I think it's really interesting that Cassian isn't a typical leading man. He's the support. He calls the play, but like in ep 10, he knew that Kino needed to lead. In fact, all his time in ep 9 was spent trying to convince Kino because he knew kino was the leader.
To me, it fits the grounded nature of the show. For one, his ideological journey is almost implied, shaped by his experiences but not forced. The focus on Andor himself is subtle, and you almost forget he is actually a driving force with many pieces connected to him. It shows that revolutions aren't about one person and yet one person can make a huge difference. One thing the show excels at is "therefore" storytelling rather than "and then". We see how Andor wanting to make an extra buck to pay off debts results in him being recruited for Aldani. The Aldani heist inspires Maarva. Maarva inspires the town. Watching the town rise up seems to affect both Andor and Luthen, resulting in their team-up. And separate from Andor's role in Rogue One, it could be argued the prison break he instigated resulted in a delay of the Death Star's construction that may have proved critical.
@@JacksonGeorge @Kevin W. Exactly, Andor is like that by design. Diego Luna is one of the producers of the show, so there is a clue there that he is letting the character grow from the background to the front, and playing him against stereotypes.
Exactly!!!! I loved that too He isn't Harry Potter, that is the Star because yes, that knows how to do everything and everyone loves him He is just a normal person that want to do what he wants to do (regardless if is good or bad for him or others) and later learns to choose a path and stick to it And as you said, he isn't the leader, but the spark that give the real leader hope once he/she loses
Yeah. He was not the guy who talked to the Council in rogue one, he was the one who managed to gather 30 (?) fellow rebels in a very short time to go rogue on a suicide mission. The one who knew who he could go to and what to say to make them join him and Jyn
Kyle Soller "Syril Karn" was one of the most important characters of the show for me and the fact that he is part of the entire season was great. This is precisely the kind of person who becomes the foot soldiers of fascism. He is this awkward mommys boy who have this simple conceptualization of the police being the good guys. And keep on projecting his own idealism on one person after another who fails him but he doesn't see or admit it. He keeps on identifying with and loyally supporting an organisation that doesn't support him. I am happy about the fact that he survived the entire season and was part of every part of it and stay consistently himself. Had he been killed in the first few episodes he would just have been a simple villain or loser. Now he becomes this symbol of a person who show that no matter how many times the powers let him down he still continue to believe the force of law and order is ultimately good and pure, meant to be fought for and he believe he should support it even if it asks him to go away.
I cant't wait to see the awkward clusterfuck that would be a syril-Dedra romance. Those two bundles of psychological hangups and dysfunctionality will be so enjoyable to hate, and I can't wait so see them make one another miserable.
@@maximeteppe7627 please, Deedra deserves better, she already has a thing with her coworker, and she is not crazy to fall for a loser that lost his cop position, while she is CIA higher management. She felt sick when she had to thank Syril for saving her life, and she didn't in the end. She is repulsed by him, he is her stalker and some creepy loser. However, i am looking forward season 2 and they will probably work together to hunt Cassian
Cassian is the perfect main character for this show specifically because of other characters taking up his stage so easily. Him as the main character puts us the audience into his shoes. His character arc is also filled with messages every person in their mid 20s (which probably is the average audience of this show) needs to hear.
Cassian Andor not being the central character is kind of the point of the show. This is the story of the birth of a rebellion at the level of the common people, not just the leaders. In fact, you could argue that the Andor the first season was about wasn't Cassian but her (surrogate) mother.
It's a great extension of rogue one, which showed massive events from the ground (literally, in the case of the destruction brought by the death star) and using the long form and slightly lower budget of a TV show, shows the systems that brought about those large scale events, still with an emphasis on a ground level view from ordinary people.
The reason Coruscant felt so real, is because it was. most of the exterior shots were real locations, with CG filling in the backgrounds, a first (I think).
If you’re a Londoner you know. The ISB entrance is under a footbridge to the Elizabeth line station in Canary Wharf. (The Jubilee line station there has also played host to Darth Vader before!). Syril’s flat is in the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. The Barbican also makes various appearances. Always funny to see and the reality really does make a difference.
Andor gave the Star Wars universe it's humanity back. Which is a bit ironic - one complaint of mine about it is that there simply is too many humans, it slightly loses the alien feel (those 2 fishermen were a welcome relief). But it gave meaning and a human side to both the rebellion and the empire, in a franchise dominated by heroes and villains.
I might be reaching but I think that was intentional, the empire has a clear bias against xenos and in an empire controlled galaxy the lack of them during andor and rogue one is felt. Then again maybe the director doesn't wanna deal with prosthetics idk
On rewatch, I keep noticing more and more aliens in the background. I think the show just doesn't focus on them so they aren't as noticeable to the audience as other Star Wars shows
I love when new people watch it and are like "Woh.. .this is good!" Awesome show....cannot wait for more. They could do a season a year for 10 years and I'd not only be happy....I'd watch every single episode.
I really loved this series. I loved that there were no Jedi/Sith drama...just normal beings who were willing risk it all for galactic freedom. It's a small thing, but I loved that they showed some of the underworld of Coruscant! I know that is such a little thing, but I really liked seeing a part of the world never shown on film. It was a great piece of work!
I really like your analysis and you point out a lot of the great things about Andor, but I disagree with some of your criticisms. I think Syril Karn's development makes a lot of sense, he's a young man who has fallen (and continues to fall after losing his Deputy Inspector position) into fanatic devotion to the Empire and its fascist ideology, so it makes a lot of sense for him to become obsessed with Dedra, who is a personification of that ideology and it's cold, calculating, efficient oppression (unlike Syril, she did not just fall into fascism, she actively believes in and works for it). I think he is intended to feel like a weirdo, both for his fanaticism to what the audience knows to be evil and for his ignorance of the atrocities that he desperately wants to help commit. He is a person who takes the kind of action that 4chan incels and alt-right weirdos (who similarly trick themselves and fall into their ideology) dream about, and his arc is all about continuing to double down and fall deeper into the rabbit hole. As for Cassian, I wouldn't say that he is the least interesting character at all, he is just a lot more subtle compared to every other character. Everyone else knows what they want to do and are very driven towards their goals, giving monologues and showing their conviction in their dialogue and actions. But Cassian spends most of the season as someone who, while holding deep resentment for the Empire, wants nothing to do with engaging in a serious fight against them because he thinks it is hopeless. So, his actions and dialogue are all him acting for self-preservation and trying to ignore his own nature, hence no monologues and a lot of emotion being conveyed by Diego Luna with little or no dialogue, and mostly when Cassian reacts to other characters or events. Despite his nihilistic thoughts on the Rebellion, Cassian's arc shows him rebelling in small ways (stealing Imperial tech), which ultimately lands him in the situations which radicalize him and change his mindset so that he becomes the Rebellion-devoted captain we see in Rogue One (and a side note, the show brilliantly shows his qualities that make him a great spy and leader within the Rebellion, from his multiple suggestions to the Aldhani heist crew to his part planning and executing the prison escape and Kino repeating Cassian's words verbatim during his monologue). His arc is really more about things happening to him and changing him, as opposed to every other character who acts with agency within their arcs.
