Andor 107-109

damn tehy truly forgot alot of star wars lore xD

Florian Hoyer

I'm going through and watching all of S1 of 'Andor' with you, and I enjoyed S2 so much that I almost forgot how awesome S1 was. Thanks for giving me an easy way to re-watch it with some "friends" :) Also: I'm sure others have mentioned these already, but the actor who played Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) was in the S1 one of Netflix's/Marvel's 'The Punisher' series, and was amazing in it. And the actor who played Nemik (Alex Lawther) is currently in the FX/Hulu series 'Alien: Earth', and is pretty amazing in that, too. Both are excellent shows, should you find yourselves in a spot to watch them sometime (either on your own, or for the channel). Anyway, thanks again! And thanks for doing the "no sync required" versions. I'll go through the trouble of syncing my own copy for shows I really like from reactors I really like, and I've done that with y'all before and would again. But not having to really removes an admittedly-small barrier to entry, and I appreciates it :)

Sam Ferguson

there's also a few Indiana Jones easter eggs: the Sankara Stones from the Temple of Doom and a whip frozen in carbonite.

Jon

Incorrect. Both seasons cover 5 years - season 1 BBY5 (one year) and season 2 BBY4 to BBY1 (four years).

Simon

George is pretty much on program with this one it seems, but yeah, Simone getting whiplash from it has "Are we the baddies?" written all over it It's fun to explore other mindsets for a show, probably one of the biggest hidden appeals to reaction channels I suppose - but I could never imagine not having gone with that preconception. From episode 1, this was safely in "banality of evil"-territory, across all strata, and you most definitely have to assume atrocities of that magnitude were within the realm of possibility. Especially considering the "competence begets motive" or "utilitarian monster" trope set we are obviously dealing with. Still, I get the in-franchise relativism, compared to what we've seen, this ranks completely off the charts as far as abstractions of violence is concerned. Super clever world-extending, too, the entire backdrop for the torture macguffin was excellent. No need for gore or anything (which is very nicely complemented by the sterile sets, to glaze this show some more).

W T

Andor is two seasons and leads directly into Rogue One. The show in its entirety covers like 10 years or so.

Nathan Jasper, the Artist Formerly Known as Primary

Seeing Forest Whitaker in this is always makes me happy. He's excellent in every role.

James Melton

Some of the Luthen hidden treasure in his store that I've spotted are: Amidala-Style Headpiece, Mandalorian Armor, Jedi Temple Guard Mask, Sankara Stones (these are from Indiana Jones actually), Sith and Jedi Holocrons, Starkiller helmet, Part of a tablet of World Between Worlds.

DarthFatass

George, I really hope you get over your thing with the actor who played Nemik, the idealist in the heist. Alex Lawther is his name and he's really good in Alien: Earth, a show that is surprisingly great thus far.

sarCC

Some things require…focus.

REDR58

I really like the concept of a planetwide city as we see here in Coruscant and it’s how it is described and seen in the book and TV version of Foundation. I’d love to visit, but I don’t think I’d want to live there.

REDR58

The juxtaposition between Coruscant as seen in the prequels and Coruscant as seen here is genius. Formerly it was all gleaming glass and metal, open skies. Now it's all grey concrete and matte steel.

p0sthum4n

Man I'm telling you I feel like Cassian every time I go to work, I see those agents in unmarked, obviously government SUVs, and my only ID is an expired driver's license because I have to order my birth certificate for that stupid Real ID bullshit. I joke that I'm gonna get Born in East LA'd (BIELA is an 80s comedy by Cheech from Cheech and Chong but it's crazy precient today), just the opposite of getting laid it's getting f'd in A, and it doesn't help that I'm way browner than Diego Luna lol. I'm just kidding, kind of. Hey if all of sudden I stop commenting on your stuff, well... 😂 😳 So much allegory for what's happening now. No but back to your reaction, good call George, I swear my first thought was actually articulation for ATs or ATATs, you said Death Star and yep, makes perfect sense the parts are hexagonal, it's the best, most efficient shape for building a sphere. Good call. Also it was 100 degrees (about 38) in my room this whole time, I have no AC at all, just a fan and a spray bottle, but I'm hanging tough, just a few more weeks and then my favorite month and Holiday (I can't wait to see what horrors you have to show us lol).

