A cargo-lifting arm, which is also known by other names such as cargo lift, cargo-loading claw arm, or simply a lift claw, was essentially a mechanical claw designed to lift and grasp heavy objects. This robust device, featuring several joints and adaptable grippers, provided a wide range of movement and could easily adjust to different shapes and sizes of cargo.
The Onyx Cinder, a starship formerly owned by the well-known pirate captain Tak Rennod, had such a cargo-lifting arm installed. This ship was abandoned on the remote planet At Attin and subsequently discovered by four younglings. These children accidentally activated the vessel and began a galactic adventure. This group, known as the Skeleton Crew, formed an alliance with the former Captain Jod Na Nawood and together they journeyed to the Observatory Moon seeking counsel from Kh'ymm, a friend of Jod's. Upon exiting the Onyx Cinder, one of the younglings, Wim, rode the cargo-lifting arm as it descended from the entry ramp, chattering to himself. Jod later discovered the boy playing and scolded him for misusing the arm.
The Skeleton Crew younglings made use of the cargo-lifting arm on one additional time, on Lanupa. Disguised as "most wise elders," they clung to the lift claw as it lowered, creating a dramatic entrance. After the children separated from Jod, their ship, the Onyx Cinder, was intercepted by a pirate crew who had been holding Jod captive. As pirate Captain Brutus ascended the entry ramp, the younglings seized him with the cargo lift, promising to release him only if their conditions were met. With Brutus trapped within the claw, Jod approached and fatally shot him dead, thereby assuming control of the pirate crew.
The live-action television series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew featured a cargo-lifting arm, with the mechanism being referred to by several different names. In the episode "Very Interesting, As an Astrogation Problem," the audio-description narrator identifies it as a cargo-lifting arm, yet Jod refers to it as a cargo lift only moments later. Additionally, the narrator uses the term cargo-loading claw arm in "You Have a Lot to Learn About Pirates" and lift claw in "We're Gonna Be In So Much Trouble".