The protagonist undergoes a period of character development before teaming up with unlikely allies to take down an oppressive and impossibly powerful regime. Sound familiar? This cliche storyline has pervaded cinema for decades in countless sci-fi franchises and blockbusters including “The Hunger Games,” “Snowpiercer,” and perhaps most popularly, “Star Wars.” However, with the progression of movie culture, the overuse and unoriginality of this storyline have become major points of contention, especially for “Star Wars.”
Many fans have been left unsatisfied with the lackluster effort and quality in the shows released on Disney+ since Disney’s controversial sequel trilogy. While there has been some success with hit shows like “The Mandalorian,” Disney has hit an all-time low with its ratings on “The Acolyte” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” with one critic even stating that “the sight of a lightsaber coming to life has become about as thrilling as turning on a table lamp.”
In all the harsh criticism, however, “Andor” — directed by Tony Gilroy — serves as a beacon of hope for fans of the franchise. The series, which aired its first season in 2022, has received critical acclaim for its original, matured approach to the “Star Wars” universe. The show follows Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, a character previously featured in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and depicts his journey to becoming a rebel prior to the 2016 movie.
Season one of “Andor” brought a new take on the franchise through strong acting, writing, realism, and cinematography. The show’s detailed exploration of political and social issues within the “Star Wars” universe grounds the storyline in realism by presenting issues not too dissimilar from those in the real world. Gilroy builds upon this realism with consistent focus on tiny, yet tangible and realistic details from worn-out city streets to the daily routines and organic conversations of both the main and background characters.
Furthermore, Gilroy introduced new perspectives from ambitious members of the Imperial regime, offering a glimpse into the efficiency and brutality of the Galactic Empire. Andor and his allies undergo compelling character development, yet Gilroy doesn’t hesitate to include gritty scenes and commentary from the protagonists that urge viewers to question their morality. Andor himself begins his journey as an uninterested mercenary hired for a rebel cause solely for the money, but because of the influence of the rebels around him and the injustice he faces from the Empire, he undergoes a clear and gradual transformation into the passionate rebel fans recognize from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
The biggest bragging point of “Andor” is that, unlike much other Disney-era “Star Wars” content, it doesn’t need constant, flashy action sequences to keep its viewers invested in the plot. Through thought-provoking dialogue, Gilroy manages to make simple scenes of conversation or speech feel just as intense as the show’s main action sequences, particularly in the storyline that follows Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma, an Imperial senator working as a double agent for the rebellion. It’s especially exciting to see the characters’ speeches and dialogue have an actual impact on the characters and the decisions they make, giving their actions a stronger payoff in the end. “Andor” expertly avoids the franchise issue of dialogue made solely to push the plot forward, instead using it as a way to give the viewer a nuanced understanding of the characters based on their interactions.
Gilroy uses “Andor” to epitomize the complexity of the rebellion that is often missed in other “Star Wars” media. The rebellion against the Empire is no longer shown as a clear-cut battle between good and evil. Instead, Gilroy emphasizes that the rebels in “Andor” all fight for different reasons, and that their opposition to the Empire doesn’t automatically make them heroes. Yet, regardless, they are united by their singular hatred for the oppressive Empire, which ultimately leads them to each make immense sacrifices for the rebellion.
Unlike many other pieces of “Star Wars” media, “Andor” makes the threat of the Empire feel extremely real, and the stormtroopers and TIE fighters that previously served as cannon fodder have become symbols of absolute terror. Gilroy utilizes this change in perspective on the Empire to raise the stakes massively and keep the viewer invested due to the increased risk factor. Additionally, “Andor” doesn’t nostalgia-bait with an overreliance on cameos or the overarching plot of the franchise universe, instead electing to focus on isolated and unseen sections of the “Star Wars” universe, away from the typical conflicts between the Jedi and Sith.
The first chapter of “Andor” season two, which released on April 22 and consisted of three episodes, took the characteristics of season one and amplified them a hundred-fold. Gilroy crossed thresholds never touched upon in previous “Star Wars” media, even depicting an attempted rape of one of the show’s female secondary protagonists, Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen. In addition, he built upon the topics that were set up in season one, further displaying the fractured state of the rebellion and the ever-growing malevolence of the Empire’s plotting and oppression. Gilroy’s consistency with Andor’s character between seasons one and two is beyond praiseworthy as he does a brilliant job displaying the development of Andor’s passion for the rebellion over the years.
For many fans of the franchise, “Andor” is exactly what “Star Wars” should be at its peak, which makes it even more regrettable that the show’s second season will also be its last. Overall, Gilroy masterfully deviates from the typical Disney approach to “Star Wars,” finally providing fans with a very original series that doesn’t baby its viewers or depend on cliche franchise tropes, but instead delivers a revolutionary television masterpiece that will not be forgotten for generations of “Star Wars” fans to come.