Andor: Star Wars from Below
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
- Andor isn't just the best Star Wars has been in decades. It's also a show which fundamentally reinvents the way Star Wars understands history.
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P.S. I know a few viewers may object to the way this Andor analysis spends so much time talking about the larger franchise, and how it's affected by this new show - but I think it's clear that one major concern of this new show is a re-evaluation of the wider saga's values and perspectives. This video is my attempt to analyse this concern.
#andor #starwars #disneyplus
Timestamps:
0:00 1977, A New Hope, and great men
4:18 Aristocracy, determinism, and the continuing saga
7:29 Historiographies
9:23 Andor is Star Wars from below
14:50 Homeric double motivation and reconciling the divide
18:59 2022
Andor, also known as Star Wars: Andor, is an American science-fiction action-adventure television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is the fourth live-action series in the Star Wars franchise, as well as a prequel to both the spin-off film Rogue One (2016) and the original Star Wars film (1977). The series follows thief-turned-Rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years that lead to the events of the two films.
Star Wars’ Andor tells the story of Rebel spy Cassian Andor's formative years of the Rebellion and his difficult missions for the cause. - Розваги
Hey - to all new viewers, here's another (even better?) Andor video essay!
ua-cam.com/video/KhZsi83sVbM/v-deo.html
So Andor is like Howard Zinn for a galaxy far, far away? cool!
We as a fanbase don't deserve Andor. I can't believe a show of this quality is the lowest-viewed SW show.
Remember even the lowest viewed show had a total viewership in the millions.
Repeated disappointment results in a loss of loyalty. It'll take more good content to make people forget about the stinkers.
@@jacobmcook that's what I was about to say. It's like the diminishing returns for the old xmen franchise. Note how the only later ones that did well (Logan for example) distanced themselves from "the continuity". I think crap like Obi Wan and Boba Fett - beloved characters whose stories were handled poorly - have really burned some bridges out there.
@@jacobmcook Also, if the stinkers are the only ones that made money, what does that tell Disney? Rebellions are built on hope...
Also Disney is not pushing it. I can only imagine because they identify too strongly with the empire. They also don't want to get people used to original content (because then they have to work harder)
I don’t think maarva would’ve wanted anything better than her funeral brick being used to hit imperials in the face
She packs a powerful punch in more ways than one, differently in every scene.
I KNOW RIGHT😂 that’s what I said to my friend right when I saw the scene. To think that her words would be taken so literally is prolly an irony she would love
Maybe not to die and live a long peaceful life of an ordinary person? Maybe?
Pff no! Better die because some "Force" trying to figure out itself
Maarva: "When I die I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
Imperial: "I doubt that"
Maarva: *(BECOMES A BRICK)*
Imperial: *(sweating profusely)*
Brasso was supposedly a longtime friend of the Andor family, and he definitely proved it by showing he *really* understood what Maarva wanted in that moment.
To look after her droid and kick Imperial ass.
Honestly, one thing with Rogue One that sticks with me wrt these topics is the way that the final hallway scene plays out. Darth Vader is thwarted not by any grand enemy space wizard, but by an entire two hallways of nameless rebels fighting their hardest. They died, but the Rebellion won, and Vader ultimately lost.
well, depending how you look at it, vader ultimately won, by being allowed to die as anakin. but either way, your point still stands, this outcome was reached through those hallways and the nameless men dying in them
@@Spooglecraft It's not as if vader, in that moment, was seeking self fulfillment or inner peace. In the context of this scene (the topic of the original comment) vader is just trying to get the death star plans, which, thanks to the effort of the hallway rebels, he failed to do.
Star Wars for 45 years: "Do or do not, there is no try"
Andor: "There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction.
Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they’ve already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this.
The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that and know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire’s authority and then there will be one too many.
One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try.”
Don't forget that these quotes are from completely different contexts. Yoda was talking about self-discovery and resolving inner conflict, while Nemik was talking about war and rebellion against fascism. They're very different and both work for the separate contexts they originated in, but I do think the SW fandom has overused this bit of Yoda's wisdom out of context.
With this video I've now watched more video essay content about andor than there is runtime in the show. This show is fucking amazing
Andor is like stable nuclear fusion, it produces more content than it initially supplies.
Yeah, me as well. though, as many times as I've watched it, I've still watched the show more!!!
Dude, I think I’m in the same boat. I’ve come around to believe this is the best Star Wars production ever made. It just hits so different and I freaking love it.
@@marsh3825 honstly same, I think is my favourite star wars project of all time and it makes rouge one and anh better
This is my whole Andor experience summed up. An amazing show, and sooooo much amazing video essay content for months to come
The last line (the last word) of the manifesto is so powerful and important too: “Try”. I never really cared for Yoda’s advice to Luke, how there is “no try”, only “do or do not”. It really discredits when people try but fail; by Yoda’s logic they just “didn’t do it”. But trying is SO important. When you try, others notice, and they try as well, even if you personally fail. And sometimes all we can do is try; even when it’s hopeless, even when we know we can’t succeed! Trying weakens the strength of our oppressors, it gives them fear and pause, it gives them doubt. And trying bolsters our friends, gives them hope, and gives them courage. Just trying can be that first ripple in a huge wave. Even outside of a galactic rebellion, trying is what matters most.
