The following contains spoilers for Andor Season 1, Episode 12, "Rix Road," now streaming on Disney+.
Andor's fiery finale speech originally included Star Wars' first-ever F-bomb, according to star Denise Gough.
Gough revealed the rousing address delivered by Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw) in Andor Season 1, Episode 12, "Rix Road" featured profanity in at least one take, in an interview with Empire. "Fiona’s voice was [played] over all of us [while the scene was filmed]," Gough said. "Except, at the end [of her monologue], she didn't say, 'Fight the Empire!' She said, 'Fuck the Empire!' Which we were all really excited about. But we weren't allowed to keep it, obviously." Despite Maarva's F-bomb getting cut, Andor nevertheless boasts the first instance of someone saying "shit" on screen in the Star Wars saga's history.
Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy recently addressed the Disney+ show's grittier tone compared to other entries in the Star Wars canon, chalking this up to Andor taking inspiration from real-world events. Notably, Gilroy said that the Andor Season 1 finale was influenced by the Russian Revolution and anti-Apartheid protests, as well as several other moments in history. "It's just so incredibly sad how easily available all of the things that seemed contemporaneously sad are through history, and that they just continue to repeat themselves," he said.
Andor Showrunner Talks Season 2
Gilroy previously teased that Andor Season 2 will shift its focus away from the revolutionary aspects of its predecessor, emphasizing Cassian Andor's (Diego Luna) transition into a leadership role, instead. "The next four years [of story] are not about becoming a revolutionary," he said. "They're about learning to be a leader and how difficult it is to put the alliance together and what happens to people who are the original gangsters versus the establishment and a lot of other issues."
The showrunner also warned fans that Andor Season 2's premiere date is penciled in for 2024 at the earliest. Gilroy noted that the first season's production cycle was originally set to run for two years and he expected the second season to follow a similar schedule. He added that Lucasfilm could conceivably fast-track the project, however, this is unlikely due to the cost of doing so. "The only place you can accelerate the processes is in [post-production], and the only way you can accelerate in post is with money, and money is tight," Gilroy said. "So, I don't really know, there would have to be some serious motivation next May or June or something.
All 12 episodes of Andor Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.
Source: Empire