Andor is a show about the misery of living under a fascist authoritarian statement and a call for violent revolutionary action against oppression, so it’s disconcerting that so many people are finding it extremely relevant to current events. Fans have drawn parallels to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the show fairly open about finding inspiration from British Imperialism, Nazi Germany, the Highland Clearances, and many other colonial/indigenous struggles.
That’s despite showrunner Tony Gilroy insisting that the show isn’t political, though later clarified that it’s not supposed to be a direct allegory for any single struggle. Now he’s underlined the range of historic sources they had in mind when writing the show. In an interview with Deadline, he was asked what events inspired Andor and replied:
“It’s just so incredibly sad how easily available all of the things that seemed contemporaneously sad are through history, and that they just continue to repeat themselves.
There are things all the way through the show, and I don’t want to go through and quote chapter and verse, but this is the Russian Revolution. This is the Montagnard. This is something interesting that happened in the Haitian Revolution. This is the ANC. Oh, this is the Earth Gun Building, Palestine. This is the Continental Congress. This goes all the way…I mean, you could drop a needle in the last, I don’t know what is recorded history, 3,000 years, legitimate recorded, I mean, slavery, oppression, colonialism, bad behavior, betrayal, heroism, I mean, it’s a continuum.”
It’s a testament to Gilroy and his team that they synthesized that into such a gripping story that goes way beyond what we usually expect from Star Wars. Yesterday’s finale was particularly great, serving up a heaping helping of anti-Imperial ideology from Nemik (RIP) and a rousing call to action from Maarva (also RIP). Honestly, if you didn’t come away from Maarva’s speech wanting to bash a Stormtrooper’s helmet in with a brick, then there may be no helping you.
While we’re still basking in the glow of that finale, Gilroy and his team have already begun work on season two. That’s currently before the cameras in the U.K. for another 12-episode season that’s expected to wrap in August 2023. Season two will cover the remaining years prior to Rogue One, ending at around the point we first met Cassian Andor back in 2017.
Here’s hoping Gilroy sticks around beyond that, as having a creator who sees Star Wars as more than an opportunity to smash action figures together on screen is a rare treat.
Andor season one is available to stream in full on Disney Plus.