Yoda's logic was about using the Force. People try to apply it to other things which it doesn't apply to, and they fail miserably. It's good that Star Wars finally has a quote that applies to those things, because they happen a lot: you control your actions, but you don't control their effects; all you can do is try or not try, then wait and see what happens. And if you try, that will matter, whatever else happens.
@@samueldimmock694thank you!!!! it’s a quote that gets taken and misunderstood out of context a lot. yoda isn’t saying hey, “don’t try, everyone!” it’s about using the force and how luke is being held back by his perception of it. i like both quotes but i do think the context is important to understand what the wise old frog (affectionate) is trying to say.
@@milan4989 yeah, it's not about failure or success, it's about doubting yourself, and skipping past all that and just doing the thing. In that way "try" and "no try" actually mean the same thing.
It is interesting to juxtapose Yoda's "no try" and Nemik's "try", which I think sort of mean the same thing within context. But there's nuances in them. Luke is "the chosen one", he is destined to succeed, he just needs to erase self doubt. And more importantly, he would know when he succeeds (either lifting the plane, or defeating the Empire). But there's no such luxury for people like Nemik or Andor. They don't know how their efforts would influence the larger scheme of things, and indeed, they don't even live to see the fruits of their efforts. The only thing they could do is try their best and have faith. And that is why Andor is so good.
I've always found that the two pieces of advice complement each other. Nemik is writing to the disposessed citizens of the empire, convincing them to take up arms even if it seems hopeless. Yoda is speaking to a powerful but immature young man who has already decided to take up arms, but his conviction is wavering. Nemik seeks to establish a moral foundation that Yoda seeks to harden.
I love how this show has inspired video essays surrounded by deep thought, as opposed to hundred of eastern egg videos. Amazing job on this!
Thanks!
it's funny because while you are completely correct, Andor does actually have quite a few easter eggs. although they are quite subtle, nuanced, and respectful of the source material.
I also love that this video provides me with more amazing and deep reasond for appreciating this absolute gem of a show even more. It keeps happening and I'm here for it.
Or a constant barrage of rage bait anti woke videos
Andor is the manifestation of “every minor character has a backstory in Star Wars”
The good manifestation... as opposed to Boba Fett. Which just tried to raise him into the aristocracy.
Almost like real life
Andor feels like a breath of fresh air from everything that has been wrong with the sequels, Obi Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett.
It's not cluttered by nostalgia bait or cameos. It takes the time to let you get to know the new characters and love them. It's not rushed at any place. It never loses its focus. The characters actually speak with well written dialogue. It feels real and authentic.
I never thought that Andor would be the Star Wars show I've always wanted but here I am. Fucking loving it.
Star Wars prior to andor also has a severe character complexity problem. Andor isn’t good. He’s a guy driven by necessity and desperation to escape a legitimate crime he perpetrated. Syril isn’t bad. He’s driven by a legitimate desire to see his coworkers murder punished and law upheld.
But they’re not the opposite either. The world is gray and so is Andor.
@kevinc8955 Of course someone who thinks complexity with two characters one siding with a rebellion and another one with an empire mean them both being “grey 🤓”, thinks the the killing of two dickhead cops was a legitimate crime and worst thing the character that sides with the empire does is a legitimate desire to see his coworkers’ murders punished and law upheld
@kevinc8955 @@alexwinter3752 Nah Syril is evil. But he doesn't suck in the "dreaded intergalactic tyrant who can choke you to death with his mind" or even "callous military general who has no problem reducing entire planets to dust." Syril sucks in that way of a very petty tyrant, like a shitty office manager, not to mention his stalker tendencies. There were hundreds of thousands of Syrils that made totalitarian regimes possible, and they were some of the most boring and ordinary people you could imagine.
@@alexwinter3752 they didn’t articulate it how i would’ve but i kinda see what they are getting at. I agree with you that the show clearly has morally good and evil characters, but the writing centers the unique motivations and justifications of each character rather than just propping them up as generic good or evil guys that know they are evil. Syril is a fascist and an obsessive creep, but he’s presented to us as a seemingly normal guy with misguided sense of justice. It makes him seem more real to us than most antagonists in star wars that you see only being comically evil.
That reading from Nemik's journal hit me hard too. One of three speeches in that episode that really encapsulated the series for me (the other two: Maarva's message to Ferrix and Luthen's answer to the question "What have you sacrificed?")
It's been a while since I read Homer. I remember my impression being that those stories & the way they were told allowed for human agency, but only within very narrow margin of choice afforded them by gods and/or fate. I think this is reflected in Andor, in that there are huge forces at work (pun intended I guess) and this narrows the choices available. At the end of the day, there's just One way out, Fight these bastards, Resist in any way you can no matter how small... or don't, and be complicit. And it turns out that the margin of choice - even if it's binary - is actually very wide.
edit: (Probably fair to include Kino's "One Way Out" too)
Sorry... Had to edit again because your bit about Ancient Greece really resonated
Glad to hear it!
That was some good writing, because it's REALLY hard to do - to write a in-universe manifesto that sounds genuinely inspiring.
#try
this is easily my favorite star wars show
Can't agree more and I'm nearly 50 years old. This show utterly took me by surprise and wow what a journey!
Literally the only good one
@@san_toad Clone Cars exists, which admittedly is like the only other good SW show
Word. By far the best overall. I can't get through an episode of Mandalorian without saying "this is so stupid" about a dozen times. Andor feels like the first time since the original trilogy that Star Wars wasn't resting on its laurels and phoning it in because it knows you're going to pick up what it's laying down regardless. Somehow, someway, the people who created Andor actually wanted to make a good show first, and a Star Wars show second.
@@spacecowboy5486rebels was pretty good and now the bad batch, pretty much any of the animated stuff is pretty good but I’d consider Andor above even clone wars tbh
i think its important to mention that in universe the rebel alliance was basically subscribing to the great man theory by completely burying rogue 1 and its accomplishments because it both made them look bad and weak. Luke only learned about rogue one from saws partisans and when he found out about them he named rogue squadron after them
Is this from books or comics or something?
@@camipco yeah
@@thedapperdolphin1590 what is it from?
@@soondslash both as quite a few of the books were made into comics.
@@NWOslave no i meant which ones lol
I can’t remember who said it first, but I recall an observation that the presence of the force is felt in Andor’s arc; in the sense that throughout the show, no matter how much he runs from it, fate constantly thrusts him into antagonism with the Empire- because fighting the Empire is his destiny.
I love mando, but it’s first season when it was souly in its own side of the SW galaxy, no familiarity, s2 came and of course I still adore it, but it slowly relied on the familiar for easy views, andor finally has the guts to build its own reputation and world of characters, a project that feels like tv and stands on its own, I want more of this, the Skywalkers are 1-6 and the clone wars let’s get more like andor and have projects that truly feel they can do fine without cameos every week
Totally agree Mando series one was the best of all the Mandalorian series. Andor however is, for me, the best Star Wars since the original trilogy
Literally the best Star Wars show by FAR. The snippet we get from Nemik's manifesto was absolutely brilliant. Hearing it for the first time and even now has me in tears. Such raw, such smart, such powerful words that seem to sum up what the rebellion is truly made of and how it will inevitably come to fruition. That plus Luthen's speech about how he gave everything for the rebellion are my favorite bits of the whole series.
As one of the heretics that got into Star Wars primarily through a bunch of EU books and games, I think reading the force as a nebulous, semi divine consciousness that is both its own independent agent and the universe as a whole makes things easier.
Well, maybe not easier, but at least more liberating. I think the comparison to Homer is great in that regard. Star wars is now so old, with so many additions, trying to see it through one particular light is honestly frustrating.
Honestly, Andor feels like the most real to me. I love that the show just never came back to Andor looking for his sister. Like sometimes life just never answers those questions.
I mean I do hope we get some sort of answer on that but also wouldn’t be dissatisfied if I didn’t
In Kights of the Old Republic Jolee Bindo tells the story of a different Andor. Andor Vex was a proponent of great man theory, the force swirreled around him like a hurricane.
On one particular mission he stood up to a warlord named Kraat. Thinking that he was a chosen one type he was arrogant to Kraat who promptly crushed his neck and threw him down a reactor.
Now for some reason that could be constituted as the will of the force, Andor's body did not agree with the reactor and Kraat along his ship and the destruction had rippling effects in galactic politics for hundreds of years.
One of the best parts of KOTOR. Loved Jolee Bindo.
From below indeed: the very first shot of ANDOR is from the ground up.
Not only did it visually give us that grounded feeling but your analysis solidifies their artistic choices.
Excellent video. Thank-you.
I love Andor because it shows how revolutions and change actually comes from. When we hear of heroes in stories, they are greater than life. We can't imagine anyone being like them because no one can be. Andor humanizes heroes.
Really dig this take. I really liked Rogue 1, but for a while thought it detracted from the miraculousness of New Hope. However, I now see that Andor/Rogue 1 gives a fuller picture without detracting from Luke Skywalker. Moreover, stories like Andor are what’s interesting about Star Wars these days.
Here's the thing about the Force: There is no fate just the will of the force and wether or not you follow it. And all beings have a destiny but you can chose not to follow it. For Luke, i was choosing to stay on Tatooine or leave with Obi-wan, for Andor it was chosing to go with Luthen. Force infulnces it never controls.
