Every time an episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew lands, Fantha Tracks will be giving their responses, and here are our initial gut feelings, deep dives and thoughts on episode six of season one, ”Zero Friends Again”. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Greg McLaughlin
One of the shortest episodes packs some of the biggest punches in the series. I think an episode like this leans into just how good these young actors are, and it pays off as this has become my favorite chapter so far.
Wim steps up and finally has his hero moment, helping KB repair her augmentations, that we find not only give her enhanced abilities but also helps keep her alive. She also finally gains the confidence to stand her ground against Fern without fear of losing their friendship. And of course any time around Neel, and you simply learn a new perspective, as Fern finds out.
Star Wars fans love a good monologue and Jod once again talks his way out of certain death. Jude Law shows time and time again how he can charm the pants off of anyone.
While not the Jedi reflexes that young Anakin displays during the pod race in The Phantom Menace, Jod’s ability to persuade, while not the more fully formed Jedi mind trick, (which likely comes with proper training) is certainly above and beyond the ordinary. I wonder out loud if his vocal acumen is another, yet unpolished Force ability.
Not much of SM-33 in this at all. He’s disabled minutes in, so a bit of a rest for Nick Frost who has been amazing all season. We do get the fascinating trash crabs. These look great on screen, as does their queen. There were certain moments I felt as if I could see the volume at work, but I think we as an audience are starting to look for it more than we should.
The hull coming off, revealing a more slender ship was brilliant. With the pirates and our young star hoppers now on a collision course to At Attin, the last two episodes should be jam-packed. The series has been strong enough to work without any major cameos so I think at this point it’s not needed unless they ultimately want to tie it in more with the Mandoverse.
Eric Onkenhout
Leave it up to Bryce Dallas Howard to give us the most emotional and heartwarming episode of Skeleton Crew thus far. Zero Friends Again, the sixth episode of the season, told more of the story about Fern and KB’s friendship and how it wasn’t always 50/50. We also got to see different pairs of friends teaming up with Fern and Neel and Wim and KB. It’s been established that Skeleton Crew is a fun show week in/week out. Even more rewarding is witnessing the relationship between the kids develop.
In this episode, Jod is separated from the kids, so it is interesting to see more of him dealing with his pirate friends. Jod really lives his life on the edge. He relies on hair-brained schemes and ideas to get him fortune and glory. And if it doesn’t work out he could be going for a long walk off a short pier. It’s a wonder he’s made it this far. Brutus seems more of a leader than Jod, and he has the temperament to deal with insubordination.
KB reveals that she previously had an accident which caused her to require the modifications she wears now. Not really considering this, Fern assumed KB could do anything Fern could do but that’s not the case. KB has limitations due to her augmentations. Fern never meant to be insensitive towards KB, but she didn’t exactly encourage KB to speak up either. Fern instinctively takes the lead but is still learning the process. And she shows progress when she helps Neel climb the cliff using the rope. Not everyone has spider legs like Fern.
Wim and KB have a moment when KB’s augs become corroded which slows her movements to almost nil. But she was awake enough to teach Wim what to do to fix her. Soon after they encounter a huge trash crab created by Tippett Studios. The four reunite aboard the Onyx Cinder and work together to escape a giant trash compactor. Wim confidently takes the guns, and Fern encourages Neel to control the throttle while she pilots. KB runs towards the back of the ship to coax more from the engines. We’re witnessing the kids evolve from bickering children to children who grew to become friends and work together as a team.
It’s sad to think only two episodesremain. Skeleton Crew could easily have a longer season or more seasons. It would be a huge missed opportunity by Lucasfilm/Disney if that didn’t happen. It’s obvious the viewers love these kids, Jod included, and would absolutely watch them have more real adventures.
Jonathan Hipkiss
This week’s episode of Skeleton Crew was frustrating….frustrating because it was so good I can’t believe that Bryce Dallas Howard hasn’t been given the keys to direct a Star Wars feature film. The production design was brilliant and the episode looked beautiful. The more the show leans into its pirate inspirations the better it is.
Jude Law really came to life in this episode and the kid actors knocked it out of the park. I loved it, and it continues to be unashamed fun – long may it continue. I can’t wait for the final two episodes.
