So far, we’ve had lots of uncomplicated fun with Skeleton Crew. Its healthy mix of retro adventures starring ‘Amblin kids’ and tales of pirates and hidden treasures has been hard to resist. Last week, episode 5 presented a colorful romp through the sort of setting that George Lucas would love, and the new year has gifted us a slower but very heartfelt sixth chapter that’s all about strengthening the bonds between the lost children.
After directing what many fans consider to be the worst episode in The Mandalorian’s entire three-season run due to a shockingly shoddy and confused script by Jon Favreau, Bryce Dallas Howard makes a notable return to Star Wars TV shows in the aptly titled ‘Zero Friends Again’ – it’s an excellent reminder that she deserves to helm one of the upcoming Star Wars movies. Once again, she effortlessly captured the heart and charm of the story at hand while delivering solid thrills and sequences with that classical, warm feeling.
Still, the same pacing problems that have plagued so many of Lucasfilm’s ambitious live-action TV efforts persist. These issues aren’t exclusive to Star Wars shows, but it’s been a big source of frustration given that Jon Favreau nailed the format during the early seasons of The Mandalorian. By and large, it’s easy to see how Skeleton Crew could’ve been a movie instead, with some chapters feeling autonomous accidentally rather than by design. With only two episodes left to go, we can’t see this show breaking down in the final stretch, but the glaring structural flaws are there and should be underlined, especially when everything else is so good.
Looking to the future, there are plenty of upcoming Star Wars games to be excited about as well as the return of Andor in 2025 and The Mandalorian & Grogu hitting cinemas in 2026. The Force really will be with us always!
Spoilers ahead for Skeleton Crew episode 6: ‘Zero Friends Again’
Why did KB become a cyborg?
‘Zero Friends Again’ is KB’s episode. After learning a fair bit of background info about the other three kids and exploring their hopes and fears, she was the one member of this skeleton crew waiting for her moment to shine (even if she’d provided excellent tech and mechanical support during the adventure). Of course, this leads directly into the questions surrounding her Lobot-like augmentations.
Episode 5 ended with Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood finally turning on the lost kids after finding the lost coordinates to At Attin and gaining control of SM-33. Wim’s button-pushing obsession saved them via a trap door, but where did that fall lead to? It turns out… Lanupa’s trash is thrown right below the luxury resort, and Tak Rennod had designed some of his lair’s traps to do the same with robbers. As for the threat that lurks in the scrapyard… Let’s just say that it was impossible to predict (unless you watched the excellent behind-the-scenes shorts).
Drama between the kids ensues, with Fern and Neel thinking they should climb back up to the resort and Wim and KB opting to follow a group of chatty trash crabs (that’s what they literally are) who could help. The group’s cyborg has a potentially lethal problem though: Lanupa’s elements have corroded KB’s augmentations, limiting her basic ability to speak and move. Neither the surrounding crabs nor the junk give them a clear direction, but the cables lying around are the key to replacing the part she needs fixed.
Wim gets to save his friend like a true Jedi and KB tells him about an accident – the cause isn’t really important – which rendered her ‘different’ and not as physically capable as Fern even if she excels at other things. Her biggest obstacle was simply communicating that to her only friend, but Wim’s uplifting words are exactly what she needed at this point, and confirmation she’s got more than one pal now. It must be noted that Kyriana Kratter’s performance in this scene is fantastic, and Bryce Dallas Howard’s sensible direction gives it enough room to hit hard.
Is Jod (or Captain Silvo) winning back his crew?
Elsewhere, Jod and SM-33 are captured by Brutus’ crew and taken away, all while New Republic X-Wings arrive and give chase. We’re missing a big action sequence here, but seeing those fighters make a sudden, heroic arrival never gets old, and the children take note of their actions, which go directly against what Jod said about them back on Kh’ymm’s moon.
Though we spend most of the episode’s runtime with the young cast, there’s one lengthy conversation between Jod (Silvo to the pirates), Brutus, and the group of money-hungry buccaneers. Jude Law once again reminds us he was a pretty convincing Captain Hook with all his talk about absurd amounts of riches and a pirate shanty that sounds lifted straight from a classic pirate movie. Long story short: He makes a pretty convincing case that he’s got more of a vision than Brutus, at least until they get to At Attin, and that might save his neck for now.
Are unlimited Old Republic credits all he wants though? We’re not entirely sure about his motivations still. He sounds and behaves like your average scoundrel, but his whole ‘fake Jedi’ thing remains a massive question mark, and after learning about Tak Rennod’s final destination, I’d wager he’s got more ambitious plans in mind.
What’s the Onyx Cinder’s emergency function?
High above Lanupa’s scrapyard, Neel struggles to keep up with Fern, who’s learning the hard way that she has much to learn about being a leader. They’re the key to finding and reclaiming their ship — the Onyx Cinder — after jumping on automated vehicles that are hauling the legendary ship. In the nick of time, they manage to steer them in KB and Wim’s direction, saving them from a stop-motion giant crab that confirms the ‘friendly’ little crabs were just leading them to their doom.
After a very brief respite to reunite, apologize, and start working as a proper team, the next task is to save the now-crashed Onyx Cinder from a massive machine that trashes everything in its path. KB, much like C-3PO in The Rise of Skywalker, recorded the coordinates to At Attin, but they don’t mean much without a ship that can get them there. We’re fairly sure Lanupa’s authorities wouldn’t help them, so the garbage will do!
Even if the outcome is entirely predictable, Bryce Dallas Howard’s knack for thrilling action filled with genuine emotions – coupled with Mick Giacchino’s rousing score – makes the sequence another highlight of the show. There’s even a moment that will remind Pixar enjoyers of Toy Story 3’s climactic ‘we’re done for’ scene, and it may or may not be intentional. Regardless, seeing this skeleton crew fully come together and rely on each other after their ups and downs is an utter delight.
After the ship is locked in place by the fiery machine’s ‘mouth’ and the kids almost make the engine catch fire, the show’s biggest ‘Chekov’s Gun‘ is fired: the emergency hull demolition sequencer. The Onyx Cinder sheds its hull like a snake does its skin and reveals the true, admittedly shinier ship that had been hiding in plain sight. It’s a cool new mechanic we’d never seen in Star Wars before, and the visual execution doesn’t disappoint. The team blasts off into space again with At Attin as its destination, but will next week’s penultimate episode shed some light on Jod’s troubled past before we reach an explosive conclusion?