53

The Series is now over. we can now officially declare we avoided it! Not one Jedi, not one sith, not one appearance of Vader of the emperor, not one lightsaber, not one physical manifestation of "The Force". They actually did Star wars with zero bullshit.

These couple of weeks, Hexbear has been full of Andor posts. Considering these last 3 episodes were probably the best television I've ever seen in my life, I figure there are gonna be a lot of people who want to share their thoughts on the finale.

I'll be honest, until episode 10, I thought Season 2 wasn't for me. it's wasn't bad but I just felt it didn't have the punch of Season 1. that season gave us novel tropes like a gold heist, a prison break, a riot, etc. season 2 was a more character focused set up for rogue one.

but the last 3 episodes, they changed everything. every minute was amazing.

Andor is often called perfect for someone who doesn't think they like star wars. If it was just a standalone sci-fi spy thriller, it would be still be the best thing on television, but what's truly the crowning accomplishment is that if you do know a lot about star wars, it somehow becomes ever better. This show redeems other media in this franchise. it redeems rogue one, it even strengthens Episode 4.

How much the destruction of the death star cost. In episode 4, the audience is shown "It was a longshot, but somehow a backwater orphan pilot managed to score the killing shot and destroy the battle station."

in Rogue One, they're shown "Okay, it was an even longer shot than that, because before they got to that point, they had to do a big adventure culiminating in getting the plans off Scarif with just seconds to spare"

And I always thought that was sort of weak, because it's a work of fiction. fiction naturally collects around the execution of extremely lucky acts. how ever unlikely their success was is ultimately arbitrary, they can always be written to succeed in spite of the odds.

But it's not about their luck, it's about their sophistication. it's that the rebels were doing all of these things collectively and competently, that they had become what they needed to be at their finest hour, and all the contributions, all the sacrifices of every single character all lead to this being possible.

Or I'm just high an none of this makes sense.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Ildsaye@hexbear.net 44 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I liked how the imperials failed to prevent the superweapon leak because of careerist competition in their ranks, and how each of the fascists who were developed as characters died full of doubt about how they spent their lives. Delicious.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 30 points 1 month ago

I saw someone describe Karn's death as "crushing" in an article and it's like no it was perfect, he sucked.

[-] 30_to_50_Feral_PAWGs@hexbear.net 26 points 1 month ago

Crushing from his perspective -- in sort of a Javert/Jean Valjean sort of way, but it turns out to be completely one-sided on Javert/Syril's part.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 25 points 1 month ago

Yeah I love the one sided part. It was like an inverted version of "But for me, it was Tuesday" from Street fighter.

[-] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 24 points 1 month ago

Perfect encapsulation of how pathetic fascist society really is

[-] CredibleBattery@hexbear.net 37 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I'm glad my boy Wilmon is safe

[-] marxisthayaca@hexbear.net 21 points 1 month ago

He lives to huff gasoline another day

[-] quarrk@hexbear.net 17 points 1 month ago

I had to rewatch that scene like 3 times to understand what the hell was happening

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

One of those things that younger generations might not realise is petrol/gasoline used to smell great and make you feel a slight high.

People used to huff it before safer Low aromatic was introduced.

That scene kind of echoes that and suggests maybe that is why Saw's breathing is steadily worsening.

[-] Coca_Cola_but_Commie@hexbear.net 32 points 1 month ago

Incredible that Tony Gilroy came along and just made the best thing Star Wars has put out since 1980. Why would he do that?

My personal enjoyment of the operatic tragedy that is Revenge of the Sith might edge out Andor, slightly, but loving ROTS is what I imagine it must feel like to have a kid who's a real screw-up. You love them and you see all the best parts of them, but you can't deny the mistakes they've made. But unlike ROTS I don't needs to qualify my enjoyment of Andor. It's not like twenty years from now I'm going to say "oh I like Andor but have you read the novelization? It completely realizes what that show was trying to do," like I do now with both ROTS and Rogue One.

I think next paycheck I'm going to splurge and buy a lot of the old X-wing novel series if I can find one that's not too high.

[-] Coca_Cola_but_Commie@hexbear.net 30 points 1 month ago

Also I can't believe we learn some of Luthen's backstory. I just assumed he was someone a bit like Mon Mothma, using his real name and the real identity he had during the time of the Republic as an antiquities dealer as a cover for his rebel activities. Much more interesting to learn that he was an NCO with a penchant for artifacts who got fed up one day and made a choice of where to stand, just like the people he recruits. Interesting that it seems no one, not even Kleya, will ever know Luthen's real name or who he really was before he rebelled.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 31 points 1 month ago

Also it's contributes to the fact Ghorman and Alderaan were simply the violence coming back to the imperial core, the empire was slaughtering people across the outer and mid rim for years, Cintra's family, Kleya's, hanging Cassian's adoptive father etc.

