- Also known as Star Wars: Andor and Andor: A Star Wars Story
- Created by Tony Gilroy
- September 21, 2022 to May 13, 2025
- Based on Star Wars created by George Lucas
- Disney+
Main Cast
- Cassian Andor-Diego Luna
- Luthen Rael-Stellan Skarsgård
- Mon Mothma-Genevieve O’Reilly
- Bix Caleen-Adria Arjona
- Syril Karn-Kyle Soller
- Dedra Meero-Denise Gough
- Vel Sartha-Faye Marsay
- Cinta Kaz-Varada Sethu
- Kleya Marki-Elizabeth Dulau
- Orson Krennic-Ben Mendelsohn
Guest Cast
- Brasso-Joplin Sibtain
- Eedy Karn-Kathryn Hunter
- Perrin Fertha-Alastair Mackenzie
- Major Partagaz-Anton Lesser
- Tay Kolma-Ben Miles
- Davo Sculdun-Richard Dillane
- B2EMO-voice of Dave Chapman
- Saw Gerrera-Forest Whitaker
- Lonni Jung-Robert Emms
- Bail Organa-Benjamin Bratt
- Wilmon Paak-Muhannad Bhaier
- K-2SO-Alan Tudyk (voice and motion-capture)
- Captain Lagret-Michael Jenn
While not entirely perfect an excellent series has come to an end. Andor was a different flavor of Star Wars that fit neatly into the rest of the Star Wars universe.
So here we are with my thoughts on the final three episodes of some of the finest Star Wars in a very long time.
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Make It Stop
- Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios
- Written by Tom Bissell
- May 13, 2025
Luthen learns the Empire is building the Death Star and that Dedra has uncovered his identity.
Make It Stop is largely the story of how Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård) and Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau) met. Nothing too spectacular but it is intense and explains their bond. She’s a student and he’s a teacher while occasionally acting as a fatherly figure. There is some symmetry between the flashbacks and the events in the present. But Make It Stop is also about Kleya repaying a debt to Luthen. She is honoring him in a dark way.
I can’t exactly say I am I was thrilled by Luthen’s hair. It was intended to be militaristic but looks a little silly on Skarsgård. Not the best look for the actor though the clothing he wore in the flashbacks looked a touch like a dark version of Luke’s Empire outfit.
Dedra’s (Denise Gough) was a bit of a surprise. Is it the equivalent of getting terminated for one too many incidents at work? It fits with the authoritarian nature of the Empire by severely punishing behavior.
There is only enough dialogue as is necessary. There are no speeches, pontificating, or stretching out of things. There is no presence of the title character but it is still quite good. And it neatly begins a final tie into Rogue One.
Though lacking the title character Make It Stop is a good piece of drama that illuminates a relationship that was not too focused on. I’m not sure if we needed it, but it was good to watch.
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Who Else Knows?
- Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios
- Written by Tom Bissell
- May 13, 2025
After being arrested Dedra is interrogated by Krennic.
Who Else Knows? deals with the immediate aftermath of the previous episode. I like how this acknowledges that authoritarian regimes often assign blame in a fashion to protect the more powerful. Dedra (Denise Gough) may not have got Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård) unharmed and even overstepped her bounds but she is clearly getting excessively punished like she is a criminal. Jung’s (Robert Emms) use of her credentials and the ISB’s failures are all being put on her. By doing that they show the Empire in a way that was only hinted at in the original trilogy films.
We’re re-introduced to Cassian (Diego Luna) and a fully functional and integrated into the situation K-2SO (voice and motion-capture of Alan Tudyk) playing a game of space dominoes. It’s a nice moment too. Seems a little more friendly than when we first encounter the pair together in Rogue One.
This episode is frightening. Not in a horror, film way but in a way that there’s so much danger around. It is unsettling and disturbing in a way Star Wars has never been yet feels like it fits right in beyond the superficial bits of costuming and sets. This is the world the original characters knew about but the audience never saw until now.
I was all worried during the last episode because there was no Andor (Diego Luna) but essentially it was set up for his involvement in this episode. Once we get past the Dedra elements it’s largely Cassian and all great.
I get Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau) being hesitant to go Yavin IV considering her and Luthen’s activities are not exactly cheered by the Rebel Alliance. What I don’t get is her near pathological resistance to the idea. Hesitation and initial not wanting is fine for dramatic purposes but someone with no other options not willing to go makes no sense.
K-2SO has probably one of the few badass moments in this entire series, but not one that’s out of character or out of place for the character. He is what he is and he acts in such a manner but on the side of the Rebellion. Perhaps even a scene more in line with Star Wars which aided in connecting this to the larger franchise.
Who Else Knows? is a great episode that ends on a cliffhanger. Dramatic, exciting, and frightening because of the danger present. Characters are pushed to their limit as so much comes together that has been building since for the past two seasons comes together.
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Jedha, Kyber, Erso
- Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios
- Written by Tom Bissell
- May 13, 2025
Cassian tries to convince the Alliance of the veracity of Luthen’s intel.
There is a feel of danger and uncertainty. It makes that period before A New Hope into a do-or-die moment. What this artfully does (as the show itself did) is insert this story in Star Wars without being necessary viewing. It enhances while also wrapping up two seasons of story.
The dispositions of Dedra (Denise Gough) and Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser) were shocking though not unexpected given the series. Lagret (Michael Jenn) preventing the stormtroopers from investigating the noise was a simple moment but spoke volumes about the characters and their relationship. Dedra winding up where she had most likely sent so many others was some poetic justice. This is bleak yet authentic.
In under an hour they managed to nicely tie up the series as well as connect it to Rogue One without making either necessary viewing for the other. We get a better sense of the reasons behind Andor’s (Diego Luna) actions in the film. He is much less a murderer in that first moment and more driven to prove Luthen was correct.
I’m not sure how necessary Benjamin Bratt was in this. He had good moments. Don’t get me wrong, but Bail just slowed things up. The debate and hesitancy of the council could have been conveyed rather than shown.Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) showing up one last time failed to impress. A bit extraneous with her doing little to aid the story. Bix’s (Adria Arjona) reason to leave makes more sense.
I have no idea how Vel got close enough to Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) to matter. Aside from the implication they may be in a relationship, her dressing down of the rebels on Ghorman didn’t exactly scream leadership qualities. Yet she had made it high enough up in the Rebel Alliance to at least be a sounding board for Mon Mothma.
Even so this was perhaps some of the finest television that came from Star Wars in a very long time. It’s not a rousing ending. There’s a sense of hope and continuation as well as perhaps even poetic justice.
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Andor has come to an end. I had my doubts about a prequel series when we already know the ending the ultimate ending of the character but it turned out to be one of the more engrossing and engaging bits of Star Wars programming. Not perfect but what it got right was significantly greater than what it did wrong. It goes to the acting and the writing. A prequel of anything is tough stuff to do and to do well. You are always hampered by what came before. This did it better than many others.
Warren Watched A Movie 