WARNING: This contains spoilers for the two-episode premiere of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
The barrier has been broken.
Uncharted Territory
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew brings the franchise into fertile ground. Centering a story on a group of children who find themselves inside an abandoned ship that blasts them into unknown regions of the galaxy, the series still has all the nuts and bolts of what makes Star Wars truly immersive. Between the immaculate production design, authentic practical effects, and lifelike costumes, coupled with a crusty droid and mysterious Jedi (played by the one and only Jude Law) Skeleton Crew aims to enlighten younger audiences, and give longtime fans something enjoyable to digest for the holiday. The two-episode premiere accomplishes so much with so little time.
Meet The Crew
The main protagonists of our adventure are four children: Wim, who has ambitions beyond normal scholarly protocols—Neel, the blue alien pal to Wim, and not a troublemaker: Fern, the cunning speed bike racer with a pension for antics and storytelling, and lastly KB, who is Fern’s trusted ally and a tech wiz in her own right. Together, these four wind up discovering a ship beneath the depths of their home planet after Wim finds it on his way to school. After some unlikely circumstances, innocent youthful imagination, and a bit of exploration, these four find themselves inside the ship and setting it off which kickstarts our journey. The main goal now? Why, get back home of course. If only it were that simple (spoilers, it isn’t.)
Home Sweet Home
For the first time in a Star Wars project, we finally witnessed something unseen: neighborhoods, the middle class, and curfews. The first episode shows a planet that feels inspired by Amblin Entertainment films. Through the lens of both Wim and Fern, we see that both children don’t feel all that compelled to follow in their parent’s respective footsteps and become contributing members of this evolving society. Wim has the desire to become a hero like the Jedi he spends so much time studying over other academics, while Fern is just living her best life and in the moment and trying to fix her speeder bike with a new power converter. Both children exemplify the coming-of-age story in their way. It will be exciting to see how these two grow from where they began to where they end up by the end of the season.
Pirates, Droids, and Jedi, Oh My!
Upon being blasted into another part of the galaxy, our four heroes end up activating a droid named SM-33 (voiced by Nick Frost) and tricking the droid into believing Fern to be the new captain of the abandoned vessel. After some hilarious banter and a montage showcasing how to pilot the ship, the children request the help of the droid to get them home. Unfortunately, SM-33 doesn’t have any memory of landing on their planet and navigates them to a pirate hangout. This, in turn, leads to shenanigans that evoke the spirit of The Goonies. This lands the children in the brig and meeting a mysterious force figure who Wim claims is a Jedi. The overall aesthetic of not only the pirates and creatures but also the backdrop of the retreat is a staple to the commitment of Lucasfilm and the desire to make these worlds feel real.
A Real Adventure
With two episodes out, Skeleton Crew has already delivered a refreshing, grounded, and yet, innocent tale about adolescents taking risks and having fun, but also giving it a Star Wars coat of paint. When the second episode ends with the children encountering Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood, it feels like you’ve been ejected back into 1977 and find yourself playing with the toys of this world and creating your narrative of a grand adventure in the Outer Rim. Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home) executive produces the series along with Jon Favreau; truly making Star Wars feel more welcoming for younger audiences than ever before. If the rest of the episodes in the season are as enticing as the first two, fans are in for a real treat this holiday season.
New Episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew air on Disney Plus on Tuesdays at 6 PM PST.