This article contains spoilers for “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” episode 8, “The Real Good Guys.”
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is a show full of tantalizing mysteries, but one of them is above all others: What, exactly, is the deal with Jude Law’s complex character, Jod Na Nawood? Initially, this peculiar figure seems to be to pirates what Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is to smugglers — a charming rogue who may be a touch shady, but always comes through in the end. However, as the show progresses, the more benevolent aspects of the character turn out to be an act.
By “Skeleton Crew” episode 5, the aptly titled “You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates,” it’s clear that Jod is a criminal through and through, and has only been using Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) to gain access to At Attin’s riches. Still, the episode keeps some things about him in the dark ahead of the season finale. We still don’t know which — if any — of Jod’s many names is his real one, and it’s still unclear just how Force-sensitive he truly is.
While we never do find out Jod’s true name, “The Real Good Guys” does reveal just how strong the Force is with the pirate captain. The kids have been suspecting for some time that Jod’s comparatively minor displays of Force telekinesis are just a trick, but this very much isn’t the case. Not only is the man genuinely Force-sensitive, but he’s also powerful enough to pull several classic Jedi moves, from Force-pushing people to blocking multiple blaster shots with a lightsaber. Jod may not be a true Jedi, but when it comes to the Force, he’s very much the real deal.
Jod’s tragic backstory explains his Force skills … and his attitude
Apart from his Force sensitivity, Jod’s general tendency to prefer con man tactics over violence and his seemingly genuine desire to avoid hurting the kids finally get an explanation. As it turns out, Jod used to be a poor street kid who was taken in by a Jedi who herself was on the run after the heartbreaking Order 66, the Galactic Empire’s mandate to execute all members of the Jedi Order. Unfortunately, poor Jod’s makeshift Jedi training had barely begun when his newfound master was caught and killed in front of his eyes.
This is the incident that seems to have disillusioned and corrupted Jod, but thanks to his exposure to the Jedi teachings, he has retained more than his Force skills. Some of his morality still lingers and is evident in the way he categorically refuses to raise his hand against innocents. Even when he has Wim and Fern at gunpoint near the end of the episode, he chooses to drop his weapon instead of killing them and retrieving his lightsaber.
In the end, Jod turns out to be little more than a tragic and desperate man who’s been on the receiving end of so many hard knocks that he believes life has little else in store. In some other version of his story, he might have met some genuine friends along the way — his own Skeleton Crew, if you will — and turned out a far more heroic character. Perhaps, should “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” get a season 2, admitting defeat and reflecting on his actions will give us a Jod who’s ready to use his silver tongue and Force abilities for purposes that don’t involve stealing credits.
The first season of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.