Spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett follow.
When the female Hutt Twin tells Boba Fett that “Tatooine is a worthless rock,” she clearly hasn’t been paying attention.
Yes, the Outer Rim world is a desolate, crime-ridden place, full of coarse, rough, irritating sand that gets everywhere. But, having appeared in six out of 11 live-action Star Wars movies, and numerous TV episodes, it’s arguably the most important location in that galaxy far, far away.
‘The Streets of Mos Espa’ serves as a reminder of why Star Wars can’t keep away. Because this is the episode where The Book of Boba Fett starts to deliver on its ‘Star Wars with gangsters’ promise; where moving the mythology forward belatedly takes priority over world-building and looking back.
Whether or not you’re wearing Mandalorian armor, the successful running of a criminal empire requires staff. Boba Fett’s ever-expanding entourage proves he means business – even if the extra bodies could spell bad news for Fennec Shand, who’s still looking for something significant to do beyond delivering the occasional threat or nugget of advice.
That's not the only point of aggravation, either. Both in and out of universe, it’s bizarre that makeshift majordomo 8D8 has waited quite so long to tell his boss how Mos Espa is split between various mob bosses. For viewers, this information would have been helpful earlier on – it’s hardly a colossal spoiler – but it’s even weirder that Fett himself is only just learning about the town’s organisational structures. Did he not do his due diligence before marching into Jabba’s Palace in The Mandalorian season 2 finale ?
The oversight certainly doesn’t ring true with the former bounty hunter’s sensitive, self-aware approach to management. Where the pre-Sarlacc Fett might have disintegrated the water monger who dares to suggest that no one respects him, he’s now willing to play the long game – first listening to Lortha Peel’s complaints about a street gang stealing his inventory, then turning the tables by telling the broker he’s overcharging, and recruiting the offending gang as youthful hired muscle.
Most importantly, ‘The Streets of Mos Espa’ cuts down massively on the flashbacks, with the new-found emphasis on Fett’s present giving the story some overdue momentum after last week’s past-heavy instalment.
That said, the seven minutes of Fett’s backstory are particularly relevant and poignant, hinting at his history with the Pykes and revealing the horrific deaths of his Tusken friends. After episode 2’s admirable efforts to turn the Sand People into sympathetic characters, wiping them out in such a brutal manner feels incredibly cruel. Tuskens simply can’t get a break in Star Wars, and their fate will surely have shaped the Boba Fett we've encountered since.
Fett’s regular dunk in the Bacta tank also gives the series its best shock moment so far. Having established his recuperative sessions at the gateway to the show’s many flashbacks, the episode plays with our expectations when Fett’s calm contemplation is interrupted a visit from a murderous Black Krrsantan .
What follows is a brilliant fight, a defenseless Boba doing his best to counter the bone-crunching moves of a towering Wookiee, only surviving thanks to the intervention of his new biker gang friends. It’s arguably the first time we’ve ever seen a Wookiee in full-on rage mode – despite Han Solo’s claim that they have a tendency to pull people’s arms off when they lose – and it’s a moment precision-engineered to keep fans happy.
Which, to be fair, seems to be the main reason for The Book of Boba Fett’s existence. In this episode alone, barely a scene goes by without a sighting or reference to a moment, creature or character from Star Wars past, whether they’re star names (the Rancor) or obscure residents of Tatooine (the B’omarr monks and Bubo).
Although the show constantly runs the risk of becoming bogged down in its in-jokes, mythology and fan service – if the season doesn’t finish with Boba Fett riding his new pet Rancor to vanquish some rival crime lord, we’ll be very surprised – it’s less problematic in ‘The Streets of Mos Espa’. And that's because the story has shifted up a gear, with crucial pieces falling into place, like Kintan Striders on a djarik board.
It seems likely, though, that the most powerful players in The Book of Boba Fett are yet to show their hands. Because while the Pyke Syndicate have proved themselves to be dangerous operators in The Clone Wars, we’ve seen nothing to suggest they’re the sort of A-list villains who could prompt a pair of Hutts to turn their tails and (metaphorically) run away.
War is clearly coming – but will Boba Fett and Fennec Shand be ready for who or what they’ll be facing?
Our verdict
In an episode where you can’t move for nods to existing Star Wars lore, The Book of Boba Fett also finds time to establish its own gangster movie credentials. The criminal backwaters of Tatooine, first established in the original trilogy, remains the show’s big selling point, and ‘The Streets of Mos Espa’ does plenty to improve our understanding of Mos Espa’s underworld – and the scale of the challenge facing Boba Fett if he’s going to become a successful daimyo.
This outing also features some brilliant action sequences – from Fett’s impromptu scrap with a Wookiee assailant to an electrifying speeder chase through the mean streets of Mos Espa – and hints at the existence of a criminal mastermind more powerful than anything we’ve seen in the show so far. Surely no one still believes that elusive Mos Espa mayor Mayor Mok Shaiz is the one pulling the strings…
Force facts
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett debut on Disney Plus every Wednesday.
Xbox will ‘continue to support communities’ on PlayStation after Activision Blizzard deal
Following the announcement that Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard for close to $70 billion, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has discussed the company’s planned distribution of Activision Blizzard’s games.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg , he said: “I’ll just say to players out there who are playing Activision Blizzard games on Sony’s platform: It’s not our intent to pull communities away from that platform and we remained committed to that.”