The discomfort current young viewers may feel about Syril Karn reminds me about the discomfort many young viewers felt about Anakin Skywalker when the prequels came out. Up until then, they were used to the portrayal of adolescent males as heroes, brash and hip forces of nature - kind of how adolescent males see themselves. The Anakin of the prequels, however, was an anti-hero, arrogant and full of hubris, unable to see his own faults and recognise his own limitations.
The Olympic level of mental gymnastics from a very small number of tubers trying to convince the majority of casual star wars fans that they dont know what we are talking about and that Andor is not star wars or good is just amazing. I MEAN THEY DESERVE AN AWARD FOR TRYING TO CONVINCE ME IM ON FIRE WHILE IM SUBMERGED IN WATER, LET ALONE WARM. Andor is just what Star Wars needed. THE GILROY IS JUST WHAT STAR WARS NEEDS. LET THAT MAN REWRITE THE LAST TRIO WHILE THERE AT IT. SUBVERT EXPECTATION BY ACTUALLY DOING THAT.
I really had no interest to watch the show. The other shows were fun for my inner fanboy, but they were not objectively great shows. Maybe the Mandalorian a little. So, if even those were not particularly great then why have any interest in Andor? And even the first episode I was still skeptical, but wow I am glad I stuck out. One of the best pieces of Star Wars I have seen.
I hated how good this show was. Kenobi could have been great 😢 Boba could have been amazing 😢 I couldn’t have cared less about Andor going into the show, but they absolutely killed it.
I definitely feel like Cassian being a reactive character was a purposeful choice in this series and they made it work. Unlike in other shows like Obi-wan. As a rule main characters are active which is why it feels odd, but I think it fits the story because this season is all about how he becomes an active participant. How he becomes a main character.
Finally, Star Wars for grownups! An absolutely riveting political thriller from go to whoa. Brilliant writing, top notch production and a superb cast. 👏👏👏👏
Cassian is a narrative device not a character. It is through him that we get introduced to the rebellion. I think he is deliberately kept lowkey so that other characters - Luthen, Kino, Marva, Karn, Meero etc are explored in greater detail and explored. He is the blank slate the other characters are painted in vivid colors against. His purpose is to serve as drum in rock band - to keep time. This would also explain the slow development of a shallow character arc from low-key outlaw to reluctantly-made rebel over 12 episodes. The name of the show tricks us to think it is about him. It is not. It is about the rebellion.
Episode 10 is a masterpiece .... and so is episode 12 ^^ The 3 big monologues in Andor: Marva, Keno Loy and Luthen ... they all were so much on point, so hearbreaking, enlighting, encouraging, just beautifully written ... for me Andor is the new reference of what ANY series can achieve as max ... its absolutely on level with Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad - and for me personally even surpassing them. Hell, if I could get a payback for my cinema tickets on Episode VII-IX, and instead would have watched Andor there on the big screen ... thats heaven !!!
He is supposed to be the Ultimate hype man! He is a spy, not the guy the is supposed to get the face time. He is the one that is supposed to keep things moving. Like he did in ROGUE 1!
Andor is the best, everybody is saying this. It would be great if we had a great deal more of this sort of thing. I have said this (Rogue 1/ Andor) is almost a whole new show/mythos within the Star Wars story and I want more of it. It would be great if we had something of this quality beyond the sequel trilogy. It does seem a shame that there we are only getting, (or seeming to get) only one more season of this.
I see Cassian as not a "leader" but as a linchpin. He's the axis around which everything else revolves -- not in a "he's the most important person" kind of way, but that he's in the right place at the right time, when he's needed, to get everyone and everything else where they're needed. It totally fits with Rogue One. His destiny isn't to be remembered like Luke, Leia, or Han. His destiny is to be a nameless, forgotten man who will die to make sure that people he's never met will get what they need in order to destroy the Death Star. Making him a "leading man" even in his own show would be too much of a retcon for the Star Wars universe. I don't think I've seen a show as well written or well planned out as this one.
Andor is the best thing Disney have done with Star Wars. It’s amazing what can be achieved when you give the writing job to someone qualified with experience and not just the right ethnic or gender profile 👍
My only disagreement here is that Meero is fully into the Empire. I think if the Rebellion suddenly became the dominant governmental system, Meero would immediately start figuring out how to climb in that system with a shrug.
I think Cassian feels like a side-character, because the point is how he goes from someone without motivation to having all the rebellion. The point of season one is to show who influences Cassian, how and why. The point of season one is to show how he goes from someone who wants to disappear and follow to someone who will lead and inspire.
