[Note: this piece contains spoilers up to The Book of Boba Fett episode 5.]

We are past halfway into the The Book of Boba Fett, and with only two episodes left this season, fans may have to accept the fact that the show is headed to a totally different direction than what they have expected of the fan-favorite bounty hunter, and its creators seems to not have a concrete idea on what to do with him.

Despite having minimal screen time and dialogue in the original Star Wars trilogy, he instantly became one of the most popular characters in the franchise due to his mysterious, deadly presence. George Lucas tried to give a taste of the character in Attack of the Clones through Jango Fett that, while adding more backstory to Boba, only left fans wanting more. Nevertheless, he has since appeared in numerous canon and non-canon stories in other mediums like comic books and novels, as fans clamored to see more of Boba Fett.

Now almost forty years later, and after several failed attempts to bring him back to the big screen, he officially returned in the second season of The Mandalorian, which seems to be redundant at this point. Din Djarin, the Mandalorian himself, has all but adapted every aspect that defined Boba Fett. Here is a new bounty hunter that looks like him, can do the same things, and is actually written well in a compelling story that allowed the series to explore new things. It’s safe to assume that this fresh character and show have scratched the itch for our beloved anti-hero.

So it’s no surprise that The Book of Boba Fett is not gaining the same traction the The Mandalorian did, at least not yet. Five episodes in, it has shown little to no excitement other than a trip down the Original Trilogy memory lane. Whether it’s the setting of Tatooine, or the return of characters like the Bib Fortuna, Gamorrean guards, and even Max Rebo, the series is much too comfortable walking along the line of familiarity. For fans who want to relive the good old days, then this is the perfect place to be.

For all the talk about familiarity, however, its lead presents the biggest problem. With Din Djarin existing, Boba Fett is pushed on the wayside, and now writers were faced with the challenge of what direction to take him. After the events of The Mandalorian season two, Boba has settled on Tatooine and taken over Bib Fortuna’s stake in the underworld. It sounds like an interesting new direction for the character. Boba Fett, a legendary bounty hunter feared across the galaxy, is now going to become a kingpin of crime, except he refuses to commit any crimes. Instead, he repeatedly declares that he intends to rule with respect, as he takes his helmet off, without actually anything to show for it. As Lortha Peel says in episode 3, “with apologies, sir, no one respects you.” The OG Boba Fett would have shot him on the spot. Clearly, there’s an identity crisis going on. Even Temuera Morrison agrees that this version of Boba Fett talks too much, a glaring deviation from his characterization in the original trilogy.

It also doesn’t help that this show is incredibly slow, with the writing grasping to fill time than moving the story forward. Even with the dual timeline structure of the series – which split the story between what’s happened after falling in the Sarlacc Pit and present day – little has been added to the mythos of the character. Viewers have been subjected to fake out after fake out, introducing potential villains that lead nowhere (Jabba the Hutt’s cousins appear, and then they’re leaving?). The truth is, Boba Fett was a more compelling character when he was a fan-service guest star in someone else’s show than here. Another point proven when the best episode of the show so far didn’t even include him at all. Clearly, what Boba Fett had going for him – the look, personality, and the legacy of being an Original Trilogy character that fans respect – has now been surpassed by a modern reiteration of the archetype.

Everything adds up to a meandering show while repeatedly evoking nostalgia. While fan-service is not inherently a bad thing, The Book of Boba Fett feels directionless at this point in its season, especially when compared to The Mandalorian. With two episodes left, maybe things will all finally come together as the show reaches its finale.