I finished the second season of Andor: A Star Wars Story (or whatever they’re terming it now), turned around and rewatched both seasons, and started looking at articles and podcasts about the show. In particular I started looking at Tony Gilroy’s interest in bringing in real world historical examples of authoritarian governments, and the resistance movements against them, and how he worked them into the Star Wars universe. Star Wars has always been about resistance against tyranical regimes; Andor just tells the story from a different angle.

In the course of searching for politically themed material, I also came across so much more. The art of the set and costume design, the art of structuring the story in three episode arcs, the way leaving so much unsaid, or happening off camera, helps shape the story and focus it.

This post is just a place for me to collect links to things I’ve read, listened to. and watched. I’m likely to add to it as I find other pieces I want to remember and perhaps go back to. It doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with everything the people in the collection say. However, I’d recommend the two podcasts with Wajahat Ali and Danielle Moody very highly, as well as Thomas Coombes’ piece, “Star Wars show Andor is the story about resistance we need right now: Why science fiction matters for social change“