Star Wars has been providing fans with entertainment from a galaxy far, far away for 45 years, and in that time, there have been tons of iconic moments in great shows, movies, comics, novels, and other mediums. Not everything sticks the landing, of course, but it's hard to say that Star Wars hasn't left its footprint on culture.
Since Disney bought Star Wars in 2012, it can be argued that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the best movie they've come out with. A large reason for that is the new characters, including Cassian Andor. So when Andor was announced, there was palpable excitement for it, even if other shows overshadowed it. However, it seems that Andor might be the best Star Wars show.
10 Diego Luna Is Masterful As Cassian Andor
One cannot talk about Andor without acknowledging the show's star, Diego Luna. As incredible as he was in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, he seems to have topped it in Andor. He has masterfully portrayed a rebel thief with a troubled background looking for redemption, as well as his sister.
This can be seen from the very start, as Cassian kills two police officers harassing him in a brothel on Morlana One. He is constantly seen dealing with his emotions, all the while trying to mask them for the greater good, and Luna does this so well. He continues to prove himself as one of the greatest in the franchise.
9 The Rest Of The Cast Follows Suit
As talented as Luna is in the show, he's simply not the only one making the show even better. Andor is filled with actors who are playing characters struggling within, both in the Rebellion and the Empire. Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, and Genevieve O'Reilly are just some of the many cast members killing it in their roles.
There are also some big-name celebrities taking on the Star Wars universe. Stellan Skarsgárd and Forest Whitaker provide some of the show's best moments thanks to their strong performances. Even Andy Serkis, who played Snoke in the sequel trilogy, returns to the franchise, this time as Kino Loy, and does a great job.
8 Andor's Multiple Storylines Keep The Viewers' Attention
A lot of times in a show, there is usually one main storyline that's fun to follow, and then there are other side storylines going on that struggle to maintain viewers' interest. That isn't the case with Andor, as the show is a continuous stream of plot that is captivating on different levels.
The entire heist plot on Aldhani was edge-of-your-seat television, with side stories including Mon Mothma and the Senate, the fall of Syril, and Luthen's scheming, all of which are intriguing. Now fans find Cassian wrongfully imprisoned and planning an escape. The best is yet to come, as they are all sure to come together for a finale of fireworks in a few episodes.
7 Andor's Visuals Might Be Star Wars' Best
If there's one thing Star Wars can be counted on for, it's breathtaking visuals. The franchise is filled with jaw-dropping worlds, so every show and movie has something to offer. However, Andor takes the cake in this department, and it only takes one episode to prove it.
Episode six, titled "The Eye," is the Aldhani heist at the garrison, which takes place during a celestial event that the planet's locals celebrate. There are countless colorful beams of light flying across the sky right as Cassian and the remaining squad flies away to make their escape. It's hard to argue anything that has looked better in the franchise than that beautiful scene.
6 Andor's Action Is Unrivaled
The one thing Andor doesn't have is epic lightsaber battles like the one between Obi-Wan and Anakin in Revenge of the Sith or the finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi. While these are undoubtedly awesome to watch, the action in Andor is special in its own way. Instead of duels to the death, it's blasters, explosions, and pure survival.
There are so many action-packed scenes to pinpoint in the show. Cassian and Luthen's escape on Fennix has viewers' hearts racing, and, of course, the entirety of the heist, concluding in a blaster battle and a grand escape. Needless to say, fans have been sweating, hoping things work out.
5 Andor Doesn't Rely On Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a very tricky tool available to filmmakers and showrunners. On the one hand, nostalgia is a great way to connect different generations of audiences and bring old beloved characters back onto our screens. Take Spider-Man: No Way Home, which uses nostalgia so well to create high stakes and invoke emotions. On the other hand, however, not every use of nostalgia works.
While bringing back old characters can be fun to see; it can be used as a device to cover up plot holes or other issues with a show or film. While previous Star Wars shows suffer because of this, Andor doesn't rely on them to tell a good story. The story is strong enough on its own, creating new characters for fans to love.
4 Andor Puts Star Wars Politics On Display
George Lucas has been pretty clear that Star Wars is political, even if fans try to refute that. At its core, it's about a tyrannical government controlling its citizens after successfully toppling a weak democratic state. This is something that gets explored a lot more in Andor than ever before.
A big storyline in Andor is Mon Mothma trying to raise money through secret bank accounts within the Senate to help the growing rebellion. In previous Star Wars projects, the main focus would be on the Jedi fighting the Sith for control, with only small references to the rest of the fight within the galaxy. Now, fans get to see that firsthand.
3 The Empire Is Shown Like Never Before
When fans think of the Empire, they picture Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Maybe after that, they picture stormtroopers missing every shot they take. These have been images of the Empire in Star Wars for a long time, and for good reason. But for the first time, viewers see the Empire like never before.
Andor shows fans the internal politics of the Empire. It shows the layers of control and corruption, not just the Emperor and Darth Vader, but different levels of workers and generals. It shows them using torture as a method of control, their corrupt prison system, and virtually just how the whole thing runs beneath the top.
2 Andor Is Consistent
One of the biggest problems with Star Wars shows, or just Disney+ shows in general, is consistency with the plot. This isn't to say that the plot completely unravels, but there always tends to be a shift within the plot that changes the direction for better or worse.
Sometimes this means the show ends with a CGI fight after building up some deep, emotional themes. Sometimes it's Mando taking over The Book of Boba Fett. At least to this point, that hasn't happened with Andor. The story has remained on the same path, making it interesting to follow along every week.
1 Above All Else, Andor Is Scarily Realistic
It's hard to say that a show within a universe of force wielders, talking droids, and lightsabers is realistic, but unlike other Star Wars projects, Andor takes a more realistic look at this dystopian world. Sure, it may be technologically advanced compared to our real world, but in many ways, it feels like a place we could live in.
The people in Andor are fighting for freedom above all else, a struggle so many people around the world can relate to. A controlling government, various political parties, and, deep down, the internal conflicts of these characters all hit home for viewers. There isn't a show quite like Andor.