::: warning Given that this was the first review, I need to come back and update it. Read at your own risk.

The 'Andor' series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor's journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It's an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero. Disney+

Andor is a brilliant show. It features highly complex characters, meaningful dialogue, and gripping storylines. Every single character feels like they are real and have their own motives, dreams, and lives. There are no wasted scenes or characters that don't play a part. Cassian is in a constant personal struggle of discovering how far he will go to save himself, but also how far he will go to help the rebellion.

The biggest thing that Andor has going for it, is ditching the reliance on the Skywalker family along with the jedi/sith storylines. It stays grounded and gritty as we see the perspective of a common person struggling under the rule of the empire. No characters are black and white and you are constantly left questioning each of their motives and which side they are actually on. In particular, Luthen, played by Stellan Skarsgard, is so complex and manipulates everyone around him. This includes members of the rebellion he recruited, spies that he has planted, Cassian, and the empire. To highlight the amazing dialogue in the show, here is his monologue at one point when asked what he had sacrificed for the rebellion.

Calm

Kindness, Kinship

Love

I've given up all chance at inner peace

I made my mind a sunless place

I share my dreams with ghosts

I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 15 years ago, from which there's only one conclusion

I'm damned for what I do

My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight

They've set me on a path from which there is no escape

I yearned to be a savior against injustice without contemplating the cost and by the time I looked down, there was no longer any ground beneath my feet

What's my sacrifice?

I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them

I burn my decency for someone else's future

I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I'll never see

And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror, or an audience or the light of gratitude

So what do I sacrifice

Everything

One of my favorite characters is Kino, played by Andy Serkis, who is a prisoner in the prison that Cassian ends up in. He is the floormaster and directs all the other prisoners in their work. Over the course of a couple episodes, he has amazing character development and depth.

SPOILERS SECTION

In this section, my aim is to really discuss the meaning behind some of cinematic choices, the intricacy of the dialogue, and some complicated plot points.

To start, the biggest plot point that I had questions about after finishing the series was where did the money go? The money I am talking about is the millions of credits that Cassian and crew stole on Aldhani. The reason I would have liked this to be explained or shown is because Mon Mothma is shown to be in financial trouble and willing to do a deal with a mobster in order to get out of it when the measly 400k she needed could have been funneled to her with the stolen credits. I would have liked to see where the credits ended up, i.e. who controls the funds at the end, and what their purpose was. I assume Luthen has them as he set up the whole operation, but it is not clear what Vel did with them. This was really the only "plot hole" that I noticed and I felt like the rest of the show made decent sense logically.

Moving on, Andor showcased not only beautiful shots, but also very meaningful shots with interesting parallels or subliminal meanings.

There were so many moments where the dialogue in this show was so amazing that I had to highlight them. An example is near the end when Luthen and Kleya are speaking in code about acquiring a special relic/piece when they are really talking about killing Cassian. That was a very immersive inclusion as it really highlights just how careful Luthen had to be in order to stay under the Empire's radar.

Another moment is when Mon Mothma is tactfully approaching Tay Kolma about helping her with financial trouble. She is shown to be constantly aware of her surroundings and feeling out Tay's position on the Empire through carefully crafted questions all while putting on a visual appearance of talking about childhood memories.

I already mentioned Luthen's speech, but at risk of being repetitive, I will include another monologue. The manifesto from Nemik in the last episode as Cassian gets ready to attend the funeral is so poignant, not only for the show, but in real life as countries across the world face oppressive regimes.

The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural

Tyranny requires constant effort

It breaks, it leaks

Authority is brittle

Oppression is the mask of fear

Remember that

And know this: the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance, will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority, and then there will be one too many

One single thing will break the siege

Remember this

Try

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