WARNING: Spoilers for the third episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
A Pirate Life For Me
Parental Units Express Concern
On At Attin, the parents of the stranded children convene, collectively worrying about the whereabouts of their kin. Before long, a droid enters to inform them of the supervisor’s decision not to request aid in search of the lost youngsters after determining they’re way out of range to be helped. All parents are visibly frustrated by this news, but three key important questions are coming from this opening: What is Wim’s father going to do, who exactly is the supervisor of At Attin and why are they so keen to protect the secrecy of the planet? The element of surprise is bound to pay off as the series goes on. While this could come across as a typical trope of parents being concerned for the safety of their children, it offers another real-world parallel that would give parents something to also connect to while watching Skeleton Crew.
Escape Plan
Back on the pirate rock, the lucky lads and their newfound friend, Jod Na Nawood, navigate through the brig and make their way back to the derelict ship. (With Fern evening giving an earnest “that was too easy” line that I’m sure we also probably thought of at the moment) When the crew reaches the ship, Jod suggests visiting an old friend of his to help the kids get back home as she has a knack for studying star maps and the like. However, the adolescent pirates-to-be will not leave their savior droid, SM-33 behind. After a swashbuckling escape and lots of property damage, the crew escapes into hyperspace. Brutus puts a bounty on Jod’s head, who is revealed to be former Captain Silvo. This revelation only further fuels the ultimate question regarding Jod’s character – what is the reward he is looking for?
Dark Of The Moon
The crew lands on a dark cold moon, and the crew trots to a dome-shaped building with a galactic telescope. The owner of the establishment is a creature known as Kh’ymm. Upon arrival, Kh’ymm refers to Jod as “Crimson Jack”, which raises suspicion about Jod’s motives and origins. Kh’ymm reveals their homeworld At Attin is protected by a barrier. However, Jod’s gut regarding his old ally turns out to be correct. He figures out she’s stalling for time while the New Republic sends forces to apprehend him. Amid a scuffle, Jod nabs the coordinates and scurries off with the children back to the ship. Not before Kh’ymm tells KB not to trust Jod, and in the event she needs anything, to give her a ring. This show is all about putting trust in strangers, after all.
Fight of The Navigators
When the crew heads back to the ship, the children confront Jod and demand the truth. Jod says he was never a Jedi, but the only way they get home is if they work together. Following this, the crew works together to evade X-Wings. Neel takes the wheel, Wim and Fern operate the cannons, and eventually, they reach their goal and hit hyperspace. The episode ends with Kh’ymm being asked where the crew is headed, and she says he would not believe her if she told him. There is something hilarious about a child blasting cannon shots at X-wings.
Lost in The Galaxy
Skeleton Crew doesn’t aim to reinvent coming-of-age stories but to give us a story set in the galaxy far far away. This episode balanced moving the story forward while also answering questions and raising more for the episodes to come. The inspirations from things such as The Goonies or Flight of the Navigator are strong within this episode. Also, SM-33 is not having any lip from Jod, and it makes for a great rivalry going forward. Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood executes a performance that is both charming and mystic, and this chapter excellently shines a light on that. Meanwhile, the four main leads also exemplify a perfect blend of innocence and intrigue that feels not only authentic but reminds us of a time when we could envision ourselves as people inside the vast universe of Star Wars having adventures of our own.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew airs new episodes on Disney+ on Tuesdays at 6 PM PST.