Early on in Andor, Stellan Skarsgård’s rebel spymaster Luther tells Diego Luna’s somewhat hesitant Cassian Andor that it’s time “to fight these bastards for real”.
That single quote alone sums up the spirit of the latest Star Wars TV series as it witnesses the start of a rebellion. Set five years before the events of Rogue One, the show follows Andor as he discovers that he can make a difference in the world, starting his journey to becoming a rebel hero.
It’s a story of revolution, rebellion, and hope, themes that have defined Star Wars since George Lucas first took us to a galaxy far, far away in 1977. However, in Andor these themes are explored in a different way, showing audiences a new perspective.
Lucasfilm
That’s because the story takes place during the early days of the rebellion, with scattered groups, independent ideas, and uncompromising methods.
The show isn’t afraid to shine a light on the more violent side of the rebels, asking whether the ends really do justify the means.
As Genevieve O’Reilly, who returns as the legendary Mon Mothma, tells Zavvi, this is a new era of Star Wars: “At the heart of Star Wars, no matter which one you look at, is an idea of hope and collaborative exercise against oppression. Andor lives in that world.
Lucasfilm
“We know from the other films that Palpatine is an oppressive dictator, but at the start of Andor he’s not there yet. Fascism and totalitarianism doesn’t just begin, there’s a road to that, and Andor starts somewhere on that journey.”
In the latest edition of our free digital magazine The Lowdown, we went behind the scenes with the cast who told us why this is like no other Star Wars adventure we’ve seen so far.
Andor debuts on Disney+ this Wednesday, 21st September.
