Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett Features Sneaky Ralph McQuarrie Concept Art Easter Egg
Arguably more than any other Star Wars stories, the live-action adventures of the galaxy far, far away on Disney+ have seen more Easter eggs be included that pay their respects to all corners of the franchise, with Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett being no exception. At one point in the most recent episode of the series, a speeder chase ensues through the streets of Mos Espa, resulting in a speeder crashing through a painting of Jabba the Hutt that was being transported through the line of fire. This piece is a recreation of concept art the iconic artist Ralph McQuarrie crafted for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
The painting only briefly appears in the episode, earning a few seconds of screen time before it is destroyed. Audiences don't learn the origins of the painting or what its ultimate destination might have been, but details of the painting will surely ignite some interesting theories about its history.
As you can see in the above concept artwork, the scene is meant to depict the meeting Luke Skywalker has in Jabba's Palace in which he attempted to rescue his friends. The final look of the sequence in Return of the Jedi would appear slightly different, as Luke would sport a cloak and be standing on a grate over the rancor pit, though the architecture of the locale and array of otherworldly characters looks similar to the finished film.
In the painting in the episode, however, Luke is noticeably absent. Clearly this was a decision on the part of The Book of Boba Fett's production team, yet this will likely spark some speculation about why the painting seemingly depicts a specific moment, only for Luke's involvement to be altered.
Interestingly, a close look at the painting in the episode will not only reveal Luke's omission, but you can also spot Boba Fett himself just behind Bib Fortuna, seemingly confirming that the painting was meant to interpret a specific encounter Jabba once had and was depicted from a specific vantage point. Whether audiences are to assume this is meant to tease an intentional omission of Skywalker or if it was merely an aesthetic choice on the part of the production is yet to be revealed.
New episodes of Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett premiere on Disney+ every Wednesday.
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