Star Wars: Andor - Sympathy For The Empire?
Andor is the show to watch before 2023. In case the name doesn't ring a bell, the show Andor, also known as Star Wars: Andor, is an American action-adventure sci-fi limited series created by Tony Gilroy for the Disney+ streaming service.
It is the fourth live-action series in the Star Wars franchise, as well as a prequel to both the spin-off film Rogue One (2016) and the original Star Wars (1977). The series follows the thief turned rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years leading up to the events of the two aforementioned films.
Apart from the unique effects and stunningly designed costumes Andor creates the feeling of a large living universe that obeys rules, laws and norms which are however easy to circumvent in some parts of the Empire where some planets have their own microcosm and society without being bothered by the law-keepers.
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The plot thickens...at some point.
The plot starts quite slowly and it's a very simple story at first. Andor is looking for his sister, and gets into trouble with two law enforcement officers where he kills them. From the beginning, the psychological state of the protagonist and his zero hesitation to kill one of them in cold blood so that they won't come looking for him is evident here. The story seems simple and overused before moving on to the main plot which will really grip you if you don't give up on Andor in the first two episodes.
The characters are extremely realistic and their emotions are conveyed through the small screen to the viewer even when there is no dialogue. Amazing performances from all the actors create strange emotions for Star Wars fans. The fact that the people of the Empire are trying to keep their superiors happy or bury secrets so that the problem can be moved to the next shift turns the Empire into a bureaucratic boulder filled with problems, conflicts, skirmishes and personal drama. Something not far from some real militaristic service in which everyone is trying to move up in rank and pay.
Recommended Drink
Bantha Milk Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 oz Milk
- 1 oz Cream
- 1 oz Coconut Rum
- 1 oz Almond Liqueur
- 2 oz Blue Curacao Liqueur
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add all the ingredients. Shake until chilled and pour into your cocktail glass.
A little bit of spoilers, nothing too much.
The fact that someone from the Empire tried to do his job and follow the protocol, no matter how reprehensible his action may be, gives him a prestige and something respectable that we can admire even if we don't agree with him. Obviously we don't side with a totalitarian Empire that kills people without any hesitation, after all Andor often reminds us of its cruelty. Yet it manages magically to make us feel sympathy for a Deputy Inspector that wants to catch a murderer who killed two people in cold blood, our beloved Andor. In case you don't feel bad enough for him, he lost his job and went back to live with his mother who is feeding him blue milk (Bantha Milk) and Froot Loops.
The unique thing about Andor is that we have many fronts open, such as Andor's hometown, the organization of the revolution with people even in key positions in the Empire and of course the wonderful period when Andor is in jail, where even though the reason for his arrest seems ridiculous, the cruelty of the Empire becomes clear.
A great show that you should definitely watch even if you're not a Star Wars fan, a show that if it had come out in the past would have made a splash and obviously would have required Al Pacino to star in his youth.
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