This article contains spoilers for “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” episode 7, “We’re Gonna Be in So Much Trouble.”
Sometimes, a mystery is a mystery. In other cases, it’s just mundane information that hasn’t been relayed yet. In “We’re Gonna Be in So Much Trouble,” the Amblin-inspired “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” finally reveals that its two biggest secrets — the Onyx Cinder spaceship and the hidden planet At Attin — belong in the latter category.
After they find the Onyx Cinder and accidentally leave their home planet for a big space adventure, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) discover that the rest of the galaxy considers At Attin little more than a myth. Even in the scenes that take place on the seemingly idyllic planet, it has heavy “Severance” undertones, with people working mysterious tasks under heavy security in a project known as the Great Work. In fact, before “Skeleton Crew” episode 7, all we knew for sure is that At Attin has an Old Republic mint.
“We’re Gonna Be in So Much Trouble” finally reveals why At Attin seems to have so many secrets: Every major character on the show simply happens to be either an outsider who knows precious little about the planet to start with or an underage At Attin native who hasn’t been told about the planet’s true nature. When Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) lands the Onyx Cinder and the kids meet their parents, the adults almost casually state that At Attin’s residents are informed of the planet’s peculiarities after they graduate. All adult natives are fully aware of the planet’s nature as a mint (and possibly a gold reserve), and that its location is simply protected in order to deter thieves like, well, Jod.
Like At Attin, the Onyx Cinder gets a simple explanation
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” episode 7 doesn’t just reveal that At Attin is less of an enigma and more of a well-protected branch of the “Star Wars” equivalent of the Department of Treasury. It also explains why the Onyx Cinder seems so instrumental. The show’s central spaceship, which the kids find in “Skeleton Crew” episode 1, titled “This Could Be a Real Adventure,” is known to many lowlifes as a legendary vessel. Famous “Star Wars” pirate Tak Rennod used to own it, and it’s fully able to survive At Attin’s defense mechanisms. Episode 6, “Zero Friends Again,” even reveals that the ship has the unique ability to shed its armor in order to escape a sticky situation.
In episode 7, we discover that the Onyx Cinder is legendary only in the same sense At Attin itself is. The ship is actually from At Attin, and has simply been retrofitted with armor to survive the pirate life. This explains virtually all of the aforementioned special properties, from the removable armor to its presence on the planet at the beginning of the show and its ability to exit and enter At Attin.
Just like that, “We’re Gonna Be in So Much Trouble” gives perfectly reasonable and borderline boring explanations to the greatest mysteries it has dangled in front of the viewer. Fortunately, there are still possibilities for a few more surprises, from Jod’s true identity to the lingering mysteries of At Attin’s Supervisor (voiced by Stephen Fry) and the legendary pirate Tak Rennod. Maybe these secrets, too, will get surprisingly simple explanations in season 1’s final episode on January 14, 2025 … or perhaps “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is merely saving its greatest jaw-droppers for the grand finale.
