Star Wars Skeleton Crew Episodes 1 & 2: Breakdown and Easter Eggs

Skeleton Crew just aired its first two episodes and it’s everything you didn’t know you needed. A fun, entertaining show for all types of fans!

Meeting the crew

The first minutes of the show are spent getting to know all the new characters. It was really cool to see the part when all the pirates removed their captain due to his incompetence.

We have seen pirates appear in shows like The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian but they’re always secondary characters who don’t receive much attention.

Compared to Jedi, Mandalorians, or Clone Troopers they might not sound that appealing but getting to learn how their command chain works is both interesting and fun.

Even after just a few minutes, it was made clear that the four kids are the stars of the show. All of them have different personality traits that when combined, will surely make a fantastic combination to overcome the upcoming problems.

Wim is one of those kids who is always daydreaming about adventures and what’s out there in the galaxy without ever concentrating on the present.

His extreme curiosity, immaturity, and lack of self-control make him the worst nightmare for anyone with any sense of self-preservation.

However, he is certainly the best companion for those wanting to have a crazy adventure. It’s been only two episodes and I’ve already lost count of how many times he has driven me crazy with his impulsiveness.

I have the feeling that he’s the one who will have the most noticeable growth through this series in terms of maturity.

Even if Wim is the most nerve-wracking kid, he’s probably the most relatable character for many of us. Always fantasizing about topics that others would deem dumb or worthless.

Fern is the older and the only one who could be considered “street-smart”. She is both smart and rebellious with the qualities of a true leader.

No wonder why her high-achieving mother has the same expectations for her. She’s very similar to Wim in the sense that she wants something more exciting than preparing for a boring job.

Neel is to Wim what Sam is to Frodo; a naive, loyal, kind of awkward, and kind-hearted soul who will always support his friend even if it goes against his own instinct.

He’s the definition of book-smart. Despite his shy and jumpy nature, I am willing to bet that Neel’s care for others will make him the bravest of all four.

KB, the cyborg girl gives me the impression of being the middle point between all other three. Curious but careful, very useful due to her cybernetic implants while also being smart.

She might be the one that doesn’t stand out immediately but it’s the quiet people who usually give the bigger surprises.

Last but not least, SM-33 is the old but semi-functional droid that was found aboard the Onyx Cinder. The way Fern made him obey her was hilarious and genius.

Despite its obvious damage, SM-33 already proved to be a menace by taking on multiple pirates at the same time with just its fists. I am glad that Skeleton Crew keeps alive the tradition of having a sassy yet useful droid.

Heading to Port Borgo

The pirate spacesport is the last place where four kids should be but given that they are completely lost and no one has a clue on how to get home, it looks appears to be a good option. At least before they actually arrive at this nest of pirates.

This is not a regular spaceport, according to the new leader of the pirate gang they must have the coordinates to find the place and the codes to not be blown into pieces by the local defense weapons.

SM-33 confirmed that his former captain used to be a pirate, meaning that the Onyx Cinder is a pirate ship. It shares the same color pattern as the Gorian Shard Cruiser from Season 3 of The Mandalorian, but it could be a standard way to signal out that the ship and its crew are pirates.

Same markings on other ships docked at the port

A shot of Gorian Shard's Cruiser in space — Same markings on other ships docked at the port

I love these kinds of places because we get to see people from all corners of the galaxy. Insectoid species, shady figures, strange individuals and obviously the normal scum and villainy that you’d expect to find in such a wretched place.

Even the lady who was allegedly trying to help Fern and KB looked extremely suspicious. Her intentions might have sincere but it’s impossible to trust a stranger in a place where pretty much everyone is involved in illegal activity.

The events that take place in Port Borgo are already giving us a good idea of what we can expect to see from the antagonists of this series.

Even if this series has a more familiar friendly vibe, it’s nice to see that they still make the bad guys intimidating and gutless.

Is At Attin truly a lost world

To me, the biggest mystery revolves around At Attin. At first, it appeared like just any non-important planet under the jurisdiction of the New Republic.

I say New Republic because the color code of Undersecretary Fara’s robes is similar to those of other members. For example, Mon Mothma, a member of the New Republic Council (Ahsoka) and New Republic Ambassador Nadura (Tales of the Empire).

Mon-Mothma-in-new-republic-council — Undersecretary Fara

However, according to the pirates on Port Borgo, the planet is just a myth. Let’s see all the hints that support why any outsider would think this.

The first clue is when Fara talks about career assessment day and its importance to “keep the Republic peaceful and strong”.

She is not referring to it as The New Republic, something that has always been done when someone talks about the government that took over when the Galactic Empire was defeated.Din Djarin, Mon Mothma, Moff Gideon, pirates, etc. Absolutely no one referred to the New Republic as just “The Republic”.

The second clue is that Wim’s credits are called “old republic” credits. The credits have the symbols of the Galactic Republic. So that is the Old Republic that the pirates are referring to, prior to the Empire.

