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This review contains spoilers for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew episode 3.
When we last left our merry band of youngsters, they had gotten themselves thrown in the brig of the pirate port Borgo. A mysterious stranger (Jude Law) revealed his presence in their cell, using the Force to grab a nearby key and offering to help them escape in exchange for passage on their ship. This week’s episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew picks up right where we left off with Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and KB (Kyriana Kratter) putting their trust in this man, some more begrudgingly than others, to get them away from these pirates and on a path towards home.
This episode is all about exposition – we learn more about the mysterious stranger, who we soon come to learn goes by a variety of names (more on that later) as well as At Attin and why it’s so hard to find. But thankfully, the exposition never feels too loaded or heavy or boring. This episode isn’t just a big lore dump, but rather an important piece of this mystery that helps us begin to see the bigger picture.
The mysterious stranger introduces himself to the children as Jod Na Nawood, which we soon come to find out is likely one of many aliases. Wim is quick to trust him, believing Nawood to be a Jedi after seeing him use the Force to help them escape. Fern, on the other hand, isn’t afraid to poke at his story and ask him questions in case he cracks. And she’s right to be skeptical of this man they just met.
After the kids beg him to go back for SM-33 before taking off, we learn definitively that Nawood is in fact Captain Silvo, the masked pirate who failed to deliver to his team in the opening sequence of episode 1. This explains why Nawood was in the brig to begin with. Once Nawood returns to the children on their ship, they set off toward an old acquaintance of his – someone he believes can help them find At Attin.
This someone is an owl-like creature named Kh’ymm, who appears to be working at a New Republic outpost. She doesn’t seem to trust Nawood either, though she knows him as Crimson Jack, yet another identity that makes us wonder how much these kids should really be trusting this guy. Kh’ymm is a little more eager to help when she realizes that the kids are searching for At Attin, which she seems to regard as more than just a legend.
Kh’ymm’s outpost is basically a space library and I would gladly spend hours here with this owl and her books, scrolls, and data pads. Whimsical libraries and fact-finding missions are important parts of treasure hunts and other adventuring stories, and I appreciate that the show was able to find a fun way to incorporate that into the series.
Despite her best efforts to stall the crew while she waits for New Republic reinforcements to take Nawood/Jack away, Kh’ymm gets carried away by the excitement of the hunt and manages to find some crucial information about At Attin’s location before they arrive. They learn that At Attin is the last remaining Jewel of the Old Republic, hidden away from the rest of the galaxy a long time ago. In talking with the children, Kh’ymm learns that the Barrier they refer to is likely made of nebula gases, which helps narrow down the search pretty significantly. They aren’t able to uncover much more, however, before X-Wings arrive.
Fern is hesitant to let Nawood/Jack back on board, and insists that he tell them the truth of his identity and agree to work for them before she relents. They narrowly escape the X-Wings, with Best Boy Neel surprisingly at the helm, setting off in the direction of these clues and likely their next adventure.
Meanwhile, back on At Attin the children’s parents are worried sick about them. We learn that there is a supervisor who supposedly oversees the planet and its connection to the Republic, but that in most cases, making contact with anyone outside of the Barrier is forbidden. This explains why none of the children know about the war or that the Jedi were essentially wiped out – At Attin really has been hidden from the rest of the galaxy for who knows how long.
This episode may not be quite as epic as the first two of the series, but every adventuring show needs a good library episode every once in a while. We learn a lot, but many of these answers also stir up a lot more questions about who Nawood is, what At Attin is, and if these kids will ever find their way back home. Building suspense isn’t just about action and danger, it’s also about weaving intrigue and mystery through the plot – something this episode does incredibly well.
New episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premiere Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Disney+, culminating with the finale on January 14.
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