– Spoiler Review –
After Jod’s betrayal, the kids struggle with the fallout and the way forward, while the wily pirate finds himself on the edge of execution in Skeleton Crew’s sixth episode, “Zero Friends Again,” a delightful, madcap episode which gives KB her due and covers disability representation in a respectful way.
Since the first two episodes, while Fern, Wim, KB, and Neel have been out in the galaxy, lost and far from home, they’ve been with an adult, be it SM-33 or Jod Na Nawood, but in “Zero Friends Again,” they don’t have anyone to help them besides each other. Unfortunately for them, this situation also comes after Jod’s betrayal, which means everyone’s hurting from the moment in their own way and the group fractures because of it, right when they really need one another the most. Having them be the ones who rescue themselves here after they mend their rifts show how much they’ve grown on their journey, shedding some of their youth much like the Onyx Cinder sheds its deceiving shell. A lot of “Zero Friends Again” delighted and, while not straight up surprised me, certainly revealed to me how much I’d become invested in and cared for these characters without really knowing it, leaving me almost on the edge of tears during KB’s eye-opening situation. There’s been something different about Skeleton Crew than some of the previous shows, as much like Andor, it’s presented more like a TV show, as it doesn’t feel like a movie spread out into a show like Obi-Wan Kenobi did, and by focusing on specific characters each episode, it allows viewers to connect and grow invested. “Zero Friends Again” also works so well because Myung Joh Wesner is the writer and has now been responsible for the best two episodes of the series to date and, much like she has before in The Mandalorian, director Bryce Dallas Howard lets the big and the small moments have their due here and brings out some of the kids’ best performances.
The biggest point in favor of “Zero Friends Again,” over even the last episode, is Skeleton Crew finally focusing on KB, doing so in a memorable and unique way which provides disability representation in a positive matter. It’s an area where Star Wars as a whole hasn’t done much to address or focus on before, though some recent or upcoming content is bringing it more to the forefront, like Padawan Cam Lindon’s replaced vocal chords in The High Republic: Seeds of Starlight audiobook (which is only accessible via Kindle, which is its own set back) or a disabled Jedi in Marvel’s 2025 comic Jedi Knights, but Skeleton Crew proves how to handle it in such an organic yet empowering way, we can only hope the Saga as a whole can learn from its example. KB has been the smartest of the group, helping through moments big and small, but she has seemed like more of a follower than a leader, always looking to Fern and pushing herself accordingly. The episode opens with the kids being dumped out Lanupa’s sewer/garbage system like it’s a water slide ride, which results in KB’s augments being damaged, leaving it up to Fern to reboot them to help her, but once she’s seemingly doing better, Fern’s pushing them to climb up the side of the mountain to get back to their ship. KB doesn’t think it’s a good idea and gets mad at Fern when she doesn’t listen to her advice, and just when she seems poised to say something more to her best friend, she freezes up, unable to do so. Wim, eager for a win after trusting in Jod and them paying the price, presents another option, follow some cute and silly looking trash crabs, and KB sees it as a chance to make a point by agreeing with him. Neel, scared of the trash crabs, agrees with Fern’s idea while KB sets off with Wim, as their only other option for help, X-wings who chase after Brutus’ pirates, don’t notice them and they are truly on their own to get out of this situation.
