Andor: Davo Sculdun's Very Interesting Proposition to Mon Mothma!!!! 

People who say this show its not star wars-like are right, its dialogue is uncharacteristically good for star wars 😂

I honestly think it’s way more interesting as a story beat for her to take the offer than to stick with her morals. The big theme of the season is what people are willing to sacrifice for the good of the rebellion. We love to paint sacrifice as noble and heroic, but sometimes it’s just desperate and sad

"A drop of discomfort may be the price of doing business" i love how this absolutely destroys any illusions regarding having the moral highground (among her peers) that Mon Mothma had up to that point. Now she knew the kind of sacrifice people like Luthen had been doing. Its all fun and games when you are rich and can feel good about yourself just by funding the cause. It has risk in it, of course, but you're not getting your hands dirty. That's when Mon Mothma realized she'd have to get her hands dirty and get down from the horse. I love this show's writing. Complex, belieavable characters. What a breath of fresh air. This show has made more for SW world buliding than all live actions SW productions since de prequels combined.

I’ve rewatched this scene half a dozen times. The dialogue and its delivery are just exquisite.

"A drop of discomfort may be the price of doing business"

This is Masterclass writing, acting, directing, set design, cinematography, costuming, lighting, etc. This is what happens when you put Pros in charge.

This show has so much to teach me about writing tight, intelligent, compelling dialogue. I'm gonna have to watch it start to finish at least another dozen times to pick up on everything.

13:35 "We've discussed all this, Davo." - "I'd like to hear her say it." *This,* ladies and gentlemen, is how you do expositional dialogue. We get to hear how exactly their money scheme is gonna work, but these two lines of dialogue make the *scene* about the emotional conflict between the characters, which is far more interesting than hearing bankers talk about finances.

It took less than a day for Mon Mothma to swallow down her reaction to Aldani, and turn around and coolly use it in her pitch to Tay. I expect it will take her even less time to square herself with this indecent proposal. Mon Mothma's going down the same path toward the abyss that Luthen already slipped down years ago. The difference is that we know she will pull herself back out. Somehow. That part's going to be a lot tougher. Genevieve O'Reilly is absolutely crushing it.

Kinda crazy to walk into someone's home and ask for their daughter

This is how you write dialogue. And what's equally impressive is how all three of these actors elevate the writing. I hope to see more scenes like this.

The costumes in Andor were spot on. Just the other day I noticed that Davo Sculdun's outfit is designed to show he's wealthy, but that he's "new money" compared to Mon Mothma's inherited family wealth. The gold sheen of his waistcoat (or whatever it is) is a little bit of bling, that's probably slightly vulgar to Mon Mothma's class. But he's got money and he wants to everyone to know it.

Such a brilliant scene. Davo knows that Mon Mothma is pretty much desperate, or else she wouldn't have been asking him in the first place. "That's the first untrue thing you've said." He's so devious and cunning. He knows she is going to think about it and probably go through with his offer and needs to make that sacrifice in order to not get caught by Imperial auditors and ultimately compromise herself. Really plays into the larger theme of the episode; and even the show, really, that sometimes sacrifices (bad or good) need to be made in order for a greater good.

I love the line "That's the first untrue thing you've said". Obviously she's not telling the truth for practically the whole conversation, but they both know that. They're speaking in code, and the fact that they both understand that makes what they're saying true even if it isn't on the surface. And when Mothma says she's not considering his offer, he knows she's no longer speaking in code, which makes the fact that she *is* considering it a lie.

Genevieve O’Reilly is great, but let’s also give a shoutout to the excellent actor who plays Davo. In just this short scene we get a good sense of who he is. He’s smooth, smart, and manipulative. You can get some sense of how he got to where he is, because he zeroes right in on any opportunity to maximize his own advantage and sniffs it out.

I thought the actor playing Davo looked familiar. He is the brother of Stephen Dillane, who played Stannis Baratheon on Game of Thrones.

“What do I sacrifice? Everything.” This line can fully apply to Mon Mothma too.

