I've absolutely LOVED this whole series so far, every episode has been brilliant, but last nights episode was the absolute best yet, and probably the darkest, and most frightening 45 minutes of Star Wars we will ever see.
In A New Hope we were introduced to the HEAVILY 'Nazi' regime inspired Galactic Empire. Stormtroopers, generals in gray or black uniforms, everything big, loud, bleak, massive destructive weapons, fighter pilots - all led and brainwashed by a psychopath hell bent on world/galactic dominance. We saw the Star Destroyers, The Death Star and the mass genocide on a planetary scale - yes A New Hope introduced us to a fantastical, fictional, swash buckling sword and sorcery adventure of good against evil....and the fun, colorful stuff covered up that evil, the Han Solo heroes, beautiful princesses, laser swords - all hiding what was actually in plain sight.....evil, pure unadulterated evil!
Andor is showing us that side. Not an Emperor or Dark wizard sidekick in sight, but the other people employed by the empire, the evil that exists within them now.....Dedra Meera's character could be anyone of Goebbels, Borman, Ribbentorop, Dontiz, Himmler or Goring......intelligent, cunning, ruthless, murderous and mean without remorse......she's an UTTERLY brilliant character written to perfection.
An article I read somewhere sums up what I am trying to say perfectly - "The Galactic Empire Lucas created was always evil. with nothing “normal” about it. It was evil in an exaggerated, unambiguous way, one coded for kids who were watching George Lucas’s largely lighthearted tribute to Flash Gordon serials". Andor's Empire is real. We are seeing it uncovered, laid bare in front of us and its riveting stuff, most of last nights episode actually left me breathless.
My favorite lines in the episode (in an episode full of them):
Cassian: "You think they care what we say? Nobody's Listening".....and it makes a fabulous, foreboding episode title!
Vel: "We’ve chosen a side. We’re fighting against the dark. We’re making something of our lives"
Dedra: “The very worst thing you can do right now is bore me.” - the best line EVER in Star Wars since "The Force is with you young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet!"
All the ISB scenes in the story so far are gold, but this weeks mix of Karn stalking Dedra and then the meeting at the end where they were planning what to do with the rebel pilot were a step above that. I did mention this earlier (so sorry for repeating myself) but its so refreshing for a Star Wars thing to take a proper look at what the Empire was like, how it was run and why the people who fought for it did that. Its only really Tie Fighter that did that before this, and that was 30 years ago.
All the ISB scenes in the story so far are gold, but this weeks mix of Karn stalking Dedra and then the meeting at the end where they were planning what to do with the rebel pilot were a step above that. I did mention this earlier (so sorry for repeating myself) but its so refreshing for a Star Wars thing to take a proper look at what the Empire was like, how it was run and why the people who fought for it did that. Its only really Tie Fighter that did that before this, and that was 30 years ago.
