I will admit that I am one of thoseStar Warsfans who would rather the universe had stuck to the original and prequel trilogies, and perhapsThe Clone Wars, and left it at that, believing that the Skywalker narrative, specifically that of Anakin’s (Hayden Christensen) fall and redemption, to really be the crux of the entire I.P. However, here we are, and if there must be an expanded Star Wars universe, as corporations cannot help but be addicted to, then not every story can be interlinked to the main narrative.Andoris a brilliant example of what kinds of stories await fans in an infinite galaxy of adventures, and I pray thatStar Wars:Skeleton Crewwill follow that example.Currently, the show is standing on its own two feetand doing a brilliant job of it, though it would not be the first time a seemingly independent show got sucked into the Skywalker black hole that nothing, not even great stories, can escape from.
‘Skeleton Crew’ Is Already a Great Addition to the Star Wars Universe
Skeleton Crewlinks itself enough to the Skywalker narrative by skillfully portraying the failings of the New Republic in a way that foreshadows why it wouldn’t be able to prevent The First Order from rising up. The opening credits tell us that the New Republic’s priority is that it “maintains order” following the Empire’s fall, something the Empire was also proud to announce as their mission, and we see this in action on the mysterious planet of At Attin, where Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) and his friends reside. The idea that one test will decide how these children contribute to “the great work” for the rest of their lives is something so dystopian that you wonder which era we are in: the Empire or the New Republic? Honestly, it’s reminiscent of theBee Movie, and we saw how awful of a system it produced, as well as the disastrous revolution it bred, with the First Order being the galactic equivalent, if you’ll humor my parallel. In doing this,we don’t need a direct link to the Skywalker narrative, as the show can serve as its own narrative whilst giving vital context to the wider galaxy.
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Previous Attempts to Link Star Wars Spin-Offs to the Larger Narrative Have Only Weakened Those Projects
Previously, in this Disney-era ofStar Wars, almost every time they have folded a project’s narrative into the Skywalker story,it has weakened the original premise. When Luke Skywalker appeared inThe MandalorianandTheBook of Boba Fett, the appearances felt distracting and like they were more for audience shock value than really contributing to Mando (Pedro Pascal) or Boba Fett’s (Temuera Morrison) character journeys. I can accept some people who argue that Luke’s appearance tested Mando’s strength to let go of Grogu, but it not only took away any real agency from Mando, as he did not find Luke, but Luke’s sub-plot inTheBookof Boba Fettdirectly erased any significance to his cameo inThe Mandalorianas Grogu simply went back to Mando. Similarly, thelast-minute reveal of PlagueisinThe Acolytefelt like a desperate attempt to drum up attention on social media and push for a second season, rather than because it was absolutely necessary to the plot.
My greatest fear thatSkeleton Crewwill tie into some kind of larger galactic narrative is the reveal at the end of Episode 2, “Way, Way Out Past the Barrier,” thatJod Na Nawood (Jude Law) might be a Jediafter he seemingly used the Force to attain the key to his, Wim, and the others' cell. While this fills me with fear, I’m holding out for the possibility that he is either a fake, and the show of the Force was actually a trick of some kind, like withKumail Nanjiani’s character inKenobi, or he is neither Jedi nor Sith. At least if he is just a nomadic Force user, there’d be no need for some kind of convoluted backstory, and it would be a new and interesting addition to the universe.
Overall, there feels like so many different avenues thatSkeleton Crewcould go down that simply weaving it into the Skywalker narrative would feel like just another vague tie-in.Skeleton Crewis already doing a fantastic job telling its own story, with individual characters as well as giving a wider view of the Star Wars galaxy. If it does feature a tie-in, trying to explain the sequel trilogy or Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) return, that would feel like such a waste of potential, though only time will tell — and I, for one, am more than willing to hold out hope that this will not occur.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
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 episodes being released weekly.
Watch on Disney+
