Spoilers for episode 3 of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” to follow.

A galaxy far, far away introduced a whole new collection of characters with “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew”, one of which just debuted at the end of the second episode that aired last week. Donning the classic outfit of a Jedi but feeling like anything is Jude Law as the mysterious Jod Na Nawood, who also goes by the name Crimson Jack.

Landing somewhere in hyperspace between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Captain Jack Sparrow, Jod clearly has more to offer than meets the eye, especially if the events of the series – coupled with toy packaging descriptions “Skeleton Crew” in the real world – have something to do. pass. First, there’s the fact that Jod/Jack apparently used the Force to get him and his new teammates out of the slammer and out of danger. Then there is the Hasbro Impulse listing for the 3.75-inch Jod Na Nawood figure and the implications of his attire (or lack thereof).

So who is this guy and what kind of trouble could he cause our heroes? Well, for that we have to dig deeper into the weeds at Dagobah and discuss a “Star Wars” character who was once canon, stopped being canon and might just be canon again. Somehow.

Crimson Jack’s name has been circulating the galaxy since “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” first hit theaters in 1977. Appearing in the “Star Wars” comic book series published by Marvel and written by Roy Thomas. and Howard Chaykin, Jack was a longtime rival of our favorite scruffy Nerf Shepherd, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and even stole the reward that the Smuggler and Chewbacca won after the Battle of Yavin. From there, Jack sent Han on his way and the rival pirate took off in his boringly cool vehicle: his own personal Star Destroyer.

Cool ride or not, Jack and his adventures were erased from “Star Wars” continuity after the Expanded Universe was no longer considered canon and renamed Star Wars Legends. That was until 2022, when in Ethan Sacks and Will Sliney’s “Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy,” Jack returned once again as a pirate captain, setting his sights on the eponymous ship, the Halcyon. However, the previous two versions of Jack more closely resemble Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) from “Game of Thrones” than Mr. Napkin Head from “The Holiday” (aka Law). To make matters even more complicated, Jack was reintroduced into canon in a story that saw him fulfill a mission for the First Order, who wouldn’t come to power until years later. the events of “Skeleton Crew” on the “Star Wars” timeline. So what does this mean for Law’s “Jack,” and was the character inspired by a famous classic literary figure?

Aside from sharing the name with the already established Crimson Jack, Law’s devious alien feels like a space-verse to Long John Silver from “Treasure Island” (or “Treasure Planet” if you know your Disney). So it’s fitting that, as revealed during his mission to rescue SM-33 (Nick Frost), his former teammates call him Captain Silver, just like the character in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure tale .

Jod/Jack already seduces some members of the Skeleton Crew in the series, just as Long John Silver did with cabin boy Jim Hawkins, although that doesn’t mean he can be trusted. It’s highly likely that this is all a ruse and that Jod/Jack is simply someone who can tap into the Force rather than a full-fledged Jedi (much like the broomstick boy in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi”). The only difference is that this offender is using the Force to his advantage, which could pay off given where Crimson Jack ends up in “Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy.”

Then again, it’s possible that this is a completely different Jack and that Jod really is a Jedi. If so, he would be just one of the survivors of Order 66 who took on a new name and turned to a life of crime after the Galactic Empire took over the galaxy. (Characters with different identities, like Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi, are certainly a well-established “Star Wars” trope.) For now, we’ll have to wait and see what’s in store for the series’ heroes.

New episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” air every Tuesday at 6 p.m. PST on Disney+.