Andor Season 1 Episode 7 Review: Announcement
Is it just me, or is the simmering rebellion starting to cook?
Andor Season 1 Episode 7, “Announcement,” pays close attention to the after effects of the mission that Cassian and company completed. The Empire is cracking down on law enforcement power, and rebels around the galaxy are becoming inspired.
Andor is one of the first Star Wars properties to truly delve into the politics of the rebellion and what it means for different people with different political leanings. Perhaps some of it is too prescient or relevant to modern day, but it resonates all the same.
For instance, Cassian’s adoptive mother, Maarva, sees the attack on Aldhani as a symbol. As a result, she becomes a rebel sympathizer, and won’t leave the planet.
Maarva: That’s just love. Nothing you can do about that.
Mon Mothma, meanwhile, (rightly) worries that the Empire will use the attack as an excuse to deploy more overreach tactics and constrain its constituents more than it already has.
What makes “Announcement” truly interesting, though, is the way characters on seemingly opposite sides feel about the mission on Aldhani. Deedra Meero, an Imperial officer, worries that giving the Empire more power and clamping down on security will fuel a rebellion, not snuff it out. Luthen Rael, clearly on the opposite side from Meero, anticipates the same — but with glee!
It’s hard to ignore the modern political implications throughout Andor. It’s easy to sympathize with the rebellion — they’re tired of their government treating them like criminals just for existing.
There’s no better example of this than Cassian’s interaction on Niamos, where he is detained and eventually sentenced to a lengthy prison term for being sweaty and anxious about the activity going on around him. Perhaps this will be the catalyst convincing him to take an unpaid gig with the rebellion!
But of course Andor takes this opportunity to dig a little deeper into the true politics of Star Wars. Things like being wary of absolute power, or commentary on abuse of power, may pale in comparison to the “stand up for what you believe in and what’s right” messaging, but is powerful and prescient all the same.
“Announcement” is a savvy political commentary wrapped up in an interesting Star Wars story. Andor is still doing some table setting, but it’s much more exciting that it was previously. As a whole, the series continues to improve each time out.
A few stray thoughts:
- I do not trust Mon Mothma’s political associate. Seems like a dangerous game she’s playing.
- Anyone else excited by the appearance of the KX security droids? Seems like our old friend K2-SO is closer than ever.
- I would have given this episode 5 stars except there are so many characters and names of which to keep track. Shoutout to Google and IMDB for helping me write these reviews!
- I very much hope we have not seen the last of Bix — can we have her back please?
What did you think of this episode of Andor? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Andor airs Wednesdays on Disney+.
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.