Summary
TheStar Wars: Skeleton Crewfinale still left one unanswered question about Jude Law’s character, Jod Na Nawood. Now, an actor who was cut from the series has settled that mystery by sharing behind-the-scenes photos.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewraised many questions about Law’s Jod Na Nawood throughout its run. While it was evident that he was only helping Ravi Cabot-Conyers' Wim, Ryan Kiera Armstrong’s Fern, Kyriana Kratter’s KB, and Robert Timothy Smith’s Neel find their way back to their home planet At Attin so he could steal its potential riches, there was less certainly about his true identity and how he was able to use the Force. Was it a trick? Was he a former Jedi, or perhaps connected to the Sith? These mysteries prompted manyStar Wars: Skeleton Crewfan theories, and the finale confirmed he was found by a Jedi who briefly trained him until they were murdered when Order 66 was initiated. Some fans wonder if this Jedi is a character whom fans would know, but it turns out they are not.
On Instagram, actressYasmine Al Massrirevealed that she had been cast as the Jedi who trained Jod Na Nawood. Massri described the role as “the shortest acting job” she’d ever had but also the most meaningful. She recalled giving a speech after wrapping production in which she thanked theStar Wars: Skeleton Crewteam for creating the “first Arab female Jedi.” The flashback scene didn’t make the final cut, but Massri seemingly held no ill will despite her disappointment (she included the hashtag “gratitude” in the post’s caption). The post features 20 behind-the-scenes photos, with many showing Massri in Jedi robes and/or practicing her lightsaber skills.
While some fans may have wanted to see flashbacks to Jod Na Nawood’s boyhood and training as a Jedi,Star Wars: Skeleton Crewshowrunners Jon Watts and Christopher Ford gave a reasonable explanation for why they omitted any such sequences. During an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Watts and Ford indicated that they conceived of a “bottle” episode where viewers would see Jod’s childhood and what happened to him. However, they scrapped the idea because they wanted to focus on the four child protagonists. Ford said:
The challenge though was, as fascinating as Jod is, we always wanted to keep it from the kids' perspective. The kids are like, “I don’t understand this guy.” They’ve never been out in the galaxy and met someone as damaged as him. So I don’t think we could have done a flashback in this season.
Watts and Ford said they wanted to leave Jod’s backstory “open enough to get worked on and made better” and suggested it could be explored in a future season. Unfortunately,Star Wars: Skeleton Crewratingsfor the first two episodes set a record low for the franchise, meaning a second season for the series is unlikely unless those numbers for the remaining episodes improve. That doesn’t mean Jod Na Nawood’s backstory couldn’t be explored in a differentStar Warsproject. However, Lucasfilm may view low ratings as evidence that there isn’t much interest in revisiting theSkeleton Crewcharacters.
Still,Dave Filoni’sStar Warsmovie reportedly featuresSkeleton Crewcharacters, so it’s still possible for Law’s Jod Na Nawood and the four kid heroes to return. The fact that the show’s fate and the future of its characters are in question is unfortunate consideringStar Wars: Skeleton Crewhas been one of the most well-received entries in the franchise since Disney acquired it.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis available on Disney Plus.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.
