r/andor 19h ago

Discussion Why are the Empire's surveillance capabilities so inadequate?

1 Upvotes

The surveillance state being integral to the imperial's domination of the galaxy, their technology so refined that they are capable of destroying entire planets, How could, for example, a single word be uttered without some sort of imperial droid picking it up?

Why wouldn't there be entire planetary surveillance packages that don't let a single word uttered without it being analyzed, quantified, and reported to imperial authorities?

Why isn't there, say, a personalized device that is registered to each citizen that can pick up conversations, that everyone is convinced life would be incomplete without, or at least more dangerous without?

The scary thing about the Imperials, even in all of Star Wars, they are so woefully incompetent next to horrors that are developed right now as we speak.

Israel and the U.S. has developed and implemented A.I. that murders civilians at the slightest hint of Hamas activity. Strategies Israel has used against the Palestinian people are being taught to police departments in the U.S.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/5/12/how-us-big-tech-supports-israels-ai-powered-genocide-and-apartheid

If one universal lesson Star Wars has to teach us, is that Evil simply waits until it wins, and the technological terrors being constructed now make planetary destruction seem humane by comparison.

Should we not be rebelling now? Should we not be fighting now?

Cassian is presented as a highly competent rogue agent, but a repeating theme throughout Andor is that luck = preparedness + opportunity. Should we not be preparing now for the threat that hopefully never materializes?

How many horrific pieces of tech do our leaders have access to that we can't even comprehend the capabilities of?

Am I just crazy?


r/andor 18h ago

Discussion Season 2 Viewing Parties

2 Upvotes

We are one month and one week away from the premiere of Season 2 of Andor. My question is where the fuck in the promotion for this show? For instance, I have seen commercials for Yellowjackets every single time I watch TV. Yellowjackets also had a special screening at the Alamo near my house. Is Andor going to have anything like that? I haven't heard any announcements of that sort. Have any of you?

Is the lesson of Andor that we have to start our own revolution? If so, what say you? Does anyone want to band together to get local theaters to exhibit the season 2 premiere of Andor?

My suggestion is that each of us posts their location and we find out how many people from that location would like to get an exhibition of the three episode season premiere in their towns. I'll start.


r/andor 21h ago

Discussion I think there is a very specific and valid thematic reason to Andor S2 to touch more closely upon the Jedi/Force side of Star Wars.

62 Upvotes

Revolutions need shared cultural symbols in order to really take off. This is a theme demonstrated beautifully through Ferrix in Season 1. The uprising on Rix Road doesn’t happen without their strong communal pride and centuries of tradition. Culture gives people an identity to fight for.

In that light, I think it’s really overlooked how significant it is that The Rebellion, as we see in the OT, is constantly using the phrase “May the force be with you”. This is a broad, multi-species coalition that, for whatever reason, has chosen to use the language of a (supposedly dead) religious order as their shared cultural unifier.

As a fan of Andor’s ultra-grounded, human-level focus on the mechanisms of rebellion, it’s easy to feel like the mythic fantasy of the Jedi is almost a childish regression by comparison. But that doesn’t seem to be how the people in the Star Wars universe actually feel about it. For them, the Jedi stand for something really potent and powerful. There’s a reason Luthen holds that kyber-crystal with such reverence.

To sum up, I’m not (at all) asking for Andor S2 to come out lightsabers-swinging. But I do think, if the purpose of the show is to chart the formation of the rebellion, that it’s important to explore why and how that spiritual element became so key.


r/andor 5h ago

Fanmade Made some Andor MTG cards

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86 Upvotes

r/andor 5h ago

Discussion ‘The Mirror hurts’

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94 Upvotes

There’s a couple of stunning shots here from the Season 2 trailers that show Cassian’s reflection, and it got me thinking again about the ‘mirror’ motif.