Clearly, you just didn’t understand the story or you would have understood that Cassian is the best character in the entire show, and his arc IS the story of rebellion. From the opening scenes we see he is a guy who will commit murder, shooting a man who is begging for his life, because he can’t leave a witness to even an accidental and perhaps justified killing. We see him tell Luthen that he’s not a joiner, not interested in causes, that he’s only out for himself and his own survival. But we are also shown him in the community he was raised in. A tight knit people who trust and stand by one another, where even Cassian’s creditors are, in fact, still friends he has known for years. And where they all conspire to aid in his escape. And he agrees to join in a heist, not for the cause, but for a big payoff. Then we see him trying to fit in with the rebels working the heist. He meets a true believer, and others who are out for revenge. Some are cynics and some disillusioned. But you survive in battle not by being out for yourself but by standing with your team, and Cassian witnesses the bravery and the sacrifice this entirely different community of people are willing to face to fight oppression and to cover one another’s back. Afterwards, we see Skeen reveal himself to not be a believer, that his backstory is made up, that he, like Cassian, is only there for the money and suggests they betray the survivors of the mission and run with the goods. This guy is telling Cassian exactly what Cassian told Luthen. But in this context, Cassian is disgusted and kills him on the spot. Cassian may be self interested, but you don’t go back on a bargain struck. You don’t turn on your own crew. This is his first step towards becoming a partisan. he isn’t there yet, but for the first time he realizes he’s not entirely out for himself. That he would never betray someone who stood at his side in battle. Then we see him take his payment and try to live for himself, only to be thrown in prison and see a new facet of the horror of oppression. And he realizes he will need to channel Luthen to escape- he needs to convince others to risk their lives to facilitate his own freedom. But only when it becomes apparent that no one ever is really released does he manage to get the Tino to go along, and Tino commands the respect to get others to join in. And yet, as they gain their freedom Tino confesses he can’t swim and Cassian must confront the realization that this man lead the escape knowing that he, himself, would not benefit. That he did it for the others who might make it, and as the only blow he could strike against his oppressors. And then, we see a Cassian who finds out about Bix and his mom dying… and we are lead to believe Cassian will return home for his mother’s funeral, despite the empire setting a trap for him… but no, he returns to risk everything to rescue his friends using his own mother’s funeral as a diversion. His arc is complete, he has realized that he is a citizen of ferrix, where you stand with your people regardless of the cost. He doesn’t want to be Skeen- he wants to be Tino, a natural leader, willing to sacrifice everything to see others freed. He wasn’t BORN to be a hero because of midichlorians in he damn blood. He had to experience hard things and witness the sacrifices of people better than him to discover his own real heart and realize he was a member of something larger than himself. All the other characters seemed more interesting to you because they were his mentors, his tutors, his examples of what is good, what is bad, and what is worth dying for. This is how real rebellions rise. There are no people Born with the force strong in them. The fight against the empire is not centered on 4 people. Those are just the ones that were still standing at the very end. The empire was not the artifact of one cartoon villain and his caped stooge. It was an organization that elevated self interest over everything else and derided compassion, and thereby handed power to those least likely to wield that power justly. If you think you’re a Jedi Warrior, maybe you feel like you are equipped to fight such huge evil. But in Star Wars there was only ONE of those on the battle line. How does a regular person, not steeped in mystic mumbo jumbo, find the courage to lay down their life for the greater good? THIS is that story. The one Star Wars never told. What string of experiences turns a survivor into a hero? Because frankly- it takes more than one lightsaber lesson and seeing an old geezer getting evaporated by a caped villain. Andor was way better than the entire canon that precedes it. Star Wars movies are, for the most part, childish and simplistic. And anyone who thinks its too political… its literally called Star WARS. War is nothing but political. Explosions, Easter eggs and fan service are not enough. Show me what would would make ME willing to die for a just cause if I started out not believing in justice?
Dude! STOP! Stop repeating the words in my head. I wouldn't change a SINGLE word of your post. BOOM! You nailed it. This show captured that illusive quad-fecta, that holy grail of emmersive storytelling...Stellar writing, superb casting, phenomenal directing, and tour de force acting. Some shows have none, others have one or two of those elements, special shows have three, and the rare breeds have all four. Andor IS a rare breed! I want this series to be out on Blu Ray so I can add it to my collection before the powers that be decide to ban it because it does not fit the approved narrative. Can't afford to allow people to get any sniff that a rebellion is possible. Great post!
Cassian starts as an uninteresting rando. Circumstances happen around him and he acts accordingly, learning throughout; at root, he's an audience POV character. This is a show about how randos unite to spark a cultural meme and make a first attempt to resist the New World Order.
By not telling us more about Luthen it retains his mystery to the audience as well as in the show. They did a great job on this. Also, it's so cool that Stellan Skarsgard pops up in all the sci-fi and fantasy movies and shows I love. He's a wonderful actor. I totally disagree with you about Diego Luna as an actor. He is an incredible actor. He was just nominated for Best Actor by the Critics Choice Awards. Granted not the Emmys or Goldens, but I would love to see more actors in the show get recognized. Stellan Skarsgard might get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Would love to see that.. The whole cast is amazing. Another thing that makes Andor so good. The acting.
Season 1 of Andor actually made Rouge One better, because now I'm invested with one of the Characters from the Movie, while before this series, almost everybody was just some actor. I remember after the first 30 minutes of Rogue One I was still trying to figure out Jenna Ursos name.
I think they wanted to make the show: a Star Wars rebellion But everyone would expect so much fan service. So they used a character to focus the story of the rebellions start
The thing is...if you take Andor out...the whole story falls apart. You can't just replace him with simply anyone else, either. There are plenty of resourceful people in the galaxy, but Cassian was just fucking WALKING into imperial facilities and taking their shit. The rebel cells are planning jobs for months, and relying on intel that comes at great cost...and this dude just literally walks in like he owns the place. Cassian UNDERSTOOD the Empire. He didn't get just how bad it was, but he knew how they think, how they move. Partly because he spent time in the army, and partly because he's always had to struggle to survive, and it's his nature to watch an enemy for weaknesses. So he hit them where they're vulnerable...in the ego. "They're so fat and satisfied. They can't imagine it. Someone like me, getting into their house, walking their floors, stealing their things, spitting in their food." The man went back home when he KNEW the Empire was after him, and even though they knew he was there, he dodged them entirely, AND Luthen. The only people who knew he was there, were a handful of his friends, and that wasn't even until the end. Nurchi didn't even know, he just had a strong hint of it. He never actually saw Cassian, none of them did. And without Cassian, the operation on Aldhani would've failed entirely, Maarva doesn't take her rebel moment in the sun...and so many other things are going to springboard off those, and other events. Next season is where we'll finally have Mon Mothma and Cassian connected. Otherwise I'm not totally sure why her parts are included. I enjoy them quite thoroughly, but I'm not sure why her part of the story is explicitly relevant to the things going on with Andor directly. Cassian isn't explicitly a "lead" character, but he is a keystone character, and an instigator of the rest. And he is such, in a very convincing and critical way. If the Dwarves in The Hobbit had taken Cassian instead of Bilbo, the book would've been half as long, and the Lord of the Rings would never have happened. The guy is Star Wars' John Wick.
