Every Phantom Menace Reference In The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 5
In The Book of Boba Fett's Mandalorian-starring episode, there are a handful of direct references to The Phantom Menance and young Anakin Skywalker.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Book of Boba Fett episode 5.
In The Book of Boba Fett's surprising episode starring The Mandalorian's Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), a good number of references to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace are made as soon as Djarin returns to Tatooine. Seeking a replacement for his Razor Crest gunship that was destroyed in The Mandalorian's second season, Djarin believed he had been promised a new one from Mos Eisley mechanic Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris). However, what he got instead was very different, leading to a plethora of Easter eggs and references to the first episode in the Skywalker saga of Star Wars films.
While the first half of The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 features Din Djarin reuniting with and subsequently being rejected by Paz Vizsla and the Armorer after his confession that he had removed his helmet, the Mandalorian departs for Tatooine. This leads to him being less than pleased with Motto's reveal that she does not have a gunship but instead a decommissioned N-1 Naboo Starfighter. However, once the two restore and customize the iconic ship by the episode's end, it's quite impressive (and very fast).
While the N-1 starfighter is best known for its use during the space battle between the Naboo and the Trade Federation, there are more Easter eggs and references from The Phantom Menace featured in The Book of Boba Fett episode 5. Likewise, more comparisons are also made between Din Djarin and Anakin Skywalker as well, seeing as how they're both foundlings who become key "Chosen One" figures in adulthood. Here's every reference to the Skywalker Saga's first (chronological) episode.
The biggest and most impressive Phantom Menace Easter egg from The Book of Boba Fett episode 5 is of course the N-1 Naboo starfighter itself. Used by the Naboo Royal Guard dedicated to protecting Queen Amidala, a squadron of these yellow and silver starships were sent up to engage with the Trade Federation blockade that had been oppressing the people of the Naboo until the Queen was forced to fight back, aided by the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, young Anakin Skywalker had been hiding in one of the ships during the ground battle, leading to him accidentally joining the other N-1 pilots in space. Even so, the gifted young pilot ended up destroying the primary command ship, blowing it up from the inside.
Serving as the first iconic hero starfighter Star Wars fans saw following the original trilogy's X-Wings used by the Rebel Alliance, the N-1 instills quite a bit of nostalgia for many. As such, seeing Din Djarin rebuilding and modifying his own is very exciting, serving as a new source of connective tissue between eras. The N-1 starfighter model can also be seen in Attack of the Clones escorting Senator Amidala to Coruscant, during the celebration scene of Return of the Jedi (the Star Wars special edition version), and also in the Final Alliance of ships assembled by Lando Calrissian during The Rise of Skywalker. Furthermore, Din Djarin working on the N-1 is very reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker, who built his own podracer. There's even a team of pit droids nearby who offer their assistance.
Once he restores the N-1 in The Book of Boba Fett episode 5, Din Djarin takes out his new ship for a test flight. Flying past Mos Eisley spaceport, the Mandalorian actually begins flying through the Boonta Eve Classic podracing course featured in The Phantom Menace, the race which Anakin won before leaving with Qui-Gon Jinn to become a Jedi. Din Djarin specifically flies through Beggar's Canyon, which was an iconic part of the podracing course. It should be noted that Beggar's Canyon is also where Luke Skywalker flew his T-16 Skyhopper shooting womp rats growing up before A New Hope (hence the Star Wars womp rat the Mandalorian flies over).
Just before Din Djarin takes his new starfighter up into orbit he shoots past a service ramp with broken pieces of a gate. This is a reference to the moment of the podrace when Anakin's rival Sebulba pushed him off the track, crashing through the gate which forced Skywalker onto the service ramp and into the air. However, he used a quick control thrust to get back on the course and take the lead in the Boonta Eve Classic. As such, Din Djarin mirrors Anakin again when he takes his own built ship up into orbit during the same part of the course.
Once Din Djarin gets into space he lets the ship loose, weaving and maneuvering the N-1 Naboo starfighter around a larger commercial craft before shooting off back toward Tatooine. In doing so, he quite literally takes the ship for a spin in The Book of Boba Fett, spinning around multiple times which can't be a coincidence after all the other references to Anakin's piloting exploits seen in The Phantom Menace. When Anakin got into space in his own N-1, he entered the battle with the Trade Federation with the ship still on autopilot. However, once R2-d2 deactivated it he tried some different moves: "Let's try spinning, that's a good trick!"
Din Djarin spinning in his own N-1 isn't the first time this scene has been referenced. Years later during The Clone Wars, an episode of the animated series saw Obi-Wan chastising Anakin for his reckless piloting, telling him that "spinning is not flying.. Anakin's counter was that it's still "a good trick," remembering his first time flying in space during The Phantom Menace. Djarin also did quite a bit of spinning when he still had the Razor Crest as well in the second season of The Mandalorian, so it certainly seems as though he subscribes to the same line of thinking.
Last but not least in The Book of Boba Fett episode 5, Din Djarin returns to Motto's Garage in Mos Eisley after easily evading two X-Wing pilots of the New Republic. As soon as he opens his cockpit, Peli asks him how the flight went, to which he responds with one word: "Wizard." This is, of course, the slang used by Anakin's friend Kitster who was excited that Anakin had entered the podrace in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, telling him that it was "so wizard." Apparently, "wizard" is the only word Din Djarin had or needed to express his enjoyment and satisfaction with his new ship, and it's a pretty fun reference seeing as how the slang was only ever used that one time in the entirety of Star Wars prior to The Book of Boba Fett.
The Book of Boba Fett releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.