Dan Lo
We got a brief but eventful setup for a two-part finale. Despite the short runtime, the stakes have never been higher. For the first time since his character’s debut, Jod is now separated from the kids. Can we conclusively say he’s a villain now? Wim’s mention of Jod saying that X-Wings are bad sure sounds like a definitive red flag. Is he beyond redemption? For some reason, it doesn’t quite feel that way either. Good writing.
For the sake of a fair review, I’ll run through some quick negatives. The fact that the trap door simply led outside still seemed a bit too easy. Watching the kids argue was a little frustrating, but it also felt organic enough that I wasn’t pulled out of the story. Having the Onyx Cinder towed exactly underneath where Fern and Neel happened to be was way too convenient, as was the fact that the small towing ships had exterior controls for the kids to use. The ability to hurl huge objects with meaningful accuracy also felt out of place for the giant trash crab.
The big revelation from the kids’ argument was that KB is less human than I thought. Perhaps not quite to the point of “more machine than man”, but she clearly relies on machinery to stay alive. We also learned about her insecurities, which was in stark contrast to her usual robotic behavior. Wim saved her life, and received a bit of Jedi affirmation in return. The overall conflict was fully resolved before the end of the episode, with Fern and KB becoming better friends for it. The big question is will this newfound knowledge about KB’s character play a factor before the end of the season?
Not unlike Han Solo, Jod successfully talked his way out of trouble after getting captured by Captain Brutus’ crew. The fact that the pirate’s code involved a “right of last appeal” might be a little convenient, but not unreasonable. The plasma hourglass was a nice touch. The last we saw of the pirates, Jod had promised to take everyone to At Attin. Does he know where it is though? My guess is SM-33 has the information inside him, although he spent most of the episode out of commission. Oh hey, and where did the lightsaber go?
And of course, the Onyx Cinder received an involuntary makeover thanks to an overpowered scrapper barge. Free of its armored hull, the ship is far sleeker now. At first glance it looked like Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator, but with X-wing engines. The stage appears to be set for a two-ship race to At Attin.
Is Tak Rennod the Supervisor?
Paul Naylor
Episode 6 Zero Friends Again throws us back into the 1980s, commencing with the kids hurtling down a chute – full of peril. Not only was it very Goonies in its theme, but it took directorial cues from the film too. We paid homage to the A-Team – well, Mr T – and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – as Jod emerges from the depths via a manhole cover, draped in chains.
I pity the fool that thought we had seen the demise of the pirates in the previous episode. Of course they survived and were on hand to greet Jod and capture him. We witness Jod being sentenced to death by airlock (sounds like fun!) but he convinces the pirates that he knows the way to At-Attin and untold riches.
That’s where we leave Jod for now, with the kids becoming the focus as they try to make their way off the planet, splitting into two groups. While Fern and Neel climb towards transportation, Wim and KB take a diferent route, following the ‘helpful’ gaggle of crab droids.
The most significant part of the chapter is discovering more about KB. The character had previously been very much in the background, but this week was front and centre as we discovered just how cybernetic she is. From corrosion to correction, the storyline was beautifully acted by the young actors.
The not-so-helpful garbage crabs had, rather than assisting the kids, taken them to an uncertain future, possibly becoming the main course to a huge crab-like alien. Thankfully, Neel and Fern had recovered the Onyx Cinder and steered it to rescue their friends. A little more peril ensues, with the ship almost scrapped in an incinerator, but they managed to blast off with the old hull of the ship removed, revealing a shiny new incarnation of the Onyx Cinder. So what next? I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
On first viewing, the episode lacked pace – much like the fourth chapter – but improved after a second watch. After all, it was no Jack Black and Lizzo in The Mandalorian quality (also directed by Bryce) – and for that, I am truly thankful.
Sander de Lange looks at all the reveals and easter eggs in Skeleton Crew: The Guide: Episode 6 ‘Zero Friends Again’
Hear Mark Mulcaster and Mark Newbold discuss the sixth episode on Making Tracks Reaction Crew: Skeleton Crew S1 Ep6.
Watch Brian Cameron and Paul Naylor discuss the sixth episode of Skeleton Crew on ‘Bone Voyage:’ Reviewing Episode 6 Of Disney Plus’ ‘Skeleton Crew’, part of Good Morning Tatooine, live every Sunday at 9.00pm UK time on Fantha Tracks TV.