Andor: Star Wars from Below 

So Andor is like Howard Zinn for a galaxy far, far away? cool!

Remember even the lowest viewed show had a total viewership in the millions.

Repeated disappointment results in a loss of loyalty. It'll take more good content to make people forget about the stinkers.

@@jacobmcook that's what I was about to say. It's like the diminishing returns for the old xmen franchise. Note how the only later ones that did well (Logan for example) distanced themselves from "the continuity". I think crap like Obi Wan and Boba Fett - beloved characters whose stories were handled poorly - have really burned some bridges out there.

@@jacobmcook Also, if the stinkers are the only ones that made money, what does that tell Disney? Rebellions are built on hope...

Also Disney is not pushing it. I can only imagine because they identify too strongly with the empire. They also don't want to get people used to original content (because then they have to work harder)

She packs a powerful punch in more ways than one, differently in every scene.

I KNOW RIGHT😂 that’s what I said to my friend right when I saw the scene. To think that her words would be taken so literally is prolly an irony she would love

Maybe not to die and live a long peaceful life of an ordinary person? Maybe? Pff no! Better die because some "Force" trying to figure out itself

Maarva: "When I die I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Imperial: "I doubt that" Maarva: *(BECOMES A BRICK)* Imperial: *(sweating profusely)*

Brasso was supposedly a longtime friend of the Andor family, and he definitely proved it by showing he *really* understood what Maarva wanted in that moment. To look after her droid and kick Imperial ass.

well, depending how you look at it, vader ultimately won, by being allowed to die as anakin. but either way, your point still stands, this outcome was reached through those hallways and the nameless men dying in them

​@@Spooglecraft It's not as if vader, in that moment, was seeking self fulfillment or inner peace. In the context of this scene (the topic of the original comment) vader is just trying to get the death star plans, which, thanks to the effort of the hallway rebels, he failed to do.

Don't forget that these quotes are from completely different contexts. Yoda was talking about self-discovery and resolving inner conflict, while Nemik was talking about war and rebellion against fascism. They're very different and both work for the separate contexts they originated in, but I do think the SW fandom has overused this bit of Yoda's wisdom out of context.

Thanks!

it's funny because while you are completely correct, Andor does actually have quite a few easter eggs. although they are quite subtle, nuanced, and respectful of the source material.

I also love that this video provides me with more amazing and deep reasond for appreciating this absolute gem of a show even more. It keeps happening and I'm here for it.

Or a constant barrage of rage bait anti woke videos

Yoda's logic was about using the Force. People try to apply it to other things which it doesn't apply to, and they fail miserably. It's good that Star Wars finally has a quote that applies to those things, because they happen a lot: you control your actions, but you don't control their effects; all you can do is try or not try, then wait and see what happens. And if you try, that will matter, whatever else happens.

@@samueldimmock694thank you!!!! it’s a quote that gets taken and misunderstood out of context a lot. yoda isn’t saying hey, “don’t try, everyone!” it’s about using the force and how luke is being held back by his perception of it. i like both quotes but i do think the context is important to understand what the wise old frog (affectionate) is trying to say.

@@milan4989 yeah, it's not about failure or success, it's about doubting yourself, and skipping past all that and just doing the thing. In that way "try" and "no try" actually mean the same thing.

It is interesting to juxtapose Yoda's "no try" and Nemik's "try", which I think sort of mean the same thing within context. But there's nuances in them. Luke is "the chosen one", he is destined to succeed, he just needs to erase self doubt. And more importantly, he would know when he succeeds (either lifting the plane, or defeating the Empire). But there's no such luxury for people like Nemik or Andor. They don't know how their efforts would influence the larger scheme of things, and indeed, they don't even live to see the fruits of their efforts. The only thing they could do is try their best and have faith. And that is why Andor is so good.