Btw - the show should have simple been named "Birth of the Rebellion" or something like that ... and i guess a lot more people would have understood why its worthwhile to watch it.
Everyone thinks Rouge One was great bc we saw DV do DV things at the end... I loved it until the very last scene. How does DV show up moments after they jump to hyper space? Don't tell me hyper space tracking - this was not used until EP 8 (RIP). Andor is hands down the best thing Disney has made since the last season of Cone Wars.
The Darth Vader scene in Rogue One was awesome, but what I remember liking most about the film was seeing the sacrifices the rebellion had to make, and the darker more serious nature of the film.
the only problem with this amazing tv series is the title Andor but of course Andor is not side character of "his own show". He ic central point of the show through whom everything is connected together. Disney star wars shows adjusted people to observe things in one dimension through silly presentation of old characters. the Andow is the full story
Disney shows literally began 4 years ago. And you're talking about never being this excited for a Disney plus show in a very, very long time??? LOL!!!!! You're funny.
This story is all about the Normal Distribution how the two tails of this distribution - the extremes - are fighting each other with the mean/median (normal people) being the fodder for their eternal tribulations. It's all maths in the end.
@@JacksonGeorge a pretty significant chunk of the star wars fandom thought tlj was really good. there are a lot of reviews + thinkpieces abt it "revolutionising star wars" and stuff, like the whole point is that it was divisive, not that everyone hated it
The only bit of poor acting in the series came toward the end of Episode 10. The head of the Narkina 5 prison control room looked like he was acting, rather than there in the moment, reacting to the threat of being shot, in fact, why the hell didn't Kino and Andor shoot them both before the left. Why leave two loose ends like that?
I have very mixed feelings about Andor. I do agree with everything positive you said, but it still bored the hell out of me most of the time except for a couple of action or tense moments. I think it's main issue was snail pacing. I really disliked the Imperial characters and rolled my eyes every time Cyril was on screen (especially with his mom). I would have killed Cyril's arc and added something else; maybe the building of the Rebellion from Saw's perspective and maybe more of his disagreements with Luthen on their respective approaches (which could have added some raids from Saw's crew and how they would be more ruthless). The crapiness of the sequals, the averageness of the D+ shows, and the Star Wars fans' starvation for something good is making this overhyped. 7 out of 10.
A lot comes down to what type of TV you like. Andor is trying to explore complex ideas (which is not what the typical Star Wars fan enjoys), and if you want eye candy and don't have the patience for dialog, it probably isn't the show for you. I found a lot to chew on in the show, from Marxism to psychology, so I loved it, but it clearly isn't for everyone.
I can't believe that a series about literally nothing is praised just cause it has Star Wars in the title. When do we get something new? Andor is gonna die when he gets to The death Star. Where are the Jedi? Where are the Sith? Where is the fun?! This is just Remember the franchise? I'm glad the fan base isn't falling for it... again.
I get your point and I actually agree maybe going forward in time to a new period might be the best. We do feel stuck in this over played out Empire vs. Rebellion story that we all have already known the ending to for decades. But they tried something new, the sequel trilogy, and in my opinion it just completely failed. This was because as is a consistent problem with Disney Star Wars, the writing was bad and in particular very lazy, so something new didn't solve the problems. If we can't explore new territory temporally then at least we are getting fresh takes on the existing material with good solid characters and story writing. I get you on all the fun stuff and I can see how many people might find this show boring and that is fine. But they have given us our fill of the "fun" stuff and it has really fallen flat so far so I appreciate a new approach. That is just my take.
"is praised just cause it has Star Wars in the title" bro 💀people are praising it for the intelligent writing and the fact it's the least star warsy piece of star wars media there's been. Also so what if we know andor is gonna die? We knew darth vader would die but we still watched the prequels lol.
Anbore. Overlong and undercooked. Star Wars for Blake 7 fans. Absolutely at the opposite end of the spectrum of what George Lucas intended for Star Wars. Poor ratings too which are barely mentioned by those who want to paint it as a triumph.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one that got super tired and annoyed of cyrils character. They wasted so much screen time on that dude when it could've been put to so much better use on the more interesting characters
I think it's really interesting that Cassian isn't a typical leading man. He's the support. He calls the play, but like in ep 10, he knew that Kino needed to lead. In fact, all his time in ep 9 was spent trying to convince Kino because he knew kino was the leader.
To me, it fits the grounded nature of the show. For one, his ideological journey is almost implied, shaped by his experiences but not forced. The focus on Andor himself is subtle, and you almost forget he is actually a driving force with many pieces connected to him. It shows that revolutions aren't about one person and yet one person can make a huge difference. One thing the show excels at is "therefore" storytelling rather than "and then". We see how Andor wanting to make an extra buck to pay off debts results in him being recruited for Aldani. The Aldani heist inspires Maarva. Maarva inspires the town. Watching the town rise up seems to affect both Andor and Luthen, resulting in their team-up. And separate from Andor's role in Rogue One, it could be argued the prison break he instigated resulted in a delay of the Death Star's construction that may have proved critical.
Yeah it definitely stays true to what we see from him in Rogue One
@@JacksonGeorge @Kevin W. Exactly, Andor is like that by design. Diego Luna is one of the producers of the show, so there is a clue there that he is letting the character grow from the background to the front, and playing him against stereotypes.
Exactly!!!! I loved that too
He isn't Harry Potter, that is the Star because yes, that knows how to do everything and everyone loves him
He is just a normal person that want to do what he wants to do (regardless if is good or bad for him or others) and later learns to choose a path and stick to it
And as you said, he isn't the leader, but the spark that give the real leader hope once he/she loses
Yeah. He was not the guy who talked to the Council in rogue one, he was the one who managed to gather 30 (?) fellow rebels in a very short time to go rogue on a suicide mission. The one who knew who he could go to and what to say to make them join him and Jyn
Andor was a site for sore eyes and really brought a great style of storytelling. Truly gives me hope for star wars shows in the future.
Totally agree!
