Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2.While the biggest mystery surrounding a character in Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis no doubt that of Jude Law's Jod Na Nawood, this could all be a ruse to hide the real mystery of the latest Star WarsTV show's secret villain. While Skeleton Crew's cast is mostly composed of its four young protagonists - Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB - there are still plenty of other new faces (and surprises, certainly) in store. This is particularly true of Law's Jod, who appears to be a Force user.
This mystery has been built up by Star Wars over the course of Skeleton Crew's marketing thus far, but the hype surrounding Jod's identity may actually be hiding another, and perhaps more consequential, reveal. Jod is not the only notable adult character who's been introduced in Skeleton Crew's two-episode premiere, as both Wim's father Wendle and Fern's mother Fara are also given their moments to shine. The latter character seems especially significant, given her higher-up role in At Attin's operations as the Undersecretary to the Supervisor - a title that's only been seen one other time in Star Wars.
Fern's Mother Has Interesting Ties To Another New Republic Era Villain
She's Not The Only "Fara"
The Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy by Alexander Freed introduces Fara Yadeez in the novel Shadow Fall, the aide of an Imperial Undersecretary on the planet Troithe. Yadeez remained loyal to the Galactic Empire even after its fall, assisting in an insurrection against the New Republic that gave her and other Imperial Remnant loyalists control over Troithe for a duration of time. Ultimately, Yadeez was arrested and charged by General Hera Syndulla and the New Republic, but her story served as a warning to the galaxy's fledgling government.
As pointed out by Star Wars Meg on Twitter/X in the above post, there are some truly uncanny parallels already between Fara Yadeez and Fern's mother, Fara. Both characters are the only ones to have connections to the title of "Undersecretary" in Star Wars, and both of them seem to be quite enamored with power - and the fact that there aren't many places for others at the top of the social, and political, ladder. There's still much that's left to be seen with Fern's mother, but these connections are already quite jarring, especially given Skeleton Crew's similar timeline.
The New Republic Era's Biggest Villains Are Political Figures
Senators & Other Influential Politicians
It's also worth pointing out that in the New Republic era, it's quite common for the biggest villains to be political figures. This is particularly the case for issues that take place between the Empire's fall and the rise of the First Order, which is explored in depth in the novel Bloodline by Claudia Gray. These politicians and social figures are the reasons why the First Order was able to rise without anyone else truly being aware of what was happening; the politicians acted as the proper cover and quite literally funded this secretly-blossoming government.
Skeleton Crew has premiered on Disney+ with its first two episodes, featuring some very exciting and fun Easter eggs and Star Wars references.
This is even seen to a degree in The Mandalorian and its spin-offs, with Moff Gideon and some of the senators in Ahsoka. While Gideon is much more involved in terms of military force, having garnered an army of his own on Mandalore in secret, the senators in Ahsoka are a fantastic example of villains who enabled the First Order to rise over time - particularly Senator Xiono. There's no mysterious Sith villain at the forefront of these conflicts, or even wartime generals. These are simply figures of influence.
Could Fern's Mother Be The Live-Action Version Of Fara Yadeez?
An Undersecretary Seeking More
Image via Disney+
While there are still some very considerable differences between Fara in Skeleton Crew and Fara Yadeez in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy, most notably in their physical appearances and the circumstances of their homeworlds, it could still very much be the case that elements of Yadeez from the books are being borrowed for Fara in Skeleton Crew- somewhat similarly to Cobb Vanth's The Mandalorian adaptation from the Aftermath trilogy by Chuck Wendig. Fara in live-action could have the same dedication to the old Republic that Yadeez had to the Empire. Both are complicit in somewhat hiding their homeworlds for that cause.
It will be fascinating to see if these parallels between the Faras continue as Skeleton Crew goes on, and if there's more to Fern's mother than what meets the eye. It's worth noting, however, that Fara is played by Kerry Condon in Skeleton Crew, an Oscar-nominated actor who would no doubt be sought out for more than just the performance of a background character. So far, it seems as if the potential reveals of Fara's intentions in Skeleton Crew could ultimately eclipse whatever reveals await Law's Jod character, though this is left to be seen.
Skeleton Crew releases new episodes Tuesdays on Disney+.
Skeleton Crew Release Date Schedule
Episode
Director
Release Date
Episode 1
Jon Watts
December 2
Episode 2
David Lowery
December 2
Episode 3
David Lowery
December 10
Episode 4
The Daniels
December 17
Episode 5
Jake Schreier
December 24
Episode 6
Bryce Dallas Howard
December 31
Episode 7
Lee Isaac Chung
January 7
Episode 8
Jon Watts
January 14
Set in the Star Wars universe, Skeleton Crew follows four young adventurers as they become lost in the galaxy while searching for their home planet. The series chronicles their exploration and encounters with diverse worlds and characters, presenting themes of friendship, discovery, and the quest for belonging.
Character(s) Jod Na Nawood , Wim , Fern , KB , Neel , Wendle , Fara , SM-33
Release Date December 2, 2024
Seasons 1
Writers Jon Watts , Christopher Ford
Directors Jon Watts , Daniel Kwan , David Lowery , Daniel Scheinert , Jake Schreier
Image via Disney+ 
English (US) ·