Andor season 2 review: Star Wars hit bows out in explosive style ...Middle East

Amid a barrage of Star Wars releases in recent years, Andor’s arrival in 2022 proved a surprise, delivering a far darker, more adult take on the universe, set during the birth of the rebellion and the heart of the reign of the Galactic Empire.

The stakes felt tangible and arcs like the three episodes set on the island prison of Narkina 5 were thrilling, with real pay-off.

The finale also brought moments from across the season to a head in exhilarating fashion. The question now, with the show returning for its second and final season, is whether it can match the anticipation and deliver a satisfactory finale. The answer is an emphatic yes.

The second season is structured similarly to the first, but each three-arc story here picks up a year later, leading us directly into the timeframe preceding the events of Rogue One and the plans to steal the Death Star.

This, of course, set in motion the events of A New Hope. Despite the grander timeframe, the series never feels rushed with slow build-up as we feel the escalating tension from the galaxy as it looks to finally fight back against The Empire – this comes both in small acts of defiance and larger planned attacks.

At the start of the series, we are still far from the cohesive rebel alliance fans will be familiar with from Episodes IV-VI and Rogue One, but it is a real treat to see how certain characters end up in positions that we find them in later down the line.

The beauty of telling this story over 12 episodes rather than a two-hour film is that each character feels defined, and while it is an ensemble, each is an important cog in the wider machine. While Cassian’s original film appearance may have been slightly underdeveloped, the events across these two seasons give his actions far more weight and desperation.

We see how he grows from someone reluctant who feels he’s in the wrong place to a true leader.  He has never been better in the role than in this season, determined to bring the fight to The Empire and avenge those he’s lost along the way.

This is one of the few Star Wars projects that truly sells the horrors of imperial rule, with some events that may shock viewers, and Tony Gilroy and co not holding back. There is some clear influence from the French Resistance on the planet of Ghorman, crucial to so much of this season.

While Mon Mothma was introduced in Return of the Jedi, Genevieve O’Reilly has breathed life into the character in her appearances since Revenge of the Sith, particularly this series. We see firsthand the events that shaped her from a stalwart of the senate to the face of the rebellion and a voice millions rally around in that film.

Many of the characters from the first season are given more sizeable roles here, including Adria Arjona’s Bix, who is haunted by the events of the first season and crucial to Cassian’s growth in this season.

Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael was one of the most compelling new characters in the first season, clearly against the Empire but not unwilling to fight dirty. His assistant Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) is given a far more rounded role this season with Dulau excelling as the heat on Coruscant rises and the stakes become ever more perilous.

One of the strengths of Andor’s first season was the pay-off for its slower build-up and narrative structure, and the same is true here; every character interaction has weight and purpose and what might seem slow to start with will reap huge reward.

The action is used sparingly, making it all the more striking. Showrunner Gilroy cut his teeth on the Bourne franchise, so he is no stranger to impressive action, which consistently delivers. Visually, this is also a cut above other recent Star Wars shows, putting it’s rumoured budget of close to $300 million to perfect use.

One of the issues around any longstanding franchise is how to balance fan service within the story, and while we have returns for the likes of Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Krennic and fan favourite K-2SO, they feel integral to the story and deepen those characters. Krennic in particular, is far more menacing than he was in Rogue One, stealing every scene he’s in.

Andor’s second season builds on the work of the first season but is its own beast, more expansive and covering more ground, but still incredibly character-driven first and foremost, showing the human side to the rebellion and the lengths they are driven to go to succeed and survive.

The performances and writing continue to be among the best seen on the Disney Plus shows, while Nicholas Brittell’s score once again sounds unique within the franchise, but perfect for the ratcheting up of resistance against The Empire.

While other parts of the franchise have faced criticism for over-reliance on the Skywalkers and callbacks to other films, Andor has walked its own path, delivering an ending that satisfactorily wraps up the show’s numerous threads while setting the events of Rogue One in motion.

It’s not just a great Star Wars show, but great television as a whole and hopefully sets a blueprint for how other franchises can operate moving forwards.

Andor season 2 premieres on Disney Plus UK on Wednesday 23rd April 2025  sign up to Disney+ from £4.99 a month or £89.90 for a year.

Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.

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