Star Wars: Andor

[Celebrim]

<rubs fingers together> "I play the world's smallest violin. If the resistance employs the tactics of the oppressor, why support the resistance?"

How you fight is important. But it isn't just how you fight. It's what you are fighting for.

My ancestors were slave owners. They owned a horse plantation. Their slaves were relatively privileged compared to field hands, valuable grooms and jockeys and farriers. But they were still slaves. When the war came, all the adult men in my family volunteered for the 1st Cavalry. They fought with great honor and distinction. One of them was killed when an enemy force feigned a surrender under a white flag, and then shot the Confederates as they approached. One died in a Union prison camp of exposure, starving in cold. Eight of the nine adult men in my family didn't survive the war.

Does it matter that they fought often more bravely and honorably than the ones they fought against? Maybe. Maybe it matters some. But the trouble is, they were fighting for the wrong side. They were rebels, but they weren't freedom fighters. They were patriots, but they weren't on the right side. And that does make a difference.

My family paid a 100 year long price for their mistakes the like of which you can't imagine and I won't describe.

But I can tell you this. The world isn't nothing but moral greys. There are things that are right and there are things that are wrong. And that maybe some times hard to see. Both sides may and will have people that believe that they are doing the right thing. Neither side may be right. But sometimes, you are fighting for what is good and just and true. And that matters.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The messaging in this episode was loud and clear, especially during election season.

As an aside, Andy Serkis’s character is quickly becoming one of my top 5 non-core characters in the Star Wars universe.

 

[Davies]

How you fight is important. But it isn't just how you fight. It's what you are fighting for.

You are treating a premise as an equation can be reversed, when it cannot. If you fight bravely and nobly for what is wrong, then you are still wrong. That is true. But If you are fighting for what is good and just and true, and you use the tactics of those who fight for what is bad and wrong and false, then why should anyone believe that your allies will, if victorious, uphold those things?

 

[Celebrim]

You are treating a premise as an equation can be reversed, when it cannot. If you fight bravely and nobly for what is wrong, then you are still wrong. That is true. But If you are fighting for what is good and just and true, and you use the tactics of those who fight for what is bad and wrong and false, then why should anyone believe that your allies will, if victorious, uphold those things?

Because all wars are dirty horrible affairs. I gave one historical example personally relevant to me of many that history provides. The measure of a nation is less how they fight the war, than how they make the peace.

 

[Davies]

Because all wars are dirty horrible affairs. I gave one historical example personally relevant to me of many that history provides. The measure of a nation is less how they fight the war, than how they make the peace.

But why should anyone believe that someone who fights an unjust war will make a just peace?

That whole speech was just whining about how hard the tough choices he has to make are, after having threatened the life of a child of less than six years. It's disgusting.

 

[Celebrim]

But why should anyone believe that someone who fights an unjust war will make a just peace?

Is the fight against the Empire unjust? Or you merely saying that the people doing the fighting are at times doing unjust things.

That whole speech was just whining about how hard the tough choices he has to make are, after having threatened the life of a child of less than six years. It's disgusting.

The guy giving the speech agrees. And technically, he did not threaten the life of the child. He's merely reminding the guy he's handling that he can't get out and that it's the life of his child that is at stake if he messes up or losses his nerve. Luthien isn't actually going to kill his kid. What possible value could he get out of turning his contact into an enemy? No, the real threat to the family is the Empire, who have no such qualms. All Luthien is doing is planting doubt. Because he's a spy. And spies aren't boy scouts, no matter your idealism. And no, you can't be certain that people who do unjust things will, if they win, remember the scruples that they so recently put down. That's exactly my point though. The proof is made when the peace is made.

 

[Davies]

The guy giving the speech agrees.

I don't care.

Luthien isn't actually going to kill his kid.

I have no reason to believe that.

 

[embee]

I have teeth marks in my knuckles from how tense and exciting and thrilling that that episode was.

The only core moment in Star Wars that even begins to approach the level of emotion in this episode is the Throne Room fight in ROTJ when Luke lashes out.

The level of quality of, well, everything in this show is far better than Star Wars deserves. Serkis goddamn nails it. His final pained statement "I can't swim" contains so much pathos. His character arc is amazing. His speech was potent.

Andor knows tension. It does tense on a level I've not seen in a long time. The bad guys don't twirl mustaches or tie damsels to train tracks. They don't even threaten. The gangster's overture to Mon Mothma was perfectly driven home with his line "You know... That's the first untrue thing that you've said."

One might say that the episode is too monologue heavy. But damn if every monologue wasn't great.

I feel bad for the Obi-Wan crew. Andor far eclipses it.

 

[Celebrim]

I don't care.

I have no reason to believe that.

It's clear you will believe what you want to believe, and I won't be able to convince you otherwise.

 

[embee]

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