The much-anticipated second season of Andor debuted last night in the U.K., igniting excitement among fans of the Star Wars franchise. Following its initial success, both commercially and critically, the first season of Andor has earned a reputation as the best Star Wars series to date. At the London premiere, the ensemble cast shared their enthusiasm for the show, showcasing their admiration for showrunner Tony Gilroy in various interviews. Here’s a collection of the highlights from the evening.
5 Anticipating Improvements on Rogue One in Andor Season 2
As a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor aims to deepen the narrative surrounding its protagonist, played by Diego Luna. He expressed his eagerness to see how the series will enhance the film’s context. Luna remarked to Hey U Guys,
“You know what’s happening, you know what will happen, you know what this man is capable of doing. But you don’t know why. And the why matters.”
“I think it’s gonna make people see Rogue One in a different way. It’s gonna somehow make Rogue One better, or at least pertinent again when you watch it, because it resignifies Rogue One. You don’t know what’s behind the sacrifice that you see Cassian doing in Rogue One; now you’ll know.”
4 Staying True to Tony Gilroy’s Vision in Andor Season 2
Tony Gilroy initially envisioned Andor as a five-season saga; though that plan has been truncated, Luna assures fans that the essence of the story remains intact. He shared with Yahoo News,
“When he pitched the story at the beginning, the same story was shot. We got full freedom, complete freedom, from [Lucasfilm] and from Disney, to execute the show the way Tony dreamed. That integrity, you can see in the show.”
3 Cast Members Believe the Ending Has Elevated Andor
The cast appears to recognize the concerns surrounding the series being limited to only two seasons. Genieve O’Reilly, who portrays Mon Mothma, expressed optimism to Yahoo News, indicating that the concise format has actually benefited the project. She stated,
“I think knowing that this is finishing, knowing that it’s 12 episodes, knowing that there’s an extraordinary cast and these beautiful artists creating all around us, lifted us all. I think we could reach for a work that we wouldn’t have if we’d gone again or again, but we knew we meant it, so it felt really special. The collective ambition of everybody was just tantalizing.”
2 A Promising Character Development for Adria Arjona’s Bix
Adria Arjona’s character Bix faced numerous challenges in the first season, and she is expected to continue her journey in this upcoming season. Arjona stated her initial question to Tony was about how Bix copes with her experiences:
“Is she someone that’s gonna find strength in it, is she someone that’s gonna shove things under the rug and say, ‘I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay?’ The reality is that it’s a little bit of both, and it’s very complex when you go through trauma. In the course of this season, her journey is to really come into her own and find security in her relationships with Cassian and herself.”
However, she cautioned against having preconceived expectations, saying,
“Any expectation that you have, you’re probably gonna be wrong. I was wrong, and I’m in the show.”
1 No Redemption Arc for Dedra Meero
ISB agent Dedra Meero remains a compelling character in Andor, though speculation about her redemption has been prevalent. Denise Gough, who plays Meero, warned fans to temper their expectations for a redemption arc, stating,
“She remains really single-focused, Dedra. She does some pretty reprehensible things.”
“I shouldn’t even have said that! What a terrible thing to say. She’s really nice; she does wonderful things, she redeems herself in the eyes of nearly everyone.”
Nonetheless, it seems unlikely that Andor season 2 will portray a redemptive journey for her character.