Lucasfilm
Be warned, Spoilers are ahead for “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” episode 3.
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” has expanded the Star Wars universe by introducing a host of new characters. One character in particular, who entered the scene in the last moments of the second episode, has garnered attention. Jude Law takes on the role of the enigmatic Jod Na Nawood, also known as Crimson Jack, who sports traditional Jedi robes but doesn’t quite fit the mold.
Jod Na Nawood seems to occupy a space somewhere between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Captain Jack Sparrow. His character is more complex than initially meets the eye, with the events in the show and the “Skeleton Crew” toy packaging descriptions hinting at deeper layers. Jod/Jack appears to have used the Force to escape imprisonment and evade danger with his new crewmates. The Hasbro Pulse’s listing for the Jod Na Nawood 3.75-inch action figure also suggests more about his character through his costume (or lack thereof).
Who exactly is this new character and what could he mean for our heroes? To answer that, we need to delve into the complex lore of Star Wars and examine a character who was once canon, then wasn’t, and might be again.
Crimson Jack? Now, that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. A long time.
Marvel Comics
The name Crimson Jack has been part of the Star Wars universe since “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope” debuted in 1977. Crimson Jack first appeared in the Marvel-published “Star Wars” comic book series, penned by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin. Jack is a rival of everyone’s favorite scruffy-looking nerf herder, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and he even swiped the reward Han and Chewbacca earned after the Battle of Yavin. Jack took the reward, left Han high and dry, and blasted off in his very own Star Destroyer.
Despite his cool ride and intriguing adventures, Jack fell out of Star Wars continuity when the Expanded Universe was declared non-canon and rebranded as Star Wars Legends. This changed in 2022, when Ethan Sacks and Will Sliney’s “Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy” brought Jack back as a pirate captain with his sights set on the Halcyon. However, there’s a discrepancy: Jack’s previous depictions resemble Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) from “Game of Thrones” more than Jude Law. Furthermore, Jack’s reinstatement into the canon involves a mission for the First Order, who don’t rise to power until years after “Skeleton Crew” on the Star Wars timeline. So, what does this mean for Law’s character, and could this character be inspired by a classic literary figure?
Jod Na Nawood has a familiar streak of Silver
Matt Kennedy/Lucasfilm
Beyond the shared name with the established Crimson Jack, Law’s character bears a striking resemblance to Long John Silver from “Treasure Island”, or “Treasure Planet” if you’re a Disney fan. This is further emphasized when his former crewmates address him as Captain Silver during his rescue mission for SM-33 (Nick Frost), mirroring Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure tale.
Jod/Jack is already making an impression on certain members of the Skeleton Crew, much like Long John Silver did with cabin boy, Jim Hawkins. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean he’s trustworthy. He could simply be someone who can utilize the Force, rather than a fully-fledged Jedi (similar to the boy with the broom in Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi). The main difference is that Jod/Jack uses the Force for his own gain, which could prove beneficial considering Crimson Jack’s arc in “Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy.”
Alternatively, this could be an entirely different Jack, and Jod might actually be a Jedi. If this is the case, he would be one of the few survivors of Order 66 who adopted a new identity and turned to crime after the Galactic Empire took control of the galaxy. (The trope of characters adopting new identities, like Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi, is a common one in Star Wars.) For now, we can only wait and see how the story unfolds for our heroes.
Don’t miss out on new episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” every Tuesday at 6 pm PST on Disney+.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