That’s an interesting way to think about it
Yeah, I've looked at it that way ever since I read, "Revenge of the Sith", in a supermarket before the movie came out. In it, it is explained the Lightsaber forms and the Jedi that use them :
Windu : Vaapad
Qui-Gon : Ataru
Dooku : Makashi
Anakin : Djem So
Obi-Wan : Soresu
...and it is how Obi-Wan's style that is the most interesting when he is fighting Anakin :
" also known as Soresu, the Way of the Mynock, or the Resilience Form, was the third of the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat that was recognized by the Jedi Council prior to and during the Clone Wars. Soresu was developed during the widespread emergence of blasters as an offensive weapon. Essentially a development on Form I blast-deflect training, Soresu relied on tight bladework and subtle dodges to provide maximum defensive coverage, minimizing exposure to ranged weaponry. Over time, Soresu transcended this basic origin, and came to be considered the ultimate expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy."
"Like Makashi, Soresu relied on economy of motion and energy efficiency, keeping up constant blade movement to build up momentum and minimize energy expenditure. Form III focused on strong defensive technique to essentially outlast an opponent, waiting until they began making mistakes due to frustration or fatigue, before taking advantage of these lapses and countering. Despite its effectiveness, Soresu was heavily criticized for its lack of offensive capabilities, as it facilitated survival rather than victory. As an answer to these weaknesses, the highly aggressive Ataru and Shien forms were developed side by side."
"Soresu utilized tight motions, lightsaber moving every second in an attempt to achieve near-total protection, and expend as little energy in the process as possible. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired.[2] This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner practically invincible, which allowed Soresu to be effective against both single enemies and multiple opponents, as well as blasters and lightsabers. Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their adversary's technique while engaged in combat. Also, being more optimized for lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form.[5] A Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent."
The main thing that I wished was incorporated in the Prequels was Jedi's training, and the importance, strengths, and weaknesses of their lightsaber forms. When Obi-wan duels Anakin on Mustafar the author emphasizes that while Anakin is going all out offensively to destroy Obi-wan and MAKE things happen, Obi-wan surrenders himself to the Force and lets it GUIDE him down the path that it is leading him.....and this is why he triumphs....At that point, he's the one TRUE Jedi - besides, possibly, Qui-Gon - in the whole Prequel series.
ive been reading the force as a stand in for historical materialism for a bit now and its way too fitting. it tending toward balance especially considering we only ever see that balance being achieved by the outright termination of the antagonistic group and the production of a new political system. literally. praying for more sw like andor
You really hit the nail on the head on what makes Andor resonate so much with all of us. Honestly, one of the best analysis I have seen on the topic.
I love how with every new perspective on the show there is something i hadnt thought of before. Not something that happens often, and i keep getting more impressed. Great analysis!
The beginning of The Last Jedi, with Paige Tico - we learn her name moments before she delivers the bombs that save the rebel fleet, before she dies. She isn't a Skywalker, they don't hold a giant funeral for her; she's just One Person, trying.
I didn't really go into the sequels here, because of how... 'thematically confused' they often were, but TLJ is certainly the numbered SW film most cognizant of the topics discussed in this video. I am a shameless TLJ lover!
@@PillarofGarbage based
@@PillarofGarbage I too am a TLJ lover
@@PillarofGarbage In this channel we stan TLJ
Last Jedi was the worst star wars movie, why is anyone even still bringing up that pile of trash...
I've been binging Andor essays and this one takes the cake. The shift to Star Wars 'from below' perfectly encapsulates why this show feels so different, and is an aspect that isn't mentioned in any other videos out there. Amazing!
Genuinely my favorite star wars thing in a long time. It doesn't shy away from asking what's acceptable when fighting oppression. Honestly, it's better than most pseudo revolutionary media from recent years. It's a mainstream show in one of the biggest IPs ever that isn't afraid to endorse punching nazis.
I like the random Siv6 characters and gameplay showed, this video was so on point, really love it, it is true that Roge One and now Andor, had change the perspective of the original trilogy.
More Andor content please, great job
I was unaware of history from below, sounds like a really positive direction for historians to be moving.
It's funny because several times now in my college classes Iv frequently argued in favor of Social History and until this video I didn't know there was a term for it lol.
Im a history major and it is indeed becoming more common where people talk everyone involved in a certain event and not just the big names. Yeah we acknowledge them but the narrative is better and more interesting when the people themselves are highlighted. It makes history more relatable to students when talking about what the average person ate, thought, and what actions they did than to be retelling the same story of some long dead "stoic" leading figure. Instead of seeing the numbers and statistics of a battlefield, Id rather actually learn about some dude on the frontlines who wrote down what he thought of everything and how it personally affected him
Very nice essay! I've never been much of a SW fan - the movies always felt anticlimactic to me, and that was before horrific prequels came out. Andor makes me see that THIS is what I've always wanted in SW - real people, not 2-D cartoons. Definitely the best SW property to date. That it came from Disney is scarcely credible. I figured Disney had finally killed off whatever slight interest I still had in SW. But I was wrong, and here we are.
