Skeleton Crew Episode 5 Has a Sneaky Callback to Qui-Gon Jinn

This text incorporates spoilers for “Skeleton Crew episode 5”.

In “Skeleton Crew”, the coordinates of At Attin are tougher to search out than the pirate’s treasure. After being directed to the near-identical “Fallout” coded planet of At Acrann and being about to be torn limb from limb, the titular crew decides to exchange the SM-33’s reminiscence drive. Episode 4 revealed that the droid’s former captain had erased At Attin’s reminiscence of coordinates. The crew’s closing mission is subsequently to get well the hidden coordinates of a bodily location. This leads Jod (Jude Legislation) and co. on the pleasure planet of Lanupa, as soon as a harmful pirate base now reworked right into a spa.

The intensely coded “Indiana Jones” adventures that happen right here deserve a separate dialogue, as a result of there’s a plot to unpack right here, together with the “Star Wars” model of a well-liked Lovecraftian (!) entity. Nevertheless, many of the emotional gravity of Episode 5 comes from Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), who realizes that having area adventures is not as enjoyable as he had imagined. Ever since Wim and his mates had by accident left their house planet, he was the one one who relished the thought of ​​occurring thrilling, risk-filled adventures throughout the galaxy, due to his idealism of Jedi heroism. Nevertheless, after Things are getting a little too real on At AcrannWim is compelled to face the reality of the state of affairs: he and his mates are misplaced in area and are in fixed hazard till they discover a method house.

When Jod sees Wim discouraged, his first intuition is to casually inform him to recover from it. Nevertheless, as soon as Wim reveals that he’s afraid and susceptible, Jod reveals himself with extraordinary pearls of knowledge and heartfelt consolation. What’s stunning right here is that he quotes an iconic Jedi Grasp, Qui-Gon Jinn, drawing parallels that reveal somewhat extra about his mysterious previous.

This isn’t the first time “Skeleton Crew” has referenced “The Phantom Menace.” Wim’s fixed adoption of the time period “wizard!” is a direct callback to Anakin’s pod race, and the youngsters calling Republic attribute the “dataries” as a reference to Qui-Gon (Liam Neeson) utilizing that exact time period within the prequel. “Your focus determines your actuality,” Jod advises Wim, emphasizing that his vivid creativeness is considered one of his many strengths and that he can overcome obstacles with braveness. This can be a direct quote from Qui-Gon’s recommendation to younger Anakin (Jake Lloyd) earlier than his tragic demise, the place he emphasizes that Anakin should “at all times bear in mind” {that a} Jedi’s orientation defines his notion of the world and his power of character. Sadly, Anakin loses deal with this profound knowledge within the years to come back and finally ends up tracing a darkish and sophisticated legacy with repercussions throughout the galaxy.

Whereas Jod’s recommendation to Wim would not have such tragic overtones, it reveals the previous’s doubtless connection to the Jedi mind-set, or on the very least an alignment with their philosophy. Thus far, Jod danced around the presumption that he was a Jedihowever his Power-wielding talents increase questions on his previous. After all, not all Power customers need to be Jedi, however it’s not a stretch to think about Jod as a younger Padawan or Jedi Knight who turned to hacking after the Purge. Jod’s insistence on not forming attachments can be closely coded by the Jedi Order, and it stays to be seen whether or not that is an ingrained perception or a philosophy he has adopted rather more late.

There are additionally whiffs of Sith-adjacent habits, because it East a tiny bit evil to scare and threaten a bunch of kids after gaining their belief. Nevertheless, I are likely to imagine that Jod is neither Sith nor Jedi within the strictest sense, however a secret third factor that capabilities because the morally grey worldview of someone who is jaded by the cruelty of the galaxy. The truth that he picks up a lightsaber with familiarity close to the top additional complicates issues, however we’ll have to attend and see how this pleasant thriller chooses to unfold.

New episodes of “Skeleton Crew” premiere Tuesdays at 6 p.m. PST on Disney+.