There’s no shortage of brutality in the Star Wars galaxy — it is, after all, about the rise of (and resistance to) fascism. The Death Star eviscerates entire planets, laser swords slice through flesh and bone. The franchise has a lock on visceral violence; it’s even brushed against the subtler, but no less insidious, violence that women face in suppressive times. But no Star Wars story has ever well and truly “gone there” where the latter is concerned. That may be because Star Wars is largely a family-friendly franchise, but that’s what makes Andor, Star Wars’ most “adult” offering, such an important addition to it.
In its second season, the prequel series is a much more overt mirror to our real world. It crosses a line into unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory, depicting the true evils of the Empire with an attempted rape scene. But it also give new meaning to the fight against the new regime, making it personal for our cast and for audiences watching.
