WARNING: Spoilers for the seventh episode of Skeleton Crew
Ain’t No Place Like Home.
Distressing Signals
The penultimate episode of Skeleton Crew sets the stage for a highly anticipated finale. With the children back home, Jod takes back his crew, and the secrets of At Attin are revealed. Like most episodes, we find the parents moving along with their plan of getting a signal out to their children aboard the Onyx Cinder, only to be apprehended by the droids of At Attin. However, Fern’s mother, Fara can get the distress call out past the barrier. Unlike previous episodes where we spend a little time on At Attin, this episode finally pays off the worried adults by the time the episode is over.
Home At Last
As the children finally make it home, they’re caught in the tractor beam of the pirates led by Brutus. The ship is captured, but Brutus is caught in a claw trap. Jod approaches the incapacitated scoundrel and puts a blaster hole in his head. Jod officially takes back his crew and orders them to invade the Cinder and apprehend the children. Jude Law is giving one of the most layered performances with the character of Jod Na Nawood. Even though the heel turn may have felt predictable, Law’s charisma makes the force-wielding outlaw a delight to witness. Imagine if Luke Skywalker was mixed with Han Solo and coupled with shades of Moff Gideon – That is, Jod Na Nawood.
The Hidden Treasure of At Attin
As the crew of kiddos sits in the brig, Jod’s pirates intercept the transmission from the parents of At Attin. Moved by the sentiments of their parents, the squad tactfully gets SM-33 to turn on Jod and get the ship out of the tractor beam. The Onyx Cinder then flies through the barrier with ease, while the pirate crafts tailing it get blown down one by one due to the barrier’s defense mechanisms. SM-33 reveals the Onyx Cinder is in fact, an At Attin ship which allows them passage through the barrier. When all seems well, Jod reveals himself as a stowaway. Despite the droid’s best efforts, Jod makes quick work of SM-33 by beheading him with the lightsaber retrieved in an earlier episode. Before landing, Jod scolds the children threatening their lives in true pirate fashion.
From Rags to Riches
The dynamic between Jod and the children has fluctuated, but this is by design. The cunning pirate dupes the children with a wholesome welcoming persona before locating the treasure and At Attin. After gaining what is needed, the script gets flipped completely, and the result is the pirate holding children hostage, even as they embark into the depths of At Attin after they’ve landed. This Peter Pan/Captain Hook display from Jod probably wouldn’t work with any other actor that isn’t Jude Law. Upon entering the vaults beneath At Attin and finding the mountains of credits, Jod is beside himself. In true gluttonous pirate fashion, the vagabond lets out a hearty laugh. As the children reunite with their parents, Jod approaches them, lightsaber drawn in hand.
They Are In So Much Trouble
With the final episode on the horizon, Skeleton Crew continues to impress audiences with its humble innocent storytelling mixed with epic set pieces and beautiful effects. The main quadrat of children has been through a real journey filled with adventure and wonder. If the previous episodes have been any indication of how the finale should go, fans need not worry. The show has displayed a good balance of heart and spectacle and plenty of humor thus far and the finale is sure to follow suit. No doubt it will stick to the landing.
The final episode of Season 1 of Skeleton Crew airs next Tuesday on Disney+ at 6 PM PST.