Editor’s note: The below contains mild spoilers for Andor.
In an era of endless fan controversies and Twitter petitions, most popular franchises are criticized at one point or another for being “too political.” Given thatStar Warsis one of the most popular franchises of all time and has been constantly churning out new projects, it was inevitable that some corners of the Internet would criticize a show likeAndorfor being “too woke.” These criticisms began to rise after cast memberFiona Shawcompared the series’ depiction of lifeunder the Galactic Empire to the Donald Trump administration.
While the originalStar Warstrilogy was inspired by classic Westerns, mythology, and space operas likeFlash Gordon,George Lucasdidn’t want to craft a clear-cut depiction of good and evil. Lucas began studying film at the University of Southern California, where he actively participated in anti-warprotests against the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. The traces of Lucas’ political stance are evident within his early films.THX-1138is a grim prophecy about what a future would look like under a totalitarian state, andAmerican Graffitiis a last tribute to youthful independence before it is corrupted by the Vietnam War.
These themes made their way into the originalStar Wars.In a recent interviewwithJames CameronforStory of Science Fiction, Lucas discussed how America became"the Empire"during the 1970s. Lucas has never been shy about voicing his political opinions, and his stances on tolerance, pacifism, andanti-authoritarianismhave beenintegral to theStar Warssagafrom the very beginning. TheStar Warsprequel trilogy paralleled the George Bush administration in many ways; Padme Amidala’s (Natalie Portman) line “so this is how democracy dies, with thunderous applause” was frequently cited in wake of Trump’s election.
Andoris the latestStar Warsproject to honor the themes that Lucas envisioned for the galaxy far, far away.Tony Gilroyhas taken a radical approach to the saga that grounds the franchise in theworld of espionageand speaks to themes ofracism, systematic oppression, police brutality,the mercenary trade,and the immigrant experience.
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‘Andor’ and the Outsider Experience
One of the mostmoving storiesthatDiego Lunashared about the response toRogue One: A Star Wars Storywas a social media post shared by a fan who watched the film with her father. She stated that he was moved to tears when he realized that Cassian was one of the film’s heroes and that he wasn’t trying to hide his accent.Andorhas continued to highlight the immigrant experience and has woven it into Cassian’s journey from outsider to rebel.
Cassian is a refugee. He’s separated from his family on Kenari at a young age, and forced to abandon the name “Kassa” to disguise his heritage. He’s essentially raised by the resistance activists Maarva (Shaw) and Clem (Gary Beadle), and mourns the family he’s lost in the wake of the Empire’s colonialism. Cassian is a child of many worlds; he was raised on Maarva’s ship, and feels like an outsider on Ferrix. It’s a planet filled with various cultures that have been taken advantage of by the Pre-Mor authorities.
Andorisn’t making use of this storyline just to score political points; being an immigrant is integral to Cassian’s journey. He has hesitation about joining causes he doesn’t believe in, and his difficult childhood gives him the cynical edge he needs to question the Rebel Alliance’s motivations. We see notes of how the Empire treats other cultures in “The Eye,” when the Imperials arecasually xenophobictowards the celebrators on Aldhani. This is likely what Cassian has been dealing with his entire life.
‘Andor’ and Economic Disenfranchisement
The economic disparity in the galaxy is a direct result of the Galactic Empire’s reign. By giving power to corporate authorities like the Pre-Mor Authority, the Empire has allowed greedy bureaucrats and businessmen to have a monopoly on systems like Ferrix. There’s a haughty ruthlessness to the way that Chief Hyne (Rupert Vansittart) treats his command. He looks down upon the people of Ferrix, and is willing to excuse any ill behavior that his officers commit.
We see the roots of this wealth gap on Coruscant through Mon Mothma’s (Genevieve O’Reilly) activism in the Imperial Senate. Mothma attempts to call attention to the worlds that are starving and in need of aid, but her attempts to bring up theGhorman shipping crisisgo ignored. Her husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie), makes it clear that the Empire has no interest in providing any sort of aid.
This helps inform Cassian’s journey as he searches for work. Cassian must engage in black market trading in order to provide for himself, and he doesn’t have time to commit himself to a rebel movement if he’s not getting paid. This gives him the skills that he needs to become the slick spy that we see inRogue One. It also gives Cassian an interesting arc; at what point is he willing to serve the greater good?
‘Andor’ and Activism
Andorgoes back to the original themes that Lucas envisioned by telling the origin story of the Rebel Alliance. At this stage in the galactic timeline, the Rebels are just a group of different small movements that lack formal organization. How does a rebellion actually form, and at what point is a formal call to arms necessary? We see echoes of recent crises through the ways that Cassian, Mothma, and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) contemplate what they’re willing to put on the line.
Cassian is initially cynical about joining the rebellion because he’s seen what happened on Mimban. The Empire preyed upon the resistance fighters’ lack of organization and pitted them against each other, which gives Cassian all the hesitation he needs about joining another violent cause. Mothma also contemplates her role as a pacifist. She doesn’t want to be silent when people are suffering, but she also doesn’t want to put innocent civilians in danger. Rael takes a “no prisoners” approach; he’s willing to take violent measures to get vengeance on the Imperials.
Andoris exciting because it feels like the firstStar Warsproject in a long time that isn’t about the franchise itself. Catering to nostalgia isn’t going to do anyone any favors in the long run, and the best franchises are able to evolve with the times.Andorremembers why the films resonated with people in the first place beyond their iconography;Star Warshas always been political, andAndoris fulfilling that promise.
