Star Wars’next TV show,Andorseason 2, is proof that even decades later, Lucasfilm is still taking advantage of its greatest strength. Throughout the original and prequel trilogies, the focus of theStar Warsfranchise was clearly movies, although there were a few shows that were created during and not long after that era, such asStar Wars: Clone WarsandStar Wars: The Clone Wars.When Disney boughtStar Wars, there was a clear shift withStar Warsmovies and TV shows.
In fact, asStar WarsTV shows have exploded,Star Warsmovies have fallen to the background. While there are severalupcomingStar Warsmoviesin the works, there will also have been a six-year gap between the franchise’s most recently released movies. Despite these changes,Lucasfilm has still managed to uphold its greatest strength—andStar Wars’next TV show will prove that beyond a doubt.
Andor Is A Great Show, Even Though We Know How This Story Ends
Knowing How Cassian’s Story Ends Hasn’t Ruined The Show
One of the most impressive aspects ofAndorseason 1 was that,despite audiences knowing how Cassian Andor’s story ultimately ends, the show was still captivating.Andorseason 1 was set several years beforeRogue One: A Star Wars StoryintheStar Warstimeline,which sadly showed Cassian’s death on Scarif, although not before he helped the Rebels in their efforts to destroy the Jedi. This means that Cassian’s fate was already set in stone going intoAndor.
Yet, knowing that Cassian is predetermined to die—and exactly how that death happens—doesn’t detract from the story whatsoever. If anything, it makes it even more meaningful, because audiences get to see how dedicated he had been to bringing down the Empire for years and find out more about his motivations, all of which fleshes out hisRogue Onestory that much more. The same is sure to be true inAndorseason 2, perhaps even more so, asAndorseason 2’s place in theStar Warstimelinewill run right up to the start ofRogue One.
Andor Season 2: Trailer, Story, Updates, & Everything We Know
Andor season 1 ended with an explosive finale, leading many to wonder what season 2 has in store for the characters of Star Wars’ most exciting show.
Star Wars Can Tell An Interesting Story Without Needing A Shocking Ending
Andor Doesn’t Need To Rely On A Mysterious Ending Because The Story Is What Matters
What makes this so impressive is that it meansStar Warsdoesn’t need to rely on plot twists, surprise endings, or suspense about a character’s fate to create an interesting story. On the contrary, I’m thrilled to see what happens to Cassian inAndorseason 2, even knowing his death is just a few years away.This is the mark of good storytelling.
Star Warsdoesn’t need to rely on plot twists, surprise endings, or suspense about a character’s fate to create an interesting story.
Andorworks despite it being a prequel toRogue Onebecause it isn’t about the ending—it’s about the story.Andor, unlike some otherStar Warsprojects during this era, isn’t about the Jedi,the Skywalker family tree, or even the major heroes inStar Wars. It’s about the everyday people, how they were affected by the Empire, and their boots-on-the-ground efforts to rebel.
This Has Been A Strength Of Lucasfilm For Decades
The Entire Prequel Trilogy Is Proof Of That
Andoris the most recent example—and an impressive one—but it is far from the first timeStar Warshas proven that it can create a brilliant story, even when the characters' fates are already determined. In fact,this has arguably been true more often than not in this franchise. A prime example would of course be theStar Warsprequel trilogy, which explored the histories of original trilogy characters like Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
It’s true that not every aspect of the prequels was already set in stone. Yes, viewers knew what ultimately happened to Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Yoda, but the prequels also introduced characters like Padmé and depicted events like Order 66. There was still plenty on the line, in that sense, but it’s nevertheless notable thatStar Warscan take a story and so successfully work backwards from it.
Even outside the prequel trilogy, though,exploring what happens before the franchise’s other stories has really become a staple ofStar Wars, and that’s a major strength of Lucasfilm. ParticularlyStar WarsTV shows, likeThe Clone WarsandObi-Wan Kenobi, manage to tell the stories that come beforeStar Wars’movies—and they’re still completely captivating.
There has been plenty of discourse since Disney’s acquisition ofStar Warsthat this purchase and the changes that followed have ‘ruined’ the franchise. Yet,Star Warsshows, most of which have been created by Disney’sStar Wars, have continued to be strong, and they’ve maintained this impressive storytelling ability. WithAndorseason 2 just around the corner, there will no doubt be even more proof thatStar Warscontinues to exemplify the greatest strength of Lucasfilm.
