When you think of Star Wars, you think of Tatooine. From Luke staring at the binary sunset, Anakin podracing around Mos Espa, and even Rey returning the sabers of Luke and Leia, the sands of the Dune Sea are a franchise constant. However, that could soon change. A fan theory suggests Boba Fett could alter the climate of Tatooine, solving the problem of so many settlers; and possibly Mando’s biggest problem too.
Redditor Prodigious-Beast thinks there is actually water on Tatooine. It’s just hidden. There’s evidence of mining being a major industry, as seen by the town of Mos Espa’s appearance in The Mandalorian. The evidence lies in the makeup of Mos Espa itself, which is built in what looks like a giant sinkhole. Sinkholes only occur when groundwater has eroded the underground surface, leading to the ground collapsing. So for Mos Espa to be built entirely in a sinkhole means there should be quite a bit of groundwater underneath it.
This doesn’t mean that Tatooine will be magically transformed into the lush jungle planet it was in ancient history. We see it relatively unchanged in the sequel trilogy, so that’s not an option. But Boba Fett as daimyo could establish a couple of wells around the Dune Sea to make the lives of the settlers and the Tuskens who took him in and hydrated him with Black Melons easier.
Water under the Dune Sea has parallels in the real world too. The largest fossil water aquifer is actually under part of the Sahara Desert. If it can happen on Earth, it can definitely happen in Star Wars.
While this move would instantly solve the biggest issue facing the residents of Tatooine (and put moisture farmers out of business), there could be huge implications beyond local survival. Episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett established Mando has been excommunicated by his sect of Mandalorians, something that could only be reversed by “the living waters in the mines of Mandalore.”
Considering how Mandalore’s fate is still questionable, maybe some living waters of Tatooine, extracted by a Mandalorian, could do in a pinch. But whether it’s to baptize Mando or just hydrate some thirsty villagers, the introduction of a steady source of water would change Tatooine as we know it.
The Book of Boba Fett is now streaming on Disney+.