Wim and KB don’t get far before she has another meltdown with her augments and it’s up to Wim to repair her, though she’s able to walk and talk him through the process. As he works, they discuss Fern and KB’s friendship, revealing how she hasn’t told Fern she can’t do everything her friend wants since her accident and how she’s too afraid to lose Fern if she reveals she can’t keep up. Wim sees the positivity in Fern’s treatment of KB, but KB points out she is different as much as her friend treats her otherwise, as the accident has affected how she reacts to the world and limits her in some, which we would call in our galaxy neurodivergence. None of the characters look down on KB for her disability nor is this a story of KB having to overcome her disability or something, but rather accepting it and its limitations and sharing it with her friends, helping show viewers the strength it takes to have one and live with it, which is a far more positive approach to take. Kyriana Kratter’s acting during the operation scene is absolutely spectacular and is a big part of what made it work so well and had me on the verge of tears, as you see the normalcy of her having to deal with it and yet you get a range of her emotions, even though purposefully limited due to her neurodivergence, talking about her and Fern’s friendship and how the disability has changed things. It’s also such a well-shot and written scene, with some dazzling visual/practical effects showing the repair and opening of her augments, which are both unsettling to some degree, as Wim is basically digging into her skull, and yet so tactile and understandable to viewers, it allows us to see the depth of this situation and yet still focus on the persons involved and their conversation. By the end of the operation, KB’s admitted into Wim and Neel’s friend group and she calls him Jedi for saving her life, but the success is short-lived when it turns out the trash crabs have been leading them to momma trash crab, Tet’niss,* as food!
In the meantime, Fern is seeing the limitations of those around her as Neel has trouble climbing as fast as she can, but instead of growing frustrated with him like KB has been worried about, she finds a way to help make things easier on him. Before they can make it all the way up, tow droids begin to move the Onyx Cinder but thankfully it goes right past them, so Fern, sort of pulling Neel with her, jump onto one of the droids. She’s able to maneuver the ship over to KB and Wim, saving them from being dinner by giving them a chance to jump on as well, but the crab manages to throw some debris and take out one of the tow droids, bringing them crashing down. The four kids reunite and share a hug, though KB and Fern take a moment to finally hash things out, with Fern apologizing she didn’t listen to her friend and KB apologizing for not telling Fern sooner. It’s a lovely way to help strengthen their friendship and keeps the representation focused on showing how to live with it. There’s still one more gauntlet to kids have to overcome though, as the Onyx Cinder sits in the path of a trash incinerator droid ready to eat it up, but as a visual representation of how this trial by fire and growth in their understanding of one another has shown us the kids are able to survive without an adult and work with each other, their escape from the incinerator has the ship shedding its skin and revealing a sleek one underneath. It was a neat surprise (and means they have to make another LEGO set which includes this feature!) and such a fitting way to show the growth of the kids, and the show, in the process.
While the kids are surviving on their own, Jod doesn’t get to celebrate finding Rennod’s treasure stash and the coordinates to At Attin for long, as Gunter (Jaleel White), alongside more pirate friends, capture him the moment he gets out of the sewers (and confirms Pokkit survived the acid bath, thank goodness). Brought before Brutus, he’s of course sentenced to death by the vengeful ex-first mate, but the pirate code gives Jod a chance to talk. When he takes the stage, which it truly is to him from the way he orates and spins his story, Jod’s speech reveals why he’s been able to survive for so long, as he appeals to those around him in the crowd and wins over their hearts, and stomachs, with the promise of At Attin. It’s another well done scene, specially in Jude Law’s delivery of Myung Joh Wesner’s script, and while it doesn’t answer much about his past, it certainly shows how much his time alone and fighting to survive has molded him. If he has any regrets over leaving the kids behind or betraying them, there’s no hint of it here, but with the two groups likely on a collision course in the remaining two episodes, we’ll find out his true colors soon enough.
Here are a few other things:
- Over at the official site, there’s a great article with concept art and close up photos of Mama Crab aka Tet’niss, including a bunch of Easter Eggs on her shell! There’s a short video showing some of it off as well!
- PSA: With the holidays out of the way, I should be more timely for the final two episodes!
Skeleton Crew’s “Zero Friends Again” gives KB a fitting and well-written spotlight as the kids must find a way to work together despite being so divided, while Jod makes a big play to save his skin once again.
+ Taking disability representation seriously
+ Kids overcoming problems on their own
+ Jod talking his way out
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.
SKELETON CREW REVIEWS:
Season One: 1.1/1.2 “This Could Be a Real Adventure” & “Way, Way Out Past the Barrier” | 1.3 “Very Interesting, As An Astrogation Problem” | 1.4 “Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin” | 1.5 “You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates”