Latest news with #AndorSeason2
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The surprising scene that the ‘Andor' cinematographer loved the most
Andor Season 2 switched directors every three episodes, but the same wasn't true of its cinematographers. Christophe Nuyens photographed the first six episodes of the 12-part season, including both the action-packed opening arc and the subsequent introduction of the planet Ghorman. On Andor, director of photography is not a simple job. Nuyens had to do a lot over the course of his six episodes, from filming action scenes (like Diego Luna's titular protagonist saving his friends from stormtroopers in a stolen TIE fighter) to figuring out the visual aesthetics for new planets like Ghorman. More from GoldDerby Clancy Brown, Joel McHale, and more actors who self-submitted at this year's Emmys 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge on building an aspirational hero - who's not a superhero Get a taste of 'The Valley' (literally) with this food and beer FYC event 'The nice thing is that Episodes 1, 2, and 3 were more like a classic Star Wars arc,' Nuyens tells Gold Derby, 'while Episodes 4, 5, and 6 show the more human side of the story. On Ghorman, it feels more like a spy movie. It was really nice to work on both of those. We really tried to give each arc of three episodes a different feel. That was really important for us.' The first three episodes of Season 2 were written by Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy, who is an experienced director in his own right. That means his scripts are loaded with visual details, according to Nuyens, but Gilroy also allows his collaborators room to come up with their own ideas, too. 'Tony's pitch for Ghorman was that it should feel somewhere between Italy and France,' Nuyens says. 'So we looked for references, one of which was the Italian film The Great Beauty, just looks-wise. We thought of Ghorman like Turin, in the Italian mountains. The story had to take place in winter, so always low sun, but with all the sun behind the mountains, so there's this blue gloom that we could mix with the warm practical lights. For us, it was important that this planet feel totally different and inspired by France and Italy as much as possible.' Not all of the action on Andor is violent, and not all of the violence is visible. The emotional climax of the first three episodes, after all, is a dance scene. At her daughter's wedding, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) channels all of her conflicting emotions about family and politics onto the dancefloor. O'Reilly previously told Gold Derby that 'the chaos that is within her emerges through this big dance number … at different times in our lives, we've all done that dance for many different reasons.' Nuyens' job was to complement that aspect of her performance with the camerawork. 'It's a really chic wedding, but it was important for Tony that the dance sequence at the end feel like a rave,' Nuyens says. 'From the moment that she starts losing herself, we decided to use the camera that turns around her. We start with a fix on her, just fixed shots. But then she decides, 'OK, I'm going to go dance.' She takes one shot and goes on the dance floor, and from that moment the camera starts turning around her and stays with her, just zooming in on her. So we have the feeling that, together with her, we start to lose control of everything that's happening.' Part of Mon Mothma's emotional vortex in that moment is that she realizes her comrade Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) is going to kill her old friend Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) for threatening to expose him. Tay's murder is not shown on screen, but it doesn't have to be. The audience sees him get into a lift driven by diehard revolutionary Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) and we know he's toast. Most shows don't demonstrate that kind of restraint, but that's exactly what Nuyens loves about Andor. 'It's incredible because normally in a TV show, those things are all written and we see everything,' Nuyens says. 'On some shoots, I'm trying to convince the director, 'but we don't have to see this. We need to let the viewer use a little bit of imagination, like they're reading a book.' That's something that Tony does really well in his writing. All the beats that we have to see are written, the ones we don't have to see are not written. So we can really play with keeping a little bit of mystery for the viewer, so they can fill it in with their imagination. I think it's really important for a television show to leave a little room for the viewer.' Perhaps surprisingly, Nuyens' favorite scene to shoot in Season 2 of Andor didn't involve murder or stormtroopers at all. Lucasfilm/Disney 'There are a lot of setpieces I liked filming, but actually the scene I most liked filming is a simple scene. It's the scene between Syril (Kyle Soller) and Dedra (Denise Gough), When Syril's mom (Kathryn Hunter) comes to dinner,' Nuyens says. 'It's so well-written and also so well-played. The three of them are so talented. It was so fun to film, even though visually it's quite a simple scene. We tried to accentuate the awkwardness with central shots slightly too wide, which worked quite well. Kyle and Denise added those little extra bits to their performances, which worked really well on camera. That scene remains in my head one of the nicest to film, and I think if you ask the crew, they would say the same. I remember the crew was having fun filming that scene because it was so good. We were feeling the energy.' Nuyens continues, 'I'm always 10 times happier when I go home and a scene is really well-played. It's so much more important than beautiful lights and beautiful shots. I think it's just everything coming together, which is really nice.' Best of GoldDerby 'The best job I ever had': 'From 'Supernatural' to 'The Boys,' Eric Kripke talks his biggest hits — and miss (ahem, 'Tarzan') 'Cross' star Aldis Hodge on building an aspirational hero — who's not a superhero Jonathan Pryce on the 'great responsibility' of playing a character with dementia in 'Slow Horses' Click here to read the full article.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Andor' Season 2 submitted in 23 Emmy categories as Disney positions frontrunning contention
Disney has officially revealed its Emmy Awards campaign for the second and final season of Andor, submitting the critically acclaimed Star Wars prequel series in 23 categories, Variety has confirmed. With a masterful mix of top-tier acting, directing, and technical categories, the platform is making a strong bid to position Andor as a leading contender in this year's Emmy race. At the center of the campaign is Diego Luna, who reprises his role as Cassian Andor and also serves as an executive producer. He's being submitted for lead actor in a drama series, with the streamer hoping his performance will resonate more strongly with voters this time around. Luna was overlooked for a nomination in the show's first season but has gained more critical momentum heading into its final stretch. Also submitted in key acting categories are returning cast members Stellan Skarsgård and Kyle Soller for supporting actor, and Genevieve O'Reilly, Denise Gough, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, and Elizabeth Dulau for supporting actress. O'Reilly, in particular, is being spotlighted for her portrayal of Mon Mothma, a senator navigating personal and political crisis. In the guest categories, Andor Season 2 brings high-profile names to the table. Ben Mendelsohn (episode 211), Forest Whitaker (episode 205), and Benjamin Bratt (episode 209) are all up for guest actor consideration. Varada Sethu is the sole submission in the guest actress category for her work in episode 206. Behind the scenes, Janus Metz has been submitted in the directing category for Episode 8, titled, 'Who Are You', while Dan Gilroy is entered in the writing category for Episode 9, 'Welcome to the Rebellion'. Technically, Andor is aiming for recognition across several craft categories, including production design, music composition, costume design, makeup, hairstyling, sound editing and mixing, stunt coordination, and visual effects. Alan Tudyk has also been submitted for character voice-over performance as droid K-2SO. Brandon Roberts is submitted for music composition, while Nicholas Britell and Tony Gilroy are entered in the original music and lyrics category for 'We are the Ghor'. The strategy follows Andor's strong Emmy debut in 2023, where it earned eight nominations, including outstanding drama series and nods for writing and directing. With Season 2 concluding the storyline that leads directly into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Disney seems confident that the series' climactic emotional arcs and thematic resonance will strike a chord with Emmy voters. Andor will likely face stiff competition in the drama series category from acclaimed contenders like Apple TV's Severance Season 2, HBO's The Last of Us Season 2, and HBO Max's The Pitt. Nomination voting opens June 12 and runs through June 23. Official nominations will be announced on July 15.
Geek Tyrant
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Lucasfilm Rumored to Have More in Store for Fan-Favorite ANDOR Season 2 Character — GeekTyrant
As the Andor season 2 finale closed the chapter on Cassian Andor's journey, it left a haunting imprint with that emotional scene showing Bix Caleen cradling a child, left behind to carry the quiet legacy of a man who would never get to meet his own son or daughter. Now, a new rumor suggests Lucasfilm might not be done with her story. According to inside scooper Daniel Richtman, there are whispers that Adria Arjona's Bix could be making a return in a future Star Wars project. There's no confirmation on when or where, but if true, it would mark a surprising continuation for a character who walked away from the rebellion to raise a child in peace. While Andor Season 2 spanned the final four years of Cassian's life and brought his arc full-circle into Rogue One , Bix's journey was more about survival and sacrifice. What began as a deep friendship turned into romance, only for Bix to make the painful decision to let Cassian go so he could fight unburdened by love. The finale hinted at a future shaped by hope, even as it delivered heartbreak. Tony Gilroy, the show's creator, offered insight into that ending: "It does three things for me. It does exactly what you said — I think it makes his sacrifice that much more bitter. And I think that for anybody who had any lingering doubts about Bix leaving in episode nine, it explains it for anybody who was hesitant about buying into that scene. 'And finally, ultimately, I was desperate to end on a hopeful note. 'Rebellions are built on hope' isn't just a T-shirt, it's a legit flame that a lot of people need to see. So hopefully I was ending on something that was upbeat, as it was important for me to do that." Adria Arjona has spoken about her character's fate with similar thoughtfulness, saying: "She's where she wants to be, and she's hoping that Cassian is good and well, and that one day they'll be reunited." And while she hasn't been told what comes next, Arjona's open to continuing the story if the opportunity arises: "Maybe, hopefully, a writer one day approaches me, and they're like, 'Hey, I know what happens,' but I don't want to smudge it with my imagination. But I have so much hope for [Bix and the baby]. They're going to be fine, I hope." As Lucasfilm shifts its focus to stories set after The Rise of Skywalker , there's room to speculate. If Bix's child survives into that timeline, they'd be a grown adult. There are fan theories going around like Poe Dameron could be her child, but I don't like that. Part of what made Andor resonate with fans was its grounded finality. There's something powerful about letting that last moment breathe, about not knowing what happens next. Lucasfilm doesn't really need to dive back into that. Still, if Lucasfilm has more to say about Bix, if they have another great story, and if Adria Arjona's back for the ride, maybe it could work.
