Rogue One is probably my favourite Star Wars film. I love everything about it and have been craving something remotely similar for years. At least, I was craving it until Andor burst onto the scene several years ago, which left me stunned due to its brilliance. Season 1 of Andor was some of the best TV I’ve seen, and after the season ended, I was saddened to learn that I’d have to wait years for more of this amazing show. But that wait is over because the entire Season 2 of Andor is now available to watch. Does Season 2 live up to the first, or was downhill the only way it could go?
Andor Season 2 breaks up its 12 episodes into four three-episode arcs, each focusing on a different year in Cassian’s life. Episodes 1-3 deal with the aftermath of Season 1, with the Ferrix crew hiding out on Mina Rau, a farm planet, while Cassian steals an experimental TIE Fighter. This is also the arc in which Mon Mothma’s daughter has her wedding. Episodes 4-6 involve Cassian’s first trip to Ghorman, Bix abusing drugs, and Luthen getting really close to Director Krennic. Episodes 7-9 cover the Ghorman massacre and Mon Mothma’s subsequent condemnation of the event. And finally, episodes 10-12 are the lead-up to Rogue One and also sheds some light on Kleya and Luthen’s past. Across all four arcs, we get snippets from Saw Gerrera and other supporting characters to flesh out the Rebellion further.
I really dug the plot of Season 2, especially how they structured it. I liked how every three-episode chunk was a year in Cassian’s life, and it helped the overall pacing of the season. I don’t think this would’ve worked as well if every episode had been released weekly, but seeing as the episodes were dropped in three-episode batches, this was a non-issue. I was a little concerned that the season would feel cramped with all the plot points and characters they had to include, but it was handled very well in the end.
But enough about the logistics, what about the actual story? I fucking adored it, every second of it. The main storylines (Cassian’s, Luthen’s, Mon Mothma’s, and Dedra’s) all give unique and interesting perspectives that kept me glued to the screen every episode. Cassian becoming the leader we know he becomes, Luthen grappling with the web of secrets he and Kleya created, Mothma losing nearly everything in the pursuit of freedom, and even Dedra playing the Imperial hierarchy game were all executed perfectly. The only criticism I have (if you can even call it that) is that I wish we could’ve gotten a few more quiet moments with these characters. I wanted to see more of Cassian’s and Bix’s life on Coruscant and more of that weird yet entertaining relationship that Dedra and Syril have going on. More moments like these would’ve been nice, but the lack of them didn’t negatively affect my enjoyment of this story.
Andor Season 1 excelled at making you care about every single character in that show. With the exception of Syril (who I despised in Season 1), I was invested in every new and returning face. The same is true for Season 2, maybe even more so. For starters, Diego Luna is once again excellent as Cassian. He brings charisma to the role, making everything he does immaculate. I adored seeing Cassian’s growth this season, and even though we all know his ending, I couldn’t help but continue to hope for his happy ending with Bix. Speaking of Bix, she plays a much larger role this time around, with a lot of her decisions directly impacting not only her own character but Cassian’s as well. Adria Arjona does a fabulous job, and I hope this isn’t the last time we see her in the franchise.
On the topic of characters I want to see more of, I need Kleya to be in more Star Wars stuff now, please, and thank you. Elizabeth Dulau is given so much more to work with this season, and she commands your attention whenever she’s on screen. I loved seeing her take charge of situations, with the episode in the art gallery with Krennic being particularly excellent. This leads right into Luthen Rael, who was one of my favourite characters in Season 1 and is still fantastic here. In Season 1, we only ever see Luthen in control of the situation, rarely in any danger himself. But this time, with everything coming to a head, Luthen can’t afford to be so careful, and Stellan Skarsgard captures that desperation perfectly.
Mon Mothma also gets a bigger part to play this season, and the character is both tragic and inspiring. Genevieve O’Reilly is phenomenal as both the righteous senator and the concerned/depressed mother, and I’m just so happy for her that she has gotten the chance to shine as this character. I’m also always happy to see some Aussie representation in Star Wars. Speaking of Australians, Ben Mendelsohn’s return as Krennic had me excited since it was announced, and he didn’t disappoint. This absolute Imperial diva was on point throughout the entire season, and you could just tell Ben was feeling it. He was in his element, and it showed. His interactions with Dedra, in particular, provided a great insight into Imperial power dynamics, and I really enjoyed seeing this more confident version of Krennic.
The rest of the cast was just as great. Forest Whitaker brought that crazed vibe that we all expect from Saw, and his interactions with Mothma cracked me up. Denise Gough was fantastic as the calm and collected Dedra, and her arc/downfall was one of the most poetic parts of the entire series. I even enjoyed Syril this time (a whole other conversation), thanks to Kyle Soller’s wonderfully deep performance. And I can’t forget Alan Tudyk as K2-SO, who was just as hilarious and terrifying as ever. I could go on, but then we’d be here all day.
A lot of the Star Wars Disney+ series look the same. Probably because most of them use the Volume to create their worlds. That isn’t the case with Andor because it is all practical sets, and the quality speaks for itself. Everything looks so real, and you believe that these are real places. The environments have a rugged look that further adds to the overall vibe of the series. Ghorman is a prime example of this due to its contrast in design. The clean-cut Imperial buildings being constructed tower over the small yet charming Ghorman homes and businesses to help immerse you in the world. This attention to detail and set design is immaculate, and I hope that future Star Wars projects take notes from Andor in this department. And that’s not even mentioning the amazing soundtrack that makes every moment we spend in these fantastic environments even better. Whether to make you sad, angry, despondent, or hopeful, the soundtrack will hit you right in the feels.
Andor Season 2 has been my favourite Star Wars thing since Disney took over the franchise. I loved the story, the characters, the locations, the soundtrack, everything. The fact that my only complaint was that I wanted more speaks to the quality of this season of television. Do I wish that we got the rumoured five seasons? Absolutely. But I’m more than content with the phenomenal two seasons of Andor that we got.
If you want to hear more of my thoughts about Andor Season 2 (alongside some other cool people), check out the Watching Now podcast, where we discuss the entire season even further.
Have you seen Andor Season 2? What did you think? What was your favourite episode? Let us know in the comments where we can talk all things Star Wars.
