And the series has incorporated these themes in all three of its arcs for season one - from the planets Ferrix to Coruscant and to Narkina 5. Some of these atrocities include cultural genocide, colonialism, imperialism, and even actual genocide which are rampant across the Galaxy. Even though the protagonist Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) has witnessed atrocities by the Empire from a very young age, he is not compelled to join the rebellion. It has the power to break one’s mind before it breaks one’s body. The prison, despite its almost flawless aesthetic and unusually high standard of hygienic conditions, is possibly the worst place to be in the Star Wars universe. But this creative choice is by design to evoke the idea that true oppression is the complete deprivation of one’s agency. In fact, the prison in the third arc of the story seemingly has better living standards than most people across the globe. The visual representation of the Empire is eerily pristine, from offices to its streets and even its prisons – it represents order. It is a notion that is often dismissed or unheard of in the era of social media. Andor explores the idea that sometimes the right people can become part of the wrong cause and the wrong people could be the defenders of the right cause. Karn symbolises the privileged elite in present-day democracies who have put their utmost trust in the establishment and have also completely dehumanised those who are considered their enemy. He also has compassion for those around him. Karn on the other hand is on a crusade for what he believes is justice. Skeem is part of the rebellion but for his own vested interests, he is willing to betray anyone and even the cause if it benefits him in some manner. But if one were to compare Karn to other members of the rebellion such as Skeem (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), there are a few interesting character traits that come to the fore. One might argue that both characters are highly intelligent individuals - both true believers but for contrasting causes. Nemik is a true believer of the rebellion who yearns for free will and is deeply philosophical, whereas Karn is rigid and believes in the establishment and the order it represents. Nemik essayed by Alex Lawther and Syril Karn played by Kyle Soller are two characters on opposite ends of the political spectrum. It’s hard to ignore the thematic similarities to post-modern dystopian novels such as George Orwell’s 1984, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. Andor is a compelling political drama that explores the ideas of totalitarianism, oppression, and the cost of freedom in a manner that was often seen in stories that became popular after World War II, more specifically in the post-modern era. Andor’s showrunner Tony Gilroy would have certainly been mindful of the risks of not having a legacy character appear on the show, but it is a gamble that appears to have paid off. Andor relies heavily on a fresh story based on a character from one of the best and possibly the most underrated Star Wars films ever released - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Unlike the recent Disney+ Original Star Wars shows such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, it does not rely on callbacks to earlier films through Easter eggs and guest appearances. In many ways, Andor is the Game of Thrones version of Star Wars - littered with morally ambiguous characters and an emphasis on human conflict. However, despite being an allegory for anti-imperialism when it first debuted, the new Disney version of Star Wars has refrained from being too political, until Andor. Even though the essence of creator George Lucas’s original plans for the franchise have deviated considerably over the years, Disney has managed to recreate some of its magic with new films and spin-off TV shows spread across various timelines of Star Wars. But the sheer popularity of the franchise and the constant cycle of new releases over the decades has always managed to keep the franchise alive. Every decade since the first Star Wars film (later renamed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) hit theatres in 1977, there have been suggestions that interest in the franchise will eventually fade away. While the latter is a relatively new phenomenon, having found remarkable commercial success since the 2010s, Star Wars has almost been captivating audiences since time immemorial. Disney owns two of the most lucrative franchises in the world today - Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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