Star Wars' Adorable New Hero Just Showed Why He's Better Than Any Jedi

Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Skeleton Crew episode 4.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew episode 4 just proved how its adorable new hero is better than any Jedi in the franchise's history. For the most part, Skeleton Crew is absent of any Jedi connections. Aside from the brief fakeout involving Jude Law's Crimson Jack, the Jedi in Skeleton Crew exist as they always have as mostly myth and legend. This is fitting for Star Wars' New Republic timeline, with the Jedi still few in number after the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.

Skeleton Crew's cast takes a Jedi-like adventure in episode 4 as they visit a wartorn world and navigate a rivalry between two clans. For someone craving adventure like Wim, this seems too good to be true as he lives out his dream of helping people as the many powerful Jedi of the Star Wars galaxy would do. However, it is through another character - who happens to be the most adorable in the franchise since Baby Yoda - that Skeleton Crew reinforces the issues with the wider Star Wars galaxy, proving he is better than any Jedi in the process.

Skeleton Crew's At Achrann Is A Symbol Of The Galaxy

War Begets War...

Skeleton Crew's search for At Attin leads the central quartet of children and their pirate guide to the planet of At Achrann. Initially, the kids believe they have found their way home before quickly realizing that the ravaged planet is not the lush suburban utopia they left behind in Skeleton Crew episode 1. Instead, they find themselves on another "Jewel of the Old Republic" named At Achrann, a planet locked in an existential war between two tribes. One tribe, the Troik, seems predominantly child-heavy, even so far as enlisting Neel, Wim, KB, and Fern into their conflict.

Related "The Jewels Of The Old Republic": What Are Star Wars' New Treasure Planets? Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has introduced a group of planets known as the Jewels of the Old Republic. What are these planets and their significance?

Although little is revealed about the enemies of the Troik, the Hattan, At Achrann provides a chilling reflection of the wider Star Wars galaxy. The Troik involving the next generation in their war against the Hattan reflects the long history of violence that has been explored in Star Wars' many movies and shows; each generation is dragged into a war their predecessors started, be it Luke being enlisted by Obi-Wan or Ben Solo falling victim to Darth Vader's dark history. At Achrann is no different, with children fighting a war that is, arguably purposefully, never given a justification.

The Jedi Turned Even Their Children Into Warriors

The Jedi Order Has Always Had A Problematic History With Children

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Despite Skeleton Crew not tying to the Jedi in any major ways, the conflict of At Achrann brings to mind the many disputes faced by the space wizards in Star Wars' past. More so than this, the idea of child soldiers highlights the Jedi Order's somewhat problematic past regarding young recruits. Whether the Jedi kidnap children in Star Wars has long been a point of debate and controversy. After all, Jedi take children from their homes and give them a life of dedication to the Force without giving the individuals themselves much choice.

Moreover, Star Wars' prequel trilogy raised the idea that these children were being turned into warriors. Star Wars: The Clone Wars explored this via characters like Ahsoka, with Padawan learners being made commanders in a war that the Jedi involved themselves in. At Achrann reflects this in Skeleton Crew, shining a light on how the cycle of violence in the galaxy can affect everyone, even those as supposedly righteous and morally unshakable as the Jedi. All that said, Skeleton Crew's most adorable character proves how this cycle can be broken.

Neel Shows A New Way: Compassion

Neel's Kindness Is Not A Weakness, But A Surefire Path To Peace

The character in question is Neel. Neel has captured the hearts of many audience members since Skeleton Crew began, and episode 4's focus on him will prove this installment to continue that. Where the likes of Wim, Fern, and KB seem content to join the war of the Troik either as a way of living out their fantasies or as a means to the end of returning home, Neel is hesitant. He does not wish to fire weapons, fight in battles, or scout ahead into dangerous territory, embodying a very different personality from one who would regurgitate the cycle of violence.

What is first dismissed as weakness by the Troik is soon shown to be Neel's biggest strength...

Instead, Skeleton Crew episode 4 focused on Neel's compassion. From feeding the hungry kids of At Achrann to showing the Troik warriors that showing kindness can garner peace as much as destroying your enemies can, Neel proves he is better than almost anyone else in Star Wars, even the Jedi. What is first dismissed as weakness by the Troik is soon shown to be Neel's biggest strength and, while the Jedi are certainly compassionate, their tendencies to be drawn towards war over peace show they could learn something from Neel, as could everyone.

Neel Embodied Yoda's First Jedi Lesson To Luke Skywalker

Neel Is Not As Weak As First Believed

As alluded to, Neel's kindness is regarded as a weakness at the beginning of Skeleton Crew episode 4. However, the ending of the episode proves this not to be the case as Neel embodies Yoda's first Jedi lesson from The Empire Strikes Back, further proving the former's credentials as a true Jedi. Yoda told Luke that the Jedi never use the Force for attack, only for knowledge and defense.

Luke Skywalker's final act in Star Wars: The Last Jedi showed he learned Yoda's lesson too, by using the Force to defend the Resistance against the First Order's army.

In Skeleton Crew episode 4's final moments, Neel stands up to SM-33 to defend his friends. While substituting the Force for a singular rock, Neel proves that his fears do not control him and his compassion does not make him weak. Although he may not be willing to wage war, Neel will still defend those he loves if the need arises, only further proving the character to epitomize what the Jedi should be.

Will The Star Wars Galaxy Learn Neel's Lesson & Break The Cycle?

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Skeleton Crew episode 4's lesson is heartwarming and makes Neel an even more delightful character than he already was, but it raises the harshest truth about the Star Wars galaxy: it is still yet to learn Neel's lesson. The New Republic era alone is proof of that, with the surviving Jedi still making mistakes that haunted their past generations that will eventually lead to the rise of the First Order by the time of the sequel trilogy. Then there are upcoming Star Wars movies that are set to take place after the sequels.

Related New Star Wars Movies: Every Upcoming Movie & Release Date Here's every upcoming Star Wars movie in development - including Rey's New Jedi Order, the Dawn of the Jedi, and The Mandalorian & Grogu!

Undoubtedly, these movies will introduce new antagonists to the Star Wars galaxy to face off against Rey's Jedi Order. While it remains to be seen whether Rey's new Jedi Order will rectify the mistakes of the past, it seems almost a guarantee that the organization will be drawn into more wars, meaning even more children will be folded into the cycle of violence. Evidently, the Star Wars galaxy still needs Neel's lesson more than ever, proving Skeleton Crew's adorable hero to be a true Jedi in every sense that matters.