By George & Josh Bate
The following is a NON-SPOILER review of all 12 episodes of Andor Season 2
In 2022, Andor took Star Wars in a direction never charted before. The series created by Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna told a story that Star Wars has told since 1977 (i.e., rebels rebelling against a tyrannical Galactic Empire), but did so with newfound maturity, contemplation, and nuance. Over the course of 12 extraordinary episodes, audiences were enraptured by the journey of a Cassian Andor as he evolved from a man out for himself to a rebel dedicating his life to the greater good of the galaxy. Although titled ‘Andor,’ the show was far bigger than the titular character, chronicling the arcs of a range of enthralling characters, such as Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and Bix Caleen, who tackled the conflict with the Empire in different, yet similarly impactful, ways. From now iconic lines like ‘One way out!’ or ‘Never more than 12’ to a resounding season finale that is easily one of the best episodes of Star Wars television ever (and probably television more broadly), Andor Season 1 impressed from beginning-to-end, making the wait for the second and final season of the series nearly unbearable. It is with great anticipation and trepidation that we approach Andor Season 2, the latter of which is elicited as it is difficult to conceive of how a second season could surpass or even match its predecessor. However, having now watched all 12 episodes of Andor Season 2, we can confidently say that it lives up to lofty expectations, will reshape the way you view Rogue One, and, in the nearly 50-year history of the franchise, is the more mature and relevant Star Wars has ever been.
Andor Season 2 picks up one year after the events of the Season 1 finale. Cassian has fully committed himself to the rebellion, now completing missions across the galaxy for Luthen Rael. Every three episodes of Season 2 represent a block or chapter of storytelling, as described by creator Tony Gilroy. This means that every three episodes tell a relatively contained story or fleshed-out arc of episodes, each taking place in succession of one another. One year in the Star Wars universe divides each block of three episodes, all culminating in the very beginning of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Gilroy and company find success with this novel structuring of episodes, which is aided by the fact that a block of three episodes will be released every Tuesday starting April 22. If viewed in isolation, the first episode of a block can feel a tad incomplete – like one has just viewed a portion (or, more accurately, a third) of a story. The blocks are best consumed altogether, hence the Disney+ release strategy of dropping three episodes each week. Tony Gilroy himself said that Andor Season 2 will be like having a “Star Wars movie” each week and, given the cinematic quality of each block, this is certainly the case.
Out of the four blocks of three episodes, the latter two blocks are the strongest, but this statement by no means should be interpreted as a slight on the first two blocks of episodes. As was the case with Andor Season 1, the first two episodes of Season 2 play out a bit slowly as Gilroy and company re-introduce the audience to the core characters and lay out all the chess pieces for the following season. There is a sense of tension that begins to build from these initial episodes as we are introduced to a major plot point that drives much of the season’s subsequent episodes. Without getting into spoilers, this plot point can likely be guessed by many Star Wars fans who are knowledgeable of canon, features in promotional material, and has been confirmed by Gilroy to play a role this season. The mere mention of this plot point in the initial episodes sends shivers down our spines as we know generally how this event unfolds, but not any of the details. In weaving this in from the beginning, Andor Season 2 feels like it is all driving toward something. And that something isn’t just Rogue One.
The weakest component of any of the 12 episodes comes with Cassian’s arc in the first block of three episodes. These episodes, much like Season 1 and the rest of Season 2, share a similar narrative structure to Game of Thrones. Both Andor and the hit HBO series feature lots of characters with each episode fluctuating from one character’s story to another. Cassian’s arc in the initial episodes proves to be the least interesting element of the entire season, especially when compared to the concurrent stories going on with Mon Mothma and Bix Caleen. After a thrilling and action-packed beginning to the first episode, Cassian’s journey in the initial three episodes slows down and is a surprisingly flat way to begin his trajectory this season. With the exception of Cassian’s arc in the first three episodes though, Andor Season 2 delivers gut-punch after gut-punch, heartbreak after heartbreak, and had us cheering from our seats and weeping tears in equal measure.
