Ever since the second season of Andor wrapped up a couple weeks ago the show has been stuck in my head; every now and then I think about it and how just so very good it is. Andor feels like a singular work in the movies and TV of Star Wars. It zeroes in on the undercurrent of political tension that’s been present since A New Hope and foregrounds it, unpacking all the themes of Empire and Rebellion into a story about fascism and freedom.
The result is a gritty and serious vision of Star Wars. It’s about the minutiae of resistance, not the derring-do and space wizards Star Wars is known for. This is a show about trauma, subjugation, and genocide, diving deep into the evils of empire all the while studying the sort of people who would stand up to the horror. But even with all the spycraft and betrayal, Andor never loses that romantic center that Star Wars holds to: The good guys will win, there is value in compassion, and no matter what happens there is always, always hope. It’s Star Wars through and through, and Star Wars so good that it almost leaves you wondering where Star Wars goes from here.
The answer, I figure, is somewhere totally different. Trying to recreate Andor but different is a fool’s errand — anything that tries to be just like it will exist in its shadow. If anything, Andor proves the breadth of what Star Wars can be. Last year’s Skeleton Crew was a Goonies riff and the first season of The Mandalorian was a pastiche of Spaghetti Westerns and samurai movies.Modern Star Wars is at its best when it’s weird and getting a little experimental with just exactly what a Star Wars can be. Rogue One was a war movie and The Last Jedi took apart Star Wars’ core tenets to rebuild it into something richer than it was before.
Star Wars has been around for nearly fifty years and in that time it’s become a little ossified in its identity. But Star Wars was weird when it came out, mashing genres together with abandon. Wherever Star Wars goes next I hope that there’s still space for that oddness, for that willingness to try something totally different, all the while keeping that Star Wars heart.
Essays, Not Rants! 