Kyle Soller "Syril Karn" was one of the most important characters of the show for me and the fact that he is part of the entire season was great. This is precisely the kind of person who becomes the foot soldiers of fascism. He is this awkward mommys boy who have this simple conceptualization of the police being the good guys. And keep on projecting his own idealism on one person after another who fails him but he doesn't see or admit it. He keeps on identifying with and loyally supporting an organisation that doesn't support him. I am happy about the fact that he survived the entire season and was part of every part of it and stay consistently himself. Had he been killed in the first few episodes he would just have been a simple villain or loser. Now he becomes this symbol of a person who show that no matter how many times the powers let him down he still continue to believe the force of law and order is ultimately good and pure, meant to be fought for and he believe he should support it even if it asks him to go away.
He is definitely an interesting character, can't wait to see what they do with him in Season 2!
I cant't wait to see the awkward clusterfuck that would be a syril-Dedra romance. Those two bundles of psychological hangups and dysfunctionality will be so enjoyable to hate, and I can't wait so see them make one another miserable.
@@maximeteppe7627 Thanks for the image. :)
@@maximeteppe7627 please, Deedra deserves better, she already has a thing with her coworker, and she is not crazy to fall for a loser that lost his cop position, while she is CIA higher management. She felt sick when she had to thank Syril for saving her life, and she didn't in the end. She is repulsed by him, he is her stalker and some creepy loser. However, i am looking forward season 2 and they will probably work together to hunt Cassian
Cassian is the perfect main character for this show specifically because of other characters taking up his stage so easily. Him as the main character puts us the audience into his shoes. His character arc is also filled with messages every person in their mid 20s (which probably is the average audience of this show) needs to hear.
Cassian Andor not being the central character is kind of the point of the show. This is the story of the birth of a rebellion at the level of the common people, not just the leaders. In fact, you could argue that the Andor the first season was about wasn't Cassian but her (surrogate) mother.
Interesting! I didn't think about that
It's a great extension of rogue one, which showed massive events from the ground (literally, in the case of the destruction brought by the death star) and using the long form and slightly lower budget of a TV show, shows the systems that brought about those large scale events, still with an emphasis on a ground level view from ordinary people.
I felt that we got introduced to all the great characters because of Cassian. Diego Luna is a really good actor.
The title isn't "Cassian", after all. ;)
Daneelro? Daneel Robot? Asimov?
The reason Coruscant felt so real, is because it was. most of the exterior shots were real locations, with CG filling in the backgrounds, a first (I think).
Oh sweet! I didn't know that!
The few times they went full CGI - like when Luthen walking to his ship - really stood out as looking inauthentic.
If you’re a Londoner you know. The ISB entrance is under a footbridge to the Elizabeth line station in Canary Wharf. (The Jubilee line station there has also played host to Darth Vader before!). Syril’s flat is in the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. The Barbican also makes various appearances. Always funny to see and the reality really does make a difference.
@@eddaines237 Hah, very true. I also thought there was some sort of ironic poking at making London the centre of the 'empire.' Brutalism.
Andor gave the Star Wars universe it's humanity back. Which is a bit ironic - one complaint of mine about it is that there simply is too many humans, it slightly loses the alien feel (those 2 fishermen were a welcome relief). But it gave meaning and a human side to both the rebellion and the empire, in a franchise dominated by heroes and villains.
Yeah I was wondering throughout the show where the aliens were
I might be reaching but I think that was intentional, the empire has a clear bias against xenos and in an empire controlled galaxy the lack of them during andor and rogue one is felt. Then again maybe the director doesn't wanna deal with prosthetics idk
On rewatch, I keep noticing more and more aliens in the background. I think the show just doesn't focus on them so they aren't as noticeable to the audience as other Star Wars shows
Don’t you think it’s the best thing Disney has produced in all of their streaming not just Star Wars. This series gets better with each repeat view.
I think cassian was a great character. He might not be a leader but he inspires Rebellion all around him
I do think he is a great character for sure! I just don't think that he is the best main character or most interesting in the series
Rogue One and Andor are the best SW we’ve ever gotten. Period.
And Revenge of the Sith & Original Trilogy
I love when new people watch it and are like "Woh.. .this is good!"
Awesome show....cannot wait for more. They could do a season a year for 10 years and I'd not only be happy....I'd watch every single episode.
I really loved this series. I loved that there were no Jedi/Sith drama...just normal beings who were willing risk it all for galactic freedom. It's a small thing, but I loved that they showed some of the underworld of Coruscant! I know that is such a little thing, but I really liked seeing a part of the world never shown on film. It was a great piece of work!
Having him not be the star of every situation is what makes him so perfect as the star!
I really like your analysis and you point out a lot of the great things about Andor, but I disagree with some of your criticisms. I think Syril Karn's development makes a lot of sense, he's a young man who has fallen (and continues to fall after losing his Deputy Inspector position) into fanatic devotion to the Empire and its fascist ideology, so it makes a lot of sense for him to become obsessed with Dedra, who is a personification of that ideology and it's cold, calculating, efficient oppression (unlike Syril, she did not just fall into fascism, she actively believes in and works for it). I think he is intended to feel like a weirdo, both for his fanaticism to what the audience knows to be evil and for his ignorance of the atrocities that he desperately wants to help commit. He is a person who takes the kind of action that 4chan incels and alt-right weirdos (who similarly trick themselves and fall into their ideology) dream about, and his arc is all about continuing to double down and fall deeper into the rabbit hole.
As for Cassian, I wouldn't say that he is the least interesting character at all, he is just a lot more subtle compared to every other character. Everyone else knows what they want to do and are very driven towards their goals, giving monologues and showing their conviction in their dialogue and actions. But Cassian spends most of the season as someone who, while holding deep resentment for the Empire, wants nothing to do with engaging in a serious fight against them because he thinks it is hopeless. So, his actions and dialogue are all him acting for self-preservation and trying to ignore his own nature, hence no monologues and a lot of emotion being conveyed by Diego Luna with little or no dialogue, and mostly when Cassian reacts to other characters or events. Despite his nihilistic thoughts on the Rebellion, Cassian's arc shows him rebelling in small ways (stealing Imperial tech), which ultimately lands him in the situations which radicalize him and change his mindset so that he becomes the Rebellion-devoted captain we see in Rogue One (and a side note, the show brilliantly shows his qualities that make him a great spy and leader within the Rebellion, from his multiple suggestions to the Aldhani heist crew to his part planning and executing the prison escape and Kino repeating Cassian's words verbatim during his monologue). His arc is really more about things happening to him and changing him, as opposed to every other character who acts with agency within their arcs.