One of the most underappreciated elements of Andor Season 1 was the show’s propensity for palpably intense culminations to story arcs. The third episode of Season 1 followed Cassian and Luthen as they reluctantly teamed up to escape Syril Karn and his team. The sixth episode of Season 1 chronicled the Aldhani heist. The tenth episode of Season 1 saw Kino Loy and Cassian lead a breakout of Narkina 5 prison. And the twelfth and final episode of Season 1 had all the different plot threads of the season come together at Maarva’s funeral on Rix Road. Each of these moments possessed a grandiosity and stakes most shows hold off on until a season finale, or even a series finale. And yet, in Andor, Gilroy packed so many of them into his first season. The editing fastened, the musical score became more intense, the story on the screen was coming to a head. They had our hearts racing and then breaking (usually in that order), whether it be with the death of Nemek, Kino Loy’s “I can’t swim’ statement, or Maarva’s resounding posthumous speech. It is great pleasure to report then that Andor Season 2 once again features these incredible, intense culminations to story arcs. In fact, these culminating events are even more numerous in Season 2 than they were in Season 1. No Star Wars movie, show, book, comic, or game has ever had us on the edge of our seats as much as Andor Season 2.
Concurrent with these big events is immense emotional weight. Tony Gilroy and the cast have teased the hard journeys ahead for the show’s characters. The title character himself is already confirmed to die shortly after the events of Season 2. Even going into this season expecting a level of emotional devastation though, we weren’t always prepared for what these 12 episodes had to offer. There are some genuinely powerful moments in Season 2, the kind that will make you cry, scream at the screen, or cheer like you’re at a sporting event. For us, as interesting as a galaxy far, far away has been since the original film, the most captivating part of Star Wars is the degree to which it elicits strong emotions. This is down to strong characters and strong writing over the years that fostered great investment from audiences and, in turn, real emotion in response to characters’ achievements and failures. Despite featuring aliens and lightsabers and a mystical power, Star Wars has an inherent relatability to it, and Andor is no exception in this regard. Different moments will resonate with different viewers and yet the result is the same – that Star Wars is moving in a way no other franchise is.
Andor Season 2 takes this to another level, however, by incorporating mature and real-life themes and topics. As this review does not contain spoilers, we will not disclose what these themes and topics are, but we can say that their inclusion in a Star Wars story is jaw-dropping and will likely generate much discussion. Tony Gilroy and his writing team deserve immense credit, not only for their bravery in packing these themes/topics into a traditionally family-oriented franchise, but also for the grace and consideration with which they handle these themes/topics.
Like the very best modern Star Wars stories, Andor Season 2 reshapes one’s understanding and appreciation of other Star Wars tales. The 12 new episodes provide newfound nuance to the Empire-Rebellion conflict, both from a canon/narrative standpoint and from an emotional/thematic one. Luke’s desire to join the rebellion in A New Hope, the celebrations following the destruction of the Death Star, Cassian’s decision-making in Rogue One, and Krennic’s devastation at seeing the Death Star over Scarif are just a sample of the parts of Star Wars that we view fundamentally differently now after watching Season 2. On a more intricate level, Andor Season 2 is also filled to the brim with clever hidden details, easter eggs, and references that intelligently tie back to other Star Wars stories, while never overwhelming or taking up too much space. Gilroy and company have exerted incredible effort in ensuring that Andor Season 2 fits in Star Wars canon and adds to it.
Incredible effort is also allocated to the visuals of Season 2. The blend of practical effects and CGI is immaculate, as best evidenced by the subtle use of CGI and other digital tricks to radically transform real-life settings into places in a galaxy far, far away. In other cases though, entire practical sets have been constructed, which turn certain locations of the show into characters themselves. This is mostly in reference to Ghorman, in particular the main plaza in the Ghorman capital. Andor has already featured outstanding production design with Ferrix coming to life in Season 1, and Season 1 continues this trend with how Ghorman is realized. Importantly, the care and effort that went into the Ghorman production/set design contributes significantly to the variety of emotions the events on this planet will elicit in audience members.
Also mirroring Season 1 is the sheer number of speaking characters in the second season. As mentioned previously, Andor is not just about Cassian Andor, rather a myriad of rebels and Imperials, including Luthen Rael, Mon Mothma, Dedra Meero, Syril Karn, and Bix Caleen. With an already sizable principal cast, Andor extends even further with a host of dynamic and interesting side characters – some that may only feature in a scene or two and only have a few lines of dialogue and yet leave a lasting impression nonetheless. This was the case with Season 1 (examples include Salmon Paak, Xanwan, Ulaf) and this is once again the case with Season 2. There are so many times that we are introduced to a background character who immediately compels and who wish we could learn more about. In addition to strong performances from everyone on the call-sheet, this comes about due to strong dialogue that imbues even the most minor of characters with a point of interest. The 12 episodes are filled to the brim with actors in speaking roles.
