“Andor”: The best of Star Wars with its most diverse content yet

Scholarlyhexes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Prior to the release of the horrible “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in 2017, Star Wars fans were provided with a beautiful film called “Rogue One,” a prequel to the original film trilogy detailing how the plans of the Death Star were delivered to the Rebels allowing Luke Skywalker to destroy the weapon.

“Rogue One” is highly considered one of the best Disney Star Wars films, earning critical acclaim and support from Star Wars fans around the world. Fans and critics alike fell in love with one of the film’s main characters, Cassian Andor, a rebel intelligence officer. In response to the love of the film and its characters, as well as the success of other Star Wars series on Disney+, a prequel series about Andor’s origins was green-lit.

Titled “Andor,” the series is the best Disney Star Wars content since “The Force Awakens,” with a compelling plot, incredible performances and beautiful production.

When compared to other Disney Plus shows, “Andor” is in a league of its own. Though the “Mandalorian” has had tremendous success over its two seasons, “Andor” explores more of the Empire’s reign after the fall of the Jedi. Following Andor as he looks for his long-lost sister while working for a young rebel alliance, the show explores the need for personal sacrifice in order to progress communal goals.

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Diego Luna, the actor responsible for bringing Andor to life, successfully provides a performance rivaling those of popular Star Wars actors like Mark Hamill and Ewan McGregor. Luna portrays Andor as a rugged survivor, who uses his petty crime of stealing Empire machinery to fund his goal of finding his sister. While steadily increasing the levels of his illegal activities, from theft to murder, Andor is forced to participate in Rebel missions for money. The show sees Andor struggle internally on where his loyalties lie: to himself or to the greater good.

The show introduces new characters into Star Wars lore, including Luthen Rael and Mon Mothma, originators of the Rebel Alliance hiding in the shadows of the Empire as key figures in the political sphere. Rael is played by veteran actor Stellan Skarsgård, who acts as an anti-hero throughout most of the series, sacrificing and eliminating any allies in order to further the cause of the rebel alliance.

“Andor” doesn’t even seem like a Disney+ TV show. It is also produced like no other Star Wars content, with a darker tone and setting similar to an HBO show. The political drama is something we have not seen in the Star Wars world since the prequel trilogy, while the CGI, musical score and action sequences all exceed expectations.

Andor is renewed for a second season, which will get closer to “Rogue One” and then the adventures of Skywalker. Watch it now on Disney+.