Episode five of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew takes us on a treasure hunt. In their search for At Attin, the crew of the Onyx Cinder decide to go and look for the secret lair of the ship's former captain, Tak Rennod. They encounter a slight problem when they discover the planet it's hidden on has been turned into a luxury spa resort, built directly over the secret passages that lead to Rennod's treasure trove.
They disguise themselves as guests and manage to bribe the staff into letting them stay, but Jod's past catches up with him when he meets Pokkit, a bounty hunter he once crossed. She recognizes him and calls in Brutus and his crew so she can claim the bounty.
This show has been drawing heavily on '80s nostalgia right from the first episode, with references to things like The Goonies and E.T., and this week it borrows from another of the decade's classic movies, taking us on an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt. You've got the secret tunnels, lethal booby traps, and a prize waiting at the end. If you're going to copy, copy from the best. I half-expected someone to pull out a lightsaber whip and say all the treasure belonged in a museum.
But it's not just '80s references; at one point Jod calls back to an important Star Wars character when he tells Wym, "Your focus determines your reality." That line was famously spoken by Qui-Gon Jinn to Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. So does this mean Jod knew the venerable Jedi master, or one of his pupils, or is it just from a Big Book of Wise Jedi Quotes he picked up at the temple's gift shop?
I'm not a fan of these self-referential moments where something we're all familiar with is reused in a "nod and wink" kind of way. It messes with the lore and can pull you out of the moment. If Jod actually knew Qui-Gon, then that's fine, but otherwise, it's just a painful look into the lens directly at the audience.
Jod might well have been around at the same time Qui-Gon was working and there's another hint in this episode that he indeed a Jedi. We've seen him use simple Force tricks before, but when they find a lightsaber in Rennod's stash, he takes it, so must has some idea how to use it. If he shows any proficiency with the weapon, that would be a big hint that he was trained by the Order.
Review: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 5, "You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates"
Alongside all this treasure-seeking fun, we get a look at what's happening on At Attin, where the kids' parents are trying to find a way to contact them. Wym's father is attempting to open a gap in the barrier so they can send out a message.
Something about the way all of the adults act, fearful of authority but with a sense of self importance, suggests that they know about the planet's real purpose, and also know that it's hidden from the rest of the galaxy. Whether they're aware that the Republic has fallen is anyone's guess, but I have a feeling that the mysterious overseer, who's only mentioned but never shown, is probably someone we've already heard of.
Right now, we have more questions than answers about At Attin. The planet is an Old Republic mint, but did it never become an Imperial mint? More importantly, why are dataries worth so much? They look like they could be made of gold, but that doesn't mean they have any value as a currency; they aren't backed by the Republic anymore, so they don't have any special value except for the material they're made from.
Economic theory aside, this is probably the most fun episode of the show so far. All the references to Indiana Jones and the like work well, and there's some genuinely funny moments. I'd also say that this episode, and Skeleton Crew as a whole, is far better paced than most other Star Wars series on Disney+. There's always something interesting or entertaining going on, and long exchanges of poor dialogue are kept to a minimum. In an age of constant distractions, good pacing is one of the most important things a streaming show can have, as it stops you having the urge to reach for your phone when things get boring.
The most important thing that happens this episode is that Jod becomes captain after challenging Fern in accordance with the pirate code. There have always been hints he would betray the kids, but I'm not so sure everything is as simple as it seems, not with the way he talked to Wym when he was scared. I don't think he'd harm any of them, or stop them from getting home to their families. But then again, he is a pirate, and as Disney's other famous captain once said, "Take what you can; give nothing back!"
Episode Grade: B+
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