The discomfort current young viewers may feel about Syril Karn reminds me about the discomfort many young viewers felt about Anakin Skywalker when the prequels came out. Up until then, they were used to the portrayal of adolescent males as heroes, brash and hip forces of nature - kind of how adolescent males see themselves. The Anakin of the prequels, however, was an anti-hero, arrogant and full of hubris, unable to see his own faults and recognise his own limitations.
I really like your analysis as well!
The Olympic level of mental gymnastics from a very small number of tubers trying to convince the majority of casual star wars fans that they dont know what we are talking about and that Andor is not star wars or good is just amazing. I MEAN THEY DESERVE AN AWARD FOR TRYING TO CONVINCE ME IM ON FIRE WHILE IM SUBMERGED IN WATER, LET ALONE WARM.
Andor is just what Star Wars needed. THE GILROY IS JUST WHAT STAR WARS NEEDS. LET THAT MAN REWRITE THE LAST TRIO WHILE THERE AT IT. SUBVERT EXPECTATION BY ACTUALLY DOING THAT.
Great video, really said word for word my thoughts about Andor
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed it!
I really had no interest to watch the show. The other shows were fun for my inner fanboy, but they were not objectively great shows. Maybe the Mandalorian a little. So, if even those were not particularly great then why have any interest in Andor? And even the first episode I was still skeptical, but wow I am glad I stuck out. One of the best pieces of Star Wars I have seen.
Felt the same way!
Starwars theory punching the air
I hated how good this show was.
Kenobi could have been great 😢
Boba could have been amazing 😢
I couldn’t have cared less about Andor going into the show, but they absolutely killed it.
I definitely feel like Cassian being a reactive character was a purposeful choice in this series and they made it work. Unlike in other shows like Obi-wan. As a rule main characters are active which is why it feels odd, but I think it fits the story because this season is all about how he becomes an active participant. How he becomes a main character.
Interesting
It’s the thinking man’s Star Wars
Finally, Star Wars for grownups! An absolutely riveting political thriller from go to whoa. Brilliant writing, top notch production and a superb cast. 👏👏👏👏
Best show I’ve seen all year, hands down!
Cassian is a narrative device not a character. It is through him that we get introduced to the rebellion. I think he is deliberately kept lowkey so that other characters - Luthen, Kino, Marva, Karn, Meero etc are explored in greater detail and explored. He is the blank slate the other characters are painted in vivid colors against. His purpose is to serve as drum in rock band - to keep time. This would also explain the slow development of a shallow character arc from low-key outlaw to reluctantly-made rebel over 12 episodes. The name of the show tricks us to think it is about him. It is not. It is about the rebellion.
Interesting never thought of it like that!
Andor is mainly through Cassian’s eyes - Andor is not necessarily about Cassian. A masterpiece TV series, I’ve rewatched again and again.
Andor Rocks!
Best Star Wars show yet, and I loved the Mandolorian 😂
You forgot to mention the fire soundtrack! Some of Star Wars's finest! 👌
Pretty great music from Nicholas Britell!
Episode 10 is a masterpiece .... and so is episode 12 ^^ The 3 big monologues in Andor: Marva, Keno Loy and Luthen ... they all were so much on point, so hearbreaking, enlighting, encouraging, just beautifully written ... for me Andor is the new reference of what ANY series can achieve as max ... its absolutely on level with Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad - and for me personally even surpassing them. Hell, if I could get a payback for my cinema tickets on Episode VII-IX, and instead would have watched Andor there on the big screen ... thats heaven !!!
I don’t think you could be more chill about this review. Loved it! Have a good weekend and life! Make your life the best one!
Andor set a new bar for what a star wars tv show can be.
This show killed off likable characters in a realistic way.
It is definitely the new standard for Star Wars shows
He is supposed to be the Ultimate hype man! He is a spy, not the guy the is supposed to get the face time. He is the one that is supposed to keep things moving. Like he did in ROGUE 1!
I totally agree! That is why I don't really understand him having his own series
Andor is the best, everybody is saying this. It would be great if we had a great deal more of this sort of thing. I have said this (Rogue 1/ Andor) is almost a whole new show/mythos within the Star Wars story and I want more of it. It would be great if we had something of this quality beyond the sequel trilogy. It does seem a shame that there we are only getting, (or seeming to get) only one more season of this.
I see Cassian as not a "leader" but as a linchpin. He's the axis around which everything else revolves -- not in a "he's the most important person" kind of way, but that he's in the right place at the right time, when he's needed, to get everyone and everything else where they're needed. It totally fits with Rogue One. His destiny isn't to be remembered like Luke, Leia, or Han. His destiny is to be a nameless, forgotten man who will die to make sure that people he's never met will get what they need in order to destroy the Death Star. Making him a "leading man" even in his own show would be too much of a retcon for the Star Wars universe.
I don't think I've seen a show as well written or well planned out as this one.
Just an amazing serie:)
Andor is the best thing Disney have done with Star Wars. It’s amazing what can be achieved when you give the writing job to someone qualified with experience and not just the right ethnic or gender profile 👍
Definitely the best Disney Star Wars project!
My only disagreement here is that Meero is fully into the Empire. I think if the Rebellion suddenly became the dominant governmental system, Meero would immediately start figuring out how to climb in that system with a shrug.
I think Cassian feels like a side-character, because the point is how he goes from someone without motivation to having all the rebellion. The point of season one is to show who influences Cassian, how and why. The point of season one is to show how he goes from someone who wants to disappear and follow to someone who will lead and inspire.
