The Galaxy's Edge Reference You Missed In Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 6

This article contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" episode 6, "Zero Friends Again."

"Skeleton Crew" is quite curious as a "Star Wars" show. Other than "Andor" and arguably "The Acolyte" (but for very different reasons since it's set so far away from other entries in the franchise's timeline), this has proven to be the "Star Wars" show with the least amount of references and cameos. At the least, the cameos and references aren't as overt as those in "The Mandalorian." Consider how Jude Law's pirate character shares a name with a crook from the "Star Wars" Expanded Universe (aka Star Wars Legends). It's not something that's bound to make eye rolls, yet it's still significant enough that hardcore fans will pick up on it. Likewise, there are cameos from smaller, not-so-popular characters like Ubbla Mollbro, the Canto Bight opera singer from "The Last Jedi." Again, it's much more obscure than the two Mos Eisley cantina guys showing up in "Rogue One."

Most importantly, the thing that makes the references in "Skeleton Crew" work is that they are mostly meta references that don't break immersion, but instead function as clever nods to the works that inspired the show, like SM-33 being named after Smee from "Peter Pan" or the show's Captain Flint analog being named after "The Goonies" director Richard Donner. Of course, "Skeleton Crew" is a Disney property, so there are also plenty of Disney Easter eggs. And not just those involving other "Star Wars" movies, either, but even theme park attractions, like the brief scene in episode 3 that recalls when the imprisoned pirates try to coax a dog into giving them the cell key in the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park ride.

In its latest episode, "Zero Friends Again," the show's young heroes are forced to figure out how to get back to their ship and return home on their own upon being abandoning by their adult companion, Jod Na Nawood (Law). This leads to them learning to become a proper crew and piloting a space vessel, which they do in a sequence that's straight out of the Smuggler's Run ride at Galaxy's Edge.

The latest episode of "Skeleton Crew" is all about the kids growing closer together as friends and becoming a proper team while Jod is busy doing the "Star Wars" equivalent of a parley. They split up and learn to listen to each other, and when they finally reach their ship, they must work together to free it from the clutches of a giant trash machine. To do so, they divide the work involved with piloting the ship in exactly the same way the roles are divided amongst park guests at Galaxy's Edge when riding Smuggler's Run (the theme park ride that lets you pilot the Millennium Falcon). As a result, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) split up the piloting duties between them, with one handling the throttle and the other dealing with the steering. Elsewhere, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) mans the turret and tries to shoot down the trash machine, all while KB (Kyriana Kratter) minds the engine. 

It's a small reference, and one that can easily go over viewers' heads, but it works for two reasons: 1) It's a very specific reference and 2) It allows "Skeleton Crew" to effectively display the different strengths of its young heroes. Fern is always the one pushing the group forward, so she pilots the steering. Neel is the one making sure the kids slow down when they have to, and to consider their feelings, so he handles the throttle. Wim is always shooting his shot, even when he's failing, so he guides the turret. Finally, KB is clearly the brains of the operation, so she's perfect to control the engine.

There are two episodes left in the first season of "Skeleton Crew," so it's still entirely possible we'll get a ghoulish CGI Luke Skywalker cameo or a Grogu appearance to help set up the next chapter in the MandoVerse (as we'll describe it for now). But until that happens, "Skeleton Crew" has really proven itself to be one of the most special "Star Wars" titles of the Disney era.

New episodes of "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" drop Tuesdays at 6 pm PST on Disney+.