After nearly 50 years, the Star Wars saga finally has the kind of story it’s long been missing: a pirate adventure. The franchise is amenable to all kinds of vibes and themes, from Westerns to wuxia, and Skeleton Crew pushes the saga forward in a brilliant way, taking the loose premise of a classic like Treasure Island and giving it the mystery box treatment. That Lucasfilm leaned away from its pirate show status during the promo period is surprising, as it should be a huge draw. But Skeleton Crew wasn’t really hiding its true nature; we just didn’t see the signs until recently.
Skeleton Crew may be the first Star Wars project to focus on pirates, but it’s not the first to explore space piracy in the galaxy at large. The new series owes something to the third season of The Mandalorian, which introduced a crew of pirates skulking around the reformed planet of Nevarro. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) make quick work of running them off, but Skeleton Crew makes the clever choice to feature the gang in earnest, using them to inform an unexplored corner of the galaxy. Their return also brings The Mandalorian’s silliest villain back into the mix, establishing a subtle connection between the two shows.
