Star Wars: Skeleton Crewmight have a premise steeped in escapism, but it also tackles some surprisingly mature materialnot just for Star Wars but for a children-led show in general.
Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and KB (Kyriana Kratter) haven’t just had to deal with being lost in the galaxy, but also pirates and a planet where children are conscriptedinto an ongoing war.
This confirmsSkeleton Crewis far more than the homage to ’80s-era kid adventures thatJon WattsandChristopher Fordhave crafted, but the seriesmight have taken its darkest turn yetwith its latest episode, “You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates.”
Image via Disney+
During the climax of the episode, the kids and their Force-using partner, Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), travel to Lanupa, a former pirate planet-turned luxury resort which also holds the coordinates to the children’s home, At Attin.
They have to get past Lanupa’s guards, pirates who are chasing a bounty on Jod’s head, and a collection of booby traps to get there but when they do,Jod turns on them and challenges Fern to a duel, even holding a knife to her throat.
It’s a jarring turn that once again upends both the story so far and the audience’s expectation of who Jod really is.
Image via Disney+
Skeleton Crew Is Keeping Us on Our Toes With Jod
It’s becoming clear that there’smuch more to Jod than meets the eye.
When the kids first meet him in “Way, Way Out Past the Barrier,” he claims to be a Jedi, but that falls apart quickly.
He also has a collection of names: not only is he referred to as “Jod Na Nawood” but also “Crimson Jack” and “Captain Silvo,” with the latter alias belonging to the pirate captain thatBrutus (Fred Tatasciore/Steven Oyoung)betrays inSkeleton Crew’s premiere episode, “This Could Be A Real Adventure.”
Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.
Finally, all of Jod’s old “friends” whether it’s navigator Kh’ymm (Alia Shakwat) or bounty hunter Pokkit (Kelly MacDonald) tend to sell him out the first chance they get, which only underlines his shady past.
ButJod’s betrayal of the kids is shocking, especially when you consider what he did in the previous episode, “Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin.”
When the kids are conscripted into fighting so that they can get into a library thatpossesses At Attin’s coordinates, Jod saves their lives by making a trade.
He rescues them again in the episode’s closing moments when SM-33 (Nick Frost) goes haywire and threatens to kill them.
Even his deal with Fern was based on an understanding: if he helped the kids get back to At Attin, he’d get a reward.
Jod’s betrayal not only adds another layer tothe mystery surrounding him, but also showcases a good reason why nearly everyone in the galaxy wants to kill him.
No Sith?
No problem.
Jod Isnt the First Star Wars Character To Betray His Allies
Jod is far from the only Star Wars character who’s betrayed their allies.Star Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebelshave Hondo Ohsaka (Jim Cummings) himself a pirate performing multiple double-crosses depending on how he profits from it.The Clone Warsalso features a massive betrayal in its game-changing episode “The Wrong Jedi,” asBarriss Offee(Meredith Salenger) frames Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) for the bombing of the Jedi Temple.Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Backmost famously features the scene where Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) gives up Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) to Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) so that he can protect Cloud City.
The major throughline of these betrayals, however, is thatthese characters end up redeeming themselves:Barris turns her back on the Empire and helps people find safety, while Lando ends up playing a pivotal role inStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.
Skeleton Crewdoes hint that Jod isn’t the ruthless pirate people think he is; he gives Wim some handy advice about adapting to life in the galaxy, and during his duel with Fern, he repeatedly says he doesn’t want to hurt her.
But his betrayal is still a surprise nonetheless, and with three episodes ofSkeleton Crewleft, there’s no telling if he’ll land on the side of friend or foe.
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Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis available to stream on Disney+, with new episodes airing Tuesdays at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.
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