As the quietest member of Star Wars' Skeleton Crew series, KB's character left Season 1 with several remaining questions about her cybernetic prosthetics.
Skeleton Crew, Disney+'s latest Star Wars series, was a hit among fans, despite lower viewership ratings compared to past shows.
As the overall cast was on the bright spots of the series, look no further than Kyriana Kratter, who put on a layered and wonderful performance on the part-kid, part-droid, KB.
KB's Cybernetics in Episode 6 Explained
In Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 6, "Zero Friends Again," KB's cybernetics take center stage as she reveals her struggles following an unspecified accident.
Her cybernetic prosthetics, referred to as "augs," begin to fail due to corrosion caused by prolonged exposure to Lanupa's harsh environment. This breakdown leaves her unable to move, forcing her to rely on Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) to perform makeshift repairs using salvaged droid parts.
While guiding him through the process, KB opens up about the challenges of feeling different and how Fern's (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) leadership often overlooks her limitations.
KB's vulnerability highlights her inner conflict: she has silently endured her struggles to avoid alienating her only friend, Fern. However, Wim's kindness and reassurance that she doesn’t have to bear this alone provide her with a newfound sense of belonging.
This moment strengthens KB's bond with Wim and the group but also raises several questions about her cybernetic origins within the confirmed New Republic timeline.
KB's Cyborg Origins Addressed by Actress
Kyriana Kratter revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that the specifics of KB's Skeleton Crew accident remain undefined within the show.
Her alternative? Create KB's backstory in her head, even though "nothing is official yet:"
"I created my own backstory so that everything was clear when I was acting. That prompted everything I did, but nothing is official yet. So I just used what I wrote for myself, and I made it broad just in case."
The ambiguity allowed her to shape KB's emotional journey, portraying her as "a real girl" despite her robotic augmentations. "As the episodes go on, she gets a little less robotic because she's learning from these experiences," Kratter explained, noting that KB's character arc in Episode 6 was particularly significant.
Kratter emphasized the emotional depth behind KB's struggles, with "part of her brain as a machine," the young actress explained that "it makes it a little bit harder to make friends:"
"Part of her brain is a machine, and that’s helpful in some ways. She's really good at analyzing things and recording things, but it makes it a little bit harder to make friends."
One aspect of KB's appearance is her memorable visor, where she can "hide," a subtle yet powerful metaphor for coping mechanisms in the face of adversity:
"The visor helps her see better and scan things, but sometimes, she uses it to hide when she's scared."
Through KB's character, Skeleton Crew breaks new ground, offering an authentic representation of disability in a franchise that has long leaned on technological fixes to portray physical limitations.
Interested in learning more about Kyriana Kratter? Find out five facts you probably didn't know about the 14-year-old actress.
Skeleton Crew is now streaming on Disney+.
