Did The Book of Boba Fett just prove Jedi aren’t the key to a good Star Wars show?

This post contains SPOILERS for The Book of Boba Fett “Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor.”

Grogu’s return in The Book of Boba Fett Episode 7 may have come as a surprise to some who expected him to remain with Luke Skywalker and continue his Jedi training. But really, we should have seen the outcome of his ultimate choice coming. Star Wars has often relied on Jedi-focused stories to drive its overarching plot forward. But this show may have just proven once and for all that it doesn’t need to do that anymore — and may be moving away from it altogether.

Jedi and the Force will always be important to the larger stories of Star Wars. But it makes sense that in this time period in Star Wars history — five years after Return of the Jedi and still decades before the sequel trilogy — stories would, and possibly should, focus less on Jedi and more on other aspects of the universe that make it especially unique.

Yes, Grogu used the Force several times throughout the episode to both save Din Djarin and calm the rancor to save everyone. But doesn’t that further prove that even if Grogu doesn’t become a “Jedi” as we traditionally know them, it doesn’t mean he can’t still use what he has learned to offer more good to the galaxy — similar to Ahsoka Tano in this same post-war era?

Star Wars doesn’t need Jedi to tell good stories. Jedi are a major part of the Skywalker Saga (think the nine episodic movies) and Jedi played major roles in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. But Grogu choosing a life with “Mando” instead of the traditional Jedi training regimen says a lot about the future of these stories.

There are more non-Jedi in a galaxy far, far away than there are Jedi, and it’s about time we focus on other factions and how they survive in times of trial and danger. Also, Force-sensitive characters can absolutely come across and manipulate these stories. But they don’t have to be Jedi. And maybe, now that the Skywalker Saga as we know it has ended, they don’t have to.

The Book of Boba Fett is streaming now exclusively on Disney+.