The Galactic Starcruiser Hotel May Be Gone, But Star Wars’ Latest TV Show Just Gave It An Unbelievable Legacy

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew episode 3.There’s an important ode to the history of the Halcyon, the titular ship of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and it gives the Disney Parks resort an incredible legacy even after its closure. With Skeleton Crew‘s cast composed mostly of children, namely Wim, Fern, Neel, and KB, the latest Star Wars TV show allows its audience to embrace the whimsicality and childlike wonder of the galaxy. It shows audiences what it would be like to be thrust headfirst into a Star Wars adventure.

This was exactly the aim of the Galactic Starcruiser at the Walt Disney World Resort, which has since shut down permanently. I was a crew member there for eight months prior to its closure, and during that time, my goal was to help passengers create their own Star Wars adventure through entertainment, recreation, culinary experiences, and more. Skeleton Crew, however, has just connected itself to the Galactic Starcruiser in a way that goes far beyond create-your-own adventures, and it’s giving the Halcyon an unbelievable legacy.

The Halcyon Legacy Comics Made Crimson Jack Canon Again

He Originally Debuted In Comics From 1977

Prior to the opening of the Galactic Starcruiser, Star Wars created and released The Halcyon Legacy comics, a miniseries by Ethan Sacks that told stories of the ship’s past during a present-day narrative. This helped to connect the resort to deeper Star Wars lore. With the story of the Galactic Starcruiser taking place between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, those who read the comics were shocked to see Crimson Jack, a pirate scoundrel from the Star Wars Legends continuity, acting as the main antagonist in the comics.

Crimson Jack was first introduced in Marvel’s original Star Wars comics, which were released in 1977, as the pirate rival of Han Solo himself. In The Halcyon Legacy, Crimson Jack seeks a Resistance fugitive aboard the Halcyon, ultimately attacking the civilian vessel and even boarding it to get the fugitive on the First Order’s behalf. This was a story we, as crew members, continued to retell and circulate on the Galactic Starcruiser, as it took place a month before the Halcyon‘s 275th anniversary voyage – the story we lived each and every day.

Despite the fact that Crimson Jack wasn’t a character on the Galactic Starcruiser, rather remaining in the comics, he still had quite an influence on our story. The pirate attack he led on our vessel, and the Halcyon crew’s bravery in the face of it, is what helped to convince our captain, Captain Keevan, to keep us around for the esteemed 275th anniversary voyage. Crimson Jack also set the Halcyon under the First Order Lieutenant Harman Croy’s watchful eye, an investigation that served as the premise of the story our passengers would experience during their stay.

Skeleton Crew Has Just Brought Crimson Jack Into The Spotlight

Jude Law’s Character Uses Crimson Jack As An Alias

Now, well over a year after the Galactic Starcruiser‘s closure, Star Wars has brought Crimson Jack’s name back into the fold for only the second time in Star Wars canon. In Skeleton Crew, Jude Law’s character, Jod Na Nawood, is identified as Crimson Jack by his “friend” Kh’ymm and the New Republic rangers she’s called in for backup. While Star Wars is currently insisting that this is a mere alias Jod uses and that he may not actually be Crimson Jack, it’s still the first time his name’s been uttered on screen.

Given how rooted Skeleton Crew‘s story already is in the pirate world of the Star Wars galaxy, it’s not impossible to imagine that Law’s character really is Crimson Jack. This is also true when considering the history that name already seems to have not only with Kh’ymm’s character, but also with the New Republic itself. Of course, this is still left to be seen, as it could be that Crimson Jack is a famous alias for pirates in the galaxy. Either way, Crimson Jack is now a part of Star Wars on the screen, which is absolutely thrilling.

Star Wars Tied In The Halcyon’s History Before The Starcruiser Even Closed

Skeleton Crew’s Story Was Set In Stone Long Before The Closure

What’s perhaps most significant about this Crimson Jack tie-in is that it proves Star Wars brought the Halcyon‘s history into the fold prior to the Galactic Starcruiser‘s closure. Skeleton Crew was in production from around September 2022 to January 2023, which means it was written even further in advance. The Galactic Starcruiser, by comparison, opened on March 1, 2022, and closed on September 30, 2023. The announcement of the Starcruiser‘s permanent closure wasn’t even made until May 2023.

This means that there were plans to tie Skeleton Crew and the Halcyon together well before the Starcruiser even had plans to close down. It leaves me, and likely many others, to wonder how else Star Wars may have been planning to interweave the story of the Halcyon into bigger stories like Skeleton Crew‘s prior to the resort’s closure. Still, the closure doesn’t change the fact that the Halcyon and its history is now a crucial part of Star Wars canonic storytelling, with Crimson Jack currently acting as the biggest link.

The Galactic Starcruiser’s Story Will Always Live On

It’s Earned Itself A Place In Canon Forever

This is extremely encouraging as someone who played just a small smart in the greater legacy of the Galactic Starcruiser. In the year and few months since the Starcruiser‘s closure, a fear that my fellow crew members and I have all shared is that our story will be forgotten, and that people will only ever see it as a failure – despite the fact it was anything but that to those who experienced it. Now, however, Star Wars is proving its worth, and while the Starcruiser may still be gone, we now have this to remind us of our story.

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I Worked At The Galactic Starcruiser, & I Can Tell You What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About The “Star Wars Hotel”

After spending 8 incredible months working at the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, I can tell you what everyone’s getting wrong about this experience.

It’s certainly a small thing at this time, especially if Crimson Jack is nothing more than an alias that Jod is using, but there’s no such thing as a small tribute when it comes to the legacy of the Starcruiser – at least, not for us crew members. We’ll take whatever we can get, especially in a spotlight as significant and meaningful as a live-action Star Wars TV show. I’ll forever be grateful to Skeleton Crew for helping to give our ship an incredible legacy, keeping its story alive even in such a small way.

Skeleton Crew releases new episodes Tuesdays on Disney+.

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.

Release Date

December 2, 2024

Character(s)

Jod Na Nawood , Wim , Fern , KB , Neel , Wendle , Fara , SM-33

Seasons

1

Writers

Jon Watts , Christopher Ford

Directors

Jon Watts , Daniel Kwan , David Lowery , Daniel Scheinert , Jake Schreier

Showrunner

Jon Watts , Christopher Ford

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