Hype Malaysia
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Andor: 5 Ways The Final Arc of Season 2 Sets Up Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
'Rebellions are built on hope…' Truer words have never been spoken in that galaxy far, far away. With the curtain now drawn on Andor Season 2, we've just witnessed one of the most powerful, layered, and downright masterful pieces of Star Wars storytelling ever put to screen—not just within the franchise, but in the landscape of modern television. Hard to believe, isn't it? When Rogue One premiered nine years ago, it was already a bit of a gamble—a gritty war film spun from the margins of the original trilogy. And when Lucasfilm announced that Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), one of the film's many tragic heroes, would be getting his own spin-off series, more than a few eyebrows were raised. A prequel about a side character who, let's be honest, didn't even make it out of the first movie alive? Yet here we are. Two seasons later, and Andor hasn't just justified its existence—it's completely redefined what Star Wars can be. Showrunner Tony Gilroy took massive swings with this story: no lightsabers, no Skywalkers, no Jedi in sight. Just spies, dissidents, and everyday people quietly—and loudly—resisting the grip of tyranny. He turned the Rebellion into something personal, messy, and heartbreakingly real. And in doing so, he delivered what might be the most emotionally rich arc in the entire Star Wars canon. What began as a story of one man's reluctant push toward resistance has now expanded into a thrilling tapestry of sacrifice, subterfuge, and the slow, grinding machinery of rebellion. It's a masterclass in character development and political storytelling, and as the final credits roll, it also serves as a seamless, poignant bridge into Rogue One—the film that started it all. Naturally, the final arc of Andor Season 2 slides seamlessly into the events of Rogue One. Set in 1 BBY—just days before the opening scenes of Rogue One and A New Hope—these last few episodes serve as both a narrative bridge and an emotional one, planting the seeds for everything to come. What's even cooler? Watching Rogue One right after finishing Season 2 makes the movie hit so much harder. Characters, motivations, and moments that once felt like background details now carry weight, history, and heartbreak. So, let's take a peek at some of the groundwork that perfectly sets up the next big arc in Star Wars history. Jedha, Kyber, Erso After a season of fragmented resistance and emotional reckoning, the pieces start to snap into place: the Empire's secret project isn't just another weapon. Ta-da! It's the Death Star. And for the first time, the rebellion has something tangible—something terrifying—to rally against. Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård)'s final sacrifice delivers that truth into rebel hands, and suddenly, the shadows they've been fighting in take shape. This isn't just theory anymore. It's real. It's happening. And it's nearly unstoppable. It all happens through Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), who was sent files on the Death Star by accident. The project itself, handled by director Krennic (Ben Mendelssohn), was meant to be top secret that even high-level officials such as herself did not have clearance for. Nevertheless, she decided to look at them and it is crazy to think that this lapse in her judgment would spiral into something much bigger. Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), Luthen's contact still embedded deep within the ISB, notices her pattern. With Dedra distracted and her clearance codes unusually active, Lonni gains access to highly classified files she had browsed but failed to properly lock down. What he finds terrifies him: mining reports from Jedha that no longer look like a clean energy project, resource pipelines pointing toward Scarif, and Erso's name surfacing in places it shouldn't. The files mention not just kyber crystal refinement, but also links to Ghorman's brutal occupation and the calcite shipments being redirected from across the Mid Rim. These aren't isolated events. They're part of a pattern—a construction plan. Lonni takes his findings to Luthen, unraveling the Empire's greatest secret. The web Dedra was spinning to catch Luthen is the very one that ends up exposing the Death Star's existence. Ironically, her own ambition to be the one who takes down Axis gives Luthen the information he needs to understand just how massive the Empire's ambitions are. Without that slip—without her careless oversight—there's no way Lonni could have connected the dots. No way Luthen could've passed the intel to Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau). No way the Rebels on Yavin IV would've known what they were truly up against. What begins as an overreach by a mid-level ISB officer becomes the most consequential intelligence breach in Imperial history. Dedra wanted to be the architect of Axis's downfall—but instead, she became the first crack in the Death Star's armour. The Rebel High Command One of the most exciting payoffs in the Andor Season 2 finale is finally seeing the Rebel High Command in action—the same council that will be in Rogue One. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Tynnra Pamlo (Sharon Duncan-Brewster), Nower Jebel, and Bail Organa (Benjamin Bratt) all gather in the Yavin IV base, exactly where we'll see them again when Jyn Erso is brought into the base. It's a deeply satisfying full-circle moment, now infused with the gravity of everything we've watched unfold over the past two seasons. Alas, notably absent from this council is Luthen Rael. And that absence speaks volumes. While he was arguably one of the earliest architects of the Rebellion—bankrolling it, radicalizing it, and dragging it into action—his refusal to leave Coruscant, his increasingly frayed trust with allies like Mon and Bail, and ultimately his death in the final arc, all but ensured his name would be left out of the official record. Luthen lit the fire, but he never got to stand by the hearth. And this council, for all its symbolism and power, isn't without criticism. Sometimes, due to the political background of some of these characters, the bureaucratic natures tend to take priority and that political maneuvering and military urgency—will only escalate as Rogue One begins. But Andor gives that hesitance a deeper context. It's not cowardice—it's the weight of responsibility, the fear of moving too soon, the trauma of what's already been lost. Still, the seeds have been planted. The names, the faces, the decisions—they're all there now, more than just cameos or background figures. They're living, breathing architects of a rebellion that's finally ready to go to war. Tivik Luthen's death is a pivotal turning point. By giving his life to extract intel about the Death Star's kyber-powered weaponry, he ensures that Kleya—his trusted second—can escape Coruscant and bring that information to Yavin IV. With the help of Cassian, Melshi (Duncan Pow), and a just-introduced, quippy K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), she makes it back to the base. But even then, the leadership is fractured. The council isn't ready to act, haunted by misinformation and paranoia. They're not fully convinced the Empire is really building something that could wipe out entire planets. It's too big. Too brutal. Too unbelievable. And yet, we've seen enough to know it's true. That's where General Draven (Alistair Petrie) steps in. In a moment that pulses with dramatic irony, he gives Cassian a mission that viewers know will end in betrayal and a blaster bolt to Tivik's chest. 'Jedha. Kyber crystal. An ISB mole and Luthen dying to get us in motion,' Draven says. 'Now Tivik keeps calling us.' That Tivik is the wounded rebel Cassian coldly kills at the start of Rogue One. But here, we understand the emotional burden behind that act. Cassian isn't just following orders. He's trying to stop the Empire before it unleashes hell. And he's carrying the weight of Luthen's sacrifice, the council's indecision, and the hope that Tivik's intel might be the final piece they need to believe. Just before boarding the ship to the Rings of Kafrene, Cassian walks through the Yavin IV base in silence, passing the rebels who helped secure the Death Star plans, and unknowingly walking into legend. The camera lingers just long enough for us to catch Melshi sprinting with a small group of soldiers—volunteers who will later join Jyn Erso's suicide mission to Scarif. It's a fleeting moment, but one that echoes loudly: everyone in this hallway is heading toward history. Some of them just don't know it yet. And then there's Bail Organa. His conversation with Cassian is short, but it says everything. 'If I die fighting the Empire, I want to go down swinging,' he tells him, foreshadowing his ultimate fate on Alderaan and passing on the emotional torch to fighters like Cassian, who now understand the cost of resistance. Bail knows what's coming. So does Cassian. So do we. So when Rogue One opens with Cassian gunning down Tivik, we no longer see just a hardened spy making a brutal choice. We see a bit of Luthen in him. We see the aftermath of a long, painful journey—one built on betrayal, sacrifice, and a quiet hallway full of heroes walking toward a future they may never live to see. Saw Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) remains one of the most fascinating—and terrifying—figures in the Star Wars universe. First introduced in The Clone Wars, Saw's legacy has endured through sheer force of ideology. A freedom fighter turned extremist, his presence in Andor continues to add complexity to the morality of rebellion. He's the guy everyone in the Alliance talks about in hushed tones. The one who does what needs to be done, even when it's cruel, messy, or politically inconvenient. In