Jude Law gives the most intriguing response when asked whether hisStar Wars: Skeleton Crewcharacter, Jod Na Nawood, is actually a secretSith Lord. It seems to be becoming a tradition for Jude Law to be playing a secret character whenever he joins a major franchise; he played the villainous Yon-Rogg inCaptain Marvel, but Marvel Studios tried to pretend he was actually the heroic Mar-Vell. Now, speculation is building that hisSkeleton Crewcharacter - officially called “Jod Na Nawood” - is also a misdirect.
Inverse’s Dais Johnston got the opportunity to speak to Law in a recent interview, andopenly asked him whether his character was actually a secret Sith. As evidence, he pointed to a shot showing Law looking at - and apparently translating - ur-Kittât, the ancient language adopted by the Sith. “I’m going to have to do a duck and dive and dodge and weave,” Law replied. “He is many things to many people. I’ll say that he’s a survivor, and it’s complicated.” When pointed to the Sith runes, he simply answered coyly, “Someone knows their stuff.”
What Jude Law’s Secretly Being A Sith Would Mean For Star Wars
How would this fit with Palpatine?
Inverseis right that the runes Law is studying in this image do indeed appear to be an early form of ur-Kittât, perhaps hintingSkeleton Crewreveals secrets of the Sith. But it’s important to note that this seems to link to recent retcons fromAhsoka, where we learned this so-called “Old Tongue” predated both the Jedi and the Sith. It was originally the language of an ancient intergalactic empire rled by the Zeffo, and similar runes can be found on Peridea.There may well be something even deeper going on here, revealing more about (inter)galactic history.
The prospect of a secret Sith inThe Mandalorianera is an exciting idea. As far as we know, this is a point in time when the Sith proper should really be extinct;The Mandalorianseason 3 teased that the revived Project Necromancer still hadn’t succeeded in resurrecting Palpatine. But it’s important to remember that the Emperor never really paid much stock by theSith Rule of Two; he’s known to have been grooming Count Dooku even back when Darth Maul was still his apprentice. Palpatine was disappointed when Darth Vader was injured on Mustafar, and he definitely sought replacements.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerrevealed the Emperor had an entire cult dedicated to his worship, the Sith Eternal, and tie-in comics have confirmed some of these were Force-sensitives - with hints many of them even dreamed of replacing Darth Vader. Could Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood actually be a member of this group, devoted to Palpatine, and actually seeking some lost secret of the Sith that he believes can help him resurrect the Emperor? That would makeStar Wars: Skeleton Crewa crucial part of this ongoing narrative.
If Jude Law is indeed a Sith, though, then it’s fascinating to consider how he’d fit in the ongoing story currently being told inThe Mandalorianera. ExplainingSkeleton Crew’s place in theStar Warstimeline, creators Jon Watts and Chris Ford simply explained this was the perfect setting - because it was a time when a group of kids could get in trouble without an organized New Republic or legions of Jedi Knights on standby to help them out. If Law is a Sith, though, this would have to be a misdirect (which shouldn’t be ruled out).
Our Take On The “Jude Law Is A Sith” Theory
Is this theory a likely one - or is something else going on?
While this particularSkeleton Crewtheory can’t be ruled out until we’ve seen the episodes, it seems a little unlikely; marketing for the show seems to be on the down-low, anda new Sith Lord would surely be hyped quite a lot. We recently saw just how big a deal the Sith can be for a show whenThe Acolyteintroduced a mystery Sith Lordcalled the Stranger, and Lucasfilm would surely push another new Sith even more. So I’m not persuaded Law is indeed a Sith.
That said, even I have to confess that - sometimes - Lucasfilm choose to avoid being obvious.The Mandalorianpremiere shocked viewers five years ago when it introduced Grogu (immediately dubbed Baby Yoda by the internet). Disney missed out on literally millions in terms of merchandising opportunities, but that was frankly the right call, because I’m convinced the sense of surprise meant Grogu became even more popular than he would have been otherwise. Could Lucasfilm be planning to try doing the same kind of trick here?
To me, though, the real question here is a deeper one:what do the runes signify?TheStar Wars: Skeleton Crewtrailers clearly show a treasure hunt of some kind, and some have suggested this treasure is linked to a legendaryStar Warspirate calledXim the Despot. In Legends, Xim predated the Old Republic - so a pirate hoard associated with him could indeed be old enough to have directions written in the Old Tongue. That possibility is just as thrilling as the idea Law is a secret Sith.
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.