One thing I'd like to see from the next season of Andor is some effort to integrate the space fantasy elements of SW into the world of Andor. In other words, how does the Force impinge on the lives of ordinary people? It could be fascinating to see a grounded, humane exploration of the Force. On the other hand, SW has never managed to stick to a coherent, consistent philosophy of what the Force is and how it works, so maybe it would be best for Andor to continue ignoring it.
This was a great piece of work. I loved Andor, it’s nice to see it’s spawned such great discussion about Star Wars, and storytelling as a whole
This show made me want a star wars political thriller about Mon Mothmas time as the new republics head of state that's how good her character is!
This essay made me cry a couple times. I mean, to be fair, It was making me think of the parts in Andor that made me cry, but I've watched several essays on the subject, and none of them made me cry. You explained it so beautifully and when you said Nemek's words were proven true in the end, I just lost it😭
One of the things I like about episode 8 is it shows that anybody can be a force welder your last name doesn't have to be Skywalker or Kenobi.
I think what I like most about Andor, is that is shows you don’t even need to have The Force to change the course of history.
Which is also what a certain set of people hate about it, I think.
Well that and that it centers women and some of them aren't even young and white and skinny.
So, kinda like the prequel trilogy and old rebublic and countless other Star Wars stories that plainly illustrate the same idea? This is such a tired and foolish way to try and give TLJ significantly more credit than it deserves.
@@camipco Good lord Jamie
Ah yes, TLJ's participation trophy message. "Anyone can be special if you BELIEEEVE strong enough". As if it all depends to a few special names.
No, that's foolish and false. And plenty of stories from the old Expanded Universe prove how moot of a message is, since there were plenty of characters who weren't called Skywalker or Kenobi who were influential : Galen Marek, Revan, Kyle Katarn, Jaden Korr, Quinlan Vos, the Jedi Exile, Kerra Holt, Zayne Carrick.
This pseudo "democratization" of the Force is only what Rian Johnson wants you to believe, gullible and impressionable that you are. It was always the case.
You are doing a mighty fine job dissecting and explaining these ideas for the masses. I hope the message spreads - we'll need it.
This was a fantastic, innovative and proper way to view and critique the show. I haven’t seen such a thoughtful take before. Like the best academic works, this served to focus my own lens. Greatly appreciated.
***Discussing the role of fate/determinism in Star Wars***
*Kreia has entered the chat*
I need to play KOTOR 2. We need KOTOR 3 after the remakes. After mentioning the Rakatans, the first KOTOR game is probably canon lore at this point.
I think you nailed it why Andor was so special it was different honest raw but now I get it why. Well done.
I’m watching this now after seeing Andor 8 months ago. I just cannot fathom how people can’t see the wood for the trees and end up hating it. This is one of my favourite tv shows ever.
Stone and sky.
Stone and sky.
Andor is incredible but I really wish it wasn't contrasted in the universe with "OH MY GOD NOW THERE'S 5000 PLANET KILLER SHIPS SUDDENLY".
I really hope they do way more stuff like Andor and just retcon the entire sequel trilogy. I promise not to "told you so" them. We can just quietly bury them and move on like it was a weird fever dream.
This is the most underrated video on UA-cam right now. This is so intimate, yet grand in its explanation. It calls back to comments made earlier so effortlessly
:)
Not only did I thoroughly enjoy this video essay, I agree with everything you say in it. I'm going to share it far and wide within my little corner of the star wars galaxy because you sum up perfectly why I love (and loved before I saw ) Andor and why, after starwarsing since 1978, it and Rogue One are my favorite elements of it. Thank you! x
Thank you!
Hey! If you're watching this as it drops, I have a video collab with Mechanist Gamma going live just around the time this one will end. Come join the premiere! ua-cam.com/video/1Ztka-yGqfk/v-deo.html
@FluffyBunniesandKittens found Thomas Carlyle’s alt
@@PillarofGarbage You should check out KOTOR 2, in which a character decides the force needs to die, no matter the cost.
@FluffyBunniesandKittens The men who write the history books and want to be seen as great say that great history is made by Great Men. I don't believe them. I do, however, believe that lousy history is made by lousy men.
Anybody who buys that the history of the world is shaped more by the actions of tiny individuals with big PR teams than the surges of mass movements and cultural shifts has just been sold a simple and simply untrue story by lousy men who wish they were great.
fantastic analysis of an amazing show.
@@pal54321 glad you enjoyed :)
I remember when I first saw that movie I thought and asked my Aunt.. "so all the people on that thing died " ?👀 .. i remember thinking "was everyone on their evil or just doing their jobs?" ...
