8 Real-Life Movements That Inspired Andor's Riveting Rebel Battles

The second season of ‘Andor’, the prequel series, has officially concluded, marking its finish. Throughout its run, the show has garnered praise for its authentic portrayal of everyday rebels battling a totalitarian regime, making it unique among other ‘Star Wars’ productions and strikingly resonant in today’s times. A significant factor contributing to this is that the creators draw heavily from real-world revolutions, with various historical events and movements shaping the narrative trajectory of ‘Andor’.

In multiple interviews, Tony Gilroy, the mastermind behind the series, has openly expressed his lifelong fascination with historical revolutions. The platform provided by Andor allowed him to apply this interest constructively. When probed about real-life influences on the series, he frequently makes references to various uprisings, including the Vienna Revolution. Gilroy has also disclosed specific instances of inspiration, highlighting certain historical events that shaped the series. Here are eight significant movements that significantly impacted the creation of Andor.

Season 1, Episodes 4-6

In the first season of ‘Andor’, Luthen Rael enlists Cassian Andor for a daring operation on the Imperial-controlled planet Aldhani. Together with the rebels, they manage to make off with a substantial amount of credits from the Empire, which is crucial for the rebellion. However, this mission comes at a high cