This article contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" episode 7, "We're going to be in so much trouble."

The mystery of Aten was at the center of Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew from the start, putting a fun twist on the classic treasure island/planet by having the main characters all be from the hidden world. Instead of finding it the first time, they have to find their way back. As Season 1 continues, more and more interesting tidbits about the Republic's secret planet have been leaked. Athens is worthwhile as it houses one of the last functioning mints of the Old Republic, but there seems to be more going on than money.

Aten has been cut off from the rest of the galaxy for many years - long before the rise of the Empire. And yet, when Jodh Na Navud (Jude Law) lands on the planet in Onyx Cinder in episode 7, "We're Gonna Be in So Much Trouble," he's quickly greeted as an emissary of the Republic and taken to the vaults. This is because the ship is immediately recognized as one of its own forges, and the droids of Atin react as if this were a completely normal occurrence. If the Republic does not work for years, then who comes to collect the money? Maybe this is the first shipment in decades and the droids just don't think it's weird. Or, maybe someone has been taking money from the planet all along and just says it's for the Republic.

The most likely culprit in such a scheme? Agents of the First Order from the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Here's what you can do indeed takes place in Athens.

Skeleton Crew takes place at the same time as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka in the the new Star Wars timeline.. The New Republic is still growing, and the First Order is years away from becoming a true galactic threat, but we know Palpatine's shadow faction is building strength in secret, amassing fleets and military forces. In The Force Awakens, we learn that the First Order has bolstered its ranks by kidnapping children from the outer reaches of the galaxy, and has looted many resources in the same way. But in "The Last Jedi" we also see the corporate infrastructure that builds and sells First Order ships and weapons.

That money has to come from somewhere. While the former emperors who founded the First Order could probably take a lot of loot with them when the Empire fell, the scale of the First Order would require more investment. Since Palpatine knew all about Aten during his time as chancellor, he could easily continue the deception once he became emperor. He was even able to maintain an off-world shipment pattern while living in exile in the Unknown Regions. After all, no one in the New Republic would know about Aten, so it would be pretty easy for Palpatine to continue using the mint to fund the First Order and his other dark projects.

While the mint itself — positioned deep in Athens in the another possible Treasure Planet homage. - is very mysterious in itself, there could still be more going on. The Skeleton Crew only has one episode left to wrap things up, but we still haven't met the oft-mentioned Supervisor. In their message to the children, the parents also mention that they would learn about Aten's true nature when they grow up, although they do not explain what that nature is. They only talk about mint? Its status as a secret planet? Or something else?

In other words, it is still unclear how much all the adults know and how much only the Supervisor knows. Some early fan theories speculated that Et Atin was involved in a project to clone Palpatine's dark forces, though that seems a bit on the nose for a show that really tried to distance itself from the main Star Wars storylines. However, there is potential there.

As big as the mint is, it probably doesn't take an entire planet to print money, especially considering how automated it seems to be. There is also no economy to follow, as the Old Republic that founded Athens no longer exists. Well, what are all those analysts like? indeed are you doing Maybe Jodh bringing a lightsaber to the planet will get some things moving. At the very least, he'll have trouble getting back off-world with it in tow.

The Season 1 finale of Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew will air on January 14, 2025 at 6pm PST on Disney+.