A prominent theory aboutStar Wars’upcoming TV show,Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, suggests the franchise’s brand-new, mysterious Jedi could have shocking connections to none other thanEmperor Palpatinehimself.Skeleton Crewis the next to be released ofStar Wars’upcoming TV shows. Currently,details aboutSkeleton Crewremain somewhat limited.
However,Star Warshas confirmed that the show is set concurrent with the Mandalorian era intheStar Warstimelineand that Jude Law will play a Jedi named Jod Na Nawood. Nawood will be accompanied by a group of children who are lost in the galaxy. While little more than that is known at present, fan theories have already begun running wild.One theory in particular posits thatSkeleton Crewcould be setting up a fascinating Palpatine connection—although that could spell trouble for the show.
Who Is Jod Na Nawood?
Star Warshas confirmed that Jod Na Nawood is a Jedi, but the character remains largely shrouded in mystery. In fact,Skeleton Crewwriter Christopher Ford described Nawood as a"whole new kind of Jedi,“only increasing the mystery and speculation surrounding the character. Nawood actor Jude Law has also indicated that the character isn’t what he seems, explaining that Nawood is just one name the character goes by.
In light of this, it’s quite possible that Law’s character is a Jedi already known in canon or Legends who is using a pseudonym. There is a precedent for this inStar Wars, especially forthe survivors of Order 66who took on a new name to hide from the Empire. Kanan Jarrus' name change from Caleb Dume is one such example of this. Given the timing ofSkeleton Crew, it’s possible that Nawood was a youngling during Order 66 and somehow survived.
This wouldn’t quite explain the description of Nawood as a new kind of Jedi, though. This seems to nod toward a much more complex history and/or a non-traditional approach to the Jedi way. In part for this reason, some have begun to speculate that Nawood is an atypical Jedi because he has a dark lineage. Specifically,one of the most prominent theories about Jod Na Nawood is that he is really a Palpatine strandcast.
Why There Are Suspicions Nawood Is A Strandcast Of Palpatine
This theory may seem like a leap, but there are a number of reasons this possibility has garnered attention. For one,the timing ofSkeleton Crewwould line up with Palpatine’s efforts to create a Force-sensitive clone. Rey’s father Dathan, who was a clone of Palpatine, is estimated to have been created in 12 BBY. The exact age of Jude Law’s character isn’t yet confirmed (although Law himself is in his early 50s, which would make this timeline a bit complicated), but were Nawood created around that time, conceivably, he could be an adult bySkeleton Crew.
Moreover, the details of Palpatine’s cloning project are still quite limited. It’s unclear whether Palpatine’s cloning efforts caused rapid aging similar to that of the Clone Wars era clones. Assuming Palpatine was concerned about his own death, though—which would have been smart giventhe Sith Rule of Twooften results in the apprentice killing the master—he may have wanted his clones to become adults sooner rather than later.
Nawood would be a strandcast, not a clone.
It’s also important to note that, like Dathan, Nawood would be a strandcast, not a clone. While a clone is an identical copy, such as was seen with the clone troopers, strandcasts are effectively hybrid creations that share the genetic code of the host but have significant differences as well due to their modifications. This would explain Nawood’s appearance not fitting Palpatine’s, even when he was younger inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
Star Warswould also have plenty of reasons to want to explore this story. Palpatine’s resurrection inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwas extremely controversial, and it remains one of the biggest complaints in the franchise. Although it seemed likeStar Wars: The Bad Batchwas going to answer the remaining questions about this odd return,Project Necromancer and Palpatine’s resurrectionwere thrown into question yet again with the destruction of Mount Tantiss' cloning facility. PerhapsSkeleton Crewwill finally reveal more. But is that really the right choice?
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What Would This Mean For Star Wars?
LinkingSkeleton Crewto Palpatine’s resurrection could be a major misstep forStar Wars. The franchise has suffered from considerable backlash in recent years. Although this was always a part ofStar Wars, which the prequel trilogy alone made clear, it has arguably become much worse of late, asThe Acolyte’scancelationexemplifies.Skeleton Crewhas the opportunity to be a new story and a fresh start, and connecting the show to one of the biggest grievances in the franchise certainly wouldn’t do the show any favors.
On the other hand, with Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, the franchise might be looking for a way to close the door on this story, and this could be one way to accomplish that. By exploring Nawood’s history as a strandcast, presumably, Palpatine and Rey’s stories could be fleshed out, andStar Warscould move on. There is also already canon source material on Rey’s history in the bookStar Wars: Shadow of the Sith, written by Adam Christopher, making this all the easier to pull off.
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Over-correction is a real risk, though, andStar Warscould cause more harm than good by doubling down on Palpatine’s return, drawing additional attention to it, and pulling the franchise backward rather than pushing it forward. Yes, Palpatine’s return is widely viewed as a poor decision, but that doesn’t meanStar Warsshould continue to spend time trying to fix it. Perhaps it’s time to leave this choice in the past and simply focus on new stories.
Palpatine’s return is widely viewed as a poor decision, but that doesn’t meanStar Warsshould continue to spend time trying to fix it.
This theory remains speculative for now, and it might be best that it stays that way. However,Skeleton Crewreally is only loosely defined at this stage, andStar Warsis known for its shocking twists. It very well may be that this theory has no truth to it, or, perhapsStar Wars: Skeleton Crewwill reveal Jod Na Nawood to be anEmperor Palpatinestrandcast after all.
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.
