Lucasfilm's second live-action series, The Book of Boba Fett, not only stars an original trilogy character but also an original trilogy location. Tatooine is the first Star Wars planet audiences were introduced to; and while it has played a role in every Star Wars trilogy thus far, for this Disney+ series, it's home and still host to familiar Star Wars characters like the Hutts, Tuskens, and even rancors.
Much like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett is a treasure trove of Star Wars Easter eggs and cameos. While some of those cameos consist of past Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka, others consist of the show's creators and directors.
To date, Book of Boba Fett director and producer, Robert Rodriguez, has cameoed as Trandoshan Dokk Strassi and the Mayor of Mos Espa's Mok Shaiz; but for the show's latest episode, it appears that he commissioned one of his favorite actors to keep the tradition going.
Danny Trejo's Book of Boba Fett Character Explained
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Episode 3 of The Book of Boba Fett.
In Episode 3 of The Book of Boba Fett, Jabba the Hutt's cousins, the Twins, offered Boba a rancor in an attempt to apologize for sending Black Krrsantan to assassinate him.
Rancors were first introduced to the Star Wars Universe in Jabba's Palace in Return of the Jedi, when Luke Skywalker killed the creature upon being dropped in his pit. While that trap door in Jabba's palace floor is still operational, Fennec Shand established that the pit was empty in Episode 2 of the series.
While Boba accepted the Hutts' gift, the rancor didn't come alone. In fact, it was accompanied by a rancor keeper played by none other than well-known actor Danny Trejo.
Trejo and Boba Fett director and producer Robert Rodriguez are second cousins; and Trejo often appears in Rodriguez' films, such as Desperado, Spy Kids, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
While Trejo's cameo is a bit of a filmmaking Easter egg, his role connects back to the original rancor keeper from Return of the Jedi played by Paul Brooke.
At the time, the character was simply credited as "Rancor Keeper." It wasn't until video games and novelizations that he received the name Malakili and his own backstory, which involved him being purchased by Jabba the Hutt as a "beastmaster" and later opening a restaurant in Mos Eisley following Jabba - and his rancor's - death.
Since Danny Trejo received no Star Wars name of his own and was simply referred to as a "Rancor Keeper," it looks like Lucasfilm is keeping with that Return of the Jedi tradition.
However, since Trejo's character was given to Boba Fett by the Twins, it seems he shared a similar history to Malakili and was also a slave to the Hutts.
Danny Trejo's Rancor Lesson & Boba Fett's New Ride?
This isn't the first time Star Wars fans have seen a new rancor or learned more about the species.
In Episode 5 of the Star Wars animated series The Bad Batch, Clone Force 99 and Omega (who happens to be Boba's twin sister) are tasked with rescuing one of Jabba's young rancors named Muchi. Their payment? Information on Fennec Shand. Yes, it really is a small galaxy after all.
What Danny Trejo's character says about rancors and their nature echoes what Clone Force 99 learned about Muchi. Also, Omega was seen riding that young rancor by the episode's end, possibly foreshadowing Boba's desire to ride the creature and what fans could see later in the series?
Since Boba is so eager to work with his new pet, it seems to say that audiences will see more of Danny Trejo's rancor keeper in upcoming episodes of the Disney+ show.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett premiere on Wednesdays on Disney+.
