Skeleton Crew Episode 6 Review: Star Wars Finally Fixes The Weakest Part Of George Lucas' Sprawling Franchise

Warning! This review contains spoilers for Skeleton Crew episode 6.Skeleton Crew episode 6 gives its already lovable characters more compelling connections, all while setting up a thrilling final two episodes. Episode 6's story picks up directly after episode 5's cliffhanger; Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern fall beneath the lair of Tak Rennod and are spat out beneath the spa resort on Lanupa, while Jod Na Nawood has a harsh reunion with his old captain crew. In episode 6, Skeleton Crew's young cast takes center stage as the show gives them even more development as a team, a group of friends, and a family.

Set in the Star Wars universe, Skeleton Crew follows four young adventurers as they become lost in the galaxy while searching for their home planet. The series chronicles their exploration and encounters with diverse worlds and characters, presenting themes of friendship, discovery, and the quest for belonging. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date December 2, 2024 Cast Jude Law , Ravi Cabot-Conyers , Ryan Kiera Armstrong , Kyriana Kratter , Robert Timothy Smith , Tunde Adebimpe Kerry Condon , Nick Frost Showrunner Jon Watts , Christopher Ford Franchise(s) Star Wars Character(s) Jod Na Nawood , Wim , Fern , KB , Neel , Wendle , Fara , SM-33 Seasons 1 Expand

Skeleton Crew episode 6's Easter eggs were aplenty, but the episode truly shined in the handling of its central characters. Jod Na Nawood is already one of Star Wars' most compelling characters in recent years and the central quartet of children has shown a lot of lovable qualities. Interestingly, though, episode 6 focused on the idea that, despite traveling together, the kids are not truly friends beyond the connections between Wim and Neel and Fern and KB. The result of this focus was a heartwarming episode that set up the show's final two episodes.

Skeleton Crew’s Exploration Of The Children’s Friendships Was Beautifully Handled

The Skeleton Crew Split Apart To Great Effect

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Something that I am often wary of in big franchise stories, especially Star Wars, is the splitting up of central characters. Luke, Han, and Leia rarely spent time together as a trio in the original trilogy, and neither did Rey, Poe, and Finn in the Star Wars sequels. As such, I was slightly skeptical when Skeleton Crew episode 6 began with the separation of its four main characters. Wim and KB followed "Trash Crabs" to get help reaching their ship, while Fern and Neel embarked on a dangerous climb back to Lanupa's spa resort.

Thankfully, my skepticism was misplaced. Episode 6 proved to be one of the most character-driven installments by focusing on friendships beyond those already established. In my review of Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2, I was frustrated by the lack of development given to Kyriana Kratter's KB, which episode 6 gratefully provides. The reveal of KB's injuries, how her augmentations can limit her, and her fears about losing her friends because of these vulnerabilities are beautifully realized, and Kratter effortlessly makes KB more sympathetic than she has been in the previous five episodes.

Related Skeleton Crew Episode 5 Review: Skeleton Crew's Dark Turn Makes For The Show's Strongest Episode Skeleton Crew episode 5 is the show’s best yet, with forward plot propulsion, some darker twists, and an excellent grip on pure Star Wars elements.

This subplot was capped off by the formation of KB and Wim's true friendship, with the latter helping KB fix her augmentations with no judgment at all. This made Ravi Cabot-Conyers' Wim even more likable, with KB's final words of "Anyway, thanks, Jedi" to him solidifying what it truly means to be a Star Wars Jedi. Fern and Neel's subplot received less focus, but Fern's small lesson about how people can't always do what she can was nicely tied back into KB's development and aided by my undying love for Neel.

Skeleton Crew Episode 6 Has One Of The Show's Most Ambitious Action Set Pieces Yet

Skeleton Crew Puts Its Budget Onscreen

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Thus far, Skeleton Crew has been surprisingly light on action for a TV show set in the Star Wars franchise. But this has not been an issue for me as the more child-friendly nature of the show allows for more treasure-hunting goodness. In episode 6, though, the biggest action sequence yet happened. As KB and Wim are threatened by a giant Trash Crab, Fern and Neel hijack the Onyx Cinder and shakingly fly it to their friends' rescue.

The action and heart of Skeleton Crew episode 6 is expertly handled by now-veteran Star Wars director Bryce Dallas Howard, who has previously directed four episodes in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

The scene is excellent overall and adds a nice dose of adrenaline to a slower-paced show, albeit without necessarily needing it. Nonetheless, it was a fun sequence and looked great, providing the most abundant and complete CGI effects of the show thus far. When adding in the brief opening dogfight between X-Wings and pirates and the closing sequence of Skeleton Crew's Onyx Cinder shedding its shoddy elements to become a new ship entirely, episode 6 had some of the best action yet.

Skeleton Crew Episode 6 Perfectly Sets Up The Show's Final Two Episodes

The final positive is how well the episode sets up the final stretch of the show. Not only are the four kids closer than ever as a found family, but Jod Na Nawood is looking to become the leader of his pirate crew as Captain Silvo once more. Jude Law provided another excellent performance with more exterior emotion than Jod has shown before as he spoke about Tak Rennod and the legacy of Skeleton Crew's At Attin.

The developments around piracy in the Star Wars galaxy are increasingly intriguing and give the show such a distinct feeling of Amblin-style fun that other shows in the franchise do not possess. Beyond that, Jod and the kids reuniting at At Attin on opposite sides remains overly compelling and will test the bond they grew to have between episodes 3 and 5. Overall, Skeleton Crew episode 6 worked on most levels, though not as strongly as its predecessor, all while setting up its remaining episodes that, done right, could make the show one of Star Wars' best.