Pirates are no strangers to all types of currencies. Them being surprised by lunch money has to be an indicator that something important is not being told to the people of At Attin if they do not know about anything that happened in the last 40-50 years.

They have a barrier that supposedly no one can cross, in or out of the planet. I thought that it was some sort of protection barrier with anti-air weapons that would target and shoot the ship as soon as it came close to the atmosphere but in fact, nothing happened.

I believe that this barrier is more like a massive cloaking device to cut off the planet from the entire galaxy. But why would they do this?

Undersecretary Fara mentioned something The Great Work. According to her, everyone’s future should be to contribute to this thing. Is it some sort of technological wonder, the future of the so-called Republic, or maybe it is related to the reason why they call this place the planet of eternal treasure?

I also doubt that the adults of At Attin are aware of their situation. It seems like the sole purpose of the school is to push them into office jobs to keep up the workforce numbers. It’s safe to assume that none of the careers “offered” involve anything that requires going out of the planet.

And let’s not forget that there are droids everywhere. At the school, inside the classrooms and even at some homes. When the first droid found Wim in the forest I thought that they were able to track students and when he did not show up, the droid simply went to look for him.

But after the last episode, it is clear that these droids patrol the forest which is apparently a restricted area. The more I think about this, the more my suspicions grow.

I wonder what is going to happen when the “authorities” learn that four kids left the system and are nowhere to be found. Their reaction is going to tell a lot about what’s truly happening at At Attin.

Who is Jod Na Nawood

Second episode ends with the reveal of Jod Na, the character interpreted by Jude Law. To be perfectly honest, I believe that he is the pirate that was demoted in the first sequence of the series.

The two reasons why I think this is because of the clothes and mainly because his english accent slipped for a few seconds when speaking one of his dialogues.

It makes sense for the former pirate captain to be imprisoned in the dungeon, but it’s to arrive at that conclussion. What makes Jod truly mysterious is the fact that he is Force sensitive.

I really doubt that he is a former Jedi, the list of Jedi who survived Order 66 has increased considerably over the last years but if you ask me, I’d prefer Jod to be some sort of Outlaw who is able to use the Force. That would be something fresh and interesting to see.

Though I am more interested in watching if he will be the role model for the kids, especially Wim, or if he is just another pirate looking to take advantage of some naive kids who are experiencing the galaxy for the first time.

Final thoughts

Skeleton Crew had a very promising start, a combination of nostalgia and a different approach to a Star Wars story makes it the perfect watch for both kids and adults. Even for those who have barely watched any Star Wars movie or series.

It’s so fun to see someone like Wim experience Star Wars while actually being in Star Wars, if that makes sense. His life will never be the same when he gets a small taste of what is to have an adventure in the vast galaxy.

My only concern is the lenght of the series. The second episode lasted around 26 minutes and there’s only six left. Star Wars series share the problem of having many things to cover and few episodes to do so.

We already saw it with Season 3 of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka and The Acolyte. Things feel to rushed and that damages the development of both the story and characters.

Obviously I can’t say for sure that it will be the case with Skeleton Crew but I just hope that we’re not left with the same feeling that there’s something missing.

Easter Eggs and References

American Graffiti

Bonjj Phalfa, the guy that teases Fern and KB about the race is a nod to Bob Falfa. Bob Falfa is the character Harrison Ford plays in American Graffiti, one of the movies George Lucas made before getting the green light to shoot Star Wars.

Mr. Smee

SM-33 is clearly a hint to Mr. Smee, the loyal first mate of Captain Hook from Peter Pan.

Not an Ortolan

Despite their similarities, Neel is not an Ortolan. Sorry, Max Rebo fans:

Although sharing similar features to the Ortolan species, which counts Max Rebo among its most famous examples, Neel and his family belong to an all-new-species.
StarWars.com

Borgo Prime

Borgo Port is probably located in the Borgo Prime system, a place first mentioned in the legends book Star Wars Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy.

Vane is back

Vane, one of the pirates who attack the kids appeared previously on Season 3 of The Mandalorian. He served Gorian Shard but ultimately fled when Bo-Katan and Din Djarin defeated the pirate lord.

Vane, with the pirates who raided Nevarro on S3 of The Mandalorian

Wolf-like pirate

The wolf-looking pirate appears to be a Shistavanen. This is a very rare species which have appeared very few times across Star Wars. You can see one in the old cantina scene in A New Hope, as well as during the original Clone Wars series from 2003.

Star Wars Holiday Special

Neel’s siblings are watching a show on the holo table. This is a homage to the dancers that appeared in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode Breakdowns and Easter eggs

Our breakdowns for each episode of the series includes deep analysis, references and explanations to other related events in the Star Wars timeline and all events that affect the characters and the plot of the series. We also have a section with easter eggs at the end of each article.