MacGuffinStuff

C'mon guys, the lady in the gestapo of the evil empire is a baddie?! You got hoodwinked by the "girl who wants to look handsome in a uniform" (to quote another sci-fi franchise)

Eversharpe

About half of Americans understood those warnings loud and clear. And the other half are proud to be fascists, even if they won't admit it in so many words.

Justin Leone

what do you mean your AC is on and it's still hot that's a broken AC

W T

I'm pretty sure I saw a giant Roman dodecahedron in his shop at one point, I don't remember which episode.

SbE

Simone, whatsherface is also known as Grumpycat.

Nate Gavin

To answer your question about seeing someone in the Empire that's good, see Solo and the sequel trilogy (Force Awakens, Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker)

Nathan Jasper

Dedra was from the Enforcement branch of ISB before she joined Intelligence so she definitely has that brutality in her

Hanno

Damn I love this show and the way it ramps up. Episode 10 and on will be a treat.

Jpsynergy

Boy, this series was even more accurately predictive of current events than "Civil War". You could drop someone like Kristi Noem or Karoline Leavitt into the cast and they wouldn't even need to learn any lines or act. Syril Karn gives me Inspector Javert from "Les Misérables" vibes. I don't know if he will suffer a similar fate. I have Disney+, but I prefer to watch with George and Simone commenting.

GAB

Funny how when George asked about if any of Luthen's artifacts were easter egg references, in the scene where he asks that question you can see a Gungan shield used at the Battle of Naboo from Episode 1 Phantom Menace

The Real Andrew Kim

To George being surprised Mon Mothma is "allowed to stall the Emperor's overreach"... this show is taking place before Darth Vader's line at the beginning of the original movie that the Emperor had dissolved the Senate. This is at a transition point where the Empire still has some of the trappings of democracy, they still have an elected Senate with some nominal power that can theoretically propose laws to constrain the Emperor but that is becoming less relevant by the day. It's almost like it could remind you of something that's happening in the world today with the imperial power neighboring your country.

dys

George you asked about artifact easter eggs in Luthen's shop. One of them is a Gungan shield from Episode 1

J Lawrence

Was gonna ask that same thing

Com1xguy

The way that Cassian gets arrested for doing nothing is so prescient given all the crazy stories of ICE detaining and arresting innocent citizens and bystanders without due process, some of whom are genuine tourists being detained at airports. Remember that Season 1 was released in 2022 at least 2 and a half years before all that happened, and probably was written/filmed another year or 2 before that. It has always driven me crazy that people in the US always seem to learn the wrong lessons from these kinds of stories. This was suppose to be a warning, not a cliff notes for fascism...

The Real Andrew Kim

IN Star Wars we use [???] BBY the older the story if we say [???] ABY the newer the story becomes. Andor is set in 5 BBY which is 5 years Before the Battle of the moon Yavin (The big red planet Luke passes thru with his X-wing and the rest of the rebel pilots!!!!!). Okay I'm calm lol. So this means after Andor ends 5/4 years later Luke Skywalker blows up..... Simone? So Star Wars takes this Important battle to distinguish the timeline. You guys are witnessing how broken the Rebels are they are still seperate groups fighting the Empire. 41 BBY Anakin Skywalker is born. In 44 BBY Obi-Wan becomes Qui-Gon's apprentice. Remember the time goes backwards for BBY. In 84 BBY Sheev Palpatine is born in Naboo. 19 BBY Anakin kills the younglings in the Jedi Temple and 14 years later you get Andor. Some of Luthen's artifacts are one of each a Jedi Cube & a Sith Holocron they have important information regarding how to use the force in special ways or locations of finding powerful instruments to make you more powerful (Sith Holocron) only force sensitives can open this Holocrons.

