When the first season of Andor arrived on Disney Plus in 2022, it was a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans. For years the Kathleen Kennedy-led Lucasfilm had been releasing mediocre movies that seemed to completely miss the mark, showing a clear detachment from what fans actually wanted. The Mandalorian and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story had helped appease Star Wars fans, but something more was needed, and Andor helped fill that hole. Now, season two aims to complete the story arc of Rogue One.
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The Plot: Star Wars Espionage
As one might expect, season two of Andor is very similar to the first season. The season is split into multiple story arcs, defined by the year the story takes place. Each new arc brings the story one step closer to Rogue One, as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) continues his run as a successful spy in the Star Wars universe.
Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) returns, with a much more impactful role for his partner in crime, Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau), who is far and away the breakout actor of the season. The fact that Andor season two bridges the gap between the first season and Rogue One, it’s difficult to have any real sense of finality to the story. However, the writers did as good a job as they could to bring some form of closure to the story as events head into Rogue One.
Due to running right up until the very beginning of Rogue One, the emotional climax of the series does not occur in the final episode, but it definitely happens. In fact, the climax of Andor season two is some of the best television I’ve seen in years (aside from perhaps For All Mankind, as Ronald D. Moore can do no wrong).
The Performances: Exceptional Ensemble
The performances in Andor season two are on par, or better than the first season. Diego Luna continues to improve his depiction of Cassian Andor each time he plays the character. What started in Rogue One evolved in the first season of Andor, and that evolution continues in season two. This almost poses a problem, as going from season two to Rogue One, Cassian almost feels less confident in his actions during the movie. That’s not an issue with the season two scripts, more so Luna’s confidence in the role, and seeing the character grow from Rogue One, to Andor season one, and now to season two.
Stellan Skarsgård continues his captivating performance as Luthen, but he’s not as prominent as he was in the first season. There’s still plenty for Luthen to do, but many other characters have bigger roles, which naturally shortens Luthen’s screen time. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) has a bigger role to play in season two, showcasing more of O’Reilly’s prowess with the character.
All of these great performances aside, it’s really Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) and Kleya Marki who shine in season two. Syril was more of a captivating annoyance than anything else in season one. Now, he’s leveled out a bit, allowing the character to feel more fleshed out and nuanced. Likewise, Kleya is more than just Luthen’s right hand. She very much comes into her own in season two, thanks heavily to an inspired performance from Dulau.
Pacing and Action: Slow and Steady
One of the few flaws of Andor season one was the odd pacing of the series. Once it got going it was great, but the first few episodes were a slog to get through. Season two has a similar cadence, with each story arc taking an episode or two to really get going. This causes some small pacing issues, but overall the story is good enough that the pacing is not a big concern.
The action is very much on par with the first season and Rogue One. This time around Cassian has a number of missions he must complete, which means there’s plenty of espionage to go around. Season two is still heavily steeped in the bureaucracy of the Empire, so there’s also a good amount of Imperial discussions and planning going on, but it all comes to a head with each story arc as the plot inches closer and closer to Rogue One.
Final Verdict: The Best Yet
If you weren’t into the first season of Andor, season two won’t suddenly bring you around. However, for the vast majority who enjoyed the first season, this new season ups the ante in almost every way. Again, there is a partial lack of finality since this has to lead into Rogue One, but it also gives more meaning to the events of that movie, improving an already good film.
Outside of the minor pacing issues, some of the character arcs end in a disappointing way after so much build up, but the main story is exceptional despite these small flaws. As we wait to see how well The Mandalorian & Grogu closes out that series, Andor is currently the best live-action Star Wars show on Disney Plus.
About Andor Season 2
Synopsis: Andor season 2 continues the story of Cassian Andor and the nascent Rebel Alliance, as they navigate the escalating conflict with the Galactic Empire. The season covers the pivotal four years leading up to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, exploring the formation of the Rebellion, and Cassian’s journey from soldier to leader.
Creator: Tony Gilroy
Cast: Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O’Reilly, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Alan Tudyk
Rated: TV-14
Number of Episodes: 12
Average Runtime: 45 Minutes
Initial Release: April 22, 2025
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