Of course though, Andor wouldn’t be the show it is without the strength of his main performers. And, in working your way across the cast list from Diego Luna onward, there isn’t a single weak link in the ensemble. Diego Luna leads the ensemble by example with a triumph of a performance. This is never more apparent than in the final moments of the third episode, in which Luna stares directly at the camera and conveys such powerful emotions without a line of dialogue. With 24 episodes to flex his acting muscles, Luna has crafted Cassian Andor into one of the series’ most well-rounded and developed characters.
Adria Arjona similarly excels in this second season. Arjona is given far more to do in Season 2 than Season 1, and takes this challenge in her stride. Bix’s journey devastates and uplifts as strongly as it does due to Arjona’s committed, relentless performance. From recent roles in Hit Man and Blink Twice to now the second season of Andor, Arjona continues to prove why she is one of the most compelling and underappreciated actresses working today.
Plaudits could go on and on for the cast. Stellan Skarsgard may not have a killer speech in Season 2, but, as we learn more about Luthen’s background and legacy in these 12 episodes, the Swedish actor demonstrates why he has consistently featured in some of the industry’s most acclaimed projects for the past 30+ years. Genevieve O’Reilly portrays Mon Mothma with care and heart, while also injecting the character with new dimensions in this second season. The third episode of Season 2 in particular serves as the perfect showcase for O’Reilly’s acting talent. Denise Gough, meanwhile, takes Dedra Meero to new depths of ambition and callousness in a role that is perhaps the most demanding of the ensemble (with the exception of Arjona). Her counterpart Syril Karn is thankfully not sidelined in Season 2, instead playing a surprisingly sizable role that is actualized by a superb turn by Kyle Soller. Wilmon Paak, a character we have predicted for a while will also play a sizable role in Season 2, is once again portrayed by Muhannad Bhaier, who definitively demonstrates without a shadow of a doubt that he should be cast in more projects.
But, if there’s one final actor of the ensemble who deserves specific recognition it is Elizabeth Dulau, who plays Kleya. The close confidante of Luthen Rael in Season 1 adopts a far more prominent and important role in Season 2. In fact, Kleya may be Season 2’s most interesting character. Dulau is exceptional in the role, meeting heavy-weights like Skarsgard word-for-word in lengthy, emotionally dense dialogue sequences. Mark our words, Kleya will become a fan favorite after this season.
In a rare misstep for the series, Andor Season 2 errs in its lack of resolution for a plot thread introduced in Season 1. Admittedly, this was not a major plot thread in Season 1, yet it was one that warranted follow-up. Unfortunately, follow-up doesn’t arrive in Season 2.
As Andor Season 2 concludes, the story heads directly into Rogue One. Tony Gilroy previously said that Rogue One is to A New Hope what Andor Season 2 is to Rogue One. Gilroy’s statement certainly rings true as watching Andor Season 2 and Rogue One back-to-back is like watching one continuous film or television series. Every moment in Rogue One, especially those with Cassian, is reconceptualized as a result of this second season, confirming that Andor should be considered the blueprint for how to make an effective prequel.
VERDICT: 9/10
Andor Season 2 does the impossible in exceeding exceptionally lofty expectations after a stellar first season that raised the bar so high. Intelligently employing an episode structure and release schedule built around three-episode arcs, the season essentially unfolds as four Star Wars movies, cinematic in their quality and scope. After a relatively weak first arc for Cassian, which is amplified by stronger stories about Bix and Mon in the initial three episodes, the season propels forward with heartbreak after heartbreak and gut-punch after gut-punch. Tony Gilroy and company continue to populate their season with palpably intense culminating events and moments akin to the Narkina 5 prison break and Maarva’s funeral from Season 1. No Star Wars movie, book, comic, or game has had us on the edge of our seats like Andor Season 2. A visceral intensity is coupled by immense emotional weight, amplified by a considerate and poignant exploration of mature and real-life themes and topics never explored in Star Wars before. Top-notch production design, costume design, and visual effects are met in quality by extraordinary acting, all the way from Diego Luna at the top of the call-sheet to minor characters who may only have a few lines. Luna and Adria Arjona triumph with their respective performances, but arguably the acting highlight of the season comes from Elizabeth Dulau, who turns Kleya into an unequivocally compelling character destined for fan adoration. Although there is a lack of resolution for a plot thread introduced in Season 1, the season’s strong writing will deepen your appreciation and even alter your understanding of Rogue One, A New Hope, and the broader Empire-Rebellion conflict in ways you don’t expect, proving that Andor should be the blueprint for all prequels moving forward. More mature, relevant, and refined than anything in the Star Wars universe, Andor concludes with resounding success.