Of course. But remember it was either destroy the Death Star or Yavin 4 would have been destroyed along with the whole rebel alliance
Congrats on the shout out by Nando v Movies my man. Hope you get some more exposure! You deserve it!
wait, is this in his new phase 4 vid? I haven’t seen it just yet
@@PillarofGarbage yeah dude! He refers to your Phase 4 retrospective
@@rednas3271 oh amazing!! I’m watching the vid now but hadn’t got to it yet :D
@@PillarofGarbage granted, it is a long video
I’m not really a fan, but a SW enjoyer. From the newer stuff I enjoyed rogue one, the mandalorian seasons… there is honestly nothing I remember from watching Boba and I entirely skipped Obi Wan.
I only came around to watch Andor because many of the movie-channels on YT that I follow dedicated their own videos to the show.
I’m very glad I finally watched it (and afterwards all of said videos that I saved to avoid spoilers)
Keep it up!
Excellent essay about a fantastic show. Love your channel!
Thanks!
I return to this video when I need inspiration, so thank you. You've made a difference in mine & my d&d player's luves
:)
We need more historical materialism in our entertainment and our education. It's so much deeper and richer.
Porkins is the true hero of the Star Wars universe. Nothing is possible without Porkins.
In myths gods' intervention is just an metaphor for undpredictable or decisive events.
History is decided by the combination of objective (masses) and subjective (leaders) factors. If the obective factors are there you can say that fate is leading the subjective factor.
I can't help but feeling that a few more lectures by Alan Watts, the Force would've been represented much differently. That being said, I'm loving Andor.
Here's a question from the uninitiated: Does the History From Below model take into account the manipulations by those supposed 'great men of history'? I've seen in my own lifetime imagined threats and phantoms used to influence millions to work against their own stated goals and beliefs. I've seen masses not reacting to substantial hungers or lackings, but imagined ones ones; described and sold to them by a few individuals, consciously working to baffle them.
The history from below model as you described seems to only mention catalysts for existing groundswells already near their breaking point (Kino Loy as an example), but does it take into account the manufacturing of those groundswells? Sort of a 'great monster of history' if you will.
It would probably explain it by saying that those 'great monsters' and their more benevolent counterparts (convincing the masses that something can be done about a problem they've ignored for a while) by saying that they were catalysts for smaller movements of their own. Though I'm no history person, so I really don't know, and would also quite like an answer from someone with an actual understanding of the topic.
Amazing analysis man! This has been my favorite video that attempts to breakdown Andor. You nailed it!
Thank you!
wonderful essay, thanks for sharing.
Very good essay! And yes, Andor was really *that* inspiring.
The simple resolution to the paradox of fate is that there are no separate, sovereign individuals at all, there is only the interdependence of all things in the Universe.
If you’re interested in reading history from below, i highly recommend “Intimate Direct Democracy” by Modibo Kadalie.
Damn that was a hell of a video. Hit that right in the head and it's amazing how tis movies and shows, so spread over time; can tie together so neatly. The will of the force? Or the skill and imagination of the writers and actors, or the dedication and insightfulness of the fans? Hmmm all three? May the force be with you all happy holidays!!!
This is a great analysis. You are spot on with the "materialist" perspective from ordinary folk in Andor that do not have a leg-up from being a space wizard. Their actions from pure desperation and powerlessness. Some want to see this crudely as "Marxism" and criticises it. Which is a hysterical way of analysing what Andor tried to do in its story-telling and world-building. This is a part of the Star Wars franchise on the level of the recent Dune movies in quality; meaning, trying to be serious about its story-telling, writing and most importantly, detail.
Andor is trying to bring a level of detail of what it would actually feel like to live under the iron-fist of the empire, with an almost suffocating, 1984-esque, presence. It shows you the "banality of evil" through the empires inhuman, bureaucratic structure that streamlines cold and efficient decision-making to control resistance to it. If you want to understand this side, don't bother trying to understand it using Marx, you want learn about Max Weber and Hanna Arendt.
The real-politek and pragmatism that drives ethical decision-making of characters supersedes the deontological ethical decision-making that drives most heroic story-telling, and how this is expressed in characters, is incredible in this series.
I’m glad you liked it! From your comment, I feel you might also get something out of my other Andor essay:
The Trial of Cassian Andor | A Video Essay
ua-cam.com/video/KhZsi83sVbM/v-deo.html
One of the greatest examples I can think of this of "from below" in recent times is that one of the Russian attack helicopters at Hostomel was taken down by one man.
One man stopped the VDV having reliable air cover, he stopped them securing the airport for landings, and he stopped reinforcements arriving.
I don't even know if we know his name, but he stopped Russia holding that airport and ultimately stopped Kyiv from falling within a matter of days. Along with his comrades, who helped him even achieve this.
It's why I got so sick of seeing constant mopey skywalkers, it just gets so boring, there's so much else out there - show us it.
I personally subscribe to DM Theory when it comes to the Force. Which raises the question: Who are the players? Everyone, or the force sensitive?
