Andor: Season 2 (Disney +)

It's been a while since Luther recruited Cassian Andor, and when we revisit the title character, he's settled into his role as the rebel group's top spy. Together with the traumatised Brix, they are both trying to find purpose in the chaos they have both helped create, while Mon Mothma is trying to navigate his way through a political hell of bloody proportions. Meanwhile, the Empire hatches a diabolical plan when Orson Krennic enters the picture, and career climber Dedra is forced to adjust her goals after failing to find the rebel cells...

I was never a big fan of the spinoff adventure Rogue One when it first came out. It had the right goal of expanding the ironically small Star Wars universe, but I thought the film itself was a fanservice sandwich that ran out of steam - despite a spectacular ending. When Bourne man Tony Gilroy decided to expand this rebel saga with the Andor TV project to further contextualise it all, Rogue One has actually grown on me. With the second and final season of Andor, Gilroy's masterpiece is finally complete, and Rogue One can now be seen as a grand season finale to the franchise's very best work to date.

Yes, Andor's second season is truly a victory for the chilling Star Wars universe. Exactly as expected. If the first season was a refreshing insight into the bureaucratic cogs of the Empire, the second season is a bloody display of just how diabolical Palpatine's rule really is. Season 2 has at least as ominous a feeling as Revenge of the Sith, where we know what awaits most of our heroes. We know what Krennic has in store, we know what happens to Andor in Rogue One. Yet the creators of the series manage to create a truly nerve-wracking atmosphere when the focus shifts to the Empire's occupation of the planet Ghorman and its newly awakened rebellion, which is put to shame by the ISB's effective propaganda. Revolution and freedom come at a high price, and Gilroy packs a heavy character-driven drama into twelve sumptuous episodes that give space and nuance to his characters. This season is a treacherous Game of Thrones-level bloodbath, but it also contains an incredible amount of heart.

Even though Andor is a fairly dry and very political slow burner, it still manages to move. Sometimes it's downright devastating. Devastating. The series prides itself on its unpolished sophistication, which makes the little moments where the characters break down stand out a little more. Tony and Dan Gilroy's episodes in particular are downright masterful, and in the tenth episode, it was hard to hold back the tears as it all came to a head. Star Wars hasn't been this interesting since, well, the first season of Andor, and watching the series' heartbreaking final scene sealed Andor as not only one of the sharpest TV experiences of the year, it's also one of this series' absolute top tiers.

The only thing I really dislike about the season is that it feels much more jumpy structurally. There are at least three years between the show's many events, which makes you feel like you're missing out on a number of important story beats at the show's most pivotal moments. There's also a section on Brix's drug problem, which I found quite boring. But considering how well and tightly written the series is otherwise, it can be forgiven. Almost everything about this show is enjoyable, and I actually wouldn't mind another season of grey spy drama. I was particularly interested in Syril's hero complex and the political intrigue of Mon Mothma, whose freedom is tightening like a stranglehold. However, the star of the season is Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki, Luthen's mysterious assistant, who becomes unexpectedly central.

Andor's true success lies not only in its excellent storytelling, but also in how believable it is in its timelessness. History repeats itself, as they say, and Andor skilfully paints this human pattern of oppression, desperation and the tenacious will to fight that glows within us. Behind Luke Skywalker's fabled victory are people willing to cross the line and sacrifice everything in the name of freedom - names that are quickly forgotten with time. The real revolutionary stories are hardly sunshine stories, which obviously inspired Andor's final tragedy. There's really not much more to say other than Andor's second season has definitely given a little more weight and respect to the now worn-out Star Wars name. Season 2 premieres on streaming on 22 April.