FranciscoGios

Does George know that the actress that plays Deedra Meero is the voice of Yennefer in The Witcher 3?

Farbod

George: the prison at sea that resembles the ones here as seen in the MCU is called “The Raft.”

REDR58

Having seen it, I wish I hadn’t.

REDR58

At the start of the first episode, I believe a title card read "BBY5" which would mean this series begins five standard years before the Rebellion's successful attack on the first Death Star (A New Hope). BBY means "Before the Battle of Yavin"...Yavin being the planet the Rebels were based on at the time, which was saved when the Death Star was blown up.

Scott CineRam

And to further their question about when this is happening, Rogue One takes place just weeks (I think) before the Battle of Yavin. It’s a very quick turnaround from the end of the movie to the end of New Hope.

Jared Winn

The existence of the Empire tells us this is between Episodes 3 and 4 of the Star Wars saga.

Drew Acheson

If you want a child Laia you should watch the Obi Wan show.

Drew Acheson

I think they're making imperial walkers AT-AT's. These parts look like their movable. Why would the Death Star have movable parts?

John Miller

We know Cassian doesn't do the whole 6 year sentence because the show Andor begins with the title "5 BBY", which means 5 years before the battle of Yavin. The battle of Yavin is the final battle of A New Hope (1977).

Muir Lyman

Mon Mothma is a very essential figure in the Star Wars universe. She is in Episodes 3 & 6 of the main Star Wars movies (although in Episode 6 she was played by a different actress), as well as in quiet a number of other Star Wars shows, games, comics and books.

QuiGon

The meeting where the security head reassigns sector responsibility to the woman who is actually making headway in discovering a larger rebel plot is pretty much like any corporate meeting where managers are struggling for more control. They either are like the man hiding behind rules and regulations or they are like the woman pulling out real data and real results to support their power grab. What's impressive is their manager sees the value in efficient work and promptly gives the woman exactly what she wanted. It's not always the case that the most effective person is given the power to carry out their objectives in corporations.

James Melton

Mon Mothma is Episode 6 and is essentially in charge of the Rebellion.

Drew Acheson

I don't think "selfish" is the right word. He identifies his family, his adopted mother and his lost sister, and he risks a great deal for them. But no he doesn't believe the rebellion can defeat the Empire, and he hasn't adopted the mindset that it's better to die trying than to live under opression.

James Melton

Mon Mothma isn’t just from Rogue One. She was in the Original Trilogy. While Star Wars has always shown the dangers of authoritarian rule, it’s really tuned in to today’s world for this show. Not just in the oppressive policing but also in showing the true dirty side of those who oppose the rulers. We forget that rebels are humans and that all rebellions come with some moral sacrifice.

Rokkor X

I don’t find it striking at all. She was quite vicious at screwing over her peers in the ISB. She shows no warmth. She’s only motivated by advancing her career by climbing over others. It’s just that we got to see that in play where she was in charge. Just like how she handled her subordinates at work. It’s just that we as the audience were tired of watching people ignore her when we knew she was right. It had us cheering for her.

Rokkor X

Tony Gilroy, the showrunner, has talked about this—that villains who are just in it just to get a better parking spot are at least as interesting as the mustache twirling evil ones. And probably more realistic.

Chris

truly fun to see how amazing writing and acting can have you rooting for the 'bad guys'

Chris

Also in the OT time line the rebels are referred to as the Rebel Alliance, indicating that all these separate groups will in one way or another come together and ally themselves against the empire

Obsidian_Rose

Very random, but "WHOOSHING" is absolutely me and my wife's favorite subtitle to see pop up when we watch Star Wars because it happens so much. Whenever we see it we always end up saying "WHOOSHING" out loud in a very whooshy tone.

