There are certain things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows ahead of its premiere later this month. Although The Mandalorian is pretty much ubiquitously beloved, both The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi received some harsh online criticism following their respective releases. If Andor can learn where those shows went wrong and avoid those pitfalls, perhaps it will be better received.
1. Relationships Are The Heart Of Star Wars
Whilst it may be true that the lightsaber battles, zero gravity dogfights and overarching themes of destiny may all be prevalent in Star Wars media, those elements should never take precedent over the relationships between our heroes.
The Mandalorian is almost entirely based around the touching surrogate father-son relationship between Mando and Grogu. If that relationship was to be removed from the equation, Mandalorian would be a far inferior show.
Although not all of Obi-Wan Kenobi was gold, it is hard to deny the relationship established between Obi-Wan and Leah in that show. The scenes between the two were undoubtedly some of the highlights from that series. Another previously established relationship which was explored further in Obi-Wan was the dichotomy between Kenobi and Vader.
The idea that relationships are at the heart of any great Star Wars story is a proven fact at this point and it is also one of the major things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows.
2. Do Not Substitute The Lead Character
The Book of Boba Fett had many issues; from poor pacing, to lacklustre performances and sub-par writing. However, there was one issue in that show which should never be repeated again by any Star Wars project: Never make the protagonist a side character in their own show.
Also read: Samuel L. Jackson Reportedly Returning as Mace Windu in The Book of Boba Fett Season 2
Although it was probably a relief to see Mando and Grogu appear in episode 5 of the show, considering how poor the first 4 episodes were, this was supposed to be a show about Boba Fett. Yet, for some strange reason it morphed into Season 2.5 of The Mandalorian. I also can’t help but feel that it has somewhat dampened fan anticipation for Season 3 of The Mandalorian.
Substituting the lead character of a show for another is a fatal error, no matter how much of a fan-favourite that other character happens to be. It is also another of the things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows. Thankfully, Gabriel Luna’s Cassian Andor appears to be front and centre for all of the action in the trailers for the show.
3. Please Don’t Try To Cram Too Much Into One Season
Obi-Wan Kenobi started well and ended well. I would even go as far as to say that the season finale is some of the best television that I have seen in the last few years. However, the episodes between the premiere and the finale were messy and felt in large part unfocused.
The blame for this has been levelled at the show’s writers, claiming that they tried to cram too many separate plotlines into the one season. Some have even alleged that each of these plotlines would have been significant enough to merit their own entirely separate show. Not cramming too many plot elements into a single season is one of the most important things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows.
4. Don’t Be Afraid To Show The Darker Side Of the Star Wars Universe
Whilst I fully understand that Andor is a Star Wars show premiering on Disney+, it would be fantastic to see the seedier underbelly of the Star Wars universe. Andor is obviously a prequel to Rogue One and when we meet Cassian Andor in that movie, he doesn’t exactly come across as the nicest guy in the galaxy.
In fact, he is pressuring a Rebel informant with a broken arm for information. After he receives the information that he is after, he is forced to kill a couple suspicious Stormtroopers. As other Stormtroopers close in, Andor realises that the informant won’t be able to escape Imperial capture due to his damaged limb and so he shoots him in the back, killing him.
This scene is notable for being one of the first live-action scenes in Star Wars media to show that sometimes killing those who aren’t necessarily the enemy is required at times of war. It changed the purity of the Rebellion to a shade of gray which had not been so clearly portrayed before this moment.
Whilst the character of the Mandalorian did comes across as somewhat morally gray during the first few episodes of his show, he quickly softened and became a less morally ambiguous hero. And whilst there was a slight seediness to the planet Daiyu in Obi-Wan Kenobi, we didn’t really spend enough time there to see anything too dark taking place. Delving into the darker elements of the Star Wars universe is definitely one of the most relevant things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows.
5. Keep Those Gorgeous Landscape Shots Coming
Whether received well or not, there is one thing which can be said about all three of the Disney+ live-action Star Wars shows; those wide-angle landscape shots are stunning. The cinematography techniques do vary between projects, with some being shot entirely in The Volume and some being shot on more traditional sets. However all of them possess some gorgeous landscape shots.
Also read: 5 Ways Book Of Boba Fett Did Things Better Than The Mandalorian
Sure, it was likely the abundance of these shots which led folks online to complain that they are sick of seeing Tatooine. Thankfully none of Andor seem to be set on Tatooine and thus it is a fantastic opportunity for a talented cinematographer to step in and show off some glorious wide-angle environmental shots.
And this was the last of the things that Andor can learn from other Star Wars shows, completing our list. What do you think? Are you excited for Andor? Is there anything that you hope the show learns from past Star Wars projects? Let us know in the comments section down below.
