by Sophia Caneira ’29 on February 26, 2026
A&E - Film & TV
I can’t say I love the majority of the newer Star Wars projects. Like many fans, I grew up watching the original trilogy, but when The Force Awakens (2015) came out, I was only eight years old. Originally, I loved the film, and to this day it remains my favorite of the sequels, but calling it my favorite may be fairly generous. As The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) rolled out, I started to realize that the new films were nowhere near the caliber of the originals. While they were entertaining to watch, I just wasn’t impressed. I liked the actors that were cast, but the writing felt lazy and unbelievable—even for a universe so iconically unpredictable by nature. The Force could suddenly do anything: bring a person back to life, telepathically connect people, you name it. This lack of limits resulted in the Force no longer feeling so special and magical. Two moments—Han Solo’s death in The Force Awakens and Luke Skywalker’s unwillingness to aid the Resistance in The Last Jedi—felt especially and entirely out of character.
One Star Wars project has caught my eye: Rogue One (2016). Rogue One fills in the gap between the prequel films and the original trilogy by telling the story of the Rebellion’s acquisition of the infamous Death Star plans featured in A New Hope (1977). It stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Mendelsohn, and others—all brilliant actors who fulfill their roles perfectly. The movie explores themes of self-sacrifice, familial love, and hope. After all, as several characters repeat in the film, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
And then in 2022 came Andor.
Andor tells the story of one of the main characters from Rogue One, Cassian Andor (played by Luna). Each of the 24 episodes explore Cassian’s hidden past, his complicated morals, and ultimately his journey to joining the Rebel Alliance. In Rogue One, audiences saw only a glimpse of Cassian’s character. Andor, in contrast, places him centerstage, therefore helping to answer many preexisting questions about his mysterious role in the film. Without giving too much away, the plot of the series lends itself to a commentary on political power, authority, and corruption. While at times quite political, it is also highly complex, intentional, and emotional. The score for the series, composed by Nicholas Britell (Season One) and Brandon Roberts (Season Two), is a huge component of the emotional weight of this show. The series even teases the origin of the phrase, “Rebellions are built on hope”—one of my favorite moments.
Andor isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty close. I admit the first couple of episodes in each season felt a little slow. In fact, my dad and I tried to start Andor almost a year ago and only made it through the first episode. On the second try, we finally got hooked and watched the show all the way through. If you can persevere through the first few episodes, you won’t regret it.
Again, while I’m not a huge fan of some of Disney’s new Star Wars endeavors, others are worth a watch. The series The Mandalorian is also highly enjoyable. If you’re looking for a new, deeply thought-provoking, and poignant show to binge-watch, I would suggest trying Andor. Andor is one of the few projects that gives me a spark of hope for the future of franchise films.And whether you have or haven’t already seen Rogue One, you’ll definitely want to give it a watch after finishing Andor. Luna himself was quoted as saying, “You’re going to see Rogue One differently after Andor.”