Star Wars’ Empire has always been a fascist regime, but no film or series has showcased its tyranny as effectively as Andor.
In its first season, the Tony Gilroy-helmed series showcased the cold bureaucracy that makes the Empire tick, all without showing the Sith Lord at the head of the table. Instead, the focus was on the Empire’s lackeys, be they Imperial Security Bureau workers like Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) or the guards running the Imperial Prison Complex on Narkina 5. No Force shenanigans here, just human cogs in the machine of empire.
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That trend continues in Andor‘s much-anticipated second season, which highlights more of the insidious tools at the Empire’s disposal. Yes, we know the Death Star is in play after Season 1’s post-credit scene, but it’s the creeping propaganda, the aggressive audits, and the systemic oppression of entire planets that evoke the most dread (and feel the most prescient) here.
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