Kneel Before Jod: Jude Law Goes HAM in 'Skeleton Crew' Episode 7

At this point, Skeleton Crew has done exactly two things right: 1. It cast Jude Law as the most/only interesting character on the show. 2. It made sure to slap a lightsaber in his hand. You can’t go wrong with that formula.

Picking up from the events of last week, the penultimate episode finds Law’s Jod/Silvo still held captive by his old crew as he attempts to save his neck by leading them towards At Attin. — Oh no, wait. Actually, the episode starts off with a cold open where the kids parents pull off the daring nighttime launch of a communications buoy so their little cherubs know how to get home. The point of this scene is that the buoy looks just like the spaceship from E.T. I’m not sure if you guys picked up on this, but Skeleton Crew is like an Amblin movie from the ’80s. It’s very subtle!

Anyway, Jod and the pirates arrive to a raging storm of a planet, which Captain Brutus (the werewolf dude) is not convinced is At Attin. There’s no way a ship can fly into that, and that turns out to be very true as Jod convinces Brutus to send in a fighter that gets blown to bits by lightning. This does not bode well for Jod, who’s only being kept alive with promises of a planet that endlessly poops out gold coins. Fortunately for Jod, the kids show up in the Onyx Cinder that’s looking all shiny and new after shedding its janky pirate hull. Unfortunately for the kids, they’re captured by the pirates after Jod argues that the ship is the key to landing on At Attin.

At this point, clearly, Jod and the kids are about to reunite and resume their reluctant mentor dynamic as he apologizes for double-crossing them. Wrong! In a surprising swerve for a show that has been painfully predictable, Jod zigs instead of zags. Not only does he murder a defenseless Brutus in cold blood, but he also slices apart SM-33 with a lightsaber. In another dark turn, Jod makes the kids kneel down on the cockpit floor as he unleashes his disdain for them. Despite his seeming reluctance back at the mud spa, Jod truly cannot stand them — I feel ya, buddy — and they’re only alive because he needs hostages. To drive that point home, he threatens to carve up their parents with his saber if the kids so much as breathe the wrong way when they reach At Attin.

As for how they’re able to get down to the planet, well, the Onyx Cinder is not a pirate ship. Somehow, Tak Rennod got his hands on a Republic emissary vessel that can fly through the artificial storm without being blown the hell up. In fact, there’s a whole custom landing platform that emerges to greet the ship as it lands, and Jod is escorted into the massive underground facility that is absolutely butt-loaded with credits. 1139 vaults to be exact, and yes, I get the Easter egg. Goddammit.

While Jod cackles with glee in front of his droid escorts who don’t find any of this weird, the kids are reunited with their parents down in the facility. Except they’re all in a world of shit as Jod approaches the group and immediately ignites his saber. He still needs to get out of here and dropping bodies will not give him one bit of pause. Cue the abrupt ending.

Bones to Pick:

— I’m still of the mind that there is a decent, less interminably long movie buried in this show, especially after watching these back half episodes. That said, I have received an increased number of feedback from parents whose kids are freaking loving this thing. All of this is anecdotal, but it feels like the target audience is starting to find this show, and it’s hitting all the right notes. Which I’m glad! I may be a salty old bastard, but I still remember having my imagination absolutely lit on fire by shows like this. I would never begrudge any kid that joy.

— So I guess we’re on a collision course with The Supervisor. We briefly heard his Stephen Fry voice, which may or may not have been a ruse. However, he has been summoned to meet with Jod, so we’re either about to get some answers or a whole bucket load of frustration if this puppy is about to punt to Season 2. Speaking of things to brace for…

— It’s not mentioned at all, but Skeleton Crew takes place after The Mandalorian Season 3 and will reportedly tie in to Dave Filoni’s big Mandoverse movie. (WARNING: Link is spoiler-ish if true.) How will that manifest in the finale? I’m guessing some sort of end-credits scene that will cheapen the whole thing, but if this week’s episode has proven anything, it’s that Skeleton Crew has a few surprises up its sleeve. Wait, am I actually getting protective of this show? Sonofa…