(C) Daily Yonder - Keep it Rural
This story was originally published by Daily Yonder - Keep it Rural and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



In ‘Andor,’ a Galaxy Far, Far Away Hits Close to Home [1]

['Adam B. Giorgi', 'The Daily Yonder', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar']

Date: 2025-06-12

Editor’s Note: A version of this story first appeared in The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy, a newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, retrospectives, recommendations, and more. You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article to receive future editions in your inbox.

Migrant farm workers sweating visa status amid amped up immigration enforcement. Aggressive strip mining of the land without consideration of local communities. The reframing of peaceful protest as uncontrolled rioting. Mass surveillance and rising disregard for due process and human rights.

You don’t need to go to a galaxy far, far away or look back to a long time ago to find these types of stories. You’ll find them exceedingly close to home and fresh in recent memory. Nevertheless, find all of these stories you will in “Andor,” the latest Star Wars series that recently concluded its second and final season streaming on Disney Plus.

On the surface, it shouldn’t come as a terrible surprise that Star Wars would grapple with these subjects. We’ve been served stories of the grand struggle between the dark-side Galactic Empire and the light-side Rebel Alliance for nearly half a century now, and various installments in the franchise have been associated with or said to draw inspiration from then contemporary concerns, including the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the American invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. But it’s arguably never been more timely or effective than it is in “Andor.”

An official trailer for “Andor” Season 2 (via Star Wars on YouTube).

Much of that is due to the specificity and scale of the series. Whereas the mainline Star Wars films are pulpy and operatic, with obviously adorned villains and misdeeds involving the unceremonious destruction of entire planets, “Andor” operates on a much more grounded, human level. The creator and showrunner, Tony Gilroy, is known for spy thrillers like “The Bourne Identity,” and the award-winning legal drama “Michael Clayton.” He puts those same trademarks to work in this Star Wars story, which spotlights the tense, compromising work of rebel spies and the “banality of evil” present in an evil empire at full bloom.

For a casual follower not keeping up with all the latest Star Wars films, TV series, and various other affiliated media, “Andor” might seem on the surface like the worst kind of brand extension, a prequel series to “Rogue One,” itself already a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy. In truth, if you’re familiar with the concept of the “Death Star” and the broad contours of that first “Star Wars” film, you’ll likely know everything you need to enjoy “Andor.” And succumbing to so-called “franchise fatigue” here would mean missing out on the best story in this saga since “The Empire Strikes Back” — and a stellar piece of prestige television in any right.

Over the course of two seasons, we follow the journey of titular protagonist, Cassian Andor, as he grows from your average, self-serving rogue to a dedicated spy and rebel captain, willing to give his life for the larger cause. Along the way, there are heists, extractions, secret meetings, negotiations, and at least a few monologues about the nature of revolution and freedom. It’s gripping at every step, and while it is unmistakably Star Wars, it’s also up to the task of engaging head-on with concepts of tyranny, authoritarianism, and the challenges and consequences of organized resistance. This comes through in various scenes and plotlines that are rooted in real-world examples of revolution and oppression throughout history. Promotional poster for “Andor” (Credit: Disney Plus Press Site).

Take for example season two’s most showstopping and heartbreaking episode, in which you might see echoes of Tiananmen Square, the Paris Uprising of 1832 (later depicted in “Les Misérables”), the Mexican Dirty War, or the current circumstances in Gaza.

This is not a strictly academic exercise though. The series features a large cast of complex and compelling characters, from the major players at the top all the way down to smaller, supporting roles. It has a rich sense of place, whisking viewers to a wide array of interesting planets as is custom, while also offering a more in-depth exploration of the cultures and traditions of places both familiar and new. From the megacity where the Empire rules, to the sprawling fields of farming colonies, and the nascent rebel base on a remote jungle moon, the production design and practical effects make this one of the most ambitiously staged and impressive looking pieces of television in recent memory, right up there with the best of “Game of Thrones” or 2024’s “Shōgun.”

It’s understandable if the current challenges of our world and the atrocities we see in our own reality limit your appetite for confronting the same in your escapist sci-fi and fantasy fare. “Andor” is in many respects a tragedy, with a good share of its principal characters meeting a sad end. But it is also quietly triumphant, showcasing how each individual action and small contribution can eventually cascade into something undeniable and bring about hope for something new.

Whether you are a fan of mainstream genre fiction that holds up a mirror in this way – from “Watchmen” and “Black Panther” to “The Matrix” and more – be advised: “Andor” is delivering a message that merits our attention now more than ever.

Andor is available to stream on Disney Plus.

This article first appeared in The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, recommendations, retrospectives, and more. Join the mailing list today to have future editions delivered straight to your inbox.

Related

Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://dailyyonder.com/andor-star-wars-series-showcases-a-galaxy-far-far-away-that-hits-close-to-home/2025/06/12/

Published and (C) by Daily Yonder - Keep it Rural
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0 International.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailyyonder/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.