20 Things You Somehow Missed In Andor
7. Tony Gilroy Initially Wanted To Avoid Political Commentary While Writing The Show
Star Wars at its core is a politically charged fable. From the criticism of American imperialism in the Original Trilogy to the Prequels' commentary on institutional decay and unsound democratic structures, the franchise for a time did not shy away from addressing real-world issues in its stories.
While the Sequels and current shows have largely shied away from this discourse, Andor wears its ideological leanings on its sleeves. Its critique of the normalisation of fascistic ideals in society and its observation of the morally grey nature of revolutions is one of the best things about it, and it is shocking to imagine it almost missed being part of the show.
In an interview with IndieWire, Tony Gilroy stated that his initial intention was to make a character-driven adventure show but his fascination with history and politics as well as the subject matter's political inclinations brought the commentary to the forefront.
Fortunately, Andor's allegorical storytelling never felt undercooked or heavy handed, and managed to touch on both timely and timeless real-world issues in a manner that was respectful of the franchise's original socio-political views.