The New Buffy Reboot Might Be Bad News for a Favorite Star Wars Show

Franchises handing the keys to the kingdom to kids is all the rage these days. Stranger Things starts with children at the center of the action, but the adults do a lot of the heavy lifting. However, as the season goes on, the young people become more and more important, even pulling off crazy schemes to fight back against terrifying threats. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is also looking to lean on a new generation, introducing heroes like Ms. Marvel and Wiccan, who are going to be around for the long haul. The latest franchise to try to appeal to a younger crowd is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is getting a reboot at Hulu.

The creatives behind the new series searched long and hard for a young person to appear alongside original series star Sarah Michelle Gellar, and they landed on Ryan Kiera Armstrong, an up-and-coming actress. Fighting side-by-side with Buffy will probably open a lot of doors for Armstrong, but it may also confirm that another one in a galaxy far, far away is closing.

Ryan Kiera Armstrong’s Claim to Fame Is a Star Wars Series

Before landing the role in Buffy, Armstrong appeared in American Horror Story and the 2022 adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter. Two years later, she made the jump to streaming shows, appearing in Disney’s Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, which focuses on a group of kids on the mysterious planet, At Attin. The children, including Armstrong’s Fern, want to learn more about the galaxy around them, so they head out into space. Unfortunately, they soon find themselves in the middle of a pirate conflict that threatens not only them but their families back home.

Skeleton Crew isn’t as highly regarded as Star Wars: Andor or even Star Wars: The Mandalorian, but it’s got a lot going for it. Jude Law delivers a great performance as the former Jedi Ja Na Nawood, while the kids help the show bring a Goonies-type vibe to the franchise. In a world full of generic streaming shows that rarely take chances, Skeleton Crew sticks out by traveling to a corner of the galaxy that’s mostly untouched by the Skywalker Saga. Despite all that, the show’s ending doesn’t exactly lend itself to a second season, and Armstrong’s new job may mean Lucasfilm doesn’t have any intention of returning to At Attin.

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew May End Up Just Like The Acolyte

Fern plays a major role in Skeleton Crew‘s finale, helping her friend, Wim, distract Nawood long enough to allow the New Republic to arrive on At Attin and deal with the pirate threat. She proves herself a brave and ambitious person, and once At Attin opens itself up to the rest of the galaxy, there’s no doubt that she will find herself in an important position somewhere. However, Armstrong’s availability isn’t what it once was because if Buffy lands a full-season order at Hulu, there will be little time for her to return for a second season of Skeleton Crew.

The more likely scenario is that Lucasfilm isn’t looking to continue the series and will either have the characters return in a future project that brings all of the Dave Filoni-produced shows together or forget about them entirely. If it ends up being the latter, Skeleton Crew will join The Acolyte in the club of Star Wars shows that only run one season and don’t get a second shot at making an impact. Ratings surely play a factor in that scenario, but it’s Lucasfilm’s job to make shows feel important, and when some are quick to get the ax, it’s unlikely that any future projects that don’t follow established characters or lore are going to catch the eyes of non-diehard Star Wars fans.

The original Buffy series didn’t even really hit its stride until the middle seasons. It had time to grow and learn from its mistakes, which rarely happens in the streaming era. But if Lucasfilm wants to hang on to its talent, it should take another look at how it handles its TV division.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming now on Disney+.

Are you disappointed that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew may not get a second season? Do you plan to watch Ryan Kiera Armstrong in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot? Let us know in the comments below!