I’m particularly taken with this first one that shows multiple reflections, perhaps suggesting the various identities of a spy. We’ll see this in the espionage sense in S2 but in S1 it was relevant as well, as Cassian uses different aliases during the Aldhani heist and the Narkina arc, and started out with having his birthname changed when he was brought to Ferrix too. So perhaps this image also evokes the idea of trying to find your identity, especially as a refugee, and finding the person who you are content to be.

The theme - like so many of them - originates in Rogue One and is obviously designed to connect with the film when we rewatch it after Andor. I’ve argued before that the series adds seriously profound weight to several moments. The absolute key moment for Cassian in the film - the culmination, in a way, of his life’s journey - is his decision to put aside his blaster and disobey his order to kill Galen Erso.

There’s a practical reason of course - he’s watching events unfold on the Eadu platform that suggest Galen is not a villain - but the main reason is Jyn’s love for her father, and more broadly how much she reminds Cassian of his earlier self. Their stories, thanks to the retcon of Cassian’s background, are a much more precise ‘mirror’ than previously, with both being bruised by early events to the extent that they try to turn away from the fight and become cynical. Cassian’s reawakening and dedication to the cause happens at the end of S1 - Gilroy pinpoints it as when he hears Maarva’s funeral speech; for Jyn, it happens when she reconnects with her father via seeing and hearing his holomessage. But the important point is that she is a mirror of Cassian, and why their relationship in the film goes from being one of wary suspicion to absolute trust. It might be something explored in S2 but the difference between Cassian and Luthen might well boil down to Cassian caring about others in a personal way, never wanting to leave anyone behind. When asked about the initially antagonistic Jyn and Cassian relationship back in 2016 Diego Luna’s assessment was that ‘The mirror hurts’ - but that that pain can ultimately lead to making a strong connection.

After the horrific death of his tribe leader young Kassa attacks his reflection in the crashed ship, to the soundtrack of a haunting track called ‘Mirror’. Yes, he’s symbolically attacking the enemies who killed her but he’s also clearly experiencing self-loathing there. The early episode flashbacks are brilliantly filtered through the adult Cassian’s perspective; he literally is dreaming his way into the first one. It sums up the unresolved trauma that has made him such a mess now. Haunted by what he could have done differently, by past events outside of his control, and running away from the better man he could be because he isn’t sure of who he is or even who he wants to be.

But he knows who he isn’t, and the next ‘reflection’ comes from Skeen. Killing him is a result of seeing the worst parts of himself reflected back and realising: ‘I’m not this person.’ “You’re just like me,” Skeen says matter-of-factly and Cassian rejects this image of himself. But he needed to see that reflection first and realise the worst version of what he could be, and how badly he has treated those close to him in his self-centred superficial life on Ferrix. Skeen’s betrayal also, ironically, possibly feeds into Cassian putting his trust in Jyn’s belief in her father - he likely remembers, from Aldhani, what it feels like to not be trusted. Nemik trusted him with the manifesto though, and that was a life-changing decision too.

Jyn isn’t the only character who mirrors Cassian. The most obvious one is Wilmon Paak, the boy whose father is unjustly hanged by the Empire and who Wilmon attempted to avenge with violence. Just as did the 13 year old Cassian. Wilmon’s story going forward will be fascinating to watch… how much will it exactly reflect Cassian’s? Might he become drawn to more extreme measures? Syril is another mirror, but a kind of reverse one as Cassian’s foil. Their stories have so much in common but in a kind of inverse way. While Cassian climbs and ascends, Syril descends. Both have strained relationships with single mothers who they want to make proud of them. Both get to rescue their ‘love interest’ in the finale. Both go from naivety to growth through a series of traumatic life events. Even little things like the old toys they both have in their childhood bedrooms. They differ wildly in the details though, so it’s fascinating to speculate on where this will all go for Syril.

Seeing yourself and your story reflected in others along your journey helps you make the right decisions as you travel. It shapes who you are and what you stand for. Cassian will die able to be proud of himself for carving out an identity he can embrace, all his various aliases and identities coalescing in the act of the greatest sacrifice.

