Episode four of Skeleton Crew has come and gone, and the Jon Watts-helmed coming-of-age miniseries seems destined to be one of the quieter entries in the Star Wars mythos. This likely has to do with an absence of tired fanbase uproar that has become so common in this era of the franchise, but I digress.
Those who do have Skeleton Crew on their radar have likely become familiar with one of the greatest Star Wars tales we’ve gotten in a hot minute. It may not have the genre charm of the original trilogy, the thematic/dramatic depth of Andor, nor the lucrative mix of the two that Revenge of the Sith had, but it has something even better; a creative heft that’s entirely its own.
Indeed, Skeleton Crew‘s Amblin-esque stylings and child ensemble are blossoming in a big way here, with the storyline exhibiting a tight grip on the adolescent capacity for intense wonder and terror, as well as the humanist wisdom that so many children play host to. And of our four plucky protagonists starring opposite Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood, none stand out quite like Neel.
Let’s not kid ourselves; the Skeleton Crew brain trust knew exactly what they were doing when they stuck that thoroughly adorable, elephant-esque alien head on the most innocent, kind-hearted member of the Onyx Cinder‘s unlikely new crew. This show absolutely, positively intends for you to fall in love with Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) specifically, but those big eyes and floppy ears are just one small part of that equation.
All four of the kids are out of their depth here, but Neel especially so. Fern has an aptitude for leadership, Wim has a gung-ho enthusiasm and an adventurous itch to scratch, and KB has an eye for observation and is intellectually gifted. Neel has none of these traits; he’s anxious, passive, and a bit clumsy. You’d be as likely to pick Neel for a space expedition as you would for dodgeball in gym class.
And Neel knows that. He never hides how afraid or insecure he is, and that, importantly, extends to all of his emotions and natural ways of being. He’s the first to show fear, but he’s also the first to show love. He may not be brave or articulate or handy, but he won’t hesitate to give up his daily ration for two starving children, or advocate for no fighting in a world that seems pathologically obsessed with it.
This speaks to the rarely-discussed nuances of Neel’s sheltered upbringing. We learn early on that he comes from a fairly well-to-do family in a household full of love that he shares with his mom, dad, and little siblings. By all observations, Neel’s life experience has been one of very little conflict and about as much need for adjustment, and Skeleton Crew has been playing with that background in a multi-pronged way that’s also central to the show’s emotional thesis.
For one thing, the peace and kindness that Neel embodies and advocates for is one that we would all do well to adopt, but his lack of confidence is entirely a product of the fact that he’s never had to worry about being heard at home. He’s not used to using his voice or standing up for himself because of how safe he usually feels, and so when a situation inevitably comes along that requires that of him, he winds up retreating out of fear.
In this way, Skeleton Crew calls attention to the universality of human pain, regardless of your background, while simultaneously advocating for meeting that pain with an equally rich love and vulnerability.
All of this, without downplaying the importance of feeling that pain and insecurity in the first place. In Neel, we come to understand that pain doesn’t make you strong because it toughens you up, but because it deepens your empathy and subsequent depth of your love. This latest episode has seen him overcome his fear in a big way, drawing the attention of a malfunctioning SM-33 when it threatens his friends. He ends up passing out after the encounter, sure, but we’re reminded that the best kindness is one that’s active rather than passive; this lesson is Neel’s arc, and a fantastic one for viewers of all ages to learn from.
Indeed, it’s true that anything can happen over the course of these next four episodes (the finale is due on Disney Plus on Jan. 14), but at this point, it’s hard to imagine a world where someone eclipses Neel as the greatest, most important component of Skeleton Crew.