Rebelling against the Empire: Andoris Star Wars grown up

The prequel series is the best in the Lucasfilm universe, and also a brilliant wartime thriller.

- By Noelle Adams

If you're someone who doesn't like politics in your entertainment, you should stay far away from Andor.

That said, with the release of the series' second and final season, you should also be aware that you'll be missing out on not only one of the greatest pieces of Star Wars media ever created but also one of the best wartime thrillers to reach the small screen in recent years.

Rogue One was massively acclaimed and spawned a prequel series in the form of Andor in 2022, which explores how Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) transitions from a survival-minded thief to a key Rebel leader.

Following Rogue One's tonal lead, season one of Andor doubled down on showing the horrors of life under the Empire, which previous Star Wars popcorn blockbusters only alluded to. It’s one thing watching a planet exploded from a distance, and another to witness prisoner deportations, forced labour and torture techniques using the screams of genocided children. And that was just season one.

During the space of three years in our off-screen reality, Andor has transformed from a cautionary tale to something perhaps too on the nose. And yet, the Star Wars fans who were vocal about The Acolyte’s “wokeness” have been very quiet about a series that is so unveiled in its antifascist attitudes and representational inclusion.

In addition to embracing the use of real-world, tactile sets and costuming, the series doesn’t hide behind the distraction of franchise cameos and whizz-bang special effects.