By: Rose Caisley '26
Andor Review: Diego Luna steps back into his role as future rebel spy Cassian Andor in this slow to start but ultimately solid prequel series
Photo Courtesy of starwars.com
Coming hot off the tails of Obi-Wan, Andor, the latest of the Disney+ original Star Wars shows, may take a while to calculate the jump to lightspeed, but once it does it is off to a rip-roaring start. The show tells the origin story of Cassian Andor, who goes on to be one of the masterminds behind stealing the plans for the Death Star. Diego Luna first joined the Star Wars universe in 2016's Rogue One, which tells the story of that very mission. In that movie, it is hinted that Cassian has had a long involvement with the rebellion, with the character loudly exclaiming "I've been in this fight since I was six years old," and in an interview with Screen Rant, Luna said that Cassian "talks in Rogue One about a dark past, a difficult past—now we'll get to know what that is." And darker it is. The story takes off as Cassian visits a less than savory establishment in search of his long-lost sister. From there he gets in a scuffle with two Pre Mor security officers (Pre Mor Authority is a corporate government affiliated with the Empire) which leads to Cassian killing one in self-defense and choosing to shoot another one point blank in order to get away. We then travel back to his home on Ferrix where we meet his adoptive mother Maarva (played by Fiona Shaw), her adorable droid B2EMO, his best friend Brasso, and Bix Caleen, played by Adria Arjona, a friend and fellow low-level criminal. But little does Cassian know that he is being chased by Pre Mor Authority officer Syril Karn, played by Kyle Soller, a vitriolic bureaucrat with little experience in the field who is determined to bring Cassian down.
The show itself is slow to get going, a problem that has plagued many Disney+ shows. The entire second episode is nothing but filler used for setting up the third episode, which might dissuade a more casual fan to call it quits. What makes this even more maddening is the short episodes. While each episode is billed as around forty minutes, they have five minutes of credits each they only contain about thirty-five minutes of content, another thing Disney+ originals have been struggling with. Episode two gets bogged down with trying to set up all the action that takes place in the third episode. This is the most likely cause of the three-episode release on November 21st, instead of the traditional one to two-episode release schedules. The flashbacks to Cassian's early childhood get particularly tedious as they are in a foreign language with no subtitles. While the meaning of the characters' dialogue is understandable enough, the scenes drag on and are often repetitive. However, those who stick with it are in for a lovely surprise. Episode one does a great job of setting the tone for the series, namely a darker and more realistic one. Episode three contains creative and engaging action scenes as Cassian is forced to go on the run. This episode also showcases just how interesting and complex the world-building in Star Wars can be when the creators really dedicate time to creating a fully fleshed out world.
Photo Courtesy of starwars.com
As for performances, the best goes to Diego Luna's Cassian Andor. This earlier rendition of the character stands on its own, but there is just enough similarity to the Cassian from Rogue One that it is easy to see how one will transform into the other. Cassian is characterized as a scrappy, slick talker, who can do what needs to be done. Already Luna and Oscar-nominated writer and creator Tony Gilroy are laying the foundation for the rebel leader Cassian becomes. But he's not there yet and that's where Stellan Skarsgard's Luthen Rael, another rebel steps in to mentor Cassian. While we haven't seen much of him yet, what little time Skarsgard spends on screen is fun to watch. Another stand out performance is Fiona Shaw as Cassian's adoptive mother Maarva Andor, whose charm and magnetic personality keep Cassian's impromptu "adoption" from feeling more like a kidnapping. Adria Arjona is good enough as Bix Caleen when she is given something to do but is ultimately forgettable so far. Here's to hoping she sees more action in the coming episodes. Both Forrest Whitaker and Genevieve O'Reilly are set to reprise their roles as Saw Gerrera and Mon Mothma respectively but have not shown up yet. There is no word on whether Alan Tudyk's K2SO, Cassian's companion droid in Rogue One, will show up or Jimmy Smits' Bail Organa, who made an appearance in Obi-Wan.
Where this show really shines is in its themes of rebellion and the power of the people to stand up, much like its predecessor Rogue One. In fact, it has several clever callbacks to the previous movie. For instance, Cassian's rap sheet sounds awfully familiar to another future reluctant rebel. The show brilliantly sets up the world that Cassian inhabits, far from the glistening cities of Coruscant, but not so remote as the deserts of Tatooine. The people are under the thumb of the Empire but not completely crushed, giving hope that they might someday be free and allowing rebellion to fester. The show is about more than the titular character, it is about the ordinary people that make up the rebellion and who are fighting the empire on the front lines, and the comradery between the citizens of Ferrix who rally to help Cassian when he is in need can't help but bring a smile to your face.
Photo Courtesy of starwars.com
As it stands right now the show is off to a rocky but ultimately successful start. Two seasons of the show have been promised, so it is safe to say we will be seeing more of Cassian and his cast of motley heroes in the future.