Star Wars: Andor (September 21st, 2022)

[Mondragon]

I hope no one spoils it by going and saying, "I have a bad feeling about this."

Although truth is, I could have seen B2Emo delivering that line, as Cassian left.

.... he's been traumatized by war since childhood and done terrible things for the Rebellion. What's he supposed to be? A charming rogue, a hero with a heart of gold? Maybe this is how people who will shoot people in the face out of expediency and duty are more likely to act.

True.

(said the blind man R1): There is more than one sort of prison, Captain. I sense that you carry yours wherever you go.

 

[wormlander]

Dengar is worthy, you hush your mouth about Dengar. [Admittedly the only people who care about him are Legends fans.... and those who read the comics ]

Yes, that Mando armor has its own magic and any character who puts it on is blessed. If you know what I mean.

I will watch an episode of this Andor stuff tonight and my expectations are in the basement, so surprise me Disney.

I like Dengar too for some reason and I've only seen him in the OT

 

[Asta]

It never stopped feeling like Blade Runner imo, so much to the point that when some Star Warsy alien came on the screen I was actually surprised and had to remind myself I was watching Star Wars. After the last couple of shows I'm 100% fine with that.

Blade Runner was strong at the start, then I could see other influences coming in. I think the writers were mapping their favourite sci-fi onto Star Wars as an antidote to TBOBF, OWK, Grogu overdose and the Sequels.

Lucas created a rich universe, and this is one of the rare occasions where it's being taken seriously without letting up. Only three episodes so far, but they're all in the same vein without indicating they're going to resort to the kind of humour we saw in TBOBF or OWK.

Since Cassian's already dead, and was a cold blooded killer shortly before his death, he's a safe character for Disney to try this out with.

Imagine after seeing King Boba at the end of The Mandalorian, that his series was told in the same tone as Andor? I think it was Favreau who said they couldn't do it, so they made Boba more heroic. By heroic, he meant pathetic, because Disney had a profitable future planned for him.

 

[TheBatman]

I agree this is benchmark Star Wars. The franchise interested me when RO came out. All other offerings didnt do anything for me until Andor.
Mandalorian, BoBF and OW were getting there but Andor got there. Hope they continue with the more mature mood of Andor with future Star Wars offerings.

 

[davejames]

It never stopped feeling like Blade Runner imo, so much to the point that when some Star Warsy alien came on the screen I was actually surprised and had to remind myself I was watching Star Wars. After the last couple of shows I'm 100% fine with that.

Yeah I had the same thought, that the aliens and quirky adorable droids almost feel out of place on this show.

 

[davejames]

Another Bix fan LOL ... no surprise there. I hear a lot of boardies remarking on how Cassian lacks charisma but I feel the character is what he needs to be and has been since Rogue One.

He's a little bit vacant and cold but come on, he's been traumatized by war since childhood and done terrible things for the Rebellion. What's he supposed to be? A charming rogue, a hero with a heart of gold? Maybe this is how people who will shoot people in the face out of expediency and duty are more likely to act.

Oh I think the character is perfectly believable and Diego Luna plays him well, but that doesn't stop him from still being kind of a dull lead character in my book. But thankfully there are enough other characters characters able to hold my attention in this show, and I'm intrigued enough in where the story is going.

 

[Ramatuelle]

Imagine after seeing King Boba at the end of The Mandalorian, that his series was told in the same tone as Andor? I think it was Favreau who said they couldn't do it, so they made Boba more heroic. By heroic, he meant pathetic, because Disney had a profitable future planned for him.

They couldn't do gritty and serious? They didnt WANT TO do it, rather. But why? I can think of no reason that makes sense.

Is Djarin the only Mando who is actually a badass? No. Every Mando we have seen is a badass. Legends: full of badass Mandos, good and bad.

And yet we have to make Boba the class clown. Of all people.

 

[a-dev]

They couldn't do gritty and serious? They didnt WANT TO do it, rather. But why? I can think of no reason that makes sense.

Is Djarin the only Mando who is actually a badass? No. Every Mando we have seen is a badass. Legends: full of badass Mandos, good and bad.

And yet we have to make Boba the class clown. Of all people.

I've said before - Mando's story should have been Boba Fett's story - granted it wouldn't have been Pedro Pascal playing him or doing the voice. There would never have been any mystery of who was under the helmet once you heard Tem's voice....nor when you noticed his general bodyshape for that matter. But Mando's story would have worked well as Boba's IMO. They would have turned him into a goodie as they no doubt always planned but in a way that gelled better with Boba Fett in the OT movies. And remember even a post-Grogu Din Djarin isn't above using brutal means to complete his mission as demonstrated in his very first scene in the BOBF. If that were Boba Fett himself Boba Fett would still be cool.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I'm in the mood for serious Star Wars right now.