[-] Crucible@hexbear.net 26 points 1 month ago

I like that Luthen's backstory preempts Clean Wehrmacht Myth style talk of the Imperial Army which I think Solo played into a bit

load more comments (7 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)

All I can say is, THANK GOD!

[-] Mardoniush@hexbear.net 21 points 1 month ago

I want to see that droid after Endor wearing more medals than Zhukov

[-] HelluvaBottomCarter@hexbear.net 26 points 1 month ago

I enjoyed it all. The only thing I don't like is that a Star Wars show seems to be the only way to get a high-budget story about actual empire. Maybe Coogler's X-Files will go into the deep state more than the original.

[-] TheModerateTankie@hexbear.net 26 points 1 month ago

"We fight to win. That means we lose... and lose, and lose, and lose. Until we're ready." - Luthen

That makes me feel better about losing all the time.

I liked Season 1 but thought Season 2 was great. Maybe I need to rewatch season 1.

[-] grym@hexbear.net 23 points 1 month ago

Man I hated star wars before and had to be convinced multiple times to watch this. One of the best tv shows i've ever watched, abolutely incredible. Star wars will never be this good again.

I will remember Nemik's manifesto. And I keep coming back to the Past/Present Suite.

[-] Mardoniush@hexbear.net 12 points 1 month ago

The only way I think they could sustain it is some kind of dense political drama, either about the collapse of the New Republic or the structural rebuilding needed after episode 9.

[-] 9to5@hexbear.net 22 points 1 month ago

Legit one of the greatest pieces of sci-fi to ever grace the screen

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 22 points 1 month ago
[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 13 points 1 month ago

Krennic has read the uniform code.

[-] 2812481591@hexbear.net 20 points 1 month ago

pretty funny that Andor's sister was a total red herring that was never explored beyond the very first scene of the series.

[-] gingerbrat@hexbear.net 17 points 1 month ago

Oh yes, and that little detail aboutyoung Kleya and Andor's sister looking very alike was also a funny thing. Yet another red herring, because no, Kleya is not Andor's sister.

[-] gingerbrat@hexbear.net 20 points 1 month ago

I wrote a fucking paper on the first season of Andor and I can confidently say I do not regret doing that. I opened the paper with Nemik's manifesto, and I have probably listened to this one monolog so many times I could repeat it by heart. And then these last three episodes hit, and I'm glued to the screen, keeping it together, and they just play it again, and I'm a crying mess. God, academic writing will never again be this much fun, but also, Star Wars will never again be this much fun.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I like that the only surviving ISB supervisor we know by name is Lagret, the bald guy who was just kind of average at his job, the "competent" and ambitious ones like Meero, Heert and Blevin (disappeared off screen) are gone along with Partagaz.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 19 points 1 month ago

Like perhaps a bunch of sociopaths competing against each other and getting purged for failure isn't an effective structure for an organisation.

[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 18 points 1 month ago

I am going to make my mushroom soup now

[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 17 points 1 month ago

Hey, uh, what do I watch after this ends? I'm on the final episode and am supposed to be making mushroom soup.

[-] Staines@hexbear.net 22 points 1 month ago

If you want more Andor...

Motorcycle Diaries, then Che part 1/2.

[-] Coca_Cola_but_Commie@hexbear.net 15 points 1 month ago

Clearly it's too late now, but I think the answer is to just jump into watching A New Hope.

click here to read my proselytizing about the Rogue One novelization, which I do every time the film is mentionedI think the best way to experience Rogue One is to listen to the audiobook. The book papers over the worst parts of the movie and adds some much-needed dimensions to Jyn Erso, and I really like the audiobook narrator they got for it. But then I am biased because of course I saw the movie first. I had already experienced the performances. Do Saw Guerra and Orson Krennic really work on the page if you've never seen Forrest Whittaker and Ben Mendelsohn's performances? I'll never know. Then again we get some of Galen(Jyn's father, the scientist)'s POV and I think the character is much stronger in the book than the film, ditto for nearly all the characters but Galen and Jyn especially, so maybe it all balances out.

