The Train Aliens From The Book Of Boba Fett Chapter 2 Explained

Another week, another episode of "The Book of Boba Fett" we need to discuss. The second episode of the "Star Wars" series once again gave Temuera Morrison's take on the beloved character the spotlight. This time, in filling in some gaps from his past, we saw Boba encounter a hostile group of alien criminals who actually have a relatively rich history in a galaxy far, far away. So, for those who have some questions about those train aliens, we're here to answer them. Let's dig in.

Warning: spoilers ahead for "The Book of Boba Fett." Proceed with caution.

Much of the "The Book of Boba Fett" episode 2 centers on Boba helping the Tusken Raiders fight off a ruthless group of criminals who are traversing through their territory on a train, mercilessly taking out members of their clan along the way. Boba ends up stealing some speeder bikes from them on a trip to Tosche Station, which he and the Tuskens use to stop the train. Once that mission is accomplished, we get a look at the aliens who were inside, and we come to discover that they are members of the race known as Pyke.

Boba seems more than a little familiar with their shenanigans, as he asks them if the have any "spice" and, even though the Pyke leader plays dumb, they do indeed have lots of spice on that train. This tracks, as the Pyke Syndicate is known for controlling spice in the "Star Wars" galaxy, a substance that has been mentioned numerous times throughout the history of the franchise which is, more or less, used to make drugs. Thus, it attracts a lot of criminal activity. The spice mines of Kessel are the main hub for this activity, and the Pyke Syndicate controls the mining operations on Kessel. Fans are likely familiar with the Kessel Run, first mentioned in " A New Hope," which Han Solo managed to do in 12 parsecs.

The characters were initially introduced in "The Clone Wars" animated series, specifically in the season 5 episode titled "Eminence." As far as live-action goes, prior to this appearance, we got to see them in "Solo: A Star Wars Story," as the movie dealt a great deal with Spice and Kessel, making for a logical place to bring them into the fold in a larger way. Now, it appears we're going to be seeing more from then in the not-too-distant future, as Boba sent the group on their way to present terms to their syndicate.

The Pyke Syndicate came to gain full control over the Kessel mining operation during "The Clone Wars" and have seemingly retained it ever since. Though they hail from the nearby world of Oba Diah, Kessel is their territory and they defend it vigorously. The syndicate employs Pyke Sentinals to help keep the miners, most prisoners, in line, in addition to guarding the operation and preventing rival gangs from marching on their territory. Basically, they are a ruthless, powerful cartel that handles drug smuggling within the galaxy. That blends well with the seedy underworld on Tatooine and the place where Boba now finds himself at the top of a highly-contested food chain.

Though it's important to note that the bulk of the episode is a flashback sequence, meaning that this confrontation between the Tuskens and the Pyke happened several years back in the timeline. So, are they still present in the most current version of the show's timeline? Are we going to see more of them beyond the flashbacks? For now, we have more questions than answers, but history suggests their presence in the galaxy isn't going to be derailed so easily.

"The Book of Boba Fett" returns Wednesdays on Disney+ with new episodes.