When we first sat down to watch Andor, we were skeptical. The Star Wars universe has been watered down as of late by Disney’s assembly line of turn-your-brain-off content and we were unsure if Star Wars would ever recover. When Disney announced that they would be creating a show centering around one Cassian Andor, we said, “Who?”
But, after watching the complete show, we are delighted to say that “Andor” is a must-see and one of Star Wars’ best.
The aforementioned “Who?” and the show’s namesake is Cassian Andor — played by Diego Luna — a Rebellion fighter who features heavily as a protagonist in the original Star Wars spin-off film “Rogue One.” The show follows his origin as an orphaned scavenger and smuggler to being drafted into the growing Rebellion movement.
The tone of the second season, which aired its finale on May 13, continues in the footsteps of “Rogue One.” It zooms out from well-known characters and focuses on telling the story of The Rebellion taking on the might of an intergalactic regime through the eyes of a select few who lived and died as members of the cause. It flows so well that, if you watch the film right after the final episode of season two, Cassian’s theatrical introduction and the general position of The Rebellion just click right into place.
The show boasts an incredibly talented and diverse supporting cast (including the aliens) of Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O’Reily and more.
Gough, one of the main antagonists of the show, playing an Imperial Security Bureau agent — the Empire’s version of an FBI/CIA — stands apart with her fantastic portrayal of the banality of evil within a bureaucracy. In preparing for the role, Gough emulated how female psychopaths use others to commit terrible acts, Gough said in Star Wars Andor Season 2 Declassified.
While the show is grounded in the Star Wars universe, this isn’t your typical Star Wars. There isn’t a lightsaber in sight, and the show is all the better for it. There’s hardly any mention of the Force, and when the characters do speak about it, it’s with skepticism and reservation about its true nature.
“Andor” showrunner and a screenwriter Tony Gilroy discussed how “Andor’s” source material, “Rogue One” writes with apparent indifference towards a Star Wars universe any bigger than Cassian Andor, his Rebellion compatriots, and his Empire pursuers. The show consolidates the narrative into one cohesive story — a feature often missing from other projects.
Other Star Wars offshoots like “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and “Ahsoka” were impressive storytelling feats in their own right, but they leaned on existing characters much more heavily than “Rogue One” and “Andor,” especially when it came to attracting viewers.
Instead, “Andor” investigates themes of fascism, colonialism, and revolution — often basing the material on real-life history such as the Russian Revolution, Haitian Revolution and others, Gilroy said in an NPR interview. This follows suit with the vision George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, had for the original trilogy of movies, with Lucas modeling the protagonists after the guerrilla Viet Cong fighters of the Vietnam War, as Lucas explained in a segment of James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction.
“Andor” does not deal in moral binaries, instead showing a picture of the galaxy full of intricacies and ambiguities. Cassian Andor himself is a rebel fighter who seeks freedom, but also a drifter, a thief and a killer. The depiction of morally ambiguous freedom fighters is not just a fresh, better story, but one that seems human.
Gilroy said in an interview with SFX Magazine that he’s “not a fan” of Star Wars, according to GameRant. While Gilroy is not a Star Wars fan, he is a storytelling fan. “Andor” avoids Star Wars cliches and opts for genuine narratives. Due to Gilroy’s service to storytelling, the show is friendly to both Star Wars fanatics and passive observers.
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In a galaxy oversaturated with nostalgia and cheap fan service, “Andor” stands apart as a grounded, character-filled political thriller that happens to be set in the Star Wars universe. The result is a show that feels closer to prestige television than franchise filler with sharp writing, complex characters, and an unflinching and realistic look at the cost of rebellion.
“Andor” proves that in a world of space wizards and death stars, the most powerful weapon is still a well-told story.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a casual viewer, Andor is worth your time — and maybe even your hope; after all, that’s what rebellions are built on.
Nate Bernard is the news editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @natebernard14
Elliott Wood is a beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. They can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
Nate Bernard is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @natebernard14
