krayt dragon on Tatooine specifically references Boba Fett's non-canon debut.
In "The Marshal," Din Djarin is tasked with slaying the krayt dragon in order to bring peace between the villagers of Mos Pelgo and the Tusken Raiders. Though watching the Mandalorian fly out of its gaping jaws just before setting off a bomb in its belly awe-inspiring on its own, the whole scene is actually a subtle nod to Boba Fett's debut in the animated segments of the 1978 television special, beyond just including his iconic armor.
In the Star Wars Holiday Special, Boba Fett enters on the back of a Paar's Ichthyodont. Though the creature is considerably less aggressive and way more non-threatening than the krayt dragon, there are a few key similarities between the species. Both dragons thrive in pretty flat habitats - with the krayt dragon inhabiting the desert planet Tatooine and the Paar's Ichthyodont inhabiting the "red water" planet Panna Prime. Though this version of the krayt dragon is limbless, previous versions of the krayt dragon show it sporting four lizard-like legs, much like the Paar's Ichthyodont from the Star Wars Holiday Special.
Besides dealing with massive reptilian monsters, Din Djarin and Boba Fett also sport the same weapon in The Mandalorian and the Star Wars Holiday Special. Both bounty hunters use an Amban phase-pulse as their go-to firearm here, drawing a direct parallel between them. Moreover, they use this blaster (among other devices, in Djarin's case) to essentially swoop in and save the day for somebody else. In Holiday Special, Boba Fett uses the blaster to fend off the Panna Dragon (which looks a whole lot like the Paar's Ichthyodont) attacking the Star Wars staple, the Millennium Falcon. Meanwhile, in The Mandalorian, the blaster plays an essential role in Djarin eventually defeating the Krayt Dragon for Mos Pelgo and the Tusken Raiders.
There are far more similarities between Boba Fett and Din Djarin than just sporting Mandalorian armor in this moment from "The Marshal." Djarin's encounter and eventual slaying of the Krayt Dragon draws so specifically back to Boba Fett in Holiday Special that it's no wonder why this episode also marks Boba Fett's official return in The Mandalorian. It's a moment for the Star Wars franchise to call back to its roots and come full circle - albeit with a reimagined twist. "The Marshal" is just one instance of reviving an iconic moment in The Mandalorian, which has served to honor the past and cement Boba Fett's legacy in Star Wars.
