Editor’s Note: This review contains minor spoilers from the show. No critical plot points or character cameos are included that haven’t already been shown in the past in released trailers.
Hidden faces are revealed and blaster bolts fly as “Andor” kicks off its second season with the roar of a TIE/IN Interceptor starfighter.
Debuting Season 2 on April 22, “Andor” currently has six episodes released – “One Year Later,” “Sagrona Teema,” “Harvest,” “Ever Been to Ghorman?,” “I Have Friends Everywhere” and “What a Festive Evening” – with each episode running between 47 and 58 minutes long.
The season is set to have 12 episodes released in batches of three per week every Tuesday until May 13.
Andor’s story continues one year after the events of the previous season and four years BBY (before the battle of Yavin 4) from “Star Wars: A New Hope,” albeit with far more tension and action.
Currently, the story has a plethora of action sequences but still maintains its two-faced, tense nature by showing the trials and tribulations some of the characters go through in their regular lives.
Season 2 sees the return of old characters from the previous season, those being Cassian Andor, Luthen Rael, Dedra Meero, Bix Caleen and Mon Mothma, as well as some familiar faces such as Dr. Krennic, the planner behind the infamous Death Star who was last seen in the film “Rogue One.”
Each character’s performance is exemplary and nicely complements the pacing of each scene from the episodes.
From the commanding, authoritative mannerisms of characters such as Dr. Krennic and Dedra, the two-faced natures of Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael as they try to keep their double lives secret from their friends and family and the brasch, and action-packed adventures of Cassian and Bix as they avoid trouble which seems to find them wherever they go.
So far, the story of Mon Mothma in particular has really caught my eye compared to the other characters.
In comparison with the previous season, Mothma has had so much to deal with from her rickety relationship with her family to keeping her part in helping the soon-to-be Rebel Alliance a secret, I find it impressive that she’s able to keep all of that tension under wraps and still plaster on a semi-false smile.
With such varying characters of different backgrounds, the show maintains the same odd but strangely satisfying method of being able to shift from a tense conversation about hidden secrets to characters running for their lives from a squad of Imperial troopers.
Of course, it’s always nice to appreciate the minor details of a Star Wars show that builds upon the lore of the galaxy far, far away.
From a rare, in-depth showing of the cockpit of a TIE/IN Interceptor to a closer look at the culture of the wealthy inhabitants of Coruscant, this season gives a great amount of attention and effort to the world building aspect which is much appreciated from a hardcore Star Wars fan.
Overall, I would rate the initial beginning of Season 2 an 8.5/10. The show begins at a much faster and exciting pace compared to the last season, however, it still remained at the same three locations for a little longer than it should have in my opinion.
