Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Zero Friends Again

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Season 1 Episode 6, “Zero Friends Again,” brings a closer, more intimate look at the kids’ relationships. The episode also includes a tender, respectful focus on KB’s disability and her ensuing conflict with Fern.

Skeleton Crew gives KB her long overdue turn in the spotlight, as the episode begins with a major split between the previously inseparable pairs of Fern and KB, and Neel and Wim. 

The kids are alone now, without any adults to help. They have been away from home for a while, and their relationships are beginning to fray.

Director Bryce Dallas Howard, who previously directed some of the best episodes of The Mandalorian, takes over this outing in true form.

She and writer Myung Koh Wesner spend almost the entirety of the half-hour episode on the different pairs and their journeys, which is a great opportunity to flesh out their relationships.

There is only one quick cutaway from the kids to Jod.

Jude Law lets out a gloriously evil cackle, having found the biggest treasure trove he has ever seen, but he is quickly caught by Brutus. Jod is hauled off to a trial for escaping from jail but quickly regains the upper hand by making grand promises.

While we were initially doubtful of Jod’s characters beyond just the sketched-out trope of mentor-turned-traitor, Law has our attention now.

Previously, the story shifted from Jod to the kids in a way that didn’t quite work, but giving Law a good, long, dramatic monologue (plus a pirate song!) allows him the chance to do what he can do best. 

Jod also presents a good juxtaposition to the kids.

Where the kids bond over being honest with each other about how they feel about their plans and relationships, Jod brings over his entire former crew with grand promises of treasure and “glitter-speech,” as Brutus calls it. 

Jod is a master manipulator, and his chameleon-like abilities shift according to whatever role is needed. This skill set is portrayed by Jude Law very convincingly.

The episode spends a lot of time on the conversations between the kids about their relationships and their disagreements about what they’ve been doing so far. 

What I particularly enjoy is the elaboration on KB’s previous hesitation about staying on Lanupa. It allows her to have a heartfelt moment of sharing what it is really like for her to be “different,” as she calls it, and gives her a chance to elaborate on her disability.

Since this is Star Wars, she doesn’t directly call it that.

The highlight of the episode is the conversation between KB and Wim, as Wim scrambles to find parts to help KB.

Kyriana Kratter does a tremendous job in the entirety of the episode in letting us get to know KB as a person and giving us more insight into her friendship with Fern.

KB says, “Ever since my accident, Fern always assumed I could do everything she could. Like I’m not different. But I am different.” 

While I cannot speak personally to the accuracy of disability representation overall, this is a particularly clever way of portraying it in a way that fits the Star Wars universe. Not only did it give the opportunity for KB to describe it herself, but it also touched on her fear that people will not accept her for it, which Wim dismisses very quickly.

The episode ends with a thrilling escape from Lanupa. The kids return to their ship and use each other’s strengths to take the final step toward home.

In a particularly tense moment, the score takes over the scene as Fern quickly evaluates her options as it seems they all get closer to incinerated. All we see is Fern’s doubt and quickly-found resolve as the score ramps up and she slams the exact button SM-33 and Jod said not to, trusting both her and Wim’s instincts. 

They emerge with an all-new (and very sleek) look for their ship, a fitting change up for their all-new and better dynamic.

Episode 6 marks the beginning of their final journey home since KB (the MVP of this episode, undoubtedly) has the coordinates for their home planet.

It sets up the final arc of the season with an episode that slows down and focuses on the main cast of kids and their relationships, giving us an opportunity to connect with all of them more — especially KB.

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New episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew air Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

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