Andor isn’t just a show about a dangerously sexy Rebel agent who’ll complete the mission at all costs. Over the first seven episodes, it’s expanded the scope outwards to show the inner workings of the Imperial intelligence bureau, Stellan Skarsgård’s shadowy anti-Imperial operations, and — arguably most successfully — the enormous pressure Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma is under.
Prior to Andor, Mon Mothma wasn’t an especially deep character. Now, audiences are beginning to understand how much is at stake for her as she fights against the Empire while dealing with informants in her staff and her own Imperial-sympathizing family. This has led to some incredible scenes, with a highlight being the cocktail party in the recent episode in which she subtly tested whether an old friend could be trusted.
O’Reilly has done such a good job that fans are calling for awards season recognition:
We agree, and we’re still astonished that Andor has made upper-class Corusant dinner parties more exciting than Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s lightsaber battles. Replies point to the exemplary writing:
Others point out that O’Reilly has been playing this role since Revenge of the Sith, though it was cut from that movie:
Her episode seven performance left us blown away too:
And, after first being introduced to her in the original trilogy, we’re finally seeing Mon Mothma shine:
Expect O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma to play a role throughout Andor‘s run, though a recent interview indicates there are some painful choices in store for her. We now know she’s committed to direct action against the Empire, which is inevitably going to pit her against her own family and eventually destroy her career, so expect many more gripping scenes to come.
Andor airs Wednesdays on Disney Plus.