I've always found that the two pieces of advice complement each other. Nemik is writing to the disposessed citizens of the empire, convincing them to take up arms even if it seems hopeless. Yoda is speaking to a powerful but immature young man who has already decided to take up arms, but his conviction is wavering. Nemik seeks to establish a moral foundation that Yoda seeks to harden.

Andor is like stable nuclear fusion, it produces more content than it initially supplies.

Yeah, me as well. though, as many times as I've watched it, I've still watched the show more!!!

Dude, I think I’m in the same boat. I’ve come around to believe this is the best Star Wars production ever made. It just hits so different and I freaking love it.

@@marsh3825 honstly same, I think is my favourite star wars project of all time and it makes rouge one and anh better

This is my whole Andor experience summed up. An amazing show, and sooooo much amazing video essay content for months to come

Sorry... Had to edit again because your bit about Ancient Greece really resonated

Glad to hear it!

That was some good writing, because it's REALLY hard to do - to write a in-universe manifesto that sounds genuinely inspiring.

#try

Star Wars prior to andor also has a severe character complexity problem. Andor isn’t good. He’s a guy driven by necessity and desperation to escape a legitimate crime he perpetrated. Syril isn’t bad. He’s driven by a legitimate desire to see his coworkers murder punished and law upheld. But they’re not the opposite either. The world is gray and so is Andor.

@kevinc8955 Of course someone who thinks complexity with two characters one siding with a rebellion and another one with an empire mean them both being “grey 🤓”, thinks the the killing of two dickhead cops was a legitimate crime and worst thing the character that sides with the empire does is a legitimate desire to see his coworkers’ murders punished and law upheld

​ @kevinc8955 @@alexwinter3752 Nah Syril is evil. But he doesn't suck in the "dreaded intergalactic tyrant who can choke you to death with his mind" or even "callous military general who has no problem reducing entire planets to dust." Syril sucks in that way of a very petty tyrant, like a shitty office manager, not to mention his stalker tendencies. There were hundreds of thousands of Syrils that made totalitarian regimes possible, and they were some of the most boring and ordinary people you could imagine.

⁠​⁠@@alexwinter3752 they didn’t articulate it how i would’ve but i kinda see what they are getting at. I agree with you that the show clearly has morally good and evil characters, but the writing centers the unique motivations and justifications of each character rather than just propping them up as generic good or evil guys that know they are evil. Syril is a fascist and an obsessive creep, but he’s presented to us as a seemingly normal guy with misguided sense of justice. It makes him seem more real to us than most antagonists in star wars that you see only being comically evil.

The good manifestation... as opposed to Boba Fett. Which just tried to raise him into the aristocracy.

Almost like real life

Is this from books or comics or something?

@@camipco yeah

@@thedapperdolphin1590 what is it from?

@@soondslash both as quite a few of the books were made into comics.

@@NWOslave no i meant which ones lol

Can't agree more and I'm nearly 50 years old. This show utterly took me by surprise and wow what a journey!

Literally the only good one

@@san_toad Clone Cars exists, which admittedly is like the only other good SW show

Word. By far the best overall. I can't get through an episode of Mandalorian without saying "this is so stupid" about a dozen times. Andor feels like the first time since the original trilogy that Star Wars wasn't resting on its laurels and phoning it in because it knows you're going to pick up what it's laying down regardless. Somehow, someway, the people who created Andor actually wanted to make a good show first, and a Star Wars show second.

@@spacecowboy5486rebels was pretty good and now the bad batch, pretty much any of the animated stuff is pretty good but I’d consider Andor above even clone wars tbh

Totally agree Mando series one was the best of all the Mandalorian series. Andor however is, for me, the best Star Wars since the original trilogy

I mean I do hope we get some sort of answer on that but also wouldn’t be dissatisfied if I didn’t

One of the best parts of KOTOR. Loved Jolee Bindo.

That’s an interesting way to think about it

Yeah, I've looked at it that way ever since I read, "Revenge of the Sith", in a supermarket before the movie came out. In it, it is explained the Lightsaber forms and the Jedi that use them : Windu : Vaapad Qui-Gon : Ataru Dooku : Makashi Anakin : Djem So Obi-Wan : Soresu ...and it is how Obi-Wan's style that is the most interesting when he is fighting Anakin : " also known as Soresu, the Way of the Mynock, or the Resilience Form, was the third of the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat that was recognized by the Jedi Council prior to and during the Clone Wars. Soresu was developed during the widespread emergence of blasters as an offensive weapon. Essentially a development on Form I blast-deflect training, Soresu relied on tight bladework and subtle dodges to provide maximum defensive coverage, minimizing exposure to ranged weaponry. Over time, Soresu transcended this basic origin, and came to be considered the ultimate expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy." "Like Makashi, Soresu relied on economy of motion and energy efficiency, keeping up constant blade movement to build up momentum and minimize energy expenditure. Form III focused on strong defensive technique to essentially outlast an opponent, waiting until they began making mistakes due to frustration or fatigue, before taking advantage of these lapses and countering. Despite its effectiveness, Soresu was heavily criticized for its lack of offensive capabilities, as it facilitated survival rather than victory. As an answer to these weaknesses, the highly aggressive Ataru and Shien forms were developed side by side." "Soresu utilized tight motions, lightsaber moving every second in an attempt to achieve near-total protection, and expend as little energy in the process as possible. Form III stressed quick reflexes and fast positional transition, in order to overcome the rapidity with which a blaster could be fired.[2] This technique minimized the body's exposure, making a well-trained practitioner practically invincible, which allowed Soresu to be effective against both single enemies and multiple opponents, as well as blasters and lightsabers. Form III involved preparation for prolonged battles where the user observed and learned as much as possible about their adversary's technique while engaged in combat. Also, being more optimized for lengthy battles, a Soresu user had the ability to gain control of a combat situation, creating multiple options for the Jedi employing the form.[5] A Form III user could choose to kill, disarm, or even reason with their opponent." The main thing that I wished was incorporated in the Prequels was Jedi's training, and the importance, strengths, and weaknesses of their lightsaber forms. When Obi-wan duels Anakin on Mustafar the author emphasizes that while Anakin is going all out offensively to destroy Obi-wan and MAKE things happen, Obi-wan surrenders himself to the Force and lets it GUIDE him down the path that it is leading him.....and this is why he triumphs....At that point, he's the one TRUE Jedi - besides, possibly, Qui-Gon - in the whole Prequel series.

I didn't really go into the sequels here, because of how... 'thematically confused' they often were, but TLJ is certainly the numbered SW film most cognizant of the topics discussed in this video. I am a shameless TLJ lover!

@@PillarofGarbage based

@@PillarofGarbage I too am a TLJ lover

@@PillarofGarbage In this channel we stan TLJ

Last Jedi was the worst star wars movie, why is anyone even still bringing up that pile of trash...

wait, is this in his new phase 4 vid? I haven’t seen it just yet

@@PillarofGarbage yeah dude! He refers to your Phase 4 retrospective

@@rednas3271 oh amazing!! I’m watching the vid now but hadn’t got to it yet :D

@@PillarofGarbage granted, it is a long video

I think what I like most about Andor, is that is shows you don’t even need to have The Force to change the course of history.

Which is also what a certain set of people hate about it, I think. Well that and that it centers women and some of them aren't even young and white and skinny.

So, kinda like the prequel trilogy and old rebublic and countless other Star Wars stories that plainly illustrate the same idea? This is such a tired and foolish way to try and give TLJ significantly more credit than it deserves.

@@camipco Good lord Jamie

Ah yes, TLJ's participation trophy message. "Anyone can be special if you BELIEEEVE strong enough". As if it all depends to a few special names. No, that's foolish and false. And plenty of stories from the old Expanded Universe prove how moot of a message is, since there were plenty of characters who weren't called Skywalker or Kenobi who were influential : Galen Marek, Revan, Kyle Katarn, Jaden Korr, Quinlan Vos, the Jedi Exile, Kerra Holt, Zayne Carrick. This pseudo "democratization" of the Force is only what Rian Johnson wants you to believe, gullible and impressionable that you are. It was always the case.