I may grow tired of it in time, which is why Gilroy is smart to limit this series. Star Wars will always be adventure and light action fare for me at its heart... but if they can make a comedy romp like Boba Fett then why not a darker series like Andor?

 

[Wor-Gar]

I've said before - Mando's story should have been Boba Fett's story

It is. It's Disney's appropriation of Lucas' Fett. They want their own. So they make Lucas' look like a buffoon, and turn their own identical character into the badass everyone wants.

They did the same with fairy tales. No one thinks of the original characters from the books anymore -- when you envision Pinocchio or Peter Pan, you see Disney's.

 

[Mondragon]

Well it's weird cause Lucas had already clowned Fett and his whole shtik by dropping him into the Sarlacc pit.
And lets be honest, it was Vader who captured and froze Solo, Fett just trailed him out of the trash.
Then Lucas retroactively gave him the face, voice, and mannerisms of Jango/Tem Morrison. The Fett we for an instant imagined, had already quickly vanished in 83, and was then further replaced in canon.

So yes Favreau reappropriated Fett, but not Lucas' canon one, the one we all still imagined, the complete blank slate one.

 

[meanstreak]

Slow burn but enjoying this better than Boba Fett and Obi Wan. Looking forward to the next episode.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Well it's weird cause Lucas had already clowned Fett and his whole shtik by dropping him into the Sarlacc pit.
And lets be honest, it was Vader who captured and froze Solo, Fett just trailed him out of the trash.
Then Lucas retroactively gave him the face, voice, and mannerisms of Jango/Tem Morrison. The Fett we for an instant imagined, had already quickly vanished in 83, and was then further replaced in canon.

So yes Favreau reappropriated Fett, but not Lucas' canon one, the one we all imagined, the complete blank slate one.

When I think of cool Boba Fett... I only think of 1980 Boba Fett.

The 42 years since have not been kind to him, by anyone.

 

[choombaz]

A couple of interesting points from the Tony Gilroy interview - the story is told in chunks so the first three is the first story, the rest of the first season is similar except for one standalone episode which he said is unique (??). The only person he really had to engage with during the making was Pablo Hildago to ensure consistency with everything else but this time period was quite uncharted and they could mostly do what they want. They tried it a couple of times without Gilroy’s involvement but couldn’t get it right. Sounds like KK was highly supportive of what he wanted to do. They worked on this for four years which suggests it will be tightly written and well developed, covid helped them rewrite as well. He sounds like an interesting, thoughtful guy.

 

[jaztermareal]

The mandalorian was originally 2 projects, a Boba Fett one by Favreau and one about Mandalorians by Filoni. Apparently Kennedy was the one who suggested combining both projects into one and we got the Mandalorian. Early concept art had Boba in Mandos place so it was obviously originall intended as a Boba Fett show that would tie into the wider Mandalorian mythos but at some point the decision was made to make the character Din (more a blank slate) so they could do as they wanted with him. They then butchered Fett's character to elevate their own just as they butchered Luke to raise up Rey, replaced IG88 with IG11, replaced Tattooine with Jakkuu, undermined the achievements of the OT heroes to replace the Empire and rebellion with their own versions, undermined vaders victory over the emperor as the chosen one so they could have Rey do it etc etce etc etc.



The undermining of Obiwan Kenobi in his show makes me afraid they have a replacement lined up for him too. They already have one for Yoda and they already replaced stormtroopers/x wings/tie fighters/the death star etc etc so it seems inevitable

 

[dukefett]

I enjoyed the first three episodes quite a bit.

 

[Wor-Gar]

They then butchered Fett's character to elevate their own just as they butchered Luke to raise up Rey, replaced IG88 with IG11, replaced Tattooine with Jakkuu, undermined the achievements of the OT heroes to replace the Empire and rebellion with their own versions, undermined vaders victory over the emperor as the chosen one so they could have Rey do it etc etce etc etc.

This is not expansion... it is repetition. Something Disney is very good at.

 

[choombaz]

This is not expansion... it is repetition.

Don’t you mean … a tone poem?

 

[jaztermareal]

This is not expansion... it is repetition.

It is the great repurposing. Disney has no real creative bones....


Having said that, Andor so far shows promise.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I have no faith in Disney.

I have faith in creative individuals.