Star Wars’newest TV show,Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, is giving me absolutely everything I wanted from theStar Warssequel trilogy—and I’m loving it. TheStar Warssequel trilogy still receives plenty of criticism, even five years after the final movie of the trilogy debuted. There were admittedly a number ofproblems with the sequel trilogy,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerin particular, although I tend to have a more favorable view of the movies than most (perhaps with the exception ofThe Rise of Skywalker).
Part of the issue with the sequels, and why they were a letdown to so many viewers, is that they felt like a wasted opportunity. This era oftheStar Warstimelinehad yet to be explored inStar Wars’new canon, following Disney’s acquisition of the franchise, meaning the story possibilities were endless. Rather than break away from the norm, though, theStar Warssequel trilogy repeated many of the same themes and storylines that had been seen in the original and prequel trilogies. Now,Skeleton Crewis finally giving me everything I wanted.
Pirates Make So Much More Sense As Main Adversaries During This Era
The Sequel Trilogy Borrowed From The Jedi Versus Sith Story—Skeleton Crew Isn’t
So far, the main villains ofSkeleton Crewhave been pirates, most recently including Jod Na Nawood himself, who grabbed Fern and held a knife to her throat to get her to relinquish the role and title of captain. The most interesting aspect of this has been the variety this has led to in the story. There isn’t just one pirate after the group; they have faced a host of pirates, going all the way back to the kids' arrival on Port Borgo inSkeleton Crewepisode 2.
Port Borgo: Star Wars' New Pirate Empire Is An Incredible 30-Year-Old Legends Reference
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew introduced viewers to Bort Porgo, major site in a new pirate empire… and an incredible deep cut into Legends lore!
Not only does this avoid the Jedi versus Sith story that has become much too dominant inStar Wars, especially in light of the sequels, but also,pirates make so much sense as the villains of this era.Skeleton Crewis set during the New Republic Era, betweenReturn of the JediandStar Wars: The Force Awakens(although, notably,Skeleton Crewis closer toReturn of the Jedi, around 5 years after the events of that movie). Although this means Luke Skywalker was already a full-fledged Jedi, he had yet to truly build up his Temple by this point.
This means that there were very few Jedi in the galaxy at this time. That, combined with the fact that the Empire had fallen, and the New Republic was in its early years, just getting its bearings, means this was the ideal time for piracy to take hold in the galaxy. This was in fact whySkeleton Crew’screators chose this period inStar Warsas the setting. In other eras, there would have been much more oversight, especially in the prequel trilogy era or earlier.
This was the ideal time for piracy to take hold in the galaxy.
Characters' Understanding Of The Jedi Is Way More Realistic
Wim’s Moment With The Lightsaber Was So Refreshing
One of the best moments inSkeleton Crewso far was in episode 5 when Wim, who is obsessed with the Jedi, got his hands on a real lightsaber. Despite his adoration for the Jedi, he wasn’t ready for the reality of the weapon, and when he ignited it, he realized it was facing the wrong direction, pointing toward the ground. This scared Wim, so he threw the lightsaber aside and ran to hide next to Neel and KB.
Star Wars Totally Just Showed What We’d All REALLY Do With A Lightsaber
This Star Wars: Skeleton Crew moment is a much more realistic representation of what most people would do the first time they used a lightsaber.
This moment with Wim and the lightsaber was so much more realistic than otherStar Warsmovies and shows in depicting what someone’s first time holding a lightsaber would look like. Wim could love the Jedi and be fascinated with the concept of the Force, but, realistically, turning on such a powerful weapon for the first time would be absolutely terrifying. The sequel trilogy was certainly guilty of the opposite, as both Finn and Rey picked up Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber and very quickly were able to wield it with ease.
Finn and Rey picked up Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber and very quickly were able to wield it with ease.
This isn’t to say that I’m opposed to Rey’s power or believe she is a ‘Mary Sue,’ as is the common discourse about Rey—I don’t feel that way whatsoever. However, it would have been much more realistic for both Finn and Rey to struggle initially with the weapon. After all, younglings train for years with lightsaber substitutes.
Likewise, although Rey is so unfamiliar with and skeptical of the Jedi that she believes they may be merely a myth, she seems oddly well-versed in what a Jedi is (even if she does think using the Force is just"lifting rocks"at first). By contrast,Wim has been learning about and playing as the Jedi, and even he seems unsure about whether Jod is a Jediand what would make him a Jedi other than having the Force. This, too, feels like a much more realistic representation of what someone’s understanding of the Jedi would be.
Connections To Other Stories Are There, But They Don’t Overpower The Show
Skeleton Crew Is Full Of Easter Eggs, But It Isn’t Reliant Upon Its Connections
One of the biggest (and most valid, in my opinion) complaints about the sequel trilogy is how heavily it borrows from otherStar Warsmovies, especially the original trilogy.The Force Awakensin particular feels like a beat-by-beat retelling ofA New Hope, complete with an unlikely hero from a desert planet and an oppressive regime led by a dark side Force user and enforced via stormtroopers. While the subsequent two sequel trilogy movies get a bit more creative,The Rise of Skywalkeralso brings back Palpatine, the main villain from the prequel and original trilogies.
Skeleton Crewhas proven to be much more innovative in its first five episodes. Yes, there have been manyEaster eggs inSkeleton Crewfrom the very beginning, but they feel like nods and details to enhance the story, not like the driving force behind the story. Whereas the sequel trilogy felt too beholden to and derivative of otherStar Warsstories,Skeleton Crewgenuinely feels like something brand-new in the franchise.
Skeleton Crew Hasn’t Been Predictable So Far
Skeleton Crew’s Story Has Felt Genuinely New And Inventive
Coinciding with the more creative nature ofSkeleton Crew, so far, the story hasn’t felt predictable. This was most clear in episode 5, when Jod turned on the kids. It was obvious that Jod was really in it for the treasure on At Attin and wasn’t helping the kids get home purely out of the goodness of his heart, but it had seemed like he’d developed a genuine affection for them, especially after his heart-to-heart with Wim earlier in the episode. When he went so far as to hold a knife to Fern, it was jarring.
Now, it also isn’t clear what will happen in the final three episodes of the show, especially given that the kids have seemingly fallen into a trap door. This kind of uncertainty is thrilling, and while the sequel trilogy had elements of surprise, many of the twists—such as Palpatine’s return—felt under-explained and disappointing.Star Wars: Skeleton Crewisn’t over yet, but already, it’s been giving me exactly what I was hoping for in theStar Warssequel trilogy.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Cast
Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children who become lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.
