Star Wars: Andor (September 21st, 2022)

Mondragon said:

LOL^, the combustion here is all interpersonal, episode didn't need a single fx explosion, loved every non-action, methodically paced, suspense building, character driven, second of the episode.

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I couldn’t agree more. Loved the character interactions in this episode, as well as how they’re showing more of what Cassian brings to the table with his observations, instincts, etc.. I also like how

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he decides to come clean with the rest of the group with respect to why he’s there, as he realizes that the lack of trust and compartmentalization of information within the team will probably get them killed. It also stands in stark contrast to what we’re seeing within the Imperial command structure.

The Buffinator said:

Spoiler:

It also stands in stark contrast to what we’re seeing within the Imperial command structure.

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I love your observation about this

Mandible said:

There's slow, that's captivating and intriguing (Game of Thrones S1-5), then this ep that was just a strain to watch.

As I clearly said, there was a couple of minutes that were good, but overall

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Don't think it's a strain, and I like slow burns. At the same time ponder that 2 shows in a row of character building is - a lot of character building zzzzzz.

But I've got real faith all of this is leading someplace, and that this show will be completely binge-able, like a long movie, in time. With good payoff.

Of course, the only payoff I got from Obi was Qui-Gon finally showing up after years of apparently letting Obi sink into a kind of character-destroying emo despair and mind boggling levels of stupidity , but the writing for Andor by comparison is night and day.

Andor is really great. But the weekly release schedule is hurting it. Part of the issue is that we aren’t just supposed to be experiencing character building, but also the tension of slow burn thrillers/heists/living under a repressive regime. That sensation of tension that a great 2 hour film can leverage for story telling is being lost week to week. The format is clearly killing a lot of people’s immersion. I am telling everyone I know to wait to be able to pace the story for themselves.

If the final fantastic scene this week with Stellan Skarsgard doesn‘t make you tense or worry, then you should also try to stop forcing the weekly schedule and come back to this in a couple months.

Just binge it once all S1 episodes are out or... wait until S2 and watch the whole thing.

Latest episode had absolutely superb sophisticated writing which is needed for our modern sensibilities and it’s something that I never thought we would see the light of day in modern SW.

This makes the PT, ST and BOBF seem like romper room levels of human interaction.

Honestly this makes even RO seem simple minded.

I am just flabbergasted at how the creation of this rebellion is being executed with such precise precision by the writers I could feel the weight towing on Luthen’s soul.

No longer boring for me.

It is now real adult drama with realistic dialogue that just so happens to have found a home in SW, crazy.

I love the nazi mother lol

No explosions has never been this exhilarating.

I love this show. I have no major issues with it.

They should put this disclaimer in the beginning of the show.

Tie Fighter is finally SCARY and THREATENING yet it didn’t fire a single shot!

The pilot uses the engine sound as a reminder of their control.

absolutely in love with the current pacing, writing and character developments. You know the show is good when not a single second wasted looking at the clock. Something huge is definitely coming in the next few episodes. I'm pumped for Saw Gerrera with his guerrillas and how the Empire's clone troopers going to be portrayed.

jye4ever said:

Tie Fighter is finally SCARY and THREATENING yet it didn’t fire a single shot!

The pilot uses the engine sound as a reminder of their control.

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Yeah totally agree with this. Its crazy atmosphere

TheBatman said:

Yeah totally agree with this. Its crazy atmosphere

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Crazy levels of detail I mean when have you seen an imperial soldier popping pills!

Huge character moments coming from the smallest things!

The axe forgets but the tree always remembers!

jye4ever said:

Crazy levels of detail I mean when have you seen an imperial soldier popping pills!

Huge character moments coming from the smallest things!

The axe forgets but the tree always remembers!

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Imagine seeing Vader/Sith in this atmosphere. I really want to see a brutal Vader. I think the only Vader ive seen thats truly menacing was from the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Imagine seeing either Vader's brutality or the Emperor's insidious schemes in Andor with this crazy good level of writing.

I thought RO was peak Vader, but I still haven’t had a chance to play fallen order :,)

Nagoya said:

I thought RO was peak Vader, but I still haven’t had a chance to play fallen order :,)

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Yeah RO Vader was not bad either. That would be my 2nd place Vader.

I’m thinking of just waiting to watch this after the season finishes

One thing I like about this is how the title "The Axe Forgets" applies to this episode:

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I'll paraphrase here, but the saying "The axe forgets but the tree does not" applied nicely to:
1. Skeen's tattoos from his imprisonment. The imperials that put those on him do not remember him, but he does.
2. Skeen's brother, the imperials that took his land would not remember him, but Skeen does.
3. Andor does not even remember Syril's name, but he changed Syril's life and now Syril is obsessed with Andor.
4. The ISB at Ferrix do not care about the people there. All they are obsessed about is titles and power. They won't remember the people there, but they will leave a mark.

There are probably more instances in this episode too.

Can't believe I'm actually excited to see what happens next on this show.

I hope Disney learns from the praise this is getting.

While I've enjoyed certain incarnations of scenery-chewing Palpatine and Bond Villain Vader, I don't want to see them in this show. Never mind the tonal shift, it would immediately shrink the galaxy again. Right now it feels real and you get sense of distances.