Clearly, you just didn’t understand the story or you would have understood that Cassian is the best character in the entire show, and his arc IS the story of rebellion. From the opening scenes we see he is a guy who will commit murder, shooting a man who is begging for his life, because he can’t leave a witness to even an accidental and perhaps justified killing. We see him tell Luthen that he’s not a joiner, not interested in causes, that he’s only out for himself and his own survival. But we are also shown him in the community he was raised in. A tight knit people who trust and stand by one another, where even Cassian’s creditors are, in fact, still friends he has known for years. And where they all conspire to aid in his escape. And he agrees to join in a heist, not for the cause, but for a big payoff. Then we see him trying to fit in with the rebels working the heist. He meets a true believer, and others who are out for revenge. Some are cynics and some disillusioned. But you survive in battle not by being out for yourself but by standing with your team, and Cassian witnesses the bravery and the sacrifice this entirely different community of people are willing to face to fight oppression and to cover one another’s back. Afterwards, we see Skeen reveal himself to not be a believer, that his backstory is made up, that he, like Cassian, is only there for the money and suggests they betray the survivors of the mission and run with the goods. This guy is telling Cassian exactly what Cassian told Luthen. But in this context, Cassian is disgusted and kills him on the spot. Cassian may be self interested, but you don’t go back on a bargain struck. You don’t turn on your own crew. This is his first step towards becoming a partisan. he isn’t there yet, but for the first time he realizes he’s not entirely out for himself. That he would never betray someone who stood at his side in battle. Then we see him take his payment and try to live for himself, only to be thrown in prison and see a new facet of the horror of oppression. And he realizes he will need to channel Luthen to escape- he needs to convince others to risk their lives to facilitate his own freedom. But only when it becomes apparent that no one ever is really released does he manage to get the Tino to go along, and Tino commands the respect to get others to join in. And yet, as they gain their freedom Tino confesses he can’t swim and Cassian must confront the realization that this man lead the escape knowing that he, himself, would not benefit. That he did it for the others who might make it, and as the only blow he could strike against his oppressors. And then, we see a Cassian who finds out about Bix and his mom dying… and we are lead to believe Cassian will return home for his mother’s funeral, despite the empire setting a trap for him… but no, he returns to risk everything to rescue his friends using his own mother’s funeral as a diversion. His arc is complete, he has realized that he is a citizen of ferrix, where you stand with your people regardless of the cost. He doesn’t want to be Skeen- he wants to be Tino, a natural leader, willing to sacrifice everything to see others freed. He wasn’t BORN to be a hero because of midichlorians in he damn blood. He had to experience hard things and witness the sacrifices of people better than him to discover his own real heart and realize he was a member of something larger than himself. All the other characters seemed more interesting to you because they were his mentors, his tutors, his examples of what is good, what is bad, and what is worth dying for. This is how real rebellions rise. There are no people Born with the force strong in them. The fight against the empire is not centered on 4 people. Those are just the ones that were still standing at the very end. The empire was not the artifact of one cartoon villain and his caped stooge. It was an organization that elevated self interest over everything else and derided compassion, and thereby handed power to those least likely to wield that power justly. If you think you’re a Jedi Warrior, maybe you feel like you are equipped to fight such huge evil. But in Star Wars there was only ONE of those on the battle line. How does a regular person, not steeped in mystic mumbo jumbo, find the courage to lay down their life for the greater good? THIS is that story. The one Star Wars never told. What string of experiences turns a survivor into a hero? Because frankly- it takes more than one lightsaber lesson and seeing an old geezer getting evaporated by a caped villain. Andor was way better than the entire canon that precedes it. Star Wars movies are, for the most part, childish and simplistic. And anyone who thinks its too political… its literally called Star WARS. War is nothing but political. Explosions, Easter eggs and fan service are not enough. Show me what would would make ME willing to die for a just cause if I started out not believing in justice?
Dude! STOP! Stop repeating the words in my head. I wouldn't change a SINGLE word of your post. BOOM! You nailed it. This show captured that illusive quad-fecta, that holy grail of emmersive storytelling...Stellar writing, superb casting, phenomenal directing, and tour de force acting. Some shows have none, others have one or two of those elements, special shows have three, and the rare breeds have all four. Andor IS a rare breed! I want this series to be out on Blu Ray so I can add it to my collection before the powers that be decide to ban it because it does not fit the approved narrative. Can't afford to allow people to get any sniff that a rebellion is possible. Great post!
Andor is like the mad max of the show. He’s the main character but not the focus of the story
Andor is The Wire of Star Wars
Annnd "The Expanse" of Star Wars!!!
Cassian starts as an uninteresting rando. Circumstances happen around him and he acts accordingly, learning throughout; at root, he's an audience POV character. This is a show about how randos unite to spark a cultural meme and make a first attempt to resist the New World Order.
By not telling us more about Luthen it retains his mystery to the audience as well as in the show. They did a great job on this. Also, it's so cool that Stellan Skarsgard pops up in all the sci-fi and fantasy movies and shows I love. He's a wonderful actor. I totally disagree with you about Diego Luna as an actor. He is an incredible actor. He was just nominated for Best Actor by the Critics Choice Awards. Granted not the Emmys or Goldens, but I would love to see more actors in the show get recognized. Stellan Skarsgard might get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Would love to see that.. The whole cast is amazing. Another thing that makes Andor so good. The acting.
Totally agree I thought Diego Luna did a fantastic job! My critique was more about the character and less about Luna's performance
Loved this vid, my thoughts exactly!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Season 1 of Andor actually made Rouge One better, because now I'm invested with one of the Characters from the Movie, while before this series, almost everybody was just some actor. I remember after the first 30 minutes of Rogue One I was still trying to figure out Jenna Ursos name.
Great video!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I think they wanted to make the show: a Star Wars rebellion
But everyone would expect so much fan service. So they used a character to focus the story of the rebellions start
That's an interesting thought!
thank you
Welcome
Now that it's a success kennedy will turn her foul gaze upon it and take more control. I hope we all understand what that will mean.
The thing is...if you take Andor out...the whole story falls apart. You can't just replace him with simply anyone else, either. There are plenty of resourceful people in the galaxy, but Cassian was just fucking WALKING into imperial facilities and taking their shit. The rebel cells are planning jobs for months, and relying on intel that comes at great cost...and this dude just literally walks in like he owns the place.
Cassian UNDERSTOOD the Empire. He didn't get just how bad it was, but he knew how they think, how they move. Partly because he spent time in the army, and partly because he's always had to struggle to survive, and it's his nature to watch an enemy for weaknesses. So he hit them where they're vulnerable...in the ego. "They're so fat and satisfied. They can't imagine it. Someone like me, getting into their house, walking their floors, stealing their things, spitting in their food."
The man went back home when he KNEW the Empire was after him, and even though they knew he was there, he dodged them entirely, AND Luthen. The only people who knew he was there, were a handful of his friends, and that wasn't even until the end. Nurchi didn't even know, he just had a strong hint of it. He never actually saw Cassian, none of them did.
