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Title: Andor season 2 review: A Star Wars miracle worth binging

Date: Wed, 14 May 2025 15:01:27 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-mov...

We know Cassian Andor is doomed. 2016's Rogue One makes clear he will meet an
untimely death in a massive explosion. That sense of inevitable destruction
lingered in the background of the first season of Andor, the prequel series
that follows his journey from a low-rent criminal to a rebel spy. But his
fate is even more crushing in Andor's second (and final) season, where the
cost of fighting against the seemingly all-powerful Empire chips away at his
soul.

"Rebellions are built on hope," was an iconic line from Rogue One, first
uttered by Andor and then repeated triumphantly by that film's lead, Jyn
Erso. In the streaming series' second season, we see how that idea is formed
and inspires many people. Rebellions aren't just about massive space battles,
and Death Star trench runs. They don't rely on an untrained kid hopping into
a spaceship and scoring a major victory thanks to the Force and destiny.
Rebellions start with small decisions by normal people, and through
collective action they evolve into something powerful enough to take down
empires. Read into that what you will.

Lucasfilm Ltd™

Andor always seemed like an odd series for Disney, which spent the last
decade milking the Star Wars franchise for all it's worth. Created by Tony
Gilroy, the Bourne Identity screenwriter who reportedly swooped in to save
Rogue One at the last minute, Andor has no lightsabers and minimal references
to the Force. While it's filling in the gaps for a storyline that leads to A
New Hope, the series also feels refreshingly free of the stifling mythology
that has plagued shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka (and Boba Fett, and
Obi-Wan Kenobi). Andor takes its time, building up its characters and laying
out complex ideas, instead of rushing between action set pieces. It's Star
Wars for grownups, something I never thought we'd see for a franchise so
devoted to kids.

In season one, we're introduced to Andor as he's searching for his sister,
who disappeared years ago. After being targeted by two local police officers,
he ends up killing them both and is forced to hide out in his home planet of
Ferrix. There he meets up with his friend Bix (Adria Arjona), who is working
for Luthen Rael, a mysterious man who has devoted his life to taking down the
Empire. It doesn't take long before Luthen sees potential in Andor, and
begins to court him for his rebel cause.

Lucasfilm Ltd™

Minor spoilers ahead for Andor season two.

Taking place over the course of a few years (and counting down to the Battle
of Yavin, where the Death Star was destroyed in A New Hope), season two
follows Andor and Bix as they delve further into the rebellion. Bix is still
recovering from the events of the first season, where she was imprisoned and
tortured. And Andor splits his time caring for Bix and going on spy missions
to help rebels on other planets.

I won't say too much about what happens in the season specifically, but in
general it builds on everything that made Gilroy's first stab such a
refreshing Star Wars entry. We see how the heartless machinations of the
Empire affect real people, and how it can push entire populations to fight
against tyranny. Small moments, like a hotel bellhop revealing his true
thoughts about the Empire to Andor, can lead to more profound acts of
rebellion.

Lucasfilm Ltd™

Star Wars has always been about the battle between good and evil. But Andor
breaks down what that means for ordinary people, not hyper-powerful space
wizards with laser swords. An average citizen could be killed on the spot if
they decide to speak up against the Empire. Or, with self-preservation in
mind, they could keep their heads down or even volunteer to be a cog in the
fascist machine. Not everyone can be Han Solo (though Andor himself is a bit
close). But when living under an authoritarian regime, there comes a time for
everyone to draw a line. Resist, or lose your soul.

Andor also spends plenty of time on Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly)
before she eventually becomes the leader of the Rebel Alliance. We see her
dealing with the difficulty of funding Luthen's rebel activities, especially
as they lead to explosive outcomes. But after the Empire massacres thousands
of civilians on the planet Ghorman, an event thatΓÇÖs been referenced in
recent Star Wars books, Mothma and other rebel leaders conclude that violent
rebellion is the only way to fight back against the fascist Empire.

Lucasfilm Ltd™

"The Empire has been choking us so slowly, we're starting not to notice. The
time has come to force their hand," Luthen tells Senator Mothma in Andor's
first season. When she notes that people will suffer, he replies "That's the
plan. You're not angry at me. I'm just saying out loud what you already know.
There will be no rules going forward. If you're not willing to risk your
conscience, then surrender and be done with it."

Even though this is Andor's final season, I have a feeling this series will
live on in viewer's minds far longer than whatever the hell happened in The
Book of Boba Fett. It forces you to think about how the Empire directly
affects everyone, from civilians on remote planets to the bureaucratic
stooges devoting their lives to fascism. In many ways, it's practically a
blueprint for rebellion. And not to put too much on a Disney TV show, but
that feels like something we could use right now.

Update, May 14: This review has been slightly updated since its original
April 21 publish date and republished to coincide with Andor's season two
finale.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-mov...
wars-miracle-worth-binging-190057284.html?src=rss

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