There’s elite television, and then there’s a unique series like *Andor*, the live-action Star Wars prequel on Disney+ that audiences continue to praise weeks after its second and concluding season wrapped up.
Throughout a total of 24 episodes, *Andor* — consistently more of an intellectual political thriller than a space opera — achieved an impressive milestone: It’s the first program in TV history to accumulate five consecutive episodes with a 9.5 or higher rating on IMDb. In simpler terms (not that the followers of this espionage-laden drama will need reminding), this is as close to perfection as television can reach.
The impressive streak begins with Season 2’s Episode 8, titled *Who Are You?*, and stretches through to the finale, titled *Jedha, Kyber, Erso*. Each episode in this five-part arc, which includes the harrowing Ghorman massacre, resonates with profound moral clarity, and the caliber of writing that transforms a television program into art comparable to literature.
Season 2 has been carefully crafting this buildup from the outset. In the initial episodes, we see Cassian Andor infiltrating an Imperial facility like a thief, Bix striving to regain her identity, and Syril ascending the bureaucratic ladder with fervor. The rebellion remains fragmented, but the sparks of resistance are igniting.
By the time the massacre occurs in Episode 8, *Andor* is operating at full capacity. A peaceful demonstration disrupted by Imperial firepower, a political system that chokes the truth, and a politician (Mon Mothma) willing to risk everything to label genocide appropriately — regardless of one’s opinion on the franchise, Star Wars may never feel this authentic again. And the series continued to escalate from that point. In *Make It Stop* (Ep. 10), Luthen’s history catches up with him, Kleya’s loyalty is put to the test in ways that result in casualties, and Cassian makes the pivotal decision to trade peace for purpose.
Meanwhile, Bix offers a heartfelt farewell directly to the camera that left some viewers in tears (and by some viewers, I am clearly referring to myself).
In its concluding three-episode segment, *Andor* resists falling into nostalgia or neat conclusions. Given that the series was designed to pave the way for the events of 2016’s *Rogue One*, this was always a certainty. Yet, what makes the series so memorable, and why it’s difficult for fans like me to move on, is partly linked to how its characters confront the void and pose deep questions that *Star Wars* has never explored before. Such as, what if the struggle for freedom is endless? And what if the rebels engaged in that struggle never get to witness the new world they are striving to create?
