Andor is widely regarded to be the best installment in the Star Wars universe, reuniting a divided fandom after some polarizing previous entries. Since the release of the first movie in 1977, Star Wars has been one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of all time, delivering an exciting saga that often feels ahead of its time, despite earlier special effects aging poorly at times.
Andor continues the Star Wars legacy by exploring the lives of complex heroes while emphasizing the way in which the actions of everyday people can help to defeat fascism and authoritarianism. Every episode of Andor is excellent, the show is exceptionally well-cast, and the story is extremely timely, making it a perfect show in its own right as well as a Star Wars TV series.
Andor Was So Good, It Brought The Star Wars Fandom Together
Many aspects of the Star Wars saga have been compared to a Western, particularly the story’s use of antiheroes and vigilante justice. The Mandalorian leaned into this, presenting an episodic story in which Din Djarin took the law into his own hands, and it helped that Grogu’s design was perfect for merchandise. However, by the third and final season, the fanbase was dividing.
Season 3 of The Mandalorian went wrong by taking Din Djarin back to where he was at the very beginning of the series, essentially undoing most of his character development. The focus on side quests left the main story feeling stagnant, and The Book of Boba Fett fared little better, having the opposite issue and drastically changing the lead character.
Andor originally seemed like an odd choice for a Star Wars spinoff, as we already know the fate of Cassian Andor. However, the show was an unexpected success, with season 2 earning a 97% positive critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Andor took Star Wars back to its core themes while expanding on the backstory of the Rogue One team.
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Seasons of Andor on Rotten Tomatoes |
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|---|---|---|---|
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Season |
Year |
Critics Rating |
Audience Rating |
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1 |
2022 |
96% |
88% |
|
2 |
2025 |
97% |
89% |
Andor redefined the Star Wars franchise by refusing to rely on nostalgia. Rather than featuring lightsaber fights and Jedi wisdom, the show took a much darker and grittier tone. This reflected the time in which it aired, sending a powerful message that is still relevant today. That combined with the show’s excellent acting and high-stakes storytelling, Andor‘s quality brought the Star Wars fandom back together.
Andor’s Universal Acclaim Was Set Up 10 Years Ago
While some Star Wars decisions have been almost universally loved, like Rey’s real identity, and hated, like the invention of Jar Jar Binks, others have polarized audiences. Part of this may be because different aspects of the franchise resonate with different audiences, and as some parts of the movies feel very removed from the original franchise, there is less potential for pleasing the entire fanbase.
That said, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the last Star Wars movie that virtually everyone loved. The tragic story perfectly set up the success of Andor, as Andor season 2’s finale leads straight into Rogue One. The story follows a team of unlikely heroes on a mission to steal the schematics for the Death Star.
Rogue One‘s characters were an exciting and varied team, and this approach tends to work well in sci-fi, as we have seen with shows like Firefly and Farscape. The movie gave us characters that we wanted to know better, and as Star Wars often retcons its story, the fact that Andor changes the original Star Wars trilogy was almost expected rather than alienating for fans.
Andor included secret links to Rogue One, which helped to tie it into the franchise. Rogue One both set up the darker tone that Andor would take, but also introduced Cassian Andor, who serves as an inspiration for everyday people who want to fight corrupt leadership. Diego Luna’s portrayal was spot-on, making Cassian Andor a new Star Wars icon.
