Having grown up with SW being absent on screen for 16 years, re-watching these Andor episodes is all I'll need until the second season. That's more than enough Disney+ SW for my personal canon; gotta be at least 8 to 10 hours there. And all of it elevating the OT! The other shows do the opposite for me by ratcheting up the cartoonishness (and outright stupidity at times). And I just can't reconcile Andor as existing in the same reality with those other stories, so I don't need 'em at all.
My version of SW works just fine without a Boba Fett who recruits a scooter gang, gets flummoxed by a locked door, opts to ride a Rancor as his best battle plan, and has a life-altering epiphany from snorting a lizard.
My SW doesn't work as well with an Obi-Wan Kenobi who plays speedball with giant boulders yet fancies himself useless in the struggle against the Empire unless he's hidden away to watch over a boy savior who won't be able to do anything remotely similar to that for decades.
My Darth Vader isn't a credible threat if he's some halfwit who loses his composure at the drop of a hat and acts more like a Jason Voorhies wannabe than a cerebral figure with some emotional control. And he doesn't rip starships down from the sky one day, only to just forget how powerful he is years later for some unknown reason.
The Force as I prefer it isn't mastered by babies who haven't yet learned to speak, to the point of lifting charging rhinos and doing "Force healing." And there's also no series of time-traveling portals housed in mystical caves, nor "spirit animals," nor hyperspace-capable whales, or whatever other Filoniisms will be brought over into Ahsoka and/or other Rebels live-action shows that get made.
The Andor finale was more rewarding than I hoped for, and made the whole season even better as a result. The show may not be for every fan, but it certainly is for me. That other stuff probably works better for some, and that's fine. There's something for everyone now. And for that, I genuinely thank Tony Gilroy and his crew. They provided an alternative that can be embraced by a portion of the audience woefully underserved by the rest.
My ultimate satisfaction from this show is that it seemed to understand that human drama elements of preserving freedom by overcoming tyranny, helping family members find their path to virtue, and forging one's own destiny in life are all universally relatable and compelling parts of SW which can be the focus (and without retreading any old ground either). Superficial spectacle makes for short-lived fads, but it's substance that lasts. Andor will last. Couldn't be more proud as a SW fan, or more grateful. What an incredible payoff to such finely-constructed storytelling throughout! Outstanding on every level that matters.
Great post, agree with all your points.
With Andor I've realised what it is I've been wanting from Star Wars these last few years but didn't realise it until I had it.
I didn't like BoBF or Kenobi in the first place, both dreadful, but looking back at them after Andor, they seem so much worse.
Even The Mandalorian, looking back after Andor, just seems so childish in comparison. Still very enjoyable, silly fun though, even if it does have elements I didn't care for. As a whole, it is one of the better things to come out of Disney Star Wars, even if it is a bit of a mixed bag.
I have to agree with the Filoni stuff. I know he's beloved by many fans and I'm just old now and didn't grow up with the TCW etc but I agree with everything you wrote about him. He's not terrible or anything, but I'm not a fan of his magic space whales, his spirit animals, that Force time travel thing etc etc.
I suspect Favreau was balancing his Filonism out somewhat with The Mandalorian.
I've started to just take small bits of Star Wars that I like and fit in with what I've loved from Star Wars for the last 40 odd years.
Andor fits nicely in with that.
OT, some of the older pre-PT EU books and Dark Horse comics, Andor and, even though its a mixed bag of good and bad, Rogue One. The Mandalorian to finish off with.
That gives me a nice slice of Star Wars I think.
So for me, Mando season 3 early next year and the long wait for Andor season 2 are the only things coming up to add to my little slice of personal Star Wars.
It's taken me a while but I've made my peace with the fact that the majority of current Star Wars isn’t for me.
But yes, agree that Andor is a wonderful gift to particular Star Wars fans that really needed it (recognising it's not every fans cup of tea), following on from some really dreadful stuff. It's been a wonderful addition to canon, that builds the OT and benefits the overall story of Star Wars.
Sounds like we're only getting 2 seasons and I've heard Gilroy isnt going to do anything more with Star Wars after, so Andor may be all we get in this vein, but so be it.
He's honorable but doesn't flinch at taking the trash out.
Say what you like, at least Boba is stuffed with - stuff. Candy Power Rangers, dancing and cool looking Tuskens, plus the bonus Mando episode which was badass.
Also bingewatching Andor with a turkey sandwich.