Through that lens I'd say force sensitive are simply those with higher Perception stats.
@@hcxpl1 Actually, the idea is that the force sensitives get ridiculously easy rolls on things that a fair DM would never agree to: Like jumping 20 feets straight up, or having a lightsaber fly into their hand.
@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm So either the Force has favourites or they simply apply the rule of cool, I guess.
@@hcxpl1 This is an question outside of DM Theory. Originally, anyone could learn to use the force if they committed to the training. But in RotJ (or Empire, it's debatable), suddenly it's tied to genetics.
I'm so sorry I slept on this show for over a year. I was really worn out irl (still am, really) and when it came to entertainment, I thought crap that was less taxing was the better option. Not that I thought Andor would be hard to watch necessarily, but based on other Star Wars shows, I didn't feel like I had it in me to be disappointed further. I felt like I needed things that were easy and fun without expectations.
I'm so tired and I just want a dopamine hit before I got to bed, you know? Almost anything I'm not too invested in will do...
Who knew that I needed to hear all of those speeches? Like, I need to rewatch this. I feel somewhat recharged and excited about something for the first time in a long time.
I think that's what escapism is supposed to do. Not just numb you to the point where you don't think about anything, but give you a new world to fall into that also reminds you of why the world you're actually in is still important.
Not much media does that. But this one reminded me that it can happen and I shouldn't be afraid of finding it.
It’s funny to hear “History From Below” described and realize that’s what got me interested in history as a kid- the Horrible History books were always more focused on the lives of normal people over the famous ones
And this is why Andor is great.
Perfect, Just Perfect
The best way to describe the Will of the Force in our terms is; It is what it is. Don't dwell on how we've come to this point but how we can move from this point. As Qui-Gon said, everything happens for a reason. Go with the flow. Follow your instinct. That's the lesson of the Will of the Force.
There's that great Nemik quote that also helps your argument: when the TIE fighter does a flyby over the group on Aldhani it's terrifying, but Nemik is the one with confidence and conviction: a surprise from above is never as shocking as one from below.
The pilot is being a dick and terrifying what they think are just some shepherds, because they have the power to do it. That isn't surprising. What's surprising is when the shepherds fight back.
18:59 thought this was going to go into a tangent abt US forever wars lmao
One of my favorite quotes from the show comes from Clem,
"The man who sees everything is more blessed than cursed."
The kid (whos name I will never remember I'm just bad with Star wars names they're weird) and his manifesto made me tear up, especially as someone who's political beliefs tend more... red and yellow, lol. Its just a TV show, it doesn't have the impact we need, but after the past few years it was a breath of fresh air to hear someone else saying it. All those fights with family members and classmates and teachers, it was to goddamn wonderful to hear the words coming out of someone else's mouth. Nice bit of respite from hell, I guess.
One of the most intelligent videos on Andor, Star Wars, and the philosophy of the Force that I’ve ever seen. My brother is a systematic theologian and I sent it to him. ;-)
I’m honoured, thank you!
I have yet to see a video from this channel that does not inspire me to see things in a different light than I had before. Your video essays aren't just "gotcha" ideas that have been rehashed a million times, or clickbait Easter egg videos. They are always deeply thoughtful, and leave me pondering the themes you discuss long after the video ends. I'm sorry to hear the algorithm hasn't been kind to your channel.... Your work deserves to be seen.
It's a bit of a slow start (Nearly put me off) but builds into an amazing stella series, the acting and writing just blew my mind. It all seems so real and visceral.
Love this contextualization of SW inside of historical theory
Gilroy absolutely, positively, 100% beyond any shadow of a doubt MUST publish a completed version of Nemmik's Manifesto. All the better if it's released in the same little greebie/techie low-res format as in ANDOR. That is all. (+ great video!)
Incredible analysis of an incredible show!
The Jedi's belief of that binary fate is exemplified through Yoda's famous quote, "Do or do not, there is no try."
Nevertheless, Gilroy and the other writers of Andor probably realized at some point what you observed in this video: there is a wide margin of choice. Even if fate is at work, it may be complementary and reciprocal.
In brilliant contrast to Yoda's quote, Nemik's manifesto literally ends in "Try." Luke and the rebellion is a testament and proof of your thesis. Brilliant.
Very insightful and meaningful observations here. Very much worth while.
Brilliant! Glad I stumbled across this!
Awesome analysis. Subbed.
Great analysis, really interesting video.
I dont know if you'll read this, but I had this video on my Watch Later and I not only find it absolutely beautiful, but yet another proof of how talented you are at assessing art in meaningful ways. Your strive to delve into deep topics regardless of how much a fanbase is crying all how it's the worst thing ever is nothing but inspiring to me, and I wanted to apologize if I came across as aggressive last time I commented in one of your vids.
Im gonna keep broadening my understanding of all this by watching Andor essays until i have enough to put together a wholistic 20hour essay, nay the WORLD FORMULA! xD
I think this is the most interpretative "thing" i have ever experienced.
