Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 3.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis off to a fantastic start, jumping right into the fun, adventurous nature that made many of us fall in love withStar Warsin the first place. Of all theDisney+ venturesfor the franchise, it’s their second attempt at a live-action series that operates without any notable characters.The Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka,Andor, andObi-Wan Kenobiall introduced new names and faces alongside some major, familiar figures.Four younglings— Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and KB (Kyriana Kratter) — lead the cast, withJude Law’sJod Na NawoodandNick Frost’s SM-33 rounding things out.
The Acolyte, if you discount one quick deep-cut and no-dialogue cameo, was the first to allow a new cast tostand entirely on their own. While we, unfortunately, may never get tovisit those characters again,Skeleton Crewappears to havepromising longevity, after only three episodes and with an entirely fresh roster. That’s not to saySkeleton Crewis without its fair share of Easter eggs and cameos, though.One particular bit from the latest episodewill have you reminiscingon Star Wars' prequel era, and, after stewing for a few days, we’re surprised by the impact of this brief moment.
This Droid’s ‘Skeleton Crew’ Cameo Could Make You Laugh, Cry, or Both
InSkeleton Crew's third episode, the younglings insist that Jod rescues SM-33 before they make their escape. SM-33,their new droid friend, is imprisoned by the pirates of Port Borgo. Jod hasn’t met SM-33, so, when he finds the holding room for droids, he inspects several before identifying his target. During his search, he briefly encounters a decommissioned B1 battle droid. As one of the Star Wars prequel’s most memorable creations, you’ll recognize the droid immediately, even without the B1 reciting its iconic “Roger, Roger” phrase.Jod reactivates the droid just long enough for it to pitifully ask, “Did we win?“Jod turns the B1 off again and moves on in his search for SM-33. It’s hilarious in its genuine simplicity, but if you love these little fellas, it’s heartbreaking, too.
We Can’t Help But Love Star Wars' B1 Battle Droids
The B1-series battle droids are some of the most beloved droids in all ofStar Wars. Known for their bumbling demeanor, their attempts at intimidation are almost always played as a comedic bit.Their general ineffectiveness and ease of slaying make them oddly lovable.Immediately recognizable for their cute, arching heads and their signature call: “Roger, Roger!” Debuting in 1999’sThe Phantom Menace, a time whenStar Warswas leaning heavily into marketing for a new audience of children, the B1s were a fun, digestible way for some lightheartedness to make its way into the heroes' clashes against evil. After Episode I, these battle droids remained a mainstay of the rogues' gallery, recurring throughoutAttackof the Clones,Revenge of the Sith, and several instances ofStar Warsanimation. Last year,Collider’sKendall Myerscalled special attention to a group of B1s inThe Bad Batch, commending them for showing that “even battle droids can be heroes.”
Every ‘Skeleton Crew’ Episode 3 Easter Egg You Might’ve Missed
Droids, cameos, and clues abound in the latest from this Star Wars series.
However, for the overwhelming majority, they’ve always been nothing more thanpawns in someone else’s war. This loyal battle droid inSkeleton Crewsomehow survived the Clone Wars and the Fall of the Empire,only to end upin some dusty spaceport storage cellar. Even still, his first thought when brought to life again is — was my purpose fulfilled? Among heaps of junk and fellow discarded robots, he doesn’t think of himself, he thinks of the cause. “Did we win?” he asks. Perhaps his mind went immediately to images of his comrades falling beside him —lightsabers cutting through his friendslike butter. Before the B1 can learn their fate, Jod shuts him down again. It’s probably best that he never knows the truth.Our hearts wouldn’t handle witnessing the B1’s realization of defeat and failure, followed by a soft, somber utterance of two simple words: “Roger, Roger.”
New episodes ofStar Wars: Skeleton Crewpremiere every Tuesday on Disney+.
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.
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