@FluffyBunniesandKittens found Thomas Carlyle’s alt

@@PillarofGarbage You should check out KOTOR 2, in which a character decides the force needs to die, no matter the cost.

@FluffyBunniesandKittens The men who write the history books and want to be seen as great say that great history is made by Great Men. I don't believe them. I do, however, believe that lousy history is made by lousy men. Anybody who buys that the history of the world is shaped more by the actions of tiny individuals with big PR teams than the surges of mass movements and cultural shifts has just been sold a simple and simply untrue story by lousy men who wish they were great.

fantastic analysis of an amazing show.

@@pal54321 glad you enjoyed :)

Of course. But remember it was either destroy the Death Star or Yavin 4 would have been destroyed along with the whole rebel alliance

I need to play KOTOR 2. We need KOTOR 3 after the remakes. After mentioning the Rakatans, the first KOTOR game is probably canon lore at this point.

Thank you!

Thanks!

:)

Stone and sky.

Thank you!

It would probably explain it by saying that those 'great monsters' and their more benevolent counterparts (convincing the masses that something can be done about a problem they've ignored for a while) by saying that they were catalysts for smaller movements of their own. Though I'm no history person, so I really don't know, and would also quite like an answer from someone with an actual understanding of the topic.

Through that lens I'd say force sensitive are simply those with higher Perception stats.

@@hcxpl1 Actually, the idea is that the force sensitives get ridiculously easy rolls on things that a fair DM would never agree to: Like jumping 20 feets straight up, or having a lightsaber fly into their hand.

@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm So either the Force has favourites or they simply apply the rule of cool, I guess.

@@hcxpl1 This is an question outside of DM Theory. Originally, anyone could learn to use the force if they committed to the training. But in RotJ (or Empire, it's debatable), suddenly it's tied to genetics.

:)

I’m honoured, thank you!

:D

I’m glad you liked it! From your comment, I feel you might also get something out of my other Andor essay: The Trial of Cassian Andor | A Video Essay ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KhZsi83sVbM.html

Thanks!

Maybe. But I would argue that the script writers of episodes 7, 8 and 9 just didn't understand the original characters at all. The motivations were sketchy, the attitudes sometimes jarringly different from the previous scripts, and nearly all of the old characters were treated just badly - terrible father, terrible teacher, and questionable mother. It's alright to bring flaws and flesh out the characters, but you can't do that by breaking the original mould. Any great fanfiction writers could have taught the script writers how to do this properly, as studying an existing lore, audience, words, dialogues, characters, etc... is an art in and of itself. Moving away from great man theory is Ace. I ADORE Andor, and Rogue One. But what both of those shows do really well, it take the original content, RESPECT it, and then add to it. The disrespect of ep 7-9 is what kills it for me.

@@PerfektFilms while I appreciate your perspective on this, I’m not sure that the original 3 characters were disrespected in the sequels… I’m not sure I can point to anything that indicates they would have been anything BUT what they were as parents & teachers in older age… Leia was strong and calm, but also deferred to Luke. Han was confident and heroic, but he was also a loaner and aloof. Luke was often impatient and impractically optimistic. Some might argue he even got lucky w his fathers redemption in Jedi… and that Padme (ret-con or not) was the imagery that ultimately led Vadar to turn, save his son, and toss Palps over the barrier. Things had gone Luke’s way as a jedi. Thankfully. But once they didn’t, as a teacher, he failed… I also don’t think Ben/Kylo’s turn to the dark side is Leia or Han’s fault, or evidence of their poor parenting.

@@PerfektFilms I don’t know Han Solo being a terrible dad is pretty in character. Him being a smuggler, maybe not so much.

Thank you!