Andor Season 2, we don't get a clean origin story for Saw's many physical scars—his missing limbs, his ragged breath—but there are hints if you're paying attention. Earlier episodes show him huffing rhydonium gas, which might not be a symptom of respiratory failure but a coping mechanism. A high to dull the pain—physical or emotional—brought on by war, trauma, or both. It reframes that iconic breathing sound we hear in Rogue One not as a symbol of weakness, but of addiction, of pain management, of the grotesque toll a lifetime of warfare can take on the body and soul. His relationship with Mon Mothma is as frayed as ever. She sees him as a liability—more fire than focus. She even refers to him as an extremist, a label he wears like armour. Saw isn't interested in the Senate or votes of no confidence. He's out on Jedha, blowing up Imperial transports, living in the wreckage of what used to be righteous resistance. For him, the fight is all there is. And that's what makes him both invaluable and terrifying to the broader Rebellion. He's the part of the fight they can't control—and yet, the part they'll one day rely on more than they'd care to admit. The final time we see him in Andor, he stands on Jedha, staring up at an Imperial Star Destroyer casting its long shadow over the holy city. It's a quiet, haunting moment that lands like prophecy. We know what's coming. We know that soon, he'll be the paranoid, broken shell of a man hiding in the catacombs of Jedha, waiting to pass Jyn Erso the message that will change everything. And we know that, not long after that, he'll die beneath the Death Star's first fire. But in this moment, frozen in the looming shadow of the Empire, Saw Gerrera is still standing. Still fighting. Still refusing to bow. Andor's Emotional Attachment Cassian Andor's legacy, as cemented by Rogue One, is that of a man who gave everything—his identity, his comfort, his morality, and ultimately his life—for a cause greater than himself. But Andor the series adds dimension to that sacrifice, especially in Season 2's closing arc, by showing us how deeply Cassian mattered to the people around him—not just as a spy or soldier, but as someone believed to be destined for more. This legacy is not written in medals or monuments. It's written in the quiet faith others placed in him, especially Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona). Though absent from most of the final three episodes, Bix's decision to leave the rebellion—and Cassian—now reveals a quietly powerful truth. She didn't walk away from the fight. She stepped aside so Cassian could become what she believed he was meant to be: the spark, the messenger, the man who would carry the truth into the heart of the Empire. Her decision, painful as it was, was an act of faith—not just in the cause, but in Cassian himself. She saw a future where his voice could matter more than his presence at her side. And heartbreakingly, she was right. Bix couldn't bear to be the reason Cassian walked away from the Rebellion, especially not when the Force Healer had planted the idea in her mind that he was crucial to the future. Cassian already had blood on his hands. Bix understood what he was carrying—and what he might one day become. She chose not to weigh him down with another reason to run. Instead, she gave him the chance to fly into history unburdened. In doing so, Bix becomes a quiet architect of Cassian's legacy. She doesn't get a spotlight moment in Rogue One, nor is her name etched into Rebellion lore. But she's there—in spirit, in sacrifice, in the child she now holds. If Cassian Andor's life was a message, Bix made sure it was heard. She ensured that even as the man died, the meaning lived on. And now, with surprise, their child, that legacy has a future. Bix once told Cassian that he couldn't walk away because he mattered too much. Rogue One proved her right. Andor Season 2, in turn, proves that Bix saw him clearly—before anyone else did. She was the first to recognise his purpose, even when he didn't believe in it himself. And while she stepped back from the fight, she never stopped fighting for him. In fact, this might also explain one of Rogue One's most poignant storytelling choices: why Cassian and Jyn Erso don't share a romantic kiss in their final moments. Instead, they simply embrace, clinging to each other in the face of annihilation—not as lovers, but as kindred spirits bound by shared sacrifice. It's tender, yes, but it's not romantic in the traditional sense. That moment feels more like a culmination of mutual respect and emotional exhaustion than a declaration of love. Because maybe, deep down, Cassian's heart was already spoken for. His connection to Bix—shaped by childhood, survival, betrayal, and belief—was something unshakable. She was the person who knew him before the Rebellion, who saw his potential and let him go so he could become more. He carries her with him into Rogue One, even if the galaxy never sees it. And when he dies on that beach, it's not just for the Rebellion or the cause. It's also for the future he unknowingly leaves behind—with her. Seasons 1 and 2 of Andor are currently streaming on Disney+.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Andor' Season 2 finale review: The Force is with Cassian and company in thrilling, tragic climax
