Andor arrived on Disney+ at an interesting time in the Star Wars franchise. The finale of the Skywalker saga ended with an embarrassing splat, but the IP was showing some promise with The Mandalorian. The success of Andor presented that Star Wars could step away from Jedi, Sith, The Force, and lightsabers to exhibit there was so much more in a galaxy far, far away. The success of Andor warranted a second season, and thankfully, the series sticks the landing and should instill in us that Star Wars still has life in it.
Andor season two sees the return of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as our soon-to-be legend in the Rebel Alliance. The battle between the Rebels and the Empire is heating up as Andor aids Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) in defeating the imperial force. Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona), Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), and fan favorite K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) are returning to help. The first aspect of the show is the creative choice made by Tony Gilroy in terms of the script.
The show’s timeframe puts us at BBY 4 (four years before the battle of Yavin). Most show fans knew these characters were on a course to that fateful day in Star Wars lore. However, Gilroy decided to have every three episodes occur in a single year and jump to the year after that. Time jumps that extreme in film or television tend to either make or break the story, but fortunately, it works.
The script calls for many of the big plot points of the Empire’s eventual fall to land perfectly in place. Several crucial moments would define, engage, and propel our characters in a way that makes this show so memorable. Andor decided to join Luthen at the end of season one, but this time, he’s pushed to the limit in his beliefs and whether he’s got what it takes to fight the Empire.
The show’s writers give our hero such an emotional and hard-hitting arch on an expert level that, honestly, struck me to my core. Most, if not all, of the characters gave a satisfying arch to the end of the series. Bix deals with the trauma of being tortured by Dr. Gorst, and Andor explores how that shapes her views on what must be sacrificed during these times. The story takes her on this almost spiritual journey that’s akin to those who are survivors of war.
Mon Mothma’s evolution from senator to rebel diplomat is on full display on a skillful level by the writers. Furthermore, Luthen’s slow descent into defeat is impressive to watch because of this character’s strong, cold, yet pragmatic nature, which came off in season one. It’s heartbreaking to see this man steadily lose hopefulness this time around, and it brought me to an emotional breaking point. I’ve focused on the character individually, yet the overarching story was brilliant.
Gilroy and his team weaved together a seriously thought-provoking plot for Andor. The second season dived in head first on how ruthless, strategic, and monstrous the Empire can be. One plot follows the Empire taking control of the Ghorman planet. The Imperial government uses tactics that seem straight ripped from World history in general and even more related to our current politics. There were several times where during the show that I could feel my anxiety peaking as it felt like I was taking a look at what was to come in America. Gilroy and his team even continued that level of authenticity for the Rebel Alliance, which was a reminder that war is Hell on both sides, and each one holds strong to their ideology.
The director is nothing fantastic, but huge props have to give the level of detail each scene and set holds. Season two was generally shot on location with real sets that gave it that down-to-earth look. The show had no problem with the grittiness at this point of the Star Wars lore and made everything look genuine. Something about having a true sense legitimacy of what I saw on the screen brought me into this world.
Another fantastic aspect to take away from this show is the high quality of the acting of our players. Luna continues fully embodying this character and matching his talent as an actor with the writing team. There were moments when I saw something in his eyes that made me think, “This guy is living this role.” One person I did not expect to connect with entirely is Kleya Marki, played by Elizabeth Dulau. She was always played up as a supporting character for most of the season, but she’s given a real chance to go for it in season two. The final three-episode arch of the series allowed Dulau to present her character memorably. I frankly hope we see her and her character in future projects.
I’ll honestly say I’ve been making excuses for many Star Wars shows. Some of their projects start well but ultimately become forgettable. Andor grasps the reality of war in this galaxy in a way that is needed for our modern times to relate fully. I began to lose faith in what’s to come from this franchise, but now, only one pops up in my head after the final episode of Andor…hope.