Andor Double Take: Season Premiere

While its Season Premiere might not have come as originally expected (thanks a lot, global pandemic), the newest Star Wars Disney+ series, Andor, made its debut with three episodes Wednesday September 21, 2022. Created by Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote 2016’s Rogue One, Andor stars (and is executive produced by) Diego Luna, reprising his role as the titular tough guy Cassian Andor. The series takes place five years before the events of Rogue One and follows Cassian, a revolution-averse thief, in a time of growing animosity towards the Empire.

Episode 1, titled Kassa introduces us to Cassian as he travels to the industrial planet of Morlana One as he searches for his lost sister. Andor’s search quickly devolves as two Pre-Mor Authority security officers don’t appreciate his encroaching on their territory in a local brothel/bar. After Cassian’s encounter with the guards turns deadly, he becomes persona non grata in the eyes of the Authority, and he flees to the planet Ferrix where he erases his tracks and forms a new story about his whereabouts on that fateful evening. On Ferrix, we meet droid B2EMO (voiced by Dave Chapman) and friends Brasso (Joplin Sibtain) and Bix (Adria Arjona), all of whom he convinces to help cover for him. We’re also introduced to Pre-Mor deputy inspector Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), who won’t take no for an answer from his superior and is determined to find the culprit of the Pre-Mor officer murders. A series of flashbacks are interspersed as well, showing a younger Cassian, known then as Kassa, and his tribe on his homeworld of Kenari as they investigate a crashed ship.

Things go from bad to worse for Cassian in episode 2, titled That Would Be Me. Bix’s jealous boyfriend, Timm, reports Andor to Pre-Mor Security who issues a warrant for his arrest, causing panic for our hero and his family. We are introduced to his adoptive mother, Maarva (Fiona Shaw), who can’t help but be concerned for her son’s safety. Cassian’s plan to sell a valuable Imperial navigational tool on the black market comes closer to fruition, as Bix’s buyer agrees to make his way to Ferrix. Karn partners with uber aggressive Pre-Mor officer Mosk (Alex Ferns), and their 14-person unit makes their way to Ferrix to capture Andor. In another Kenari flashback, Kassa and crew find the crashed ship with seemingly no survivors. A tribe member ends up dead and the kids make short work of leaving no survivors while Kassa stays behind to investigate further.

The finale of the Andor Season Premiere’s three episodes is called Reckoning, where everything that’s set up so far comes to an action-packed climax. Black Market buyer Luthen (Stellan Skarsgard) meets with Cassian, but the Imperial item isn’t the only thing on his shopping list. Impressed by his Empire thieving skills, Luthen urges Cassian to do more and join the growing Rebel Alliance. Karn and Mosk’s unit arrive on Ferrix where they begin their violent hunt for Cassian. Cassian and Luthen’s small but mighty fight against the Pre-Mor Authority ensures their escape, leaving Karn and Mosk limping in defeat. This episode’s flashback sequences show a younger Maarva and her husband scavenging the crashed ship on Kenari. They find the emotionally charged Kassa on board attempting to destroy anything he can as payback for the tribe member’s death. Against the wishes of her husband, Maarva can’t help but feel sorry for the youngster, so she does what she thinks is best by subduing him and taking him with them as they escape.

With three episodes premiering all at once, the style and pacing of Andor is clearly laid out for viewers. With its slow burn pacing, smartly written dialogue, and grounded grittiness, Andor firmly establishes itself as something vastly different for Star Wars. There are no Jedi, no Sith, nor a lightsaber in sight and for me, this is something to applaud it for. Tony Gilroy has crafted a series that grounds itself in the realities of the everyday citizens of a galaxy far, far away. Even its villains aren’t actually the Empire, rather, power hungry members of a planetary security force, further cementing the series as something all together different than anything else we’ve seen.

There’s so much to love about Andor, from its gorgeous musical score by Nicholas Britell, to its opening title, to the production quality, it’s truly a joy for all senses. It also wouldn’t be Star Wars without a lovable droid, and B2EMO ticks all the boxes: cute, nervous, and a bit quirky (anyone else get WALL-E vibes?), he easily will join the ranks of R2-D2 and BB-8 as a droid fans (and retailers) embrace.

Nine episodes of Andor remain, each releasing Wednesdays, and if the trailer is any indication, there is so much more to still look forward to. If the first three episodes are any indication, we’re in for a ride of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to climb aboard and take off. What did you think of Andor’s Season Premiere? Let us know on our social media channels.