Andor Season 2 Reveals The Star Wars Promise Revenge Of The Sith Couldn’t Deliver—Until Now

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Andor season 2, episodes 1-6

Star Wars’ latest series, Andor, follows up on a promise made in Revenge of the Sith, which was released two decades ago. The year 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the final prequel movie that wrapped up the trilogy and ended the Clone Wars, which lasted for three years in the Star Wars universe. However, Andor’s second season reveals that despite the end of the Clone Wars, there was never truly peace in the galaxy.

Even though the series “Andor” shares its name with Diego Luna’s character, it boasts a diverse ensemble of characters, ranging from Rebels to Imperials. With this in mind, I recently caught the 20th anniversary re-release of “Revenge of the Sith” in theaters, just a few days after watching the premiere episodes of “Andor” season 2. Watching these two Star Wars projects so closely has allowed me to appreciate how the new show is fulfilling a significant promise made by “Revenge of the Sith” 20 years ago.

Revenge of the Sith’s Opening Crawl Has A Key Phrase

“There Are Heroes On Both Sides. Evil is Everywhere”

To start off with, the initial part of the opening scroll in “Revenge of the Sith” outlines the hardships the galaxy has endured throughout the three-year period known as the Clone Wars.

In these trying times, I find myself appalled at the chaos that ensues as the once-strong Republic faces relentless assaults from the merciless Count Dooku, a Sith Lord. Heroes walk among us, standing firm on both sides of this conflict. The darkness seems to have seeped into every corner.

Undeniably, it dawned on me in the epic saga of Revenge of the Sith that the masterful puppeteer, Palpatine, had skillfully manipulated the course of the war, employing the Clone Army to annihilate the once revered Jedi Order. He also ensnared Anakin Skywalker, transforming him into his sinister apprentice, and ultimately reshaped the Republic into his own tyrannical Galactic Empire.

In a similar vein, the concept was also delved into extensively within “The Clone Wars” animated series. To illustrate, take the third season’s tenth episode, titled after Episode III’s opening crawl, “Heroes on Both Sides”. Here, Ahsoka Tano assists Padmé Amidala in her endeavor to establish a truce between the Galactic Senate and Separatist Parliament. This initiative is supported by Mina Bonteri, who was once Ahsoka’s mentor but now serves as part of the Separatists. Meanwhile, Dooku covertly sabotages these peace talks, yet this experience teaches Ahsoka that the war isn’t as clear-cut between good and evil as she initially believed.

20 Years Later, Andor Fully Embodies This Idea In Multiple Ways

The Lines of Good and Evil Are Blurred

In the era of the Clone Wars, the galactic struggle was far more intricate than simply having one side as good and another as evil. This theme of a complex galaxy facing turmoil persisted even after the Clone Wars ended and the Empire rose, as demonstrated by the series Andor. Taking place during the years preceding the Rebellion in Rogue One and the original trilogy, Andor’s second season has notably portrayed that there are indeed heroes on both sides, and wickedness can be found everywhere.

As a passionate movie buff, I can’t help but acknowledge that neither Luthen Rael nor Saw Gerrera, despite being iconic Rebel heroes, aren’t exactly paragons of virtue. Their actions, driven by their shared cause against the oppressive Empire, have been questionable at best. Similarly, Mon Mothma, a beacon of resistance within the Imperial Senate, has had to bend her principles considerably in the pursuit of freedom for the galaxy.

Cassian likely wouldn’t describe himself as a hero, instead seeing himself as just a soldier striving for freedom (and prepared to take any actions necessary to achieve it and safeguard those he cherishes). On the other hand, Andor encourages you to empathize with the opposite side and the journey of Dedra Meero and Syril Karn from the Imperial Security Bureau. As for Shyril’s future, his loyalties have already been tested, and hints suggest that his Imperial beliefs might be questioned, potentially leading to a significant change in his allegiances.

Andor Depicts A Very Real Galaxy In Complex Crisis

Beyond The Light and Dark Sides of the Force

It’s perfectly fine for Jedi who serve the light side of the Force and their Sith adversaries, bound by the dark, to exist. On a grand mythological scale, these characters and their struggles symbolize the ongoing cosmic struggle being waged. The drama surrounding them is often thrilling, and the franchise could always benefit from more stories exploring this balance.

The success of Andor can be attributed to its focus on the grim, intricate aspects of the Star Wars universe during its troubled times. It delves into the struggles of those who fought against tyranny, even if they didn’t possess extraordinary Force powers or flashy weapons. As a result, it has been gripping to follow the development of Andor in its second season, as it further investigates characters on both sides, all grappling with the galaxy’s ongoing corruption.

New episodes of Andor season 2 release weekly on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.

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2025-05-02 03:48