Skeleton Crew hit a little bit of a droop final week with a fourth episode that nailed the honest exchanges between characters, however not a lot else. Fortunately, episode 5 – directed by Beef and Thunderbolts’ Jake Schreier – has the spark of the primary three and utterly embraces Star Wars’ extra colourful and unserious aspect.
Thoughts you, it wasn’t The Daniels’ fault that Jon Watts and Christopher Ford’s episode 4 script wasn’t fairly there, however the general route final week felt oddly muted and relatively awkward. Then again, ‘You Have a Lot to Study About Pirates’ seems dashing, is de facto well-paced, and simply feels big-screen-quality at instances. In case you got here into Skeleton Crew searching for weekly swashbuckling adventures and zany locales, episode 5 is perhaps the most effective one but.
It is true, nonetheless, that Skeleton Crew displays most of the similar issues which have plagued different Disney Plus productions (and never simply Star Wars ones). At this level, evidently solely Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian) is (or succesful) of creating a present that seems like a TV present versus an extended, chopped-up film. Tony Gilroy and his staff actually nailed the second method because of a remarkably strong, clear-cut construction for Andor, however collection like The Acolyte (now canceled as a result of it took too lengthy to get going) and Skeleton Crew do not profit from this format. Skeleton Crew actually feels prefer it ought to have been a single feature-length film.
Seeking to the long run, there are many upcoming Star Wars video games to be enthusiastic about in addition to the return of Andor in 2025 and The Mandalorian & Grogu hitting cinemas in 2026. The Pressure actually might be with us all the time!
Spoilers forward for Skeleton Crew episode 5: ‘You Have a Lot to Study About Pirates’
The place’s Captain Tak Rennod’s secret lair?
After barely surviving SM-33’s assault again on At Achrann, the skeleton crew (Jod included) have rerouted the droid’s reminiscence chip and proceed to search for solutions. Quickly sufficient, they study extra about their ship, the Onyx Cinder, and its proprietor, the legendary pirate captain Tak Rennod. Jod’s a giant fan (most likely for the improper causes) and this solely elevates the significance of truly discovering the placement of At Attin and studying about its treasure.
The staff’s subsequent cease is Rennod’s secret lair, positioned beneath Cranium Ridge Mountain, on the planet of Lanupa. It seems that having extra story time with SM-33 is not so unhealthy so long as he isn’t making an attempt to homicide the children. In any case, Wim appears to have had too many adventures already, and his pleasure is regularly turning into the form of concern any regular child of his age would really feel on this scenario. Seeing him go from adventurous to scared is the kind of improvement we’re grateful to get at this level of the season, and it additionally permits Jude Legislation to point out off his hotter aspect to maintain them collectively… at the very least for now.
The veteran actor will get to hit fairly the vary on this episode general; bouncing from tender to pissed off and burdened to cheeky with the astounding ease you’d count on from him. Legislation clearly had tons of genuine enjoyable capturing this present, and this episode would be the biggest reply as to why he was introduced into the Star Wars galaxy for this breezy story.
Is Lanupa a part of the New Republic?
To followers who loved the entire Canto Bight subplot in The Final Jedi, episode 5 ought to really feel like a present. Snowy Lanupa, or at the very least Cranium Ridge Mountain, has been become a really fancy retreat constructed round a spa. It is a colourful location filled with wealthy individuals that actually reminds us of probably the most George Lucas-y bits of the Skywalker Saga, which is to say that it is zany and unserious. Only a enjoyable sci-fi setting filled with unusual aliens and outlined by an aesthetic that is not worn-down and rusty. It is good to go to worlds corresponding to this one occasionally.
Kids aren’t allowed into the retreat, thus we get a goofy answer within the type of Jod introducing them as cloaked Sensible Elders who communicate gibberish. Star Wars ought to be foolish extra usually, and this present particularly shines brighter when it doubles down on that. The woman who welcomes them is not utterly dumb although. Fortunately, credit (particularly in the event that they’re Outdated Republic) are the common language of the galaxy, but we should wonder if the skeleton crew has any left after paying for some costly lodging and the girl’s silence.
Regardless, they don’t seem to be right here to have enjoyable (bouncing on a elaborate mattress apart) and rapidly get to work on discovering the doorway to Rennod’s secret lair. At this level of the recap, it is necessary to do not forget that Brutus and his pirates are nonetheless searching for Jod, the children, and the Onyx Cinder, and the menace rapidly strikes nearer to them after they run right into a bounty hunter named Pokkit (performed by Kelly Macdonald) that, to the shock of nobody, calls Jod by yet one more completely different identify.
The corporate working the spa appears to have strong safety of its personal, particularly with Banking Clan members current, however are they sufficient to resist an assault from a crew of ruthless pirates? The reply is destructive, however the acquainted form of the guards’ helmets makes us wonder if Lanupa is protected by the New Republic at this level in the timeline; it may spell hassle for everybody concerned within the ruckus in the event that they stick round for too lengthy.
What’s the treasure of At Attin?
After bumbling round for some time, having some hassle with guards, and befriending an enormous alien that many would’ve anticipated to be a large monster at first, the trail to the lair is revealed inside an underground part of the spa. Time for some correct adventuring into outdated ruins!
The situation has a laser lure that appears fairly acquainted, a correct acid pit (not like those tailored into sizzling mud baths), and loads of historic skeletons of those that thought they might outsmart and steal from Rennod. Including to the thrill, Brutus’ crew arrives, tears by way of the safety forces, and follows the group into the underground. Skeleton Crew promised loads of pirates and treasure-hunting, and we solely want we had gotten extra scenes corresponding to these sooner. We’re not finished with Lanupa by the tip of episode 5 although.
As the house staff walks into Rennod’s glittering treasure room (which is abundantly booby-trapped), Mick Giacchino as soon as once more conjures up the suitable form of nostalgic vibes with out resorting to low cost riffs. The actual treasure is At Attin’s location, in fact, nevertheless it comes with the reason of why Rennod was so within the secret planet: it was alleged to be the placement of the final Outdated Republic mint. For a pirate, the one factor higher than cash is controlling the place that makes the cash. Piece all these bits of information collectively and you may guess what’s up with the shadowy Supervisor. The group of anxious dad and mom may determine that entire factor out earlier than the children and Jod arrive although.
That mentioned, we possible will not be studying extra concerning the Supervisor and their Nice Plan subsequent week regardless of the reveal. With three episodes left, the extra urgent difficulty for the children turns into leaving Lanupa alive because it’s besieged by pirates and with Jod turning on them after getting what he needed… a lightsaber from the Outdated Republic days. The race to the Onyx Cinder and At Attin begins.
