Skeleton Crew Simply Went Full Goonies in an Journey-Crammed Episode

Lucasfilm is gifting its followers two presents this vacation season: new episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on each Christmas Eve and New Yr’s Eve. On the one hand, it’s superior as a result of many people are residence and in a position to watch. However, it’s a bit much less superior in the event you write about the show for work and aren’t working these days. So, that’s why this week’s recap—and subsequent week’s—will likely be a day late. Our apologies.

However we like to think about these days off as a go to to the planet of Lanupa. A time and place to calm down, rejuvenate, and, within the case of Skeleton Crew, seek for a pirate’s lair like one thing straight out of The Goonies. Let’s focus on episode 5, “You Have a Lot to Be taught About Pirates.”

By this level, we mainly know what we’re going to get on Skeleton Crew. Each week the crew goes to a brand new planet to discover a new clue serving to them get again to At Attin. And this week was no exception. After a way-too-easy flip again to the great facet for droid SM-33, he reveals the situation of At Attin is hidden in his outdated boss’s vault. His title was Captain Tak Rennod, a reputation that instantly sparks Jod’s fancy. In keeping with him, Rennod was essentially the most ruthless pirate ever, a person who killed his whole crew trying to find the treasure of At Attin. In Rennod’s secret lair, positioned beneath Cranium Ridge Mountain, the crew can discover the best way residence.

SM-33 remembers Cranium Ridge Mountain, positioned on the planet Lanupa, as a brutal place however now it’s an adults-only luxurious resort and spa. Which is tremendous quirky in a Star Wars sense whereas additionally talking to only how way back Rennod’s journey befell. As a result of, let’s not neglect, the youngsters discovered Rennod’s ship—lastly formally confirmed because the Onyx Cinder though Lego told us that months ago—buried underground on At Attin with everybody useless. We nonetheless are very interested in what occurred with all of that.

After some goofy however welcome hijinks on the resort, Jod and the crew discover themselves looking the underground spas of Lanupa for Rennod’s lair. We see all method of cool Star Wars aliens, together with a really gross, very hungry Hutt. Jod additionally runs right into a bounty hunter named Pokkit (Kelly Macdonald from Courageous and Trainspotting) who is aware of Jod as “Sprint Zentin.” That’s a minimum of his fourth alias which, in fact, simply raises extra crimson flags in regards to the character. Pokkit calls in his bounty and Jod’s former crew, led by Brutus, are dispatched to Lanupa. And so the race begins. Will the pirates discover Jod and the crew or will they discover the lair?

Right here’s the place Skeleton Crew went full Goonies. After befriending a large squid-type creature named Cthallops, they break via the bottom and discover themselves on a booby-trapped path to the treasure. You realize, identical to when the Goonies broke via the ground and needed to observe a booby-trapped path to a treasure. Each had skeletons on the bottom, each had liquid swimming pools to traverse, each had anti-gravity spike chambers. No, wait, simply Skeleton Crew had that. However nonetheless, the similarities are quite a few, right down to the precise treasure trove itself, which can also be booby-trapped.

Like The Goonies, the group does discover that treasure room and it’s chock stuffed with cool stuff. Wim even spots an actual lightsaber. Quickly, they entry a dataport and 33 is ready to discover the situation of At Attin and a recording of Rennod. He’s clippy, so we don’t get to essentially see who he’s, however the temporary look appears to point out a cowboy hat, giving Cad Bane vibes. Rennod’s message additionally reveals what, particularly, the treasure is on At Attin: the final Previous Republic mint. That means, you may make your personal cash. (Additionally of notice, the credit record Rennod’s efficiency coming from Colin Follenweider, who can also be Jude Regulation’s stunt double. May Jod be associated to Rennod? We’ll see.)

That revelation adjustments all the things for Jod. Nearer to the treasure than ever earlier than, he challenges Fern for the title of captain. She bravely tries to combat again, however his Drive powers are too robust. Then, in what is about as much as be a kind of unforgettable Star Wars hero moments, Wim takes out the lightsaber. He’s about to satisfy each single dream and fantasy he’s ever had. However, when he ignites it, it’s the wrong way up and it flies away. Jod tells 33 to seize the crew, however they make a fast escape, as Jod grabs the lightsaber.

Our greatest takeaway from Skeleton Crew episode 5 is simply how a lot enjoyable could be had inside this story. Sure, there are some moments of pause—corresponding to Wim being homesick and his father, again on At Attin, desperately attempting to do one thing. However extra so, we simply love seeing this group traversing the galaxy, fixing puzzles, stepping into bother, and slowly determining this thriller. The thriller of why At Attin is so hidden, what the folks really doing there, and who the heck is that this pirate Drive-user Jod Na Nawood? And if it means we meet new aliens and bounty hunters on thrilling new planets alongside the best way? All the higher.

You’ll be able to stream the primary 5 episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+.

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