Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 4.
All the kids inStar Wars: Skeleton Crewremain lovable, but few remain quite as adorable as Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) does, and the latest episode serves as a big moment of growth for him. His time spent alone with the Troik warrior clan in Episode 4 proves important inteaching them both valuable lessons about balancing kindness with bravery, and it’s this realization that allows him to save his friends near the end. It also naturally lays the groundwork for a potential source of romance, one the young boy at the start could never have expected. For acoming-of-age storylike this, all the kids will likely need to grow, but if anyone has earned a major level up in confidence this week, it’s our adorable little elephant boy.
‘Skeleton Crew’ Has Finally Shown What Makes Neel So Special
From the start, Neel has always stood out as the only alien inSkeleton Crew’s main group of kids, but there is more to him than his unique appearance.The premiere of the seriesmade him into the perfect best friend and companion for Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) during their classes together. Like the classical nerdy character, Neel remains withdrawn and struggles to socialize with those around him, but he has a strong innocence which hasalready captured the heartsof many fans. He’s also quite loyal to Wim, sticking by him every step of the journey, and this week’s episode hints at howNeel’s strength has been lying in plain sight all this time.
When the crew arrives on At Achrann, Neel is left on his own for much of the journey, and this really gives him time to shine. He also has his eyes opened for the first time to the prospect of child soldiers in warfare, which has becomea major theme in the franchisethese past couple of years, but that never truly breaks his inner spirit. Characters like KD (Kyrianna Kratter) have shown off their technical skills, but it feels perfect that Neel’s strong levels of empathy become most prominent duringthe darkest part of their journeyso far, where they become his greatest personal strength. His kind heart shocks Hayna (Hala Finley) into understanding the importance of goodness, but she also knows he’s still a sheltered kid born far outside a warrior culture, and treats his fear of battle as natural. When Neel finally does summon the courage he needs to protect all his friends even before Jod (Jude Law) can intervene, it takes everything out of him, buthe has now proven himself to be bravein a way that would have made Hayna proud if she had been there to see it. He’s no warrior, of course, but Neel has turned into someone he probably would not have recognized a few episodes ago, and it surprises both his friends and himself.
This ‘Skeleton Crew’ Character’s Arc Isn’t Going the Way I Expected
Maybe I was wrong, but I had a bad feeling about him.
‘Skeleton Crew’ Lays the Groundwork for Neel’s Confidence
For the scenes they share together, Neel and Hayna have a very heartfelt chemistry, and it’s a shame they don’t get as much time together, especially since Neel earns his first kiss from her later on. The series premiere establishes that Neel is too shy to tell another girl from school, Roona, about his crush on her,but his newfound confidence might give him the courage to speak up sooner rather than later. As much of a leader as she is, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) is also still a vulnerable child, and she appreciates the compassion Wim shows her during her most difficult emotional moments. No doubt, she feels grateful to Neel all the same, and it seems likely that they might be able to grow closer as they continue attempting to get home.
Skeleton Crewis meant to be a more innocent and fun story. Therefore, it makes sense that this would be the rare example of aStar Warscharacter getting a happy ending. For Neel, saving his friends from SM-33 (Nick Frost)seems to have surprised even him, but that might not be the last reward the galaxy has in store for his character.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewairs every Tuesday at 9 PM EST on Disney+ in the U.S.
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.
Watch on Disney+
