ANDOR. S2. In a Web of Conspiracies [REVIEW, Episodes 4–6]

The episodes of Andor released so far have finally convinced the last of the skeptics that the Star Wars galaxy is a world far from black-and-white morality. Tony Gilroy has already shown the lengths to which the rebels are willing to go in their clash with the Empire, and the costs that come with the fight for freedom. In the second “quarter” of season two, this theme resonates even more strongly. The focus this time is on the Ghorman storyline — a peaceful planet exploited by the Empire, whose inhabitants, pushed to the brink, slowly come to the realization that peaceful negotiations are no longer enough, and they must take up arms.

Screenwriter Beau Willimon focuses primarily on the conspiratorial, “spy thriller” side of the conflict. Cassian Andor, following in the footsteps of his “mentor” Luthen, adopts a false identity as an extravagant designer and travels to Ghorman to probe for potential allies — hidden novice fighters styled after the French Resistance. Meanwhile, the Coruscant plotline centers on Luthen himself, continuing his covert operations among the local elite, and his Imperial informant, Lonni Jung. On the other side, we see Syril Karn infiltrating the budding resistance movement on Ghorman. Somewhere in the middle of all this are the planet’s residents themselves — inexperienced in guerrilla warfare, making one mistake after another, and unaware that they are being used by both sides.

The parallel between the Rebellion and the Empire has likely never been this explicit in the series. It’s evident not only in the morally “dirty” tactics employed by both factions, but also on a more personal level. The central conflict plays out as a multi-layered game of cat and mouse, in which the defenseless citizens of the planet are merely pawns in a broader power struggle. Imperial officials are after a priceless resource on Ghorman, and a powerful symbol of their oppression is the arsenal they’re building — a structure that overshadows a monument commemorating victims of a past Imperial massacre. Meanwhile, the rebels want to use the people of Ghorman as symbolic martyrs of the regime — which is why they are so eager to help them in a suicide sabotage mission.

Providing a thematic counterpoint are subplots involving characters trying to reconcile personal relationships with their allegiance to either the Rebellion or the Empire. Cassian and Bix, Vel and Cinta, Dedra and Syril — regardless of which side they’re on, they all eventually realize that their involvement in the conflict comes at a cost to their personal connections. But that’s not the only price of conspiracy highlighted by the creators. Luthen’s storyline makes it clear how building an ever-more complex web of intrigue can ultimately backfire on the conspirators themselves. One weak link, one unforeseen element (in this case, the risk of a hidden listening device being discovered among the Coruscant elite), can threaten to derail several simultaneous operations. This is where Kleya, Luthen’s previously backgrounded assistant, comes to the forefront. Her emotions — carefully concealed behind a mask of cold composure — become crucial. The climax of this subplot, edited in parallel with the preparations for the Ghorman mission, is one of the most suspenseful moments in the entire series.

With each new episode, Andor deepens its portrayal of the “dirty” side of conflict. The Rebellion is never about easy victories here, but about ambiguous compromises and ugly psychological scars — traumas that will haunt the characters for the rest of their lives. And while Bix’s struggle to recover from the memory of the Imperial torture she endured offers a glimmer of hope, the broken rebel fanatic Saw Gerrera reveals the darkest side of the desperate fight for freedom. In one scene, he says it outright: “Revolutionaries must be madmen.”

Written by Jedrzej Paczkowski