Maybe it was my most successful tweet ever This onefour pictures from episode five of Andor accompanied by my reaction: “Whoa.” In these images, young Karis Nemik, the most intellectually engaged member of the small band on Aldhani planning a massive heist of Imperial wealth, passionately shares some of his ideas with Cassian Andor, who is currently his own reluctant experienced political awakening. “So much is wrong,” says Karis, “there is so much to say, and everything is happening so quickly.” The pace of oppression exceeds our ability to understand it. And that is the real trick of the imperial thought machine. It’s easier to hide behind 40 atrocities than a single incident.”
My hair stood on end when I heard these words, a clear, truthful insight into how systems of oppression assert their dominance, not only in this galaxy far, far away, but also here in our world. For me, this conversation was one of the most exciting moments ever star Warsmore exciting than many of the franchise’s space battles and lightsaber fights: here was a bold, uncompromising exploration of ideological terrain, a dazzling reminder of it star Wars could and should be around something.
And this is not, as some may claim, Andor come along and make it unnecessary star Wars politically. It is a courageous recapture of the political heart that was always there. Just watch this excerpt from an interview between George Lucas and James Cameron, in which Lucas claims that his focus as a student of anthropology was on “social systems.” Cameron then remarks how interesting this is star Wars“The good guys are the rebels, they wage asymmetrical warfare against a highly organized empire.” I think we call these guys terrorists today.” Lucas replies: “When I did it, they were Vietcong,” which is the empire of the original 1977 film – dun dun DUN!!!!!!! – makes the good old US of A.
Of course, there have been many real empires and many real uprisings over the decades, and unfortunately the core political issues of oppression and resistance have taken center stage star Wars were never overtaken. If anything, they are relevant now more than ever. But what does Andor What is so extraordinary is not only the fact that it is blatantly and explicitly reclaiming this radical, anti-fascist political ground for the colossal right to vote. Of course, it is possible to write a story with radical politics that is clunky, boring, and guided by ideology rather than characters with real desires and beliefs. But Andor has also been extremely successful at this level. In the hands of showrunner Tony Gilroy, who also wrote and directed the exceptionally intelligent and exciting 2007 film Michael Clayton, AndorThe characters and themes blend together organically, with the fascists being just as complex and believable as the anti-fascists and every rousing speech – similar what Stellan Skarsgård delivers in a rousing way as Luther Rael, revealing all the things he sacrificed in the pursuit of liberation, and what Fiona Shaw’s Maarva Andor delivers from the afterlife and calls on those left behind to “fight the Empire!” – she doesn’t feel like a bad writer clumsily inserting an ideological message into a story where it doesn’t belong, but rather like a completely credible and necessary one Expression of this character’s beliefs.
With each passing day – each tragic, terrible day – it becomes increasingly clear that Karis was right: there is so much going wrong, and everything is happening so quickly, and the sheer number of atrocities being funded and committed only makes it worse. This makes it easier Governments to hide behind them. Andor is full of exciting action and wonderful characters, everything we’ve always expected star Wars for. But it’s also an urgent reminder of what star Wars That’s what it’s always been about. Know an evil empire when you see one. – Carolyn Petit
