Star Wars fans around the world are, predictably, in the midst of rewatching season one of Andor in anticipation of the show's second and final season.
For those of you lacking the time for such a catch-up, firstly, you’re missing out! Secondly, not to worry, as this guide will serve as a suitable replacement for anyone who may have forgotten some key plot points in the two and a half years since the first season aired. Has it been that long already???
When we first meet Cassian Andor in episode one, he is not the rebel leader we remember from Rogue One. Here he is reckless, lost, but still defined by the grim determination that will carry him right through to the Battle of Scariff. On the corporate world of Morlana One, he searches for his long-lost sister and in an encounter with Corpo security is forced to kill. Amazingly, this simple act sets off a chain reaction of events that lead to the destruction of the Death Star five years later.
This piques the interest of Imperial Security Bureau agent Dedra Meero, who begins to believe that rebel activity across the galaxy is in fact far more coordinated than her peers are willing to believe.
From here, Cassian is introduced to Luthen Rael, who operates a complex and secretive rebel network, the sophistication and depth of which dwarfs anything yet seen in the age of the Empire. Cassian, lacking other options, is then hired for a major heist on the Imperial-occupied world of Aldhani.
Despite many casualties, the heist is a success, and Cassian and the surviving team of rebels make off with a fortune in Imperial Credits. Cassian, however, is not a true believer in the rebel cause. At least not yet. Ironically, his desire to escape the Empire and lead a peaceful life lands him in an Imperial prison work camp. He learns that the harshness of his sentencing is a direct result of the Empire tightening its grip after the raid of Aldhani.
On the world of Narkina 5, Cassian is subject to horrific conditions. Twelve-hour shifts, electrified floors, and a sterile, merciless environment. A truly Orwellian nightmare come to life. As Cassian adjusts to his new reality, the prisoners come to learn of their own impending doom. No one is getting out. All their sentences, mostly falsified to begin with, are now for life. Entire cells of prison workers are killed to keep this information from spreading. Cassian and his prison-mates engineer a daring escape, overwhelming the understaffed prison guards and disabling the facility.
Before Cassian even arrives home on the world of Ferrix, he learns that his adoptive mother has died and his home is now directly occupied by Imperial forces. Rael has returned to kill Andor to keep his knowledge of the rebellion from falling into Imperial hands, just as ISB officer Meero arrives to secure the elusive thief. All the right elements are in place for open rebellion against the Empire to commence. The people of Ferrix rise against their occupiers, and Rael, seeing now the depth of Andor’s character, decides to bring him into the rebel fold, now as a true believer.
As far as the Andor-centric plot is concerned, the above is a watered-down recap, enough not to be lost in season two. But it would be an injustice to the show not to also mention the supporting cast, without whom the show would feel incomplete. Bix Caleen is the true believer that Andor will one day become, and is instrumental in forging the links that will one day break the Empire that she so deeply despises. Her on-again, off-again relationship with Andor only deepens his hatred of the Empire that has caused each of them so much pain.
The shows key legacy character, tying the plot into the wider galaxy, is Mon Mothma, who first appeared in Return of the Jedi and is played once again by Irish actor Genevieve O’Reilly, who also appeared in Rogue One and also in Revenge of the Sith, although her scenes were cut from the final edit. As a member of the Imperial Senate, her rebel activity places her in the very highest caliber of danger. But her potential to disrupt Imperial activity is second to almost none.
One of my personal favorites is the incomparable Major Lio Partagaz of the ISB. His ultra-dry and efficient demeanor is the perfect simulacrum of the Imperial machine. He is the perfect Imperial intelligence agent. His method is perhaps best defined in the following quote:
” Security is an illusion. You want security? Call the Navy. Launch a regiment of troopers. We are healthcare providers. We treat sickness. We identify symptoms. We locate germs, whether they arise from within or have come from the outside. The longer we wait to identify a disorder, the harder it is to treat the disease."
This high-concept thought of the intricacies of espionage and operational intelligence is part of what gives Andor the depth it is celebrated for. The real war can be seen as the never-ending game of shadows from players like Luthen Rael and Partagaz. Both are willing to sacrifice colossal resources and lives in the name of gaining an advantage over the enemy. A game of chess played over the entire galaxy with an almost endless series of possible outcomes. Everything from the smallest consideration, like the actions of a lone thief from Ferrix, to the movement of hundreds of millions of credits, all part of the same grand strategy.
The coming together of these elements is what makes Andor the stand-out series that it is.
The second and final season comes exclusively to Disney + on April 22 with a three-episode premiere.