The kids of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are the most dangerous force in the galaxy

As a seasoned spacefarer with more years under my belt than I care to remember, I’ve seen quite a bit in the vast expanse of the cosmos. But nothing quite prepared me for the whirlwind adventure that is Skeleton Crew. This new series has managed to capture the essence of Star Wars while offering a fresh, unique perspective – one that revolves around the unpredictable and reckless actions of children!

In the initial two installments of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, it’s unmistakable that the galaxy can be a harsh environment for children.

In various forms, we receive multiple signals. For instance, on the planet of At Attin, all children are required to take a Career Assessment Test (similar to the Star Wars equivalent of the SAT). There are signs along the roads stating “No Speeder Bikes,” yet Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and KB (Kyriana Kratter) demonstrate how cool they are. Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) requests a bedtime story from his father, but instead of getting one, he’s told, “Aren’t you too old for that?

If we fail to catch the subtler hints conveyed by the show, Melna (Paloma Garcia-Lee), who runs a space brothel on the pirate haven of Borgo, makes it clear. In Episode 2, as a group of kids enter pirate society, she confides in Fern and KB, stating, “This place isn’t safe for children.

Despite the constant threats lurking in the pirate-infested outskirts of the galaxy, Wim, Fern, KB, and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) are the driving forces behind our show, setting off a chain of events that grow increasingly hazardous. To many viewers, Skeleton Crew is essentially a tale about characters out of their element. These youngsters may yet prove to be heroes, but for now, they’re more like pawns caught up in a string of misfortunes. However, that’s the essence of childhood – a series of unexpected events that compel those around them to take decisive actions.

Children often stumble as they explore the world and discover their role within it. While Wim may not have intended to surpass the boundary at Attin, his curiosity is anything but coincidental. It’s a powerful urge that will challenge not just his personal aspirations, but also the very structure of the galaxy itself.

Given that the planet where these children hail from, At Attin, seems to share a similar culture of testing and evaluation as ours, let’s explore potential responses from its citizens and pirates when faced with our band of young intergalactic heroes.

Answer Choice A: Functionally Abandon Them

As the movie unfolds, I find myself introduced to Wim, a young protagonist brimming with spirit and curiosity. His father, Wendle (Tunde Adebimpe), is a man who balances care with a demanding work schedule. Before he rushes off to work, he hands Wim a few credits for sustenance, leaving behind a trail of dreams yet unexplored. Among these dreams, the most captivating one for Wim seems to be the idea of becoming a Jedi, an aspiration he nurtures independently, lost in his own world of fantasies.

If Wim represents our young Luke Skywalker, Fern embodies our upcoming Han Solo; the black and white coat itself hints at this, not forgetting her Solo-like, carefree demeanor. Initially, it appears that Fern grapples with a problem opposite to Wim’s. Her mother Fara (played by Kerry Condon) has nurtured Fern to excel academically and seems highly committed to her success. However, when Fern hides her jacket in the first episode, we understand that Fara is just as unaware of Fern as Wendle is of Wim.

Answer Choice B: Steal from Them

In Episode 2, as soon as Wim begins distributing Old Republic credits on Borgo, things quickly escalate. Initially, the chef attempts to inflate the cost of food for Wim and Neel. Subsequently, a local pirate attempts to snatch the money directly. This leads to a high-speed chase, ending with Pirate Captain Brutus (either Fred Tatasciore or Stephen Oyoung) threatening the children to hand over their credits.

Absolutely, what Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) did is more than just petty theft; it’s exploitation. In Episode 3, this ex-pirate and Force user manipulated a child’s predicament to take control of their ship. At Borgo, he helped them evade the brig, rescued SM-33, and even escorted them to Kh’ymm (Alia Shawcat), an owl-like astronomer who provided guidance for their return to At Attin. Interestingly, Kh’ymm revealed that Jod’s actions were not driven by altruism or benevolence; instead, he was using the children as a means to achieve his own financial gain.

Answer Choice C: Fight for Them

Introduce character SM-33 (Nick Frost), a pirate droid known for his rugged demeanor, a space rodent peering out of one of his eyes, and an accent that could make even the toughest characters in this galaxy’s corner seem tame. He is the first among the cast to take up arms to safeguard the young ones, though “Fight for Them” isn’t a choice favored by many characters within the series. Apart from SM-33, we have Melna, who runs the brothel, and later in Episode 3, there’s an X-Wing pilot whose background will be discussed further…

Everyone makes their choice

One aspect I particularly enjoy in the initial segment of “Skeleton Crew” is observing how the entire play’s universe warps around the kids due to their gravitational pull. Kids have a unique ability to disrupt the status quo just by existing. They may appear as mere pieces on the cosmic chessboard, but they carry more weight, akin to queens. Their innocence, impulsiveness, and lack of knowledge make them powerful, as they can move freely, posing a threat to every other piece in play.

The climax of Episode 3 offers an incredibly thrilling resemblance to the initial space battle in the original Star Wars movie, as it mirrors the iconic gunfight from Episode IV: A New Hope when Han and Luke engaged Tie Fighters aboard the Millennium Falcon’s laser cannons. In Skeleton Crew, Jod Na Nawood encourages Fern and Wim to take their places within the ship’s cannon-like positions, much like how Han and Luke manned the guns in the Millennium Falcon. However, the childlike characters drastically alter the scene’s overall mood.

It’s evident that Wim is overly enthusiastic and fails to comprehend the seriousness of aiming laser cannons at another person, or being targeted himself. Fern swiftly learns how to handle the controls, yet her smile as she does so gives off a chilling vibe, suggesting she might be embarking on a path towards darkness. Unlike cheering for our young protagonists to hit their targets like we do Han and Luke, I felt a knot in my stomach instead. Children shouldn’t be using laser cannons, and if they must, neither should they nor us find joy in it.

Our heroes escape in the end, but the scene is purposefully anticlimactic. We learn at the end that the X-Wing pilot withheld fire to protect the kids onboard.

In the series “Skeleton Crew”, we are still uncertain as to who or what the main antagonist will be. It could be Jod Na Nawood, it could be Pirate Captain Brutus, or even their own parents. However, the most menacing element in the show seems to be the rebellion of our four protagonists against the established order. This order encompasses parents, pirates, droids, Jedi, X-Wings, and exams. Faced with these four children, none of these entities stand any chance.

2024-12-14 17:41

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