Skeleton Crew Episode 4 Continues a Star Wars TV Custom Began in Clone Wars

This text comprises spoilers for “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” season 1, episode 4, “I Can’t Say I Bear in mind No to Attin.”

“Skeleton Crew” was the largest “Star Wars”-related shock since “Andor” took the world by storm with its poignant political drama. Initially bought as a lighter sort of “Goonies”-inspired “Star Wars” journey, the collection has confirmed to be some of the authentic and interesting “Star Wars” initiatives in years. In fact, it’s aimed extra at youngsters and has a lighter tone, but “Skeleton Crew” also doesn’t shy away from giving us some of the franchise’s scariest images. (whether or not it is a wide range of scary, bloodthirsty alien pirates or a killer robotic chasing a bunch of youngsters on a darkish spaceship).

In episode 4, “I Cannot Say I Bear in mind No to Attin,” the collection takes a detour from the enjoyable pirate shenanigans to ship a darkish and harrowing story in regards to the impact of conflict on youngsters and the cycle of violence, with everybody’s favourite. the blue elephant alien, Neel (who’s voiced by Robert Timothy Smith and, all indicators on the contrary, East not Max Rebo’s parent), pleading to search out options aside from sending youngsters to the entrance. It is a unbelievable episode that additionally has a stunning connection to a practice that started within the “Clone Wars” cartoon collection: planets engaged in countless wars being closely coded in French.

“Cannot Say I Bear in mind No At Attin” follows the younger heroes of “Skeleton Crew” on what they imagine to be their residence planet, At Attin (which is essentially the titular world in “Treasure Planet”), however it’s really one other of the 9 Jewels of the Previous Republic and a spot referred to as At Acrann. Removed from the idyllic suburban residence that youngsters know, At Achrann is a planet perpetually at conflict. (You could even call it the Upside Down version of At Attin.) The battle entails two tribes, the Troik and the Hattan, who’ve been preventing for generations. After we first meet the Troic, they expertise a definite sensation. On the one hand, they’re a minimum of considerably impressed by the Misplaced Boys from “Peter Pan” in that a number of youngsters struggle in opposition to the adults on the alternative aspect. Nevertheless, as soon as we begin assembly a few of the foremost gamers, together with their common, it turns into clear that the Troique has a distinctly French sound — a minimum of, that’s the case for its chief, Common Strix (Mathieu Kassovitz), And his daughter Hayna (Hala Finley).

That is harking back to the Ryloth arc of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” through which a bunch of Jedi are deployed to the planet Ryloth to assist the Twi’lek resistance struggle in opposition to its Separatist oppressors. A part of what makes the story memorable is that all the Twi’leks we meet converse with distinct French accents, which showrunner Dave Filoni mentioned was a direct request from “Star Wars” creator George Lucas . It isn’t troublesome to acknowledge this artistic determination as an amazing homage to La Résistance, the French Resistance through the Nazi occupation in World Struggle II. Given how a lot of a World Struggle II nerd Lucas is, it is sensible that he’d deliver some influences from that interval to “Clone Wars” — and he brings much more than that, beginning with the time-of-war radio bulletins. conflict originally. of every episode.

By barely shifting the main focus from pirates to a planet at conflict the place youngsters are despatched to the entrance traces, episode 4 of “Skeleton Crew” does extra than simply present an fascinating reference to the animated collection “Clone Wars.” The place the episode actually shines is in the best way it questions the very concept of ​​”Star Wars” as a franchise revolving round conflict. When the younger heroes of the collection are drafted into the battle, most of them appear to just accept their scenario with out a lot protest. However Neel? He refuses to imagine that conflict is the one method ahead. As a substitute, he befriends Hayna and tells her that if he had been the chief of a tribe engaged in a generational conflict, he would merely apologize and transfer on. In any case, conflict is not any place for youngsters.

This straightforward however poignant dialog highlights the truth that the “Star Wars” franchise has all the time been outlined by conflict, whereas contrasting properly with the brash need for journey and motion expressed by Neel’s pal Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers). On high of that, it is harking back to Rose Tico’s (Kelly Marie Tran) speech on the finish of “Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Final Jedi” when she stops fellow Insurgent Finn (John Boyega) from taking an pointless motion. suicide cost. That is how we’ll win,” she advised Finn. “Not preventing what we hate. Saving what we love.” Positive, “Star Wars” has the phrase “Wars” within the title and the battle has been on the forefront of each challenge from the property, however that is “Skeleton Crew” – the collection with probably the most susceptible protagonists (literal youngsters!) – it lastly raises the query of whether or not the franchise might look past conflict.

Contemplating how profitable “Skeleton Crew” was with a easy story about youngsters desirous to go residence, or how “The Acolyte” delivered a shifting and gripping story in regards to the darkness behind the righteousness of Jedi Order with out being in occasions of conflict. , the reply appears to be sure.

New episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” launch Tuesdays at 6 p.m. PST on Disney+.