Skeleton Crew Finale Takes High-Stakes Adventure to At Attin

All good things must come to an end … and sometimes, that end involves a pirate invasion on a legendary treasure planet. The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew™ finale, “The Real Good Guys,” forever alters At Attin and its place in the galaxy. This Jewel of the Old Republic is swiftly exposed to outside nefarious forces by Jod Na Nawood, AKA Captain Silvo, and his crew as they attempt to rob the Republic Mint and force the denizens of At Attin to create more credits.

Thankfully, Wim, Fern, Neel, and KB have picked up quite a bit during their trek across the galaxy, and they waste no time quashing the threat to At Attin and its people. Let’s break down the show’s (hopefully season) finale.

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Order 66?

Perhaps one of the most intriguing elements of “The Real Good Guys” is Jod’s tragic (albeit still mysterious) backstory. During his formative years, he encountered a female Jedi who recognized his Force-sensitive potential and taught him the basics. Unfortunately, she was hunted down and killed. While we don’t learn her name, it’s evident this woman was an Order 66 survivor. Additionally, the Supervisor mentions to Jod, Fara, and Fern that “all Jedi are traitors,” reminding us that At Attin still believes the Old Republic and Order 66 are still active.

Though not exactly the same, it’s reminiscent of Kanan Jarrus, another Order 66 survivor, taking Ezra Bridger as his Padawan.

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The Stakes Have Never Been Higher

The finale is easily one of the most tense in Star Wars™ live-action history. There’s a real sense of danger and narrative movement, keeping you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and the episode never lets its foot off the gas. There are also a handful of thrilling action sequences that are, in scope and scale, quite the feat for live-action Star Wars.
Sure, I didn’t think the show would go there and mortally wound the kids, but “The Real Good Guys” hangs their lives precariously in the balance. You feel like something horrifying could happen.

For example, the Onyx Cinder going down in flames with KB and SM-33 on board is enough to raise your blood pressure. Not to mention, watching Fern and Wim’s reactions to potentially losing their friend shattered my heart into a million pieces (before their reunion mended it again with emotional super glue).

Side note: This episode is so beautifully shot, too. The scene of KB flying the ship through the Barrier into space, in particular, is the epitome of cinematic.

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Paying Homage

After KB contacts Kh’ymm for assistance, a bevy of X-Wings come to At Attin’s rescue. However, those aren’t the only ships fending off the pirates. We see B-Wings in the mix as well. This feels like a nod to Star Wars: Rebels™, in which the Rebellion used these starfighters during the Galactic Civil War.

There are references in the finale from other media, although I might be reading too much into this particular imagery. When the pirate frigate slowly descends upon At Attin and the residential area where the kids live, it’s reminiscent of the massive alien ship invading Earth in Independence Day. It’s utterly chilling, especially watching the reactions of our heroes as the enemy encroaches on their territory.

Another reference takes place during the hoverbike chase scene. If Wim, KB, Neel, and Wendle flying their hoverbikes over the ravine reminded you of that iconic scene in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, you’re not alone. Skeleton Crew is essentially The Goonies set in space, so it wouldn’t be too far out of left field to suggest the creatives would pay homage to another ’80s staple in pop culture.

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A Nuanced Villain

On paper — and especially in the penultimate episode — Jod might seem like your run-of-the-mill villain. However, he’s so much more than that. While the threat to the kids’ lives is tangible and acutely felt, Jod truly doesn’t want to hurt them. He’s demonstrated his ferocity and formidable nature simply by slaughtering those around him. He’ll also manipulate and go to extreme lengths to achieve his objective.

Would he have killed our quartet if pushed far enough? Is he redeemable? We might get answers to these questions should Disney renew the series for a second season. Despite his best efforts, Jod developed a soft spot for these kids.

Jude Law delivers a nuanced performance for a complex character. He’s charming, witty, manipulative, and terrifying. Even if we don’t get more to this story, I need Jude Law to show up in something else in the Star Wars universe. He fits right in.

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Beautiful Character Development

“The Real Good Guys” is the pinnacle of character development for our main players. The seeds planted throughout the season for each respective character bloom in this finale. Neel, our perpetually anxious cutie patootie, exhibits the most significant growth here. He wouldn’t have dared step outside his comfort zone in the series premiere, but we see him fight tooth and nail to save his planet, pirates be damned. KB survives a ship crash and narrowly evades capture by the pirates. Wim and Fern square off against Jod. Even Wendle steps up in a big way, putting his Level 7 Systems Coordinator know-how to good use to destroy the Barrier (with help from Fara, of course).

It’s also great seeing the dynamics shift between Wim/Wendle and Fern/Fara. Where the parents once viewed their children as disruptive and misbehaved, now they see them as more mature, with a rounded perspective of the galaxy at large.

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“Everywhere we went, even the worst places, there were good people, too.” – Fern

Fern’s above quote really packs an emotional punch. It’s also the crux of this series, the big takeaway we all should commit to heart. Through Jod’s eyes, the galaxy is predominately darkness with “pinpricks of light.”

However, it’s more balanced than that. Yes, there’s darkness everywhere you go, but light and goodness are always hot on its heels. At Attin tries to shelter its residents from the pervasive evil outside its Barrier, but a sheltered, ignorant life means you miss out on so much. You miss out on all the good parts of life.

At its core, Skeleton Crew’s finale is heartwarming and bursting at the seams with hope. The adventure ends with good prevailing over evil, light triumphing over the dark.

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Could We Get Season 2?

I sure hope so. There are certainly narrative loose threads worth exploring in a second season. For starters, we never learned the identity of Jod’s Master. Secondly, Jod survives while his pirates meet their demise. Does he turn himself in to the New Republic? Is he imprisoned? Or banished from At Attin and forced to live with the information of its existence despite a galaxy that views the planet as mere fiction?

That final shot of Wim watching the X-Wings and B-Wings depart also indicates that he could grow up to become a pilot in the New Republic. Additionally, season 2 could explore what becomes of At Attin now that the Supervisor is out of commission and the Barrier is gone. How would the planet adjust to life without a droid ruling them? If they learn about the fall of the Old Republic, then surely the Great Work would be deemed unnecessary.

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What did you think about the Skeleton Crew finale? What would you want to see in a potential second season?

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