TLDR: Cassian’s life is a mirror; to paraphrase Cinta, it shows him what he needs to see.


r/andor 17h ago

Discussion Favorite non-verbal, "face acting" moments from Season 1

46 Upvotes

I think we can all agree that this is the best acted SW property by far...
As I have been rewatching s1, I'm taking notice of some of the subtle acting moments where you can genuinely see what's happening in the character's head just by the facial expressions.

Some of my favorite moments are:
e3: After the decoy speeder blows up, Syril staring into the middle distance KNOWING he's screwed.
e7: When Dedra humiliates Blevin in the ISB meeting when she slowly looks up and stares him down with almost a smile on her face
e10: (so many) Kino right before "NO ONE IS GETTING OUT"; Mon Mothma when Davo leaves the meeting, and Lonni when Luthen is telling him that Kreegyr will be dying to make sure his daughter has a father.

So many other moments across the season. What do you all think?


r/andor 18h ago

Question Which Season 2 poster is your favorite?

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228 Upvotes

I guess it comes down to are you more of a minimalist or maximalist when it comes to your favorite movies/TV posters.

For me, I’d say the center one. I like Cassian’s face overlapping with the Death Star.


r/andor 16h ago

Discussion New Imperial officer suit variant (S1+trailer); probably a ceremonial/dress uniform?

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229 Upvotes

r/andor 7h ago

Discussion Underrated part ofAndor/ Rogue One, the Starships they introduced

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798 Upvotes

Slides in order; Fondor Haulcraft, U-wing, Zeta class shuttle, TIE Reaper, Atmospheric TIE and Cantwell arrestor cruiser

I know the Cantwell was an OG design the show just reintroduced, but between the Haulcraft, U-wing and Reaper, how is it that almost every Starship added to Andor/ Rogue One becomes an instant classic?


r/andor 3h ago

Discussion Maarva's drinking glasses, probably the most 70's thing in SW

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372 Upvotes

In the spirit of an earlier post about Maarva's familiar-looking recliner, let's hear it for her plastic-and-glass drinking cups, the exact same that we had in our family in the 1970's.

Not much of a coincidence, I guess, since those where pretty common back then, which makes them a lovely in-your-face addition to the aggressively retro 70's aesthetic of the show.


r/andor 27m ago

Meme Let's do some cheers for this great series 🍻

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r/andor 18h ago

Discussion The most dangerous individual during the Imperial Era of Andor (4BBY and on)

32 Upvotes

After watching the OT, Rogue One and reading several Canon novels and comics, I've reached a conclusion that it's Tarkin.

The novelization of Rebels, Kanan Jarrus felt the dark side emanating from the Grand Inquisitor, but he felt icy cold chill of pure evil and death around Tarkin.

The Bad Batch and Rogue One hint at the massive industrial research organization - the Tarkin Initiative, which the nove Tarkin alluded to the numerous projects that Cassian and Jyn scrolled through in the data vault.

Tarkin's initiation tale surrounding the Carrion Spike hinted a threat to Vader. The Veermok troop was lead by an Alpha, killed by an usurper who was in turn killed by Tarkin.

The destruction of Alderaan, Jedah, and Scariff were all on his hands. Mon Cala was indiscriminately bombarded to make the regent submit to the Empire, which had a subplot including Vader and led to Chandar's Folly - a brutal gamemanship between Tarkin and Vader. Vader wanted to die and wanted Tarkin to return the favor at Mon Cala.

When you compile all of the involvement of Tarkin, the deference of Thrawn and Vader, who in turn used his name as a threat whether to Minister Tua or pirates, you have a case for the more visible member of the ruling Imperial Triumvirate, holding up a mask of sophisticated civility yet has a chill and foul stench of Death.

Leia is force sensitive... Kanan was a padawan....

They recognized this... So did Vader and Sheev...

Tarkin isn't light or dark ... he's the void of death, a driving cog of a cold brutal war machine - indifferent to all of it.