Skeleton Crew Episode 5 Proves One Thing About Vacation Spots In Star Wars

Television Science Fiction Shows

This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew."

"Star Wars" is full of wonderfully alien locations. Whether it's the desolated desert of Tatooine, the vast forests of the moon of Endor, or the massive metropolis of Coruscant (a planet that's also one giant city), "Star Wars" can transport us to new lived-in worlds and make the galaxy far, far away feel fleshed out and expansive. 

Even as the Disney era of "Star Wars" stories have overused Tatooine to the point of absurdity, they have also introduced some fascinating new planets. Chief among them are the salt flats of Crait, the lavish beach planet Scarif, the opulent casinos of Canto Bight, the luxury beach resorts of Niamos — and now, in the latest episode of "Skeleton Crew," titled "You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates," the relaxing snowy resort of Lanupa.

Now, let's get something out of the way: "Star Wars" has always been political. From the very first movie about a rebellion waging a guerilla war against an evil empire, the franchise has never shied away from interjecting sociopolitical commentary into a fun space adventure for audiences of all ages. 

Indeed, "Skeleton Crew," though very much the opposite of "Andor" in terms of the shows' tones, nevertheless offers some commentary with intriguing implications for the politics of its universe. From further focusing on the failures of the New Republic to properly restore order following the fall of the Empire, to the discovery that the treasure of At Attin is an Old Republic mint that's most likely part of a massive money laundering scheme with the Banking Clan, the show very much engages in questions about the politics of "Star Wars."

"You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates" sees the titular crew arrive at what they thought was the dangerous hidden lair of a bloodthirsty, legendary pirate, but is instead a grandiose snow mountain resort planet called Lanupa that prides itself on its spectacular spas and mud baths. It's also, most importantly, home to a whole lot of nasty "Indiana Jones"-style booby traps beneath the surface of its fantastic spa, making it yet another addition to a recent "Star Wars" trend that seems intent on convincing audiences that taking a vacation is simply a very bad idea.

Vacations are bad news in Star Wars

Vacation planets have a very bad reputation in "Star Wars." When we first see the planet Canto Bight in "The Last Jedi," it's an elegant casino, of course, but it's also home to what's clearly work abuse involving child laborers being forced to handle the stables. When Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) tried to have a little getaway on Niamos — a spot better known as "space Miami" — in "Andor" season 1, it similarly ended with him getting sent to a horrible and sadistic prison.

Even if technically it was the kids themselves who were to blame for their misfortunes on Lanupa (as they started causing trouble trying to find the secret entrance to a pirate's lair after Jude Law's Jod had already blown his cover), this new episode of "Skeleton Crew" likewise seems to argue that vacation planets are bad news. Unlike Niamos, which appeared to be a pleasant enough place except for the oppression of the Empire, everything about Lanupa feels super sketchy. It may be a neutral place, but it's still unsavory — a location that keeps assuring its new guests it's a "neutral" zone, even as shady members of the Banking Clan and the Hutt Cartel can be spotted taking mud baths together. As "Star Wars" has taught us time and time over, you should always be wary of money-hungry companies claiming to be "neutral."

New episodes of "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" drop Tuesdays at 6 pm PST on Disney+.