Tipist

Great reaction as always. Although it didn’t bother to much the first time I watched the show, I agree with Simone’s aversion to Dedra’s change from super-competent member of ISB putting together the pieces of her own investigation to being actively malicious which seemed very sudden and striking. Also, Simone’s realisation that she is actually watching a Star Wars show is another genius part of Andor and Rogue One. Intrinsically linked to Star Wars yet confident enough to do its own thing. Amazing casting and acting, and so many more amazing moments to come. Can’t wait till next Tuesday.

Damian

I think the whiplash re: Dedra is supposed to be about the "banality of evil" -- even the people running death camps have workplace squabbles and office politics and whatever else, and they compartmentalize their external behavior from the internal behavior because they see their peers as humans and perceive human stakes with respect to their relationships with them, whereas they see their victims as less than human and so don't evaluate the morality of their interactions with them using the same framework. It's not that Dedra switched to be more evil, it's that she's both of these people at the same time, and which one is visible depends on the context, as are all the other ISB people: they're *all* in the business of mass murder, but that's on the outside. On the inside, they fight about who gets the corner office or who's currying favor with the boss.

Andrew Pendleton

BTW, this back half of season 1 is the only part that deviates from the 3-episode arc structure as episode 7 was more of a standalone transitional thing. Once you get to season 2 though, it sticks to the 3-episode arc structure even more strongly than season 1 so you would definitely want to keep watching it all in blocks.

Hammerdash

How're you two finding the three episode per release schedule? It's definitely the best way to watch and that's true of season 2 as well, but you mentioned it maybe not being possible due to scheduling.

Nikolai

Fallout season 2 drops on the 17 december

PASCAL Schüttte

why are you yelling

lalaland

With regards to the existence of the rebels at this point of time - From both Cassian in Episode 4 and Saw in episode 8, we hear a number of different groups who are fighting the empire, from Saw's group, to the Partizan Front, Seperatists, the Galaxy Partitionists, Human Cultists. Absent from this list is a general "Rebels" group. The Rebellion is only mentioned by Maarva, more of an idea than as a specific group. Luthen is lamenting the fact that all the people fighting The Empire are doing so for their own individual reasons and not putting aside their lesser differences to work together.

Śéáń

The thing with dedra (and syril too) is that when I see a fascist and they're upset that the other fascists at working aren't good enough at doing fascism then i think they're one of the worst fascists. I'd prefer a fascist that's really gumming up the works of fascism.

Phil Jacke

Um, uh... what, ahhhh... what could you POSSIBLY be talking about? I have no idea, I swear...

Jeff K

Boy it sure is great there are no real world examples of the end of episode 7 in our current state of affairs...

Alex Macdougall

YO. EPISODE 7 IS A STANDALONE EPISODE. THE NEXT THREE ARE 8,9,10, THEN 11,12.

E

Episode 7 Simone, the “Howard’s End” series is also a 1992 movie with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson that we should watch. It is magnificent. Syril’s mother, Eedy Karn continues to be insufferable. Well done, Kathryn Hunter! The puffy pants the Imperial officers are wearing are called “jodhpurs” and in reality the design goes back to a kind of Indian trouser which was then adopted by Great Britain after it colonized the country. The trousers are intended to be used when riding horses and a number of European militaries used the design before and during the World Wars. It’s not just a Nazi thing. There is a picture of probably one of the most famous US Army officers, George S. Patton wearing jodhpurs: https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2019-gen-george-s-patton-thoroughbred-breeder ISB is short for “Imperial Security Bureau”

REDR58

“THX 1138” should *definitely* be watched! And “Duel”!

REDR58

Wait and see, at the very end of season 1…

REDR58

Those would be the sacred “Sankara” Stones.

REDR58

It's a show about fascism, it was inevitable to get dark.

