One incredible Easter egg inStar Wars: Skeleton Crewhas made the original Millennium Falcon design canon at last. Famed as the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy,” theMillennium Falconoriginally had a very different shape. It was long and slim, visibly cumbersome, explaining why Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were unimpressed at first glimpse. In fact,it was a little too similar to the Eagles from Gerry Anderson’sSpace 1999- which was why George Lucas decided it needed redesigning when he saw those ships. He wanted the Falcon - originally simply called “The Pirate Ship” - to be unique.
Incredibly,The Spaceshipper- a tremendous Twitter account dedicated to spaceships in science-fiction - has spotted thatStar Wars: Skeleton Crewhas made the original Millennium Falcon canon at last.
Skeleton Crewepisode 2 saw the kids transported toPort Borgo, a shadowport frequented by pirates near to the busy hyperspace lanes of the Hydian Way. It’s easy to miss, but one of the ships in the background is none other than the original Millennium Falcon, George Lucas' first “Pirate Ship.”
What The Pirate Ship’s Addition Means For Star Wars
The perfect chance to debut the original Millennium Falcon
The original Millennium Falcon was so very different, and only a couple of design elements are recognizable - notably the cockpit and the radar dish. Based on a 1975 model by Colin Cantwell, and designed according to specifications by George Lucas, it completely lacks the distinctive saucer shape of the Falcon; the ship was further refined by Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston, but initially followed Cantwell’s idea. In November 1975, though, Lucas stumbled uponSpace 1999’s Eagles, and he decided he had to make a major course-correction to ensure the Falcon remained unique.
The Pirate Ship wasn’t wasted. It couldn’t be; nearly a third ofStar Wars' models budget had been spent on it. Instead, the cockpit and radar dish were repurposed into the Falcon, while the body became the basis for the Tantive IV. Now, though,the Pirate Ship’s own shape has slipped into canon in this delightful Easter egg, bringingStar Warsfull circle. The setting - the ship is found at a pirate base - is a perfect nod to the ship’s original name.
Our Take On Skeleton Crew’s Millennium Falcon Easter Egg
This is how Easter eggs should be done
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis packed with Easter eggs, but it does them so much better than manyStar Warsshows; they’re subtle and non-intrusive, done in such a way that they add depth and detail for attentive viewers but don’t detract from the story in any way. Port Borgo is itself a 30-year-old reference to theStar WarsExpanded Universe, but viewers who don’t know that miss nothing from the story. In a franchise as lore-heavy asStar Wars,Skeleton Crewremains delightfully accessible, even though so many things can be found in the details.
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.
