George Lucas created Star Wars with a rich galaxy of politics which can be read to represent a political climate with which we are familiar. The story of a failed democracy, followed by an authoritarian, autocratic and fascist regime suggests a deeper rooted corruption in the world of Star Wars– one that is more than the evil of the Sith. Many critics have shown great appreciation towards the realism and grittier, more human storytelling featured in the 2022 Star Wars TV show, ‘Andor’. This is why in this article I will explore what exactly it is that makes Andor’s showcase of Star Wars’ sci-fi political climate so different to what we have seen before.
What did George Lucas intend?
When Lucasfilm released the original Star Wars trilogy, George Lucas was very vocal about what exactly the Imperials represented, which was American Imperialism. This implied that the rebellion was an anti-imperialist force. Specifically in Episode VI, the rebellion was a reference to the Vietcong– the guerrilla force that fought against South Vietnam and the United States during the Vietnam war. Lucas’ political messaging in his original films were an integral aspect of the meaning of Star Wars, as it acted as a sort of fantastical political allegory to present the American government as what Lucas believed they were: imperialists. The main interpretation of the Galactic Empire reads as an extensive totalitarian government, which is inevitably overthrown by the rebels. In Lucas’ own words: “The little guys won. The highly technical empire -- the English Empire, the American Empire -- lost.”
So, how does Andor manage to show how ‘little’ the ‘little guys’ were, along with the true scale of the ‘highly technical empire’?
Presentation of totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is ‘a system of government that is centralised and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state’. In Andor, the Empire’s totalitarianism comes across in three ways: The first arc shows the role of government and corporations, and the power they hold. The second arc represents cultural genocide and colonialism, lastly, the third arc is about the use of prisons to oppress those who do not submit to the state.
Role of Corporations
The first arc of Andor is set in the Corporate Zone, which is a sector governed by an independent corporate sector authority. This was an area that was essentially governed by corporations during a substantial time of the Republic’s rule. After the fall of the Republic, it remained independent, though its independence could easily be revoked at any time. Corporatocracy is ‘an economic, political and judicial system controlled by business corporations or corporate interests’. This is a perfect definition for how exactly the corporate zone operates. ‘Corpo’ planets like Ferrix were almost entirely inhabited by employees of the corporation that ran the planet. This meant that most political decisions were made in favour of profits, rather than people. The corporations were granted this power as long as no problems were caused– such as the killing of two men working security. That is where we begin to see the true influence of the Empire, even over independent systems.
Cyril Karn, the Corpo officer who is portrayed as an antagonist to some extent, is a victim of corporate greed. His intention to catch Cassian Andor to maintain peace is a good one, but in order to avoid imperial punishment, he is forced to be silent. It can be argued that his character is also a victim of imperial brainwashing, as he is one of the enforcers to maintain totalitarian rule. However, as Karn is inevitably fired from his role due to going against orders, it suggests that even those who submit to authority (and even help it to some extent) will face disappointment from the authority they are trying to please.
Effects of colonialism
One of the most interesting aspects of Andor is how well it presents the Empire as a colonial force. Imperialism refers to ‘a policy of extending a country’s (in this case, a government or planet’s) power and influence through colonisation, use of military force or other means’. Of course, this is what the Galactic Empire is named after– they are confident about their influence over the galaxy. Their influence, however, is something they need to maintain consistently. This comes about by squashing any opposition; the method of the Empire is to repress the entire population to make sure they can’t oppose them. Though, by doing this, the Empire actually makes living a ‘normal life’ more unsafe. Being an average person under the reign of the Empire is dangerous, and families lack freedom and face repression for not doing anything at all. This makes it safer to join a rebel force– not only does it give protection and community, it also gives a level of freedom which people would otherwise lack.
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism refers to the ‘enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the extent of personal freedom’. The presentation of the Empire as an authoritarian power was heavily criticised in the past as no writer or director had ever truly delved into the Imperial rule in an accessible fashion (such as films or TV shows). This, along with the sub-par characterisation of the separatists and trite references to ‘taxation’ and ‘trade blockades’, were dull and uninteresting compared to the simplicity of the original trilogy’s ‘hero story’. Although there were attempts to present the Empire as the oppressive regime they were supposed to be, they were ultimately seen as more irrelevant villains when there were much more complex antagonists such as the Sith, who had a much richer historical relevance in the world of Star Wars.
In Andor, however, we see how truly tyrannical the decisions made by the Empire were. This is shown best during Cassian Andor’s time in prison. Not only was Cassian wrongly accused of Anti-Imperial activity under his alias of ‘Keef Girgo’, he was also affected by a ‘Public Order Resentencing Directive’, where ‘any criminal act, with even indirect effect on the Empire, would be branded a Class One Offence’. Not only was this new directive an outright unfair policy, it also meant Cassian’s wrongful sentence cost him a lifetime in prison. This change suggests the strict authority and power that the Empire has over the people, who seem to even lack the right of disputing an unfair accusation. This is exactly what leads to anti-imperial rebels.
Opposition
The main two revolutionaries of Andor– Luthen Rael and Saw Gerrera– are working towards the greatest type of social change: freedom from totalitarian rule. These two characters are, in my opinion, the two main catalysts of the rebellion, as well as the greatest threat to the Empire. Andor does, however, remind the audience of other factions throughout the galaxy, most of which are unknown to Star Wars fans. During the conversation between Luthen Rael and Saw Gerrera, Gerrera brings up these other factions: "Kreegyr's a separatist. Maya Pei's a neo-Republican. The Ghorman front. The Partisan alliance. Sectorists. Human cultists. Galaxy partitionists". These factions serve as a reminder of how good and evil aren’t black and white as shown in previous Star Wars media. The story being shown in Andor, which we have only got a taste of so far, only reveals to us a part of the galaxy, and only a few of the organisations that are working against the Empire.
Throughout Andor, we come across countless important speeches and monologues from the characters we meet throughout Andor’s journey. One of the greatest monologues is that of Luthen Rael:
“I've made my mind a sunless space. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 15 years ago from which there's only one conclusion, I'm damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight, they've set me on a path from which there is no escape.”
This monologue describes the weight of the rebellion that revolutionaries like Luthen Rael have to carry, the ‘Calm, Kindness and Kinship’ which they sacrifice. There is no end to the fight that Luthen Rael and other rebels are in. So many who believe in their cause have died, and the dream of freedom is slowly dying out with them.
In conclusion, Andor acts as a political commentary on fascism and totalitarian rule through a fictional, fantasy lens. It reinforces the pre-existing message of the Star Wars films of anti-imperialism but also shows there is more to the story other than ‘good and bad’.