Jobbe Smit

I've never seen any reactors gang up on Mon's husband so much. lol

Max

I can't believe it took me this long to realize that Cyril's mom is played by the same woman who played Mrs. Figg (Harry's Squib neighbor) in the Harry Potter movies.

Jeff K

Ok you guys were right this show is good, can't believe it ended there tho haha

Inkpendude

George! I believe in the first episode it said 5 BBY wich means 'Before the Battle of Yavin'. The battle of Yavin is the battle that blew up the first Death Star at the end of A New Hope. So Andor season 1 is 5 years before A New Hope. Or 14 years after Revenge of The Sith.

King_Panarisi

Agree with most of this, but I think it's even worse--she's a true believer. When we see her stirring things up at the ISB, I don't think it's just that she's trying to climb the ladder (although she is)--she doing it because she genuinely believes in the mission (like Syril). And it's not like it's buried that the mission is a horrible one! I wouldn't go so far as sadism, but a moral person would know that from the jump.

Chris

this season the time difference is 5 years

michael denny

Re: the objects in Luthen’s shop/back room - there are quite a few SW specific items, but also some other Lucasfilm items. For example, on one of the back shelves is one of the ‘magic stones’ from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as well as what appears to be Indy’s whip in one of the carbonite blocks hanging up. There’s a Gungan shield (carried in the hand by Gungan soldiers from Phantom Menace), some Mandalorian armor, and a bunch of other tidbits. :)

RogueRN

I was always less interested in what they building vs what they were being fed. Don't know what that says about me...

Charles

Don't forget the after credits scene after the last episode of this season;)

King_Panarisi

Not sure if you’ve watched already, but make sure you watch through the credits of episode 12. There’s an after credits scene.

Tay Schumaker

There is an end credit scene after ep12 (season finale)

mraran

The first season of Andor is set 5 years before Star Wars: A New Hope. The title card in the first episode “5 BBY” mean 5 Years “Before the Battle of Yavin” when the first Death Star is blown up by a young farm boy.

Mark Huber

“That’s just love. Nothing you can do about that” I love that line from Maarva so much

Golandaz

nope, all 3

Guy-on-Couch

How did Vader know what Obi-Wan got for Christmas? He felt his presents.

Nate Gavin

Take it up with the emperor

Lars G

Always enjoy your reaction and can't wait for next week. The change up in Dedra is very intentional. We see her dealing with office politics and there is a dynamic where you do find yourself rooting for her. The closest we see her dealing with someone she has power over before this is Syril, but he's helping her even if he does annoy her. The Bix scene is the first time we see her interact with someone she has unquestioned authority to do whatever she wants and the motivation to get as much information as possible. The change up is stark, but to this point she's been middle-management in the room with her bosses. On Ferrix she is the boss and we get to see what it looks like when she has that power. I don't think Dedra is a sadist, she's not torturing Bix because she enjoys it, but I do think we see that she's someone who very much enjoys exercising power.

Lars G

I don't know when you watch the show before uploading but if hasn't been mentioned there is an after credits scene after the last episode for this season so you don't miss it just in case.

Charles

What are the prisoners assembling? I think the point is that we don't know. It's just Empire bureaucracy churning dissidents to death. To me it looks like a robot factory line could easily do the job..

megamoo chilli

Yes George, Luthen´s showroom is full of "Eastereggs". For example parts of Mandalorian armor, a Stonetablet from the Animated series Rebels and Starkillers Armor, a Character from the game Force Unleashed.

Imtoooldforthisshit

Poor guy was just a tourist 😭😭

jose giron

All good info except for the last sentence. Mon didn't appear in the original trilogy until RotJ.

Hammerdash

The no sync version seems like it is just two episodes. :(

Robert Cooper

Here is that scene from ROTJ: https://youtu.be/hFadMn0EuO0?si=H9qn-oKiLtDzOqtT

REDR58

Finally, we get to see how authoritarianism is terrifying regardless of the involvement of an evil wizard. By managing to accomplish that they raised the stakes for the success of the Rebellion not just for this show, but for every Star Wars project.

