Star Wars' Newest Young Hero Isn't Just Cuter Than Baby Yoda, He's Also Kinder

Star Wars newest alien boy in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Not only is it cuter than Baby Yoda – yes, that's true – but it's also exactly what the galaxy needs right now. Star Wars has always excelled at creating cute and alien creatures. Baby Yoda, aka Grogu, is probably the most famous example, especially because of his relationship with Mandalorian Din Djarin, but other little creatures like Porgs, Loth-cats, and Puffer Pigs are certainly in there too.

Now, however, Skeleton Crew brought us another adorable alien species to make us smile. While Neel may seem related to everyone's favorite organ player, Max Rebo, it has been confirmed that Neel is a completely different species, although we still don't know exactly what species it is. However, Neel is undeniably adorable and his personality matches his appearance perfectly. – even more so than Grogu.

Neel's compassion shows that he is what the galaxy truly needs

Where Grogu's cuteness hides a fiercely protective, mischievous, and sometimes even violent character – he's like the Baby Groot of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in that way – Neel's charming appearance is just a reflection of who he is on the inside. He is caring, kind, loyal, and most of all, compassionate, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Skeleton Crew episode 4, “Can’t Say I Remember Not in Attin.”

In the episode, the kids land on another secret planet, although this one is decidedly less pleasant than theirs. Finding themselves embroiled in a civil war, Neel's heart breaks at the violence around him and the suffering it is causing. When the civilian camp offers him food, he gives his portion free of charge to two hungry children. It's a rare act of compassion on this war-torn planet, and Neel's new friend Hayna is understandably surprised and moved by it.

The new Star Wars hero is everything I ever wanted

This isn't to say that anything is wrong with Grogu; quite the contrary, his true nature is entirely understandable, given everything he's been through. But considering his love of food, do you think Grogu would be willing to give up his portion so easily? Of course, there are many other compassionate and kind characters in the Star Wars universe. There are the Jedi, Rose Tico, Finn, Leia and many others. What makes Neel special compared to the others is the lack of a traumatic backstory.

As far as we know, Neel has not experienced any horrors that would make him more sympathetic to others. Nor is he being guided by a millennial ideology. Neel is compassionate because he is just like that. There is no reason, no reasoning. He saw that some children were hungry and decided that he didn't need food as much as they did. In a galaxy ravaged by war and darkness, this kind of innate kindness is extremely rare and has made Neel my favorite character in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

New episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres Tuesdays exclusively on Disney+.