Andor, and all the poeple behind it (not JUST Tony Gilroy) are amazing!
(i also enjoyed your video very much, btw^^. It was thought provoking and even reassuring in some cases.)
I really really like that analysis of Andor and Star War as a whole.
That history from below lens in Andor makes it far more interesting then other Star War shows. It also put the older Star War in a more interesting light by putting their success as the results of social forces, sacrifices, hard choices and ruthlessness of the leaders of the rebellion.
What is also nice about Andor is the moving away from the Force as a key factors toward peoples, which are far more interesting then a nebulous power.
I think another way to look at the will of the force is that it's the collective wisdom of all things living. So the spontaneous actions of all people leads to the collective wisdom of the force when people eventually die and become part of the force. The force has two components, the living force and the cosmic force. Maybe the cosmic force is how force users materialistically manipulate the world. It provides the energy to do so. This may explain how force apparently transcends time, it is how jedi can see things before they happen as it is the wisdom of the living force i.e. the wisdom of all dead people which guides the jedi which they perceive as things happening before they happen.
Excellent essay. - Subscribed
:D
From watching all the movies and shows besides Resistance, It's my understanding that everyone is an agent of the force, "sensitive" or not. Just because some can feel it's flow through and around them, doesn't mean they are more important. Even though some Jedi can see an approximation of the future, fate is never set in stone. Qui Gon could have just as easily beaten Maul and raised Anakin as a father figure and maybe the dark side wouldn't have been so powerful in the coming years. The Jedi being overconfident in thinking they understood the force is partly why Palpatine could play them so well in his schemes. The "small and insignificant" actions like Five's discovery saved Ashoka's life, who went on to help others and indirectly inspire someone like Kallus to try and atone for his actions and so on and so on. You can even hear Jyn's voice, one of those small tipping points in history, in the world between worlds. It's all a weave driven by both people's choices and actions and luck that they succeeded or fail as the force flows
The original trilogy had hero not only higher than life, they are also above reality. In prequel era, hero are still higher than life but the reality is above them, the clone war is a dividing point where the tone of narrative went from fantasy fiction to historical fiction. Now we finally down to the earth, we gone from historical fiction to slice fiction. There is so much potential in crafting mundane life from a fantasy universe, this is where lore becomes real. But this also create a tension that such fantasy is no longer appeal to escapism. Because you can't imagine self as some higher than life factor. I have a theory about what is considered nerd in media, I think I now have an answer, anything have you engage existence from abstract ideas, not of its sustenance.
The "This moment itself is significant" line just knocks it out of the park. Excellently phrased.
@PillarofGarbage - The contradiction you point out between fateful events and surprising acts of human intuition or impulse is actually present in SW lore, albeit in a way that needs interpretation. Lucas (especially in several arcs of Clone Wars) refers to the Living Force and the Cosmic Force, and it seems as if the Cosmic Force drives those larger fateful macro events you note, while the Living Force allows for spontaneity and individual agency to turn the tide.
0:19 ohmigosh, is the guy they caught with the sus word document, lmao!
Oooooh more POG content!
Every time someone tries to justify their enjoyment of Andor through a return to principle ("Andor is the most Star Wars the series has been since the original trilogy"), I want to roll my eyes. Your video eloquently sums up why in the first section, then reminds us that "Andor is great because it isn't Star Wars" is also the wrong take (and equally petty). Thanks for that, and I appreciate that you've managed to cover an angle that other analyses skirt or fail to realize. It's not just Andor's specificity, realism, or quality that makes it exceptional, but how it reframes the series as a whole.
I've also noticed a general trend in more realistic and critical depictions of revolution in American media recently. I think us Americans heavily romanticize and view revolutions in a very black and white sense because the few we've had have conclusions that are easy to interpret as morally good (the American Revolution->anti-colonialism; the Civil War->ending slavery), whereas many other countries have had mixed or even negative results (the French Revolution, the Cultural Revolution, the many Cold War conflicts that put dictators in power, etc). It's nice to see that level of messiness and complexity depicted in more prominent media. Also, not sure if it's post-Iraq confrontation of neo-colonialism or push-back to Trump-era populism, but content about revolutions, collective effort, and 'small folk' is much needed after the previous era of exceptionalism and fetishization of the elite in shows like Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey.
Your application of Homeric double motivation is also much more workable than the the Last Jedi’s proposal of misinterpretation of divine intent. I’d previously supported the idea of Jedi misinterpretation of the force and rejection of fate because Star Wars felt to me like Christian morals dressed up in Buddhist philosophy. Allowing for misinterpretation also felt closer to my own religious opinion and the conflict over interpretation in real world religions. However, double motivation is much more diplomatic and Star Wars is after all a space opera, the new mythology, and does not need to have the same level of conflict present in real-world religion.
A like well earned; great stuff.
Thanks!
Great work on this video!
Thank you!