Chris

In addition to the Rebel cells mentioned, the events of the animated series "Rebels" are likely a year or two away. As the previous poster mentioned, we are observing events that take place five years before the end of A New Hope, slightly less than that from Rogue One.

Mike Medaugh

D. T. Nelson

As others have said, Andor is very good at showing up front how many years before Rogue One it is. If Rogue One starts days before Episode IV, and Episode IV starts maybe days before the Battle of Yavin, you could say it's only a difference of maybe a week between when you're talking Rogue One and the Battle of Yavin--which is what they use for the new calendar. Season 1 of Andor shows 5 BBY. And Season 2 picks up from there, counting down from 4 BBY in yearly increments. Also, it should be mentioned in Episode VI you also see Mon Mothma as the de facto leader of the rebellion at the planning session for the Battle of Yavin and the raid on the second Death Star.

mojo shivers

John Q

Korpse

I love how upset the "cubicles" Syril gets assigned to make George and Simone. Meanwhile, I'm sitting at a desk with 3 monitors all day every day, my happy place. I would way rather be where he is now, than interfacing with other people, whether they be the other employees he was working with, or the people on the street he had to fight with on Ferrix.

Gary Fixler

Yep. She’s the one with the famous line, “Many Bothans died to bring us this information.”

Jeff K

I know you aren't very far into it, but rewatching it, I'm just reminded how amazing it is to me that Mon Mothma went from "oh yeah, she's there" to "She's my favorite Star Wars character" with this show.

Robert Cooper

Hehe was looking forward to y’all seeing Andy Serkis in this show as Kino and Mr Forest Whitaker’s reprisal of Saw - glad it wasn’t spoiled 🤙🏻. Also Dedra’s actress (Denise Gough) being the voice of Yennefer and replaying “Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” with a friend recently makes me inherently want to side with her too, George. I get it haha! Also I can say unequivocally that the delivery of “That’s just love…” by Fiona Shaw is among my favourite moments in anything I’ve seen. Also have to hand it to Gilroy and company: the ethos is write the key characters from as empathetic a POV of their purpose as possible, which creates a compelling conflict very naturally -no matter what; especially when it’s done this well

JakeyShakeyBakeyBoy

Mon Mothma was also in Return of the Jedi. She is the one (different Actress, of course) leading the briefing about the attack on the second Death Star.

Basil Hazzard

So couple cool things about these episodes: First one is the episode with Saw Gerrera. Tony Gilroy and the writing team did a great job explaining his anger with Luthen when he suggested Saw work with a former Sepratist. In the early days of a rebellion, it is difficult to get multiple factions to work together with all their different ideologies and views. But it was also brilliant to have Luthen make that suggestion considering Saws past that those who have watched The Clone Wars animated series knows about. Saw has been fighting since he was a young man, starting with the clone wars fighting the Sepratists. Not only did he fight them, his sister was also killed by them. So the fact that Luthen had the balls to even suggest that Saw work with a former Sepratist shocked those of us that knew his history. And there is no way Luthen didn't know that about Saw. The other cool fact is that the stark white esthetic of the Narkina 5 prison Andor is sent to pays homage to the very first feature length film directed by George Lucas: "THX 1138". A future dystopia film starring Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasance where all emotional attachment between people is banned. The same film also had homage paid to it with the audio company started by George Lucas: THX. Those who went to the theaters in the mid 90s to late 2000's should remember that iconic logo and sound before the start several films. I definitely hope George and Simone get around to watching THX 1138. While not perfect, it is cool to see the first feature length film of such an iconic director. And they should definitely watch the first feature length films of other great directors like "Duel" by Steven Spielberg, "Layer Cake" by Matthew Vaughn, "Brick" by Rian Johnson, etc.

Daniel Popp

I forgot it was Tuesday. I know what I'm watching after work now at least.

Śéáń