What a smashing segue into Rogue One the finale of Andor Season 2 is! The bitter-sweet ending brings some character arcs to a close and leaves others open-ended, much like life itself, which very rarely ties up all loose ends in a pretty bow. Dropping three episodes weekly is immensely satisfying as it makes Season 2 like watching four mini-movies. A year after the wedding at Chandrila, the Imperial designs on Ghorman, and the escape from Mina-Rau, Cassian (Diego Luna) and Bix (Adria Arjona) are working for Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård). Still troubled by the torture she suffered, Bix has become a shadow of herself, drugging herself to a stupor. Andor Season 2 (English) Creator: Tony Gilroy Cast: Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O'Reilly, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau Episodes: 12 Runtime: 38 – 60 minutes Storyline: As the terrible truth of the Ghorman massacre and other Imperial actions come out, both sides pay a grave price The Ghorman massacre, which the Imperial forces spin as an insurrection is the final straw, for senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) and she makes a speech denouncing Emperor Palpatine. In a nail-bitingly tense sequence, Cassian helps her escape to Yavin IV, laconically commenting, 'Welcome to the rebellion.' The final three episodes that lead directly to Rogue One, sees the different narrative strands being pulled tighter together. The ambitious Imperial Security Bureau officer, Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), who was assigned to Ghorman by the director of advanced weapons research, Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), returns to hunt for her bête noir, the rebel agent, code named Axis, who is actually Luthen. Ghorman took a lot out of Dedra, personally as well, when her partner, the equally driven Syril Karn, (Kyle Soller) paid the ultimate price. As Dedra gets within a hair's breadth of uncovering Axis, Luthen sets up exit protocols. Though Cassian helps Bix get closure on her torturer, Dr Ghorst, she leaves Cassian urging him to continue working for the revolution, promising him she will find him after 'it is all over,' which we, as the audience know will not happen. As things fall apart, the Rebel Alliance grows stronger as does the Death Star, which Krennic says is a just a week away from being ready. Andor continues to thrill, with many Easter eggs, including, 'May the Force be with you', while still being solidly on the side of strong story telling. All character arcs are given their time, including Mothma's husband, Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie) who is shown drinking his troubles away in the back of a transport. Vel (Faye Marsay) Mothma's cousin puts her lover, Cinta's (Varada Sethu) loss behind her to further the cause. We learn of Luthen's and his efficient assistant, Kleya's (Elizabeth Dulau) past. There is no return to Cassian's home planet of Kenari even though he dreams of the green hillsides before it was destroyed by Imperial forces. The dialogues are full of quotable quotes from extremist leader Saw Gerrera's (Forest Whitaker), 'revolution is not for the sane' to Nemik's (Alex Lawther) 'tyranny requires constant effort.' The return of the reprogrammed Imperial droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), ensures some C3PO-type humour. The worlds are beautifully realised, with the gigantic, sterile buildings contrasting starkly with the spectacular wilds. The level of detailing, from costumes (Cassian makes for a natty designer on his undercover visit to Ghorman) to Ghor, the language spoken on Ghorman, is nothing short of marvellous. The visual as well as implied signatures are mind boggling from the tall impersonally beautiful buildings to the sterile prisons and anonymous apartments. The spiders of Ghorman, the Ghorlectipods, whose silk is used to create the fabulous Ghorman twill, are unable to stand against the might of Imperial misinformation and might. The spiders are also emblematic of the tangled webs, characters weave in the pursuit of perceived needful things, only to be trapped by them. Luna has created a very human rebel leader in Cassian and Skarsgård manages to keep the audience as well as the Imperials and rebels off kilter about his true intentions. All the cast, in their roles big or small, have us invested in their stories. Tony Gilroy, who wrote Rogue One with Chris Weitz, has created a spectacular show that tells of a rebel and a revolution and the role of a fascist government in birthing them. Andor is currently streaming on JioHotstar