And without Cassian, the operation on Aldhani would've failed entirely, Maarva doesn't take her rebel moment in the sun...and so many other things are going to springboard off those, and other events. Next season is where we'll finally have Mon Mothma and Cassian connected. Otherwise I'm not totally sure why her parts are included. I enjoy them quite thoroughly, but I'm not sure why her part of the story is explicitly relevant to the things going on with Andor directly.
Cassian isn't explicitly a "lead" character, but he is a keystone character, and an instigator of the rest. And he is such, in a very convincing and critical way.
If the Dwarves in The Hobbit had taken Cassian instead of Bilbo, the book would've been half as long, and the Lord of the Rings would never have happened. The guy is Star Wars' John Wick.
Re Syril the word you’re looking for to describe him in 4-12 is creepy
Btw - the show should have simple been named "Birth of the Rebellion" or something like that ... and i guess a lot more people would have understood why its worthwhile to watch it.
Never really thought about if they changed the name, it's a great idea!
Everyone thinks Rouge One was great bc we saw DV do DV things at the end... I loved it until the very last scene. How does DV show up moments after they jump to hyper space? Don't tell me hyper space tracking - this was not used until EP 8 (RIP). Andor is hands down the best thing Disney has made since the last season of Cone Wars.
The Darth Vader scene in Rogue One was awesome, but what I remember liking most about the film was seeing the sacrifices the rebellion had to make, and the darker more serious nature of the film.
the only problem with this amazing tv series is the title Andor but of course Andor is not side character of "his own show". He ic central point of the show through whom everything is connected together. Disney star wars shows adjusted people to observe things in one dimension through silly presentation of old characters. the Andow is the full story
It's supervisor Meero, not Director. Good video though.
Oh thanks I didnt know that!
Disney shows literally began 4 years ago. And you're talking about never being this excited for a Disney plus show in a very, very long time??? LOL!!!!! You're funny.
I mean Luthen’s soliloquy is good and all but it’s no “I HATE SAND”
NEVER more than 12
The show is great. Loved it, despite Disney. ;)
This story is all about the Normal Distribution how the two tails of this distribution - the extremes - are fighting each other with the mean/median (normal people) being the fodder for their eternal tribulations. It's all maths in the end.
rogue one doesnt touch either andor or the last jedi and its really not close
Last Jedi???
@@JacksonGeorge a pretty significant chunk of the star wars fandom thought tlj was really good. there are a lot of reviews + thinkpieces abt it "revolutionising star wars" and stuff, like the whole point is that it was divisive, not that everyone hated it
Meero was a Supervisor, not a Director, but that's just nit-picking :)
Wasn't sure, thought I remembered someone calling her director 😂
The only bit of poor acting in the series came toward the end of Episode 10. The head of the Narkina 5 prison control room looked like he was acting, rather than there in the moment, reacting to the threat of being shot, in fact, why the hell didn't Kino and Andor shoot them both before the left. Why leave two loose ends like that?
Because Disney.. probably.
If it's the best why didn't they do anything
I watched all of this. I wanted to like this. Still not very good 🤷♂️
Andor was a decent series, but it didn't feel like "Star Wars".
I have very mixed feelings about Andor. I do agree with everything positive you said, but it still bored the hell out of me most of the time except for a couple of action or tense moments. I think it's main issue was snail pacing. I really disliked the Imperial characters and rolled my eyes every time Cyril was on screen (especially with his mom). I would have killed Cyril's arc and added something else; maybe the building of the Rebellion from Saw's perspective and maybe more of his disagreements with Luthen on their respective approaches (which could have added some raids from Saw's crew and how they would be more ruthless). The crapiness of the sequals, the averageness of the D+ shows, and the Star Wars fans' starvation for something good is making this overhyped. 7 out of 10.
A lot comes down to what type of TV you like. Andor is trying to explore complex ideas (which is not what the typical Star Wars fan enjoys), and if you want eye candy and don't have the patience for dialog, it probably isn't the show for you. I found a lot to chew on in the show, from Marxism to psychology, so I loved it, but it clearly isn't for everyone.
I canceled Disney+ after they dismissed Gina Carano. Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars are dead to me. Not coming back, Groomers.
I can't believe that a series about literally nothing is praised just cause it has Star Wars in the title. When do we get something new? Andor is gonna die when he gets to The death Star. Where are the Jedi? Where are the Sith? Where is the fun?! This is just Remember the franchise? I'm glad the fan base isn't falling for it... again.
Wow. Worst take I've seen so far.
yeah, you'd rather have the crappy fan service that BoBF ande Kenobi supplied eh? Not for me. Give me a story and actors that can act every day.
Omg, straight up baby brain over here can’t understand metaphor. Read a book.
I get your point and I actually agree maybe going forward in time to a new period might be the best. We do feel stuck in this over played out Empire vs. Rebellion story that we all have already known the ending to for decades. But they tried something new, the sequel trilogy, and in my opinion it just completely failed. This was because as is a consistent problem with Disney Star Wars, the writing was bad and in particular very lazy, so something new didn't solve the problems. If we can't explore new territory temporally then at least we are getting fresh takes on the existing material with good solid characters and story writing. I get you on all the fun stuff and I can see how many people might find this show boring and that is fine. But they have given us our fill of the "fun" stuff and it has really fallen flat so far so I appreciate a new approach. That is just my take.
"is praised just cause it has Star Wars in the title" bro 💀people are praising it for the intelligent writing and the fact it's the least star warsy piece of star wars media there's been. Also so what if we know andor is gonna die? We knew darth vader would die but we still watched the prequels lol.
Almost makes you forget the child trafficking business Disney supports.
I don't have a price.
😒
Anbore. Overlong and undercooked. Star Wars for Blake 7 fans. Absolutely at the opposite end of the spectrum of what George Lucas intended for Star Wars. Poor ratings too which are barely mentioned by those who want to paint it as a triumph.
Sorry to hear you didn't like it
@@JacksonGeorge I’ll still be watching second season though!!!
The most boring Star Wars show ever made. Incredibly tedious.
Wow your easily pleased .
I'm glad I wasn't the only one that got super tired and annoyed of cyrils character. They wasted so much screen time on that dude when it could've been put to so much better use on the more interesting characters