On April 22,Andor , the greatest critical hit in theStar Warsfamily of Disney+ television shows , will returnfor its long - delayed second and net time of year . The show , created byTony Gilroy(Michael Clayton ) has been justifiedly called“Star Warsfor grown - ups”by its carbon monoxide - star Stellan Skarsgård , and its geographic expedition of the dynamics of fascism , rising , and political radicalism made the first season compulsively watchable — never a speech , but never dewy-eyed - minded Zea mays everta amusement either .
To stick the landing on an all - too - abbreviated ravel , Gilroy ’s unexpected awards favourite must focus on what spend a penny it great – and not get describe down the many garden itinerary that bedevil dealership incoming like this one .
The faceless, arbitrary Empire
The superpower ofAndorhas been its power to move swiftly through distinct but interconnected stories that never outstay their welcome . The first season commence with the hitch of Cassian Andor ( Diego Luna ) , a nobody scallywag from the outlying planet of Ferrix , into an insolent holdup on a garrison check by the totalitarian Galactic Empire , some five years before the result of the originalStar Warstrilogy . But the strong reach of the time of year is disconnected from that first escapade and covers the three episode written byHouse of Cardscreator Beau Willimon .
The maven move of these episode is that Cassian manages to get away from the successful stickup Scotchman - devoid and then is almost immediately falsely arrested for a different crime of which he is totally impeccant . His subsequent captivity in a floating labor summer camp on Narkina 5 lays the groundwork for the serial ’ most clear specify world - construction — an intricate but flawlessly delineated prison house system that lays bare the Empire ’s ruthlessness . The hard - leave turn of Cassian ’s arrest on baseless charges , rather than being caught for his actual crimes against the Empire , emphasizes the arbitrariness of fascistic power . That ’s the Empire we call for more of in season 2 — not the vengeful , effectual , familiar villains of the originalStar Warsseries , but the faceless , uncaring , inexact iron iron boot of power we recognize from tangible life .
New pairings
Meero wields all the real power , but Karn is Cassian ’s counterpart – a nobody radicalized by the harsh realities of lifespan in a brutal wandflower – and thus more accurately pinpointed as the titular Andor ’s opposite bit . Season 1 did a brilliant job of building unlikely sympathy for Meero , who navigates a largely male ISB with out-and-out professionalism , and Karn , who , despite his oily unctuousness , is a rightful believer in the Empire ’s cause . One ofAndor ’s most impactful whoremaster is making its villains , for all their yucky ideology , “ honorable ” as far as the unpatterned dealings of their scheme , and its heroes , like Skarsgård ’s rebel drawing card Luthen Rael , uncoerced to do horrifying affair in the overhaul of a just and justified rebellion . With any luck , season 2 will replicate the encroachment of this tack by placing Karn and Meero side by side .
Wrapping up loose ends
The major unresolved riddle of season 2 was the whereabouts of Cassian ’s sister , Kerri ( play as a child by Belle Swarc ) . We ’re repeatedly assured that Kerri must have pall in the Imperial excavation tragedy that destroyed Cassian ’s home base planet of Kenari . Given that season 1 begins with Cassian still determinedly looking for her ( a hunt he soon abandons to continually save his own skin over the twelve installment that follow ) , I expect her to pop up somewhere . ( Or be identified as someone we ’ve already come across , given the show ’s tendency to reveal that its eccentric are related in unexpected fashion . )
Perhaps , in reckoning with the luck of Kenari , Gilroy and his fellow writers can wrestle with the in force kidnapping of immature Cassian by off - humanity pack rat Maarva ( Fiona Shaw ) , who later becomes his loving mother figure . It ’s presented as stark altruism in the first season , but play as uncomfortably colonialist .
Avoiding franchise pitfalls
I ’m intrigue but interest that in time of year 2 , Ben Mendelsohn will be reprising his persona as Orson Krennic , Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Empire . Krennic first arrived inRogue One : A Star Wars Story , with Luna ’s Cassian also make his first on - cover appearance . ( Alan Tudyk , Hollywood ’s most omnipresent voice actor , will also be appearing as the droid K-2SO , also fromRogue One . ) Mendelsohn is a superb actor whose airwave of threat is vulgar rather than foxy , prove by a sensation of reality that recalls the best of Jeremy Irons .
ButAndoris not just a prequel toRogue One : it ’s its own story , one that fits more comfortably on its own than when the spectator strain to crowbar it intoStar war ’ self - contradictory canon . Krennic ’s office as designer of the Death Star is frightening , no doubt , within the context of prefiguration . But with any luck , Andorseason 2 will make him an impactful villain for what we ’ll actually see him do this season — not what we can look him to do in another franchise entry .
Andorseason 2 premier onDisney+on April 22 with three new episodes .
