Andor’s Rebellion Against Modern Star Wars

Paritosh Bhole, Writer

One of the most iconic and historic franchises in the film industry is the Star Wars franchise, with its countless comics, products, and movies.

However, its sequel cinematic trilogy, spanning from 2015 to 2019, did not sit well with the long-time Star Wars fans as they were disappointed in how those three films paled in comparison to previous installments. 

In search of something to reinvigorate interest, Disney, the owner of Lucasfilm, which produced the Star Wars franchise, has relied on shows revolving around the universe of Star Wars. These shows have been releasing on Disney+, the company’s major streaming platform. 

Ever since this shift into shows and series, fans have started to find joy yet again in watching Star Wars. Andor is, with no exception, one of the reasons why this joy has returned. 

The show, Andor, starring Diego Luna as Cassian Andor and countless other integral characters, made its debut on September 21, 2022. Due to a previous delay in the release of the series, the first three episodes of the initial season were all released at once. 

The fingerprint of the show was rooted after many fans were excited to see how a show revolving around the lesser-known rebels and heroes would work. Cassian, the focal character, has his story developed as the context and tone of the show brews.

In episode three, Andor comes across a man who changes the course of the entire series and sets Andor on a path of numerous journeys of conflict and struggle. Through it all, the heavy blanket of the empire’s ruthless authority lies over every event.

Despite the many successes, a few factors are capable of diminishing the viewer’s experience. Each episode, or group of episodes, carries its own sub-plot in not only Andor’s journey but also the other characters’ journeys, such as Mon Mothma and Syril Karn. In some episodes, the show seems to have trouble finding balance in each of these storylines. The audience has to make a mental effort to tie each piece of the puzzle together for the whole story to be colored in. However, a distributed focus could entice certain viewers to watch Andor.

Overall, Andor has become a staple in modern Star Wars due to its unique take on the events of the universe. It has changed the public’s perception of what the franchise is capable of doing to further transcend a classic piece of film history. In the movement of deviating from the most important events, Disney has reclaimed some of its past glory in making Star Wars a wondrous concept to grasp.