From creatorsChristopher FordandJon Watts,Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis the latestlive-actionStarWarsseriesto hit streaming on Disney+, sitting snugly betweenTheAcolyteand the upcoming second season ofAndor. What could once be comfortably considered a franchise is now more of an ever-growing pantheon, so it’s entirely reasonable to get tripped up when tracking where each new iteration of Star Wars falls on the timeline. Lately, whether we see a present-day version ofMark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker or adigitally de-aged representationhas been the easiest method of pinpointing where we are in franchise continuity. Even if you aren’t tracking the plot, you at least know that it’s set long before the sequel trilogy when a youthful-looking Luke removes his hood inThe Mandalorian.
When Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) received star treatment in the aptly titledThe Book of Boba Fett, you knew it took place well after his presumed demise inReturn of the Jedi.Any fans ofStar Wars RebelsorThe Clone Warscould recognize a seasoned Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) in her titular series, setting it long after the fall of the Republic. However, properly orienting yourself in the lore can be daunting when familiar names and faces are set aside and an entirely new cast of characters makes up the narrative. That’s why you have us. Let’s break downthe Star Wars timelineas it’s grown thus far and decipher whereSkeleton Crewfits within it.
Where Does ‘Skeleton Crew’ Fall in Star Wars Continuity?
Skeleton Crewserves as more than just the latest Star Wars series on Disney+; it’s the next step in the continual expansion of the New Republic Era. Theofficial order of Star Wars' timelineis as follows: Dawn of the Jedi, The Old Republic, The High Republic, Fall of the Jedi, Reign of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, The New Republic, Rise of the First Order, and New Jedi Order.Skeleton Crewpicks up five years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi, in the early days of the Republic’s resurgence. Think of it this way:Skeleton Crewlies between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy, thoughmuch closer in the timelineto the originals.
Jon Watts Recreated This Infamous ‘Star Wars’ Failure for ‘Skeleton Crew’
It’s a Life Day miracle!
This isjust after the fall of the Empire and long before the rise of the First Order, and it’s marked by the New Republic’s seemingly flimsy grasp on the galaxy, with its authority still in its infantile stages. Although evil and villainy are without a strong, established regime, The Force will always find balance, meaning darkness will always rise to oppose the light. While Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)somehow returningwon’t happen for many years, dark figures will attempt to fill the void left in the Empire’s wake. Space pirates trek the galaxy, killing and thieving wherever they see fit.
What Is ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ About?
On At Attin, a little-known planet with a surprisingly suburban feel, a human youngling named Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) and an adorable elephant-like youngling named Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) find themselves in a predicament. They run into two female younglings, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and KB (Kyriana Kratter), with whom they accidentally board a starship, triggering it into activity and setting off in hyperspace. SM-33 (Nick Frost),a defunct droid– seemingly the sole survivor of this pirate vessel, christens Fern as his new captain and guidesthe younglingsto a nearby starport and pirate stronghold, Port Borgo.With the Empire gone and the Republic rebuilding, the early days of the New Republic Era feel expansive, dangerous, and pleasantly limitless fora new work ofStar Wars.The extent of the Jedi’s presence inSkeleton Crewis unknown (for now), butthe second episodeends with a mysterious Force user namedJod Na Nawood(Jude Law) encountering the younglings in a Port Borgo jail.
Does ‘Skeleton Crew’ Connect to Other Star Wars Shows in the New Republic Era?
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis the first New Republic Era series led by neitherDave FiloninorJon Favreau. However,its intentional proximity to the other showsleaves it open to connections to their characters and events.The Acolyteexplores the earliest point of the Star Warstimeline yet (the High Republic Era), whileAndorserves asa prequelseries to bothRogueOneand the original trilogy. The rest of the new live-action entries have focused on expanding the time betweenReturn of the JediandThe Force Awakens.
Vane (Marti Matulis), the first mate of the pirate Gorian Shard (Nonso Anozie) fromThe MandalorianSeason 3,appears inSkeleton Crew’s second episode, so the in-universe connections are already brewing.The Mandalorian & Grogu, an upcoming film from director Jon Favreau (the first feature-length entry depicting the New Republic Era), will pick up whereThe MandalorianSeason 3 left off. Filoni, who now serves as Lucasfilm’sChief Creative Officer, has long hinted about a Star Wars film that ties the New Republic Era together. “So, a lot of those threads start to come together,“Filoni told Collider’sSteve Weintraub, “and then I looked at the bigger body of work that’s been done and what’s relevant, and a story will emerge out of that.” The younglings ofSkeleton Crewcould very well find themselves in the presence of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Ahsoka Tano, or even Luke Skywalker himself.
The first two episodes ofStar Wars: Skeleton Creware now streaming on Disney+. New episodes premiere every Monday.
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+