[-] 2812481591@hexbear.net 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Rogue One is next chronologically, but I wouldn't say it shares much with Andor apart from the characters.

Jenny Nicholson pretty much mirrors all the thoughts I had when Rogue One came out, and this is coming from someone who really liked The Force Awakens

Lol @2:15 "Man, it's starting to feel like all the interesting stuff in Rogue One happened before Rogue One, maybe we need a prequel to Rogue One? Just kidding." Perfection.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 25 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Rogue One is a land of contrasts. It could be the best film ever and it still would be the first time anyone used CGI to resurrect a non consenting dead actor tainting it morally.

But it's also got wretched vibes at points, kind of orientalist with the force sensitive monk guy, kind of racist in the way Saw's faction when not scary aliens are dark skinned and terrorist coded, compared to the pasty Yavin 4 crew. Kind of lib too.

And the first 2/3rds is kind of janky, a series of disconnected vignettes, some good, some meh.

But the last 1/3rd is pretty fantastic star wars, the jumping between Jyn and Cassian infiltration, the battle on the ground with the rebels trying to sow confusion, the battle in space, the U-wings and X-Wings racing through the closing shield gate to give support even though it's a suicide mission with no way back. All really great.

Also the film does a lot to show how the rebellion is an alliance with factions that coalesce and fragment given the circumstances, which makes the original trilogy make more sense. And Andor then expanded on.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (10 replies)
[-] Vingst@hexbear.net 17 points 1 month ago

spoilerFor spy masterminds who had a massive fortune at one point and plenty of time to figure something out, they had a shitty escape plan. And why'd he shoot Lonni?

Overall, a lot of characters felt forced in to outcomes to fit with Rogue One.

I thought there were some pretty shots, the way things where framed. I like how actors look and are lit in bright white rooms, every pore and hair follicle visible, like in THX 1138 (george lucas reference?).

[-] 2812481591@hexbear.net 22 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

spoilerLuthen knew he was compromised for a long time, but stayed active on Coruscant for longer than he was safe to in order gather intel on the super weapon, which made Yavin cut ties. he still tried to escape when he got the intel, but he trusted it to Kleya as he still had to destroy his base before leaving. Lonni was a liability who would lead them directly to Luthen, though Luthen didn't realize it wouldn't make a difference in how quickly he'd be found. he was also behaving erratically and betrayed Luthen by not leveraging his stolen password far earlier.

load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] marxisthayaca@hexbear.net 16 points 1 month ago

I am watching Rogue One the next day after finishing the season. And Andor is so good it retroactively ruins Rogue One. The way Cassian is played in the movie, the rest of the characters, etc. This is very messy. It's still one of my favorite star wars movies, but damn.

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 15 points 1 month ago

Every time I watch it, I'm like this is way worse than I remember. Then that amazing final act swoops in like a MiB memory wipe telling me it's actually good.

[-] marxisthayaca@hexbear.net 13 points 1 month ago

I was literally telling my friends that. The final act saves the movie.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] newacctidk@hexbear.net 16 points 1 month ago

Yeah it was never about their luck. I think people focus on the Vader hallway scene for the EPIC shit and not that it is another moment driving home how collective the sacrifices are. We already saw Cassian and Jyn die and as the camera rises above the planet, the bridge of the Profundity is burning, the plans are handed off and a dozen troopers die in a desperate act to just barely slip them through a doorway, one trooper even fucking goes to elbow vader with no weapon, literally just making Vader kill him to buy a second longer.

They didn't get lucky, they just bought time with their blood

[-] XiaCobolt@hexbear.net 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I loved the helmet-less thumb headed wannabe operator ISB SWAT Storm Troopers.

[-] gingerbrat@hexbear.net 12 points 1 month ago

The moustache on the squad leader was certainly something to behold

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 14 points 1 month ago

Or I'm just high an none of this makes sense

It's good to be high and vibing

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 14 May 2025
53 points (100.0% liked)

Movies & TV

23346 readers
250 users here now

Rules for Movies & TV Discussion

  1. Any discussion of Disney properties should contain a (cw: imperialism) tag. If your post isn't tagged appropriately it will be removed.

  2. Anti-Bong Joon-ho trolling will result in an immediate ban from c/movies and submitted to the site administrators for review.

  3. On Star Trek Sunday only posts discussing how we might achieve space communism are permitted. Non-Star Trek related content will be removed and you will be temporarily banned until the following Sunday.

Here's a list of tons of leftist movies.

AVATAR 3

Perverts Guide to Ideology

founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS