstick on a mission to capture a strange young girl from a rebel encampment. That girl’s name is Cadeliah, and Deathstick ultimately succeeds in her mission. Cadeliah is brought to Qi’ra, who assures the girl they are “going to be good friends.” This meeting may take us even further down the Star Wars rabbit hole, to the most recent animated series…
Cadeliah… Or Omega?
The most recent Star Wars series The Bad Batch was set in the immediate aftermath of Order 66. An elite squad of enhanced clone soldiers (Clone Force 99 – “The Bad Batch”) didn’t fall under Palpatine’s sway and ended up going on the run. The Bad Batch ended up taking on a pivotal mission: escaping with a young female clone who has her own enhanced abilities. The big twist in The Bad Batch’s first season is the reveal that this young female clone, designated “Omega,” is actually a female natural clone of Jango Fett. In other words: Omega is Boba Fett’s “sister.”
The artwork for “Cadeliah” in the Crimson Reign includes the girl wearing a red headband around her forehead. The Bad Batch’s leader, “Hunter,” wore the same exact sort of Rambo-style red headband (albeit with a skull on it). Seems like more than coincidence: seems like a possible “daughter’s” ode to a surrogate father/mentor.
If “Cadeliah” is indeed Omega, it makes a lot of sense why Qi’ra wants her – and is a big hint as to where their future together leads…
Book of Boba Fett’s Real Villain(s)
Since the beginning of The Book of Boba Fett, hardcore Star Wars fans have been theorizing that Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn would show up as the big bad challenging Boba Fett for Jabba’s throne. After all, Boba Fett and Qi’ra became direct rivals in the “War of the Bounty Hunters” comic event, just before Boba’s TV series launched; the franchise synergy seemed a little too coincidental.
The comics went so far as to reveal how Qi’ra helped Leia plan Jabba’s downfall and Han’s rescue, years before Return of the Jedi took place. Crimson Dawn clearly had sights on Jabba’s Empire; Qi’ra has a grudge against Boba Fett even before the bounty hunter showed up alive and just took Jabba’s throne… You do the math.
Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn pulling the strings of the Pyke Syndicate against Boba Fett would be no surprise: Qi’ra having recruited and/or mentored Boba Fett’s sister Omega would be shocking convergence of all Star Wars media into one glorious twist. It’s hard to imagine it all being wrapped up in the final episode – but definitely seems like a great setup for wherever the Star Wars Universe goes next (The Mandalorian Season 3, Bad Batch Season 2, Ahsoka, next Boba Fett story, Crimson Dawn comics, etc.).
The Book of Boba Fett is streaming on Disney+.
