Summary
After 47 years, one of the alien races George Lucas cut out ofStar Warsis making its live-action return inSkeleton Crew. There are a few bigStar Warsreveals expected at D23 2024, the Disney fan convention. Those announcements could be about anything, fromupcomingStar WarsshowstonewStar Warsmovies, but one of the most likely projects that will be on display isSkeleton Crew. As the next live-actionStar Warsshow set to release, Lucasfilm has already begun sharing information aboutSkeleton Crew, including an obscure alien race the show will feature.
A post fromDrewDisneyDudeoffered a glimpse at theSkeleton Crewdisplay at D23, which includes a few models of the alien races that will be part of the upcoming show. Along with a Nikto, a Gran, and a droid, one of those models was a Shistavanen, aStar Warsspecies that bears a striking resemblance to werewolves.
Shistavanens have a surprisingly old yet surprisingly short history inStar Wars.The first Shistavanen character ever seen in the franchise made his debut in the originalStar Wars, later retitledA New Hope. He was one of the background aliens at Mos Eisley Cantina in the original theatrical release, but Lucas cut him out in the 1997 special edition. Since they were removed in the special edition, Shistavanens have only appeared inStar Warsthrough off-screen media like the High Republic novels and comics, andSkeleton Crewwill mark their first live-action appearance since 1977.
Where Does Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Fit Into The Timeline?
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is the next TV show to be released in the franchise, and its place in the Star Wars timeline is quite interesting.
Skeleton Crew Is The Perfect Project To Bring Shistavanens Back
Skeleton Crewis the perfect place for a Shistavanen character to make the species' live-action return for a number of reasons.The creators ofSkeleton Crew, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, have compared their series toThe Gooniesin the past, and a Shistavanen pirate is exactly the type of fantastical element an adventure movie like that needs. Watts and Ford have also promised thatSkeleton Crewwill have more than its fair share of Easter eggs and references to the past ofStar Wars, and a Shistavanen is already a wonderful deep cut.
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Dave Filoni also likely had a hand in the Shistavanen’s reappearance. He’s only working as an executive producer ofSkeleton Crew, but he still has a fairly large impact on allStar Warsprojects. Filoni also has a well-known love for reintroducing cut content, such as unused concept art, which he used to create the Lasat inStar WarsRebels.Filoni also seems to have an interest in wolves in general: he created the Loth-wolves inRebels, a clone trooper named Wolffe inThe Clone Wars, and the main antagonists ofAhsoka, Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, who were named after the wolves in Norse mythology.
The fact that there’s a Shistavanen pirate inSkeleton Crewis a fun reference, but it’s also a great sign for the show on its own. Shistavanens are, visually speaking at least, just werewolves. They seem fairly out of place in the sci-fi heavy storiesStar Warshas been telling for the last few years, which is an indication thatSkeleton Crewwon’t be taking itself too seriously. The Shistavanen inSkeleton Crewis proof that the show isn’t afraid to be whatever it wants to be, and that it will be very different from pastStar Warsstories.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Cast
Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children who become lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.
