Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 2.
Most Star Wars projects don’t just feature references to the Star Wars universe, but also to different films.George Lucasoriginally wanted to make aFlash Gordonfilm, but couldn’t get the rights and createdStar Wars: A New Hopeinstead. Meanwhile,Akira Kurosawa’s work has influenced multiple Star Wars projects, particularlyRashomonandSeven Samurai. In the case of the franchise’s newest series,Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, co-creatorsJon WattsandChristopher Fordslip in a reference toPeter Panin the second episode, “Way, Way Out Past The Barrier.”
Skeleton Crewkicks off when four children from the planet At Attin discover a buried starship. They trigger the Onyx Cinder’s engines, sending it out into space — and awakening a droid on board namedSM-33 (Nick Frost). It’s pretty clear that SM-33 has seen better days: he’s missing plates, has exposed wiring, and a furry rat-like alien has been living inside his head. But he proves to be useful, as he can pilot the Onyx Cinder. Anyone who’s seen a previous adaptation ofPeter Panor readJ.M. Barrie’s original novels will pick up on SM-33’s name being a play on “Smee” —aka Mr. Smee, the first mate of Peter’s archnemesis, Captain Hook.
‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Peter Pan Reference Works on Multiple Levels
InPeter Pan,Mr. Smee doesn’t just serve as Captain Hook’s right-hand man but is also one of the few pirates who the Darling children gravitate towards. This is a mystery that befuddles Hook and Smee, as Smee thinks the children fear him, while Hook is puzzled as to why they like his boatswain. The best example of this comes toward the end ofPeter and Wendy, the novelization of Barrie’s original play. When Wendy is forced to walk the plank, Smee offers to save her if she becomes his mother, which she eventually refuses. It’s a small moment that showcases that while he’s still a pirate,Smee isn’t as cold-hearted as the rest of his brethren.
That same spirit is showcased in SM-33. When he first awakens, he searches for a new authority to report to and decides to throw the At Attin kids in the brig — until Fern (Ryan KieraArmstrong) declares herself to be the Onyx Cinder’s new captain. Immediately, SM-33 starts showing her and the others how to pilot the ship and takes them to Port Borgo, a nesting place for the galaxy’s pirates. Once Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) run afoul of a group of pirates, includingVane (Marti Matulis), who previously appeared in Season 3 ofThe Mandalorian, SM-33 soundly thrashes them all in order to protect his “captain.” Though the droid is shot down by the wolfish pirate Brutus (Fred Tatasciore), the fact that he was willing to protect the children is very much in line with Smee’s portrayal inPeter Pan. (Thankfully, he didn’t ask any of them to be his mother.)
Is ‘Skeleton Crew’ Streaming? Where To Watch Disney’s Next Star Wars Adventure
You simply have to watch ‘Skeleton Crew’ - it’s the (Jude) Law.
A ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ Director and Star Have Their Own Links to Peter Pan
SM-33 isn’t the only wayStar Wars: Skeleton Crewreferences Peter Pan. “Way, Way Out Past The Barrier” is directed byDavid Lowery, who has some previous experience with Disney productions. In addition to directing episodes ofSkeleton Crew,Lowery also helmedPeter Pan & Wendy. At first glance, it seems like a mere live-action retelling of Disney’sPeter Pan… but the adaptation takes a turn when it comes tothe exploration of Peter and Hook’s rivalry.Hook was originally the first of the “Lost Boys,” and Peter’s best friend, until he left Neverland. Returning to find his mother, Hook found himself at odds with Peter, who couldn’t accept that his friend had changed. Those are deep themes to tackle for a Disney remake, but it’s the same thoughtful approach that has fueled many of Lowery’s projects.
Watts and Ford even take the Peter Pan connection a step forward by castingJude Law, who portrayed Hook in Lowery’sPeter Pan & Wendy, in a key role. Law shows up at the end of “Way, Way Out Past The Barrier” as Jod Na Nawood, a mysterious prisoner who offers to help the At Attin kids escape imprisonment… and somehow has control over the Force, even though he’s not a Jedi or Sith. Watts and Ford’s exploration of the Star Wars universe inSkeleton Crewalso plays into the same sense of escapism asPeter Pan:Wim dreams of being a Jedi while exploring the wider reaches of the galaxy is the kind of dream a Star Warsfan would have —and whySkeleton Crewworks so well. It also makes SM-33’s existence that much more layered.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.
The first two episodes ofStar Wars: Skeleton Creware available to stream on Disney+. New episodes stream Tuesdays.
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