What season 2 of Andor must accomplish to enhance the achievements of its first season.

      On April 22, Andor, the most critically acclaimed series in the Star Wars lineup of Disney+ shows, will make its long-awaited return for its second and final season. Created by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton), the series has aptly been dubbed “Star Wars for grown-ups” by co-star Stellan Skarsgård, as it delves into themes of fascism, rebellion, and political radicalism, making the first season captivating — neither preachy nor shallow popcorn fare.

      In order to effectively conclude its too brief run, Gilroy’s unexpected award-winning show must concentrate on what makes it exceptional and avoid the myriad distractions that can plague franchise entries.

      The impersonal, capricious Empire

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      The strength of Andor lies in its ability to seamlessly weave through distinct yet interconnected narratives that never overstay their welcome. The first season opens with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a seemingly inconsequential rogue from the remote planet of Ferrix, joining an ambitious heist on a stronghold held by the oppressive Galactic Empire, set five years prior to the original Star Wars trilogy. However, the most compelling portion of the season departs from this initial storyline and consists of three episodes penned by House of Cards creator Beau Willimon.

      The brilliance of these episodes lies in Cassian escaping the successful heist without consequence, only to be falsely arrested shortly afterward for a crime he didn’t commit. His subsequent incarceration in a floating labor camp on Narkina 5 establishes the series' most distinct world-building — a complex yet clearly defined prison system that exposes the Empire's brutality. Cassian’s arrest on unfounded charges, instead of being caught for his genuine offenses against the Empire, highlights the randomness of fascist power. This is the type of Empire we need more of in season 2 — not the familiar, revenge-driven villains from the original Star Wars films, but the impersonal, indifferent, and imprecise iron grip of authority that echoes real-life experiences.

      New dynamics

      I’m eager to see what looks to be a romantic reunion between Cassian and his former love, Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona, one of Hollywood’s most promising young actresses), who were apart for much of the first season. However, perhaps more intriguingly — and certainly more unsettling — is the quasi-romantic relationship that develops between the series’ two primary antagonists, Imperial security officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and the lowly Imperial clerk Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) during the latter half of season one. Karn was once Deputy Inspector for the Pre-Mor Authority, a corporate branch of the Empire, but he was disgraced and dismissed for his excessive zeal in pursuing Cassian. Throughout season 1, Meero climbs the ranks of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) driven by her relentless pursuit of the same emerging rebel. In the season finale, Rix Road, they are unexpectedly brought together in an uncomfortably intimate scene that implies they may share connections beyond their mutual target.

      While Meero holds the real power, Karn is Cassian’s counterpart — a nobody who has been radicalized by the harsh truths of existence in a brutal universe — thus making him a more accurate foil for the titular Andor. Season 1 effectively fostered unlikely sympathy for Meero, who navigates the male-dominated ISB with unwavering professionalism, and for Karn, who, despite his seemingly slimy demeanor, is a true believer in the Empire’s mission. One of Andor's most striking achievements is making its antagonists, for all their detestable ideologies, “honorable” in terms of their strategic approach, while its heroes, such as Skarsgård’s rebel leader Luthen Rael, are willing to commit reprehensible acts in service of a rightful rebellion. Hopefully, season 2 will amplify this dynamic by placing Karn and Meero side by side.

      Resolving loose threads

      A key unresolved mystery for season 2 is the fate of Cassian’s sister, Kerri (played as a child by Belle Swarc). We are repeatedly told that Kerri likely perished in the Imperial mining catastrophe that obliterated Cassian’s home planet of Kenari. As season 1 begins with Cassian actively searching for her (a quest he soon abandons to prioritize his own survival throughout the subsequent twelve episodes), I anticipate her reappearance. (Or being identified as someone we have previously encountered, given the show’s tendency to reveal unexpected connections among its characters.)

      Perhaps in addressing the outcome of Kenari, Gilroy and the writing team can confront the controversial abduction of young Cassian by off-world scavenger Maarva (Fiona Shaw), who later becomes his nurturing mother figure. This act is presented as entirely altruistic in the first season, but it comes off as unsettlingly colonialist.

      Steering clear of franchise clichés

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      I am both excited and