Plot: The story of Rebel spy Cassian Andor’s formative years of the Rebellion and his difficult missions for the cause.
Season 2 of Andor was Very Good.
Pros: Cassian is more likeable as a lead this time around. This time I am more invested into this season than last season. I’m glad dares ty ins to his follow up film Rouge One. It doesn’t shy away from being intense & emotional. How it shows the characters glow in a arc structure and how they show the birth of the rebellion.
Cons: Too much political conversations so far. The pacing can be slow at times. I feel like Bix Farwell message cane off quite easily. They didn’t pull the switch for Syril & Dedra siding with the rebels and Some scenes did dragged on as they did not supposed to be.
Also Known as Star Wars: Andor, Andor: A Star Wars Story
Genre: Action-adventure, Drama, Dystopia, Political thriller, Spy thriller, Science fiction
Created by Tony Gilroy
Showrunner: Tony Gilroy
Based on Star Wars by George Lucas
Written by Tony Gilroy (Eps. 1-3), Beau Willimon (Eps. 4-6), Dan Gilroy (Eps. 7-9), Tom Bissell (Eps. 10-12)Directed by Ariel Kleiman (Eps. 1-6), Janus Metz (Eps. 7-9), Alonso Ruizpalacios (Eps. 10-12)
Starring: Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, Alan Tudyk, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker.
Composers: Nicholas Britell, Brandon Roberts (season 2)
Executive producers: Sanne Wohlenberg, Tony Gilroy, Kathleen Kennedy, Diego Luna, Toby Haynes, Michelle Rejwan, John Gilroy, Luke Hull
Producers: Kate Hazell, David Meanti
Production Location: United Kingdom
Cinematography: Adriano Goldman, Frank Lamm, Damián García, Christophe Nuyens, Mark Patten
Editors: John Gilroy, Tim Porter, Hazel Baillie, Dan Roberts, Frances Parker, Matthew Cannings, Simon Smith, Yan Miles, Craig Ferreira, Morten Højbjerg
Production companies: Lucasfilm
Network: Disney+
Casts & Characters:
Starring
- Diego Luna as Cassian Andor: A thief and scavenger whose home planet, Kenari, was rendered uninhabitable by the Galactic Empire. The series begins with Andor as a “revolution-averse” cynic and explores how he becomes “the most passionate person who’s going to give themselves to save the galaxy” in Rogue One. Gilroy has described him as a natural leader who manipulates people, adding that he is “really a perfect kind of spy, warrior, killer.” Antonio Viña portrays a young Cassian, when he was known as Kassa.
- Kyle Soller as Syril Karn: A Deputy Inspector for Preox-Morlana (Pre-Mor) Authority, a corporate conglomerate in charge of a trade sector. Syril works for Pre-Mor’s security services and is determined to capture Cassian after learning he killed two Pre-Mor security employees.
- Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen: A mechanic and black market dealer who is Cassian’s ally and close friend, and has been romantically involved with him on and off. She cares for Maarva in Cassian’s absence.
- Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael: A key player in the nascent rebellion, known only as “Axis” by Imperial agents. He is Bix’s contact for selling stolen equipment, and hires Cassian on his first mission as a Rebel operative. Luthen poses publicly as an antiques dealer from Coruscant. In the second season, Luthen’s relationship with much of the cast has grown strained, particularly Cassian and Mon.
- Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma: An Imperial senator representing the wealthy core world of Chandrila who tries to navigate the politics of the Empire while secretly using her family fortune to help fund the fledgling rebellion. O’Reilly reprises the role from prior Star Wars media.
- Denise Gough as Dedra Meero: An ambitious and strategic supervisor for the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) who is deeply absorbed with hunting and eliminating a rebel leader code-named “Axis”. She is later seen in a relationship with Syril.
- Faye Marsay as Vel Sartha: A Rebel operative working for Luthen who leads the raiding mission on Aldhani, and Mothma’s cousin. She is in a relationship with Cinta.
- Varada Sethu as Cinta Kaz: A Rebel on Aldhani who has lost her family to Imperial occupation. She is a medic and in a relationship with Vel.
- Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki: Luthen’s assistant at his antiques store, who plays a critical part in his Rebel circle as a covert communications officer. April V. Woods portrays a young Kleya.
- Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic (season 2): The director of advanced weapons research for the Imperial military. Mendelsohn reprises his role from Rogue One.
- Benjamin Bratt as Bail Organa (season 2): An Imperial senator representing the world of Alderaan and adoptive father to Leia Organa. Bratt replaced Jimmy Smits, who portrayed the character in previous Star Wars media, due to scheduling conflicts.
- Alan Tudyk as the voice and motion-capture of K-2SO (season 2): A former Imperial enforcer droid who is reprogrammed to serve the Rebellion. Tudyk reprises his role from Rogue One.[13]
Recurring
- Joplin Sibtain as Brasso: Cassian’s co-worker and friend.
- Kathryn Hunter as Eedy Karn: Syril’s mother.
- Alastair Mackenzie as Perrin Fertha: Mothma’s husband, who is unaware of her anti-Imperial activities.
- Anton Lesser as Major Lio Partagaz: Dedra’s commanding officer in the Imperial Security Bureau.
- Ben Miles as Tay Kolma: A banker and Mothma’s childhood friend from whom she seeks help.
- Duncan Pow as Ruescott Melshi: A labor worker and inmate at the Imperial factory facility on Narkina 5 who later joins the Rebel Alliance alongside Andor. Pow reprises his role from Rogue One.
- Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera: A veteran of the Clone Wars and the leader of a militant insurgent group, the Partisans. Whitaker reprises his role from previous Star Wars media, including Rogue One.
- Richard Dillane as Davo Sculdun: A shady businessman whom Mon Mothma enlists to unwittingly help her embezzle funds for the Rebellion, in exchange for a betrothal between his son Stekan and her daughter Leida.
- Muhannad Bhaier as Wilmon Paak (season 2; guest season 1): A young Ferrix resident, who worked alongside his father Salman at the Repaak Salyard and eventually joins the emerging rebellion following Salman’s death at the hands of the Empire.[6]
- Pierro Niel-Mee as Erskin Semaj (season 2): Mon Mothma’s aide in the Galactic Senate and in her rebellious affairs. The character first appeared in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, voiced by Josh Brener.
- Sam Gilroy as Gerdis (season 2): A member of the Maya Pei Brigade, a rebel cell on Yavin IV.
- Benjamin Norris as Bardi (season 2): A member of the Maya Pei Brigade.
- Robert Emms as Lonni Jung (season 2; guest season 1): An ISB supervisor who is secretly a rebel informant who reports to Luthen.[19]
- Jacob James Beswick as Heert (season 2; guest season 1): An assistant to ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero. He is later promoted to ISB Supervisor himself and assigned by Major Partagaz to take over the investigation into “Axis”.
- Richard Sammel as Carro Rylanz (season 2): A Ghorman elected official and leader of an emerging rebel group known as the Ghorman Front.
- Thierry Godard as Lezine (season 2): A male human and outspoken critic of the Galactic Empire’s occupation of the planet Ghorman.
- Alistair Petrie as General Davits Draven (season 2): A rebel leader on Yavin IV. Petrie reprises his role from Rogue One.
- Jonjo O’Neill as Captain Kaido (season 2): An Imperial Army officer and crisis specialist, deployed to Ghorman to oversee the tactics of instigating rebel dissent to warrant an Imperial response.
I highly recommend watching this season on Disney+.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident Film reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe