Chris Connor reviews the Star Wars: Andor season 2 premiere episodes…
Andor was a huge smash on its release in 2022, arriving amid a series of up and down Star Wars television shows. It really captured the danger of resistance to Imperial rule and how oppressive the Empire could be – something that events in the Original Trilogy only covered superficially, with its story so focused on such a small cast of core characters. The question for fans is whether Andor’s second and final season can match the quality of the first, and these opening three episodes welcome us back into this world perfectly, setting the stakes for the season.
We immediately follow Diego Luna’s Cassian on an undercover mission that goes awry, leaving him stranded. The opening episodes may be a tad overstuffed as we follow Cassian, Bix (Adria Arjona, given far more to do), Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael and various Imperials. However, as with season one Tony Gilroy and the show’s writers and directors find a way to balance the storylines and set the stage for later in the season when the moving parts will intersect more.
One of the main draws about this season is the return of fan favourite Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). Krennic was one of the principal architects of the Death Star and of course a major adversary in Rogue One. His role may be smaller here, but he steals every scene, showing more menace and authority than in his previous film appearance.
The premiere episodes build on the threads laid throughout season one with green shoots of rebellion starting to form, although at this stage we are still far from the organised Rebel Alliance encountered in Rogue One and A New Hope. The first two episodes are slow build, showing where all the major players are a year on from season one. And when the action does eventually come in the third episode it is thrilling, delivering every bit of the show’s reported $290 million budget.
The first three episodes of Andor’s final season slowly lay the foundations for an epic conclusion. It is more ambitious, covering a greater timeframe than season one, and the stakes have never been higher as more planets begin to take action against the Empire. The performances, visuals and action all continue to impress; Star Wars has never been darker, and rarely been better.
Chris Connor