Spencer’s comment mirrors a previous statement he made in a press release announcing the acquisition. There, he said: "Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward."
However, the term ‘communities’ is notably vague, and neither Spencer nor Microsoft has explicitly outlined what will be supported on PlayStation in the future.
Microsoft may be willing to release every future Activision Blizzard title on Sony’s platform, or might only extend its support to existing games that have already been released on PlayStation.
Bloomberg also cites someone “familiar with the company’s thinking” who expects Microsoft will continue shipping Activision’s games for PlayStation, but make some content exclusive to Xbox. Just what forms the exclusives will take - whether full games or DLC - wasn’t clear or speculated upon.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda in 2020 provides a touchstone by which to assess the potential exclusivity of its newly-acquired titles. Although it had initially shied away from announcing upcoming games would not find their way to PlayStation, it’s since confirmed that some future releases would be exclusive to Xbox and PC. The much-anticipated Starfield , The Elder Scrolls 6 , and Redfall are among them.
Analysis: expect more Xbox exclusives
When it comes to the future of Xbox exclusivity, Microsoft has been nothing but coy. Although PlayStation players will be keen to know whether they can expect the annual Call of Duty title or future Diablo and Overwatch entries on their platform of choice, Microsoft is keeping its cards to its chest.
It’s a familiar process, and one that largely mirrors Microsoft’s response to its acquisition of Bethesda two years ago: buy a major publisher, avoid the question of exclusivity immediately after, and quietly announce several months later that future releases will only be coming to Xbox and PC.
It might be wise to expect a similar outcome here. Although Call of Duty is a humongous brand that enjoys a huge player base on PlayStation, Starfield is equally a massive upcoming title that can bank on immediate interest at launch. If Microsoft is willing to take the sales hit to make Starfield an exclusive, maybe Call of Duty will also be an Xbox-only series somewhere down the line.
Microsoft looks most concerned with shoring up Xbox Game Pass , however, ensuring it provides as much value as possible before a PlayStation alternative arrives. Spencer’s already publicly said he expects Sony to release a Game Pass-style rival , and what better way for Xbox to get ahead than by nabbing some of the biggest series for themselves.
How to watch Australian Open 2022 and live stream tennis online from anywhere: schedule, finals weekend
The Australian Open 2022 is down to its most important games. It's finals weekend! Can Ash Barty claim her first Grand Slam victory on home soil? Can Rafael Nadal bag his second AO? Prepare for the business end of this fantastic spectacle of high quality tennis and read on as we explain how to watch an Australian Open live stream from anywhere - including ways to watch the tennis absolutely FREE.
British hopefuls Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray have come and gone but locals heroes Nick Kyrgios and Ash Barty have the chance of doing their nation proud in both the women's final and the men's doubles. Quite astonishingly the last of these is an all-Australian affair.
World no. 27 Danielle Collins is the player that stands in Barty's way. Perhaps she can be the first to take at least one set off the home girl?
In the men's singles it's all about Spain's Rafael Nadal and his quest to become the most decorated men's tennis player of all time, all while the unvaccinated pre-tournament favourite, Novak Djokovic, can only watch from home. Will Rafa win or will Djoko be chuckling into his popcorn as big Daniil Medvedev powers through?
The Melbourne crowd is always on top form. Even at 50 percent capacity the atmosphere will be rocking. Here's how you can live stream Australian Open 2022 tennis from wherever you are in the world.
How to live stream Australian Open 2022 for FREE Down Under
How to live stream Australian Open from outside your country
For broadcast and streaming details in more tennis-mad countries like the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand, just scroll down the page - everything you need to know is there, including details of who is showing the tennis.
But if you try to watch your domestic coverage from anywhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for sports fans all over the world.
By downloading and installing a VPN , you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home.
Use a VPN to watch Australian Open from anywhere
How to watch 2022 Australian Open: live stream tennis on cable in the US
How to live stream Australian Open 2022 without cable in the US
2022 Australian Open live stream: how to watch tennis online in Canada
Watch a 2022 Australian Open live stream in the UK
How to watch Australian Open 2022: live stream tennis in New Zealand
Australian Open 2022 schedule and dates
Who has won the most Australian Open titles?
Novak Djokovic is the most successful men’s player at Melbourne Park, having lifted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup nine times (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021), thrice more than Roger Federer.
Serena Williams is by far and away the most successful women's player of the Open era, having secured the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on seven occasions (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017). Two-time champs Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka are the only current players with multiple titles.
Australian Open 2022 prize: how much do the winners earn?
There’s a prize pot of AU$75 million up for grabs in Melbourne this year, the biggest there's ever been at the Aussie Open. The singles winners will pocket $4,400,000 each, while finalists will earn $2,200,000.
The doubles champs will earn themselves a tidy $800,000, with the grand prize in the mixed doubles set at $190,000.
What is the format of the Australian Open tennis?
As with all Open tournaments, men’s matches are the best-of-five sets, while women’s and doubles matches are best-of-three.
Which city hosts the Australian Open tennis?
Since 1988, the Australian Open has been played at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, on the south-east coast of Australia.