Warning! This article contains spoilers for Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2.
Skeleton Crew‘s story is kickstarted due to the finding of a starship called the Onyx Cinder, a mysterious vehicle that may have a deeper past than first thought. The ending of Skeleton Crew episode 1 introduces the ship for the first time after it was found by Wim. Wim is arguably the lead of Skeleton Crew‘s cast of characters: a young boy from the planet of At Attin who dreams about helping people as the knights of the Jedi Order once did.
After taking a shortcut through the woods to get to school on time, Wim finds what could soon become one of Star Wars’ best spaceships. Initially, Wim and his friends – Neel, Fern, and KB – think the spaceship is a buried Jedi Temple. However, after uncovering a derelict Star Wars droid, restoring power, and letting curiosity get the best of him, Wim accidentally sends the “Jedi Temple” blasting off into space, revealing it as the Onyx Cinder. This begins Skeleton Crew‘s entire story, with the starship potentially having more history than it lets on.
The Onyx Cinder Is A Mysterious Pirate Starship
The Ship Was Used For Illicit Methods Before Being Stranded
Concerning the more basic, surface-level elements of the Onyx Cinder, it is not entirely clear what type of ship it is after Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2. Unlike Din Djarin’s ship, the Razor Crest, the Onyx Cinder does not have a designation. This, combined with the knowledge that it used to belong to pirates thanks to the droid SM-33, means it can be assumed that the Onyx Cinder is a mishmash of different types of ships. It was likely hobbled together by its previous owners, using any parts and elements they could scavenge from the victims of their piracy careers.
Related
The 10 Coolest Ships In Star Wars, Ranked Worst To Best
Star Wars has been driven to create cool ships ever since the Tantive IV fled from Vader’s Star Destroyer, but some ships stand out as the coolest.
Regarding its design, the Onyx Cinder is medium-sized, likely about the same dimensions as the aforementioned Razor Crest from The Mandalorian. It has a black hull that is decorated with multiple white stripes. As evidenced in Skeleton Crew episode 1’s ending, the Onyx Cinder possesses a hyperdrive and has six engines, three on either side of the vehicle with two at the front and four at the rear. The engines can rotate to make landing easier, with two turrets atop the hull allowing for space warfare.
The Onyx Cinder Has Likely Been Lost For 200 Years
At Attin’s Mysterious Past Hints At The Onyx Cinder’s Timeline
Despite being found in Star Wars’ New Republic timeline in Skeleton Crew, there are hints that the Onyx Cinder was first lost centuries before this. Firstly, it is worth exploring the planet on which it was found – At Attin – in order to explain this assumption. Initially, At Attin was presented as a fairly inconsequential planet in the Star Wars galaxy on which its inhabitants live their everyday lives. That said, Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2 hinted that the planet is more than meets the eye.
When trying to find help on the spaceport of Port Borgo, Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB are met with laughter and disbelief upon telling people they are from At Attin. The pirates, and another person who tries to help Fern and KB, refer to At Attin as the lost planet of eternal treasure, stating that no one knows if it even exists. This links to SM-33 stating that At Attin is not in his memory banks, despite the droid and his ship being found on the planet. Then, there is the potential Easter egg referencing Star Wars’ High Republic era.
Related
Star Wars: Every Major Event Of The High Republic Era
The High Republic Era is full of significant events, both for the Jedi Order and the Republic it sought to protect long before the prequels.
Fern’s mother in Skeleton Crew, Fara, mentions that the children of At Attin need to do well at school and pick a good career to contribute to the planet’s Great Work. What this phrase pertains to remains to be seen, but it is very similar to an element from the aforementioned High Republic timeline. In the many High Republic books, set centuries before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Chancellor Lina Soh wants to build “Great Works” to help the galaxy.
It may be the case that the Onyx Cinder was a ship during the High Republic era and got stranded on At Attin…
The fact that At Attin is hidden from the rest of the galaxy and potentially links to the High Republic could reveal when the Onyx Cinder was lost. It may be the case that the Onyx Cinder was a ship during the High Republic era and got stranded on At Attin. In the centuries it has been lost, At Attin could have faded from the memory of the wider galaxy – potentially being purposefully hidden if it connects to the High Republic – making the ship one that is strangely out of time.
Is The Onyx Cinder A Nihil Ship?
If the Onyx Cinder is from the High Republic era, it is highly likely it once belonged to a group of Star Wars villains named the Nihil. In the High Republic books, the absence of the Sith meant that the biggest threat to the Jedi was a group of pirates called the Nihil, which threatened Lina Soh’s Great Works. Given the confirmation of the ship from Skeleton Crew as a pirate vessel and the links between At Attin and the High Republic era, the Onyx Cinder may have been one from the Nihil horde.
This would be significant as it would mean the ship has a Path drive. In the High Republic, the Nihil used Path drives to manipulate hyperspeed travel and avoid hyperspace lanes. This could be very useful to several people in Star Wars‘ New Republic era, as well as explain how the Onyx Cinder ended up on the seemingly hidden planet of At Attin. Overall, the Onyx Cinder from Skeleton Crew has a great number of mysteries that are sure to be answered as the show continues.
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.
- Writers
- Jon Watts , Christopher Ford
- Directors
- Jon Watts , Daniel Kwan , David Lowery , Daniel Scheinert , Jake Schreier
- Showrunner
- Jon Watts , Christopher Ford