If there’s one way to describe the two-episode premiere ofStar Wars: Skeleton Crew,it’s refreshing. Afterthe lore-heavy storyline thatThe Acolyteexplored earlier this year, showrunnersJon WattsandChristopher Fordhavethankfullytaken a step back to explore a more self-contained corner of the galaxy. Between introducing the suburban world of At Attin and taking a more grounded look atStar Wars' notoriously messy family dynamics, the show has already given us a glimpse at the everyday workings of galactic life, along with a new age ofStar Warspiracy. Yet, for all the distanceSkeleton Crewputs between itself and pre-existing canon, the show still doesn’t fully avoid the franchise’s main iconography, which begs the question —where are the Jedi during this dangerous time in the galaxy?
‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ Takes Place in a Galaxy Without Its Main Heroes
In order to figure out what the Jedi are up to at the time ofStar Wars: Skeleton Crew, we need to understand the show’s place in the Star Wars timeline. The show’s opening crawl already confirms that the show takes place shortly after the events ofReturn of the Jedi, andsubsequent reports have revealedthatthe series occurs around the same time asThe MandalorianandAhsoka,clarifying that all three sets of characters are active around the same time. Therefore,Star Wars: Skeleton Crewoccurs at a time whenthe Jedi no longer exist as an organized peacekeeping force, as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is still in the process of rebuilding the Order that Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) destroys during Disney’s Sequel Trilogy.
Similarly, knowingSkeleton Crewtakes place around the same time asThe MandalorianandAhsokahelps us determine the other Jedi active during this time period. Aside from Luke,Rosario Dawson’sAhsoka Tano is still carrying on the legacy of the old Jedi Order —albeit from a different galaxy— and both Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) are likewise two former apprentices whoare still kicking around the main canon.It’s also possible thatStar Wars Jedi’sCal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan) is activeduring the New Republic era, meaningwe have confirmation of only a handful of Jediwho are around to police their increasingly lawless galaxy.
Still, givenStar Wars: Skeleton Crew’s time period, it isn’t out of the question for one of theseJedi to appear in the kind of cameothat has become the norm in recent Star Wars stories. If that were to be the case,Ezra would be the best bet to help outSkeleton Crew’s main cast, as the character’s experiences duringStar Wars Rebelsuniquely position him to advise a new group of intergalactic adventurers, and it’s also possible the character has already returned fromhis exile on Peridea. Regardless of crossovers, however, the absence of the galaxy’s most reliable peacekeepers still makes itself felt more poignantly duringStar Wars: Skeleton Crew’s adventurous premiere.
Your New Favorite Star Wars Droid Just Got a New ‘Skeleton Crew’ Black Series Figure [Exclusive]
‘Skeleton Crew’ is now streaming on Disney+.
In a first for the Star Wars universe,Skeleton Crewbegins its first episodewith a subtle nod to the latest generation of the franchise’s fans, having Wim (Ravi Cabot-Convers) play with action figures, toy lightsabers, and flip through a databook of old Jedi stories with an awestruck fascinationmany real-life Star Wars fans have undoubtedly experienced.The nostalgia-heavy opening is bolstered by a fun referenceback to Star Wars' infamousHoliday Special, but there’s also a solemn side to this fanfare. Unlike real-world fans, Wim lives in a galaxy where the Jedi used to be as real as they sounded, and his father’s (Tunde Adebimpe) insistence that his son give up his fixation on themreiterates the sad reality of Wim’s place in the Star Wars timeline.
WhileStar Wars: Skeleton Crewmay take place afterReturn of the Jedi, the fact that the Jedi are still little more than myth to many on At Attin emphasizes the unfortunate truth thatthe Sith really did eradicate the Order’s standingin the galaxy. Afterdecades of Emperor Palpatine’s (Ian Mcdiarmid) Imperial rule, Wim serves as a reminder that Star Wars' newest generation is growing up without the hope of its greatest heroes, which is what makesJude Law’spossible Force use at the end of Episode 2so exciting. In the series, the absence of the Jedi represents the tragedies of the past and the need to begin again, proving that the galaxy is in dire need of new legends.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S. New episodes stream every Tuesday night.
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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.
