Star Wars can be for everyone
What ‘Andor’ tells us about the audience and richness of this franchise
If there’s a theme for the early reactions to Andor, the newest Disney+ Star Wars show (which premiers this week), it’s that how far it veers from the series’ standard fare. Variety’s Caroline Framke opened her review by writing “‘Andor’ is, both by design and circumstance, immediately different from its “Star Wars” television predecessors. and USA Today’s Kelly Lawler claimed “In a lot of ways it doesn’t feel like “Star Wars” at all, simply a very good science-fiction tale set on some far-off planets.” Andor appears to be something truly different for this franchise.
I’m thrilled to read these reviews. Now, to get all of my biases out of the way, I think that Rogue One is one of the greatest movies ever made, so an entire tv series based around some of its key characters and made by its original creators is a concept that could have been grown in a lab for the specific purpose of getting my attention. I also think that much of the Disney-era Star Wars content — particularly the end of Clone Wars and both seasons of The Mandalorian — is excellent. I like a lot of Star Wars.
But I’m fascinated that Star Wars can go in a darker direction, as well. It’s creatively healthy and good for the franchise to make different kinds of movies and tv shows that can (at least in theory) reach different kinds of audiences. Star Wars in the year 2022 has enough content to satisfy nearly anyone. It can only be a positive for it to appeal to as many different kinds of viewers as well.
Who is Star Wars for? In one sense, it’s a question with endless answers. Star Wars is for the children who are being introduced into an entirely new genre of storytelling, who are amazed by the lightsabers and the laser guns, and who are enamored by the glorious spectacle of it all. Or maybe Star Wars is for the adults who grew up with the franchise — which at this point could mean the original trilogy or the prequels — who may or may not be interested in shepherding in the next generation of fans. Or maybe it’s for people who love engaging fiction of any kind and don’t really care about the legacy or history of Star Wars.
One could argue of course, that Star Wars has always primarily been for children. There’s certainly evidence to support that claim. In an excellent review of Andor’s premiere, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh noted several examples of George Lucas saying essentially this. And watching the movies and tv shows that define this franchise reveals an undeniable youthful energy that fills many of the characters and plot points.
But maybe it’s reductive to claim that this franchise (one of the most popular in American media by far) is primarily aimed at one age group. Plenty of adults will line up outside theaters once a new Star Wars movie is announced (if that ever happens). The Mandalorian, Clone Wars, and Rebels all tell interesting stories that I can relate to well as an adult.
One of the most tantalizing ideas about the world of Andor is that it helps show just how big and diverse the Star Wars universe is supposed to be. Not everyone is a Jedi or a Sith — there are plenty of people who are fighting tooth-and-nail with no special abilities, who were drawn in reluctantly, or who are driven by selfish ambition. By broadening the stakes of the war beyond the core characters we’ve known for decades now, there’s a chance for some truly interesting world building.
Personally though, I think what makes Andor’s promise to be darker and grittier than most Star Wars fare so appealing is that it makes the universe feel more real. Imagine that there were a galaxy-wide conflict between an all-powerful empire and a group of ragtag rebels. In reality, that conflict probably would feel extremely dark, and the Rebellion’s chance at success minimal at best. The successes of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi feel more real if there’s more backstory showing how harrowing the moments before them were.
This is why I was concerned when I read that Obi-Wan Kenobi was re-written because the original script was too dark. When Kathleen Kennedy said “We’re looking, ultimately, to make a hopeful, uplifting story,” I wondered if that would cheapen the story. Ultimately, we’ll never know, since the original story is still under wraps. But it’s a question I’ve returned to more than a few times in my head. I wouldn’t have minded a darker version of the show.
Star Wars is in a very strange place right now. There are no new movies on the horizon for three(!) years, which is not a great look for a franchise that helped invent the idea of the American blockbuster. Lindbergh wrote about this earlier in the year, and that was before Rogue Squadron was scrubbed from the release calendar. The Disney+ shows have been mostly very good though, and I’m deeply excited to dive into Andor. I hope we get more things like it in the future.
Notes:
- I will say that I found Kenobi to be a fun, if imperfect experience that mostly struck the right emotional tone. The lightsaber battles were amazing, as were any scenes involving Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Some of the plot details were a little weak.
- I’ve been rewatching old episodes of Clone Wars when I have the time. It’s really incredible how much the animation and general production value increased by the end.
- I’m disappointed that The Bad Batch’s second season was delayed until next year. I’m excited to see what comes next for that series.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.
