Skeleton Crew Figure Talk:  Episodes 5 & 6

Since Banthaskull was a little slow over the holidays, here's a two-fer to catch up on our discussion of potential figure/toy candidates from Skeleton Crew Episode 5 and 6. As usual, this article won't really have plot spoilers, but the discussion is open. And as another disclaimer, I think most of us are fully aware that the current TVC climate doesn't really allow for many, if any, slots to be dedicated to Skeleton Crew in the near future, so this is really just intended to be a fun exercise.

Episode 5: You Have a Lot to Learn about Pirates

This episode starts on At Attin in the admin offices, where we see most of the parents as they make a clumsy attempt to crack the system and locate the kids. Probably still not a ton of interest in them as figures, but we do get another bit with one of the security droids, which would make a nice figure.

We then spend about 10 minutes on board the Onyx Cinder as it travels to their next location. Almost 14 minutes in, we are finally taken to Lanupa, which is home to a luxury spa on the site of an old pirate hideout. The Cinder is escorted, Cloud City style, by small security ships, who remind the crew that kids are not permitted on Lanupa. Jod leaves the ship to be greeted by the concierge and several security guards. The concierge isn't particularly remarkable as a figure, but the security guards seem very similar to Rebel Honor Guards from Yavin. The kids then disembark from the ship in disguises as “Bratric Elders”. They kind of look like Jawas with pirate hats.
Then we get one of the best figure candidates, a bounty hunter called Pokkit, that knows Jod (under another name) from a previous life. Pokkit has pale white skin, white eyes, and white/blonde hair, making for a rather interesting figure, somewhat akin to Assaj Ventress or Aura Sing - but with hair. Pokkit immediately calls in the bounty on Jod, and we see her speaking with a hologram of Brutus, which would be an opportunity for a cheap repaint if we had Brutus in the first place.

We then follow the heroes around the spa, and we see a Hutt enjoying the mud baths, as well as a tiny attendant of the troglof species, which was originally seen in Canto Bight from TLJ. It seems that Lanupa has several species/characters that are recycled from Canto Bight, which was probably more interesting than most fans give it credit for, as the film was so divisive and controversial. We see some other patrons, like Ithorians and Muun, which are familiar. Then we meet a huge tentacled being in the baths in the caves below. At first I thought this was a member of the Bor Gullet species, but apparently is distinct. His name turns out to be Cthallops, which I assume is a nod to Cthulu. This guy is pretty huge, looking like a walrus head with an octopus body (and a spa towel on his head.). He'd be sized something like a Rancor, I would think.

Brutus's crew arrives in their two ships, which I don't think I've mentioned as candidates yet. They don't quite fit the bill for desirability by my accounting yet. I'd still much rather see the pirate snub fighters from The Mandalorian first. We see most of the main pirates again, who we already seem to have a strong interest in having for TVC. The last new character we get to see is a broken and distorted hologram of a seated Captain Tak Rennod. Seems obvious his identity is set for a big reveal.

I don't believe there was much opportunity for any set pieces or environments that would make fun displays. The closest might be Rennod's room at the end, but probably not.

Pokkit might be only notable candidate from this episode as far as I can tell.

Episode 6: Zero Friends Again

We're on Lanupa again for this episode. That's two full episodes, which would seem notable, but overall, it's not particularly toyetic (at least not by today's standards). We do get to see a few more patrons and staff with some interesting designs. As with the previous episode, it seems at least one or two were seen in the casino at Canto Bight. One that caught my eye seemed similar to a weird design that stuck in my brain from TLJ, Gatha Elbaphay. It can be seen in background watching events unfold when Jod is captured by the pirates after he emerges with treasure from the "man hole" in the ground by the concierge. Both Jod and SM-33 are covered in gold chains, and both would make Mr. T proud. That could be a variant possibility, should we get SM-33 at some point. And we should.

The pirates have Jod, and Snobbius Snee (another alien design re-used from Canto Bight) announces to the pirates that Brutus will deliver his verdict on Jod. We again see Chaelt, human female at Brutus's side who seems to have a love of justice and calls for Jod to have his moment to speak. Jod takes the opportunity to appeal to several of the pirates, notably a Quarren male and then Koma, a human female who finishes Jod's At Attin shanty.

Meanwhile, the kids are separated from Jod and found themselves far down the spa's cliffs, and need to find their way back to the Onxy Cinder. Wim and KB decide to follow some tiny trash crabs, which are like hermit crabs that use junk for shells. They seem to be able to communicate very primitively by using the electronics of their junk to say simple words like "follow" or "home" or "Giants have the third pick." A few of these sprinkled in as accessories in some deluxe pack might work.

Eventually, the kids follow the trash crabs to their home, where they are confronted with Mama Crab, known as “Tet'niss”, because the practical model was covered with sharp rusty metal pieces and the crew said someone was going to get tetanus from touching it. Mama Crab is a giant, albeit slow moving, crab that seems to want to eat the kids for lunch.

Trying to avoid too many spoilers here, but it's hard without discussing the Onyx Cinder, so if you haven't seen the episode yet, stop reading.

Yada yada yada....the kids regroup and manage to get on board the Onyx Cinder, in which they find themselves stalled on a huge trash heap, which is about to be consumed by a giant mobile trash smashing/eating/recycling droid-vehicle thing. This might have made a fun toy back in the old Kenner days, but the real star here is the Onyx Cinder. The kids make a desparate move to get the ship out of the clutches of the recycler thing, and Fern decides to hit the button that SM-33 specifically told them to never touch. She does, and it ends up detonating the outer hull "skin", which turns out, serves as some kind of disguise for the ship. Fern is able to pull the Onyx Cinder away, as the ship "sheds" it's skin, revealing a sleek and expensive looking vessel, which they fly away from the spa and into the night sky. This just made the Onxy Cinder that much more awesome, and made Hasbro's mission, should they choose to accept it, of bringing the ship to TVC that much more complicated.

So, again, Onyx Cinder: Yes. With removable hull disguise: Yes. Mama Crab, probably not. Trash crabs, maybe as accessories in some kind of kid pack. Spa patrons/staff: interesting, but not as much as the pirates. Pirates: Yes, yes, and yes.

For these two episodes, aside from some interesting looking spa patrons, the most viable candidate for a TVC figure would be Pokkit, with mild honorable mention to the spa guards (double duty as Rebel Yavin Honor Guards), and the concierge herself. The pirate ships, Cthallops, and Mama Crab are afterthoughts, but would still make interesting toys.

Two more episodes left...

---

comments powered by Disqus