Mon Mothma just stepped into a mess she can’t wipe off. Even if her daughter doesn’t like the other kid there’s no way that man will just walk away. He’s got Mon trapped and they both know it.

Tay was like... DAAAAAANNNNGGGGGG.... LOL The acting in this show is nothing less than brilliant!!!

Some Game of Thrones vibe

One of the best scenes in that episode. Love the dialog.

the dialogue and delivery in this scene is just on point. That is true in many of Andor's scenes

The acting is so good, they wrote some good stories with this Andor series

The dialogue is hypnotizing. So refreshing

Its interesting how hatred for the Empire is bringing people together who otherwise would have nothing to do with each other. He's already a strong character. I wonder if he'll be an ally in season 2.. even if an unwanted one

'Are positions sometimes makes decisions for us' whatta powerful line.

Keep coming back to this scene. The dialogue and acting is amazing. Last thing I would've expected was Star Wars to show Mon Mothma's story and it's one of the highlights of this series.

Good God, this scene is so well written! This was high-stakes, master swordsmanship, taking typical politician statements and cutting them to SHREDS.

For a scene with absolutely no action, just impeccable dialog, it's riveting.

The irony is excellent. The criminal is the most honest person in the room.

Tay's body language throughout this scene is phenomenal. It's almost as if he knows what Davo wants before even Mon herself does. Excellent scene

A masterclass in subtext! This is genuinely brilliant on every level, the writing, art direction, and delivery/acting is genius!

We're presuming Davo is a bad guy because he doesn't meet Mon Mothma's social standards. But the galaxy has lots of problems. They have planets practicing slavery. They have whole planets supporting gambling and other vices. They have Senators who are bleeding their own planets dry for their own pleasures. Mon Mothma's holier-than-thou attitude may be in her own head. But we do know that Davo does not have evil intentions toward her or or family. If he did, he'd use this as a way to blackmail them. Instead, he wants to tie his family to hers. Yes, that's going to give him a greater image of legitimacy, but it also means that her family's safety also becomes a matter of his concern. If their children marry, it becomes Davo's best interest to continue keeping Mon Mothma...or at least her daughter...as safe as possible. That's not a bad thing, considering what Mon Mothma is involved with.

Mon Mothma: "He is not a banker, he's a THUG" News flash Mothma, most/ALL bankers are thugs, even in a galaxy far far away.

Who would have guessed that we would get a Mon Mothma theme one day and that it would be such an amazing piece of music

The offer is rather generous, too. He's not asking for a betrothal, he's just asking for their kids to meet. Like a sleepover. That's a small price to pay for doing business. If they like each other, they'll freely go and get together. If they don't, they won't. Mon Mothma has to respect that.

Just a friendly reminder that this scene comes from the same franchise that had this exchange: Padmé : It's only because I'm so in love. Anakin : No, it's because I'm so in love with you. Padmé : So love has blinded you?

This is so much better and more subtle dialogue than we’re used to in Star Wars.

“Money means very little to me at this point.”

I love Tay's look at 3:23. He knows there's more to this, he's just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Old Rich Families did this often 🍷

I like how Mon Mothma smilingly is like ' hey yeah you can come back, that can be arranged' then they pan to the Tay Kolma and he, am assuming having dealt with Davo before, has ' I know there's a catch here' face.

What a well crafted, impecably written and exquisitely acted sene! The subtleties and nuances here, make this scene a delight to watch. It also propels it, alongside the rest of "Andor" to the highest levels of quality which is especially important and remarkable given the current state of "Star Wars" and Lucasfilm...

Fuck, that got dark.

thats how powerful people keep power, they marry into other powerful families, this is always the case, and no its not a horrible custom, its practicality

Faultless. The script, acting, directing, sets, wardrobe and soundtrack... And you really feel the realisation of Mon Mothma's situation hit her, as she visibly shivers.

Finally Richard Dillane getting the credit he bloody deserved out of Steve’s (Stannis) shadow 👌

It's crazy how brutal a scene can be with no violence, cursing, or even loud talking.

A drop of discomfort might be the price of doing business. Absolutely perfect.

Even for the sake of the Rebellion, I don’t think Mon will sacrifice her daughter for this. She knows how horrible this custom is and she doesn’t want her daughter to experience it too. Even if her daughter is a bit ungrateful rn

All things are great, but their costumes are simply amazing. Based on our world fashion, yet you can feel Star Wars in them and yet they are not comical. Wonderful job by costume team!

Masterful scene! This reminds me of John F Kennedy saying something along the lines of, "He kicked my ass!" after his first meeting with Khrushchev. Davo was in complete command of the entire negotiation/meeting, brilliant!

This is actually the best dialogue in the whole of Starwars. Absolutely incredible

I loved all of it. So interesting. I was watching a video yesterday about the ambassadors of France, Italy, Switzerland, England and America to Adolf Hitler. Behind all the pageantry and glitter they were desperately trying to get the focus and attention of their countries, unsuccessfully, before Hitler became a runaway train. I see echoes in Andor as well. Thank you for posting. Fabulous acting.

Crusader Kings politics enter Star Wars. I knew it was only a matter of time........

1:59 Oh My God. The Rebellion was funded through Financial Engineering

Andor is superb television in every respect. Mature, thoughtful, beautifully produced and written. Far far better than most Disney crap

Davo's right. Our positions always seem to dictate our actions.

Davo actor = Stannis the Mannis's brother.

The writing/acting is just off the charts.

“Searching for a more fluid banking situation are we?” vs. “yes we’re exploring alternative financing arrangements”

i love this serie, thanks brother for posthing

I can't wait to see in season 2 what happens to her daughter and husband. In rebels she's alone after calling emperor a tyrant and escaped coruscant. So im really curious

Wonderful scene and great script thanks for the highlight. "Boundaries can be liberating." So he's started legit and outwardly conformed to both tradition and regulation while doing everything to enrich himself by manipulating said system from within. Now he's 'reached a scale' that allows him to act more freely and/or illegally without drawing unwanted attention. Some have already called him a Godfather, maybe? Change of perspective: Is the CEO of Goldman-Sachs truly any different? Consider this: Who is 'nobody' Chelsea Clinton married to? An executive of Goldman-Sachs. The woman has neither her father's charisma or mother's ambition or any achievements, connections or ability save who her parents are. The Clinton's get an insider at one of the worlds largest financials, helpful when you're sat on billion$ of 'donations' and their daughter is set for life with a nice man, while the Bank gets access to some of the most influential personalities in US politics who've demonstrated they'll do absolutely whatever it takes within the 'rules'. The definition of "I'll make it legal" remember him? Another politician. I love the scriptwriters have tapped into the seedy underworld of everyday politics. If you want things in Andor's universe, you marry into wealth, power and connections. FYI The late Princess Diana was married off this way, it's not so far, far away as you think!

Mon don't need ice for that drink, it was chilled by her SOUL

I'm curious what Luthen would say about this, hopefully we'll find out

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to Davo and Mon Mothma's husband and daughter. Once she leaves the Senate and pulls the rebel forces together.

Wow! After watching the bad writing and direction of Mando season 3 ... looking at this scene with fresh eyes makes you REALLY appreciate the fantastic writing of Andor. No KK meddling here !

He knew she’d consider it. He purposefully raised the issue of the “old ways having value” in their society, to which Mothma agreed they shared an understanding. The old ways include arranged marriages.

The trick is finding a legal route with many wide lanes. Because the government will always need to do things off the books there will always be avenues for others as well.

This show felt so unlike star wars because the writing is so grown up and concise

I never thought I would be so attracted to Mon Mothma!

What I LOOOVE about this series (which I've only recently watched) is that in Star Wars things are too often black and white. You pursue greater good? You'll become an apathetic and quite often a pathetic monk - a Jedi. You pursue passion? Well... let's just say that you shouldn't count on maintaining your good looks. But in Andor? My god... Imagine what Mon Mothma would do to Davo had she been force sensitive. She would made his blood boil in his veins, tear him limb from limb. How about Luthen? Not too hard to imagine him as being the same black pit as Palpatine. But they aren't so we can only imagine the lengths of their commitment to the cause. Think about all the vile and dark deeds of Rebelion's leadership that were necessary to create a situation in which Luke Skywalker, the embodiment of the light side, could save the day and eventually redeem Vader who then destroys Palpatine. Star Wars flourishes on nuance. Hope we get more of it with Season 2. If it comes to be.

3:42 - the look on Tate Kolma’s face! Pricless

I had the horrific thought that perhaps he's not just asking for the girl for his son

This feels like a completely different universe from everything else Disney has made, it might as well be. Oh how I love it so.

The writing is so good.

3:42 Tay is like "oh snap, plot twist!"

The background music is so moving, given the situation

Sculdun is essentially a thug (albeit a well heeled and genteel one) with dark connections. Mon Mothma's family on the other hand is one of certified nobility and duty of service. She knows that this would besmirch her family name & legacy, not to mention her daughter's future. But that was the price. Necessary and unforgivable. In a following scene (before the introduction) you see that she's already made up her mind by tricking her daughter into becoming interested in Chandrilan religious/marriage customs. Mon Mothma plants the seed early and then proceeds to accept the proposal. Awesome writing and acting all round.

I would not be surprised if Davos was in business with the hutts

Davo knows his position is superior. She will tow the line. If you think MM was in charge of that you are crazy.

This is her own Anton Kreeger moment. The things they have set in motion are going to eventually have an actual cost for not just the Saws and Kreegers and Bixes of the Galaxy, but people like Mon Mothma as well and the first installment is due......now.

This episode is merely a drop in the ocean, in the entirety of the much larger show. I'm very much enjoying this show, "Game of Galaxies." Star Wars could learn a thing or two from it...

18th-19th century royals meets Star Wars.

I'd love it if Davo Sculdun's "boss at the time" was Hego Damask. Sculdun seems like the type of financier Damask would have cultivated. It would be ironic if Damask saw to it that the Rebellion be set-up.

4:20 - I like that Davo sounds kind of a little disappointed as if he had bet a large sum of money that he would find a politician who always tells the truth or keeps an “untrue” record of each person he met

Basically, the Rebellion was by child bride at some point.

I appreciate how, in the finale when Leida and Davo's son meet, Davo actually seems empathetic (regretful, even) to just how upset Mon and even Perrin are by the turn of events. To me, it makes him seem he's acting out of pragmatism than villainy - to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I honestly think the dorector stole the script to a political thriller and just put in some Star Wars references. Its too good to be a Disney product.

This guy woudnt't look out of place on a Hutt cartel or Crimson dawn meeting.

How can the dialogue on this be so good and everything else in star wars is so shit

I've been reading the X-Wing series of books lately, and one scene described in The Krytos Trap had Mon Mothma in this very room once again, this time as President/Head of State of the New Republic, and meeting with Admiral Ackbar and General Airen Cracken, to discuss the Krytos pandemic ravaging Coruscant.

I do wonder if Mon Mothma is going to cross paths with Dedra Meero in a future season. It would be an interesting encounter between two of the most powerful and dangerous women in the show. They both operate clandestinely but on opposite sides. Especially since Meero is trying to find the source that will lead her to the rebel leadership, unaware that Mon Mothma, one of the primary leaders is on Coruscant, essentially right under her very nose.

Ben came along way from London....

What's the music track played towards the end of the scene?

It's such an odd thing to have Mon Mothma become one of my favourite Star Wars characters. I'm sure Robot Chicken must've used her as a punchline a dozen times pre-Andor. And yet here we are.

what will it COST. BECAUSE that's what matters. "price" is just a tag with numbers written on it.

I grew up with 1983 ROTJ Mon Mothma. And somehow, despite all Disney has ruined with SW, they have managed to make me think "damn Mon Mothma is hot." How the fuck Disney are you going to crap all over SW on one hand, but make Mon Mothma a stone cold MILF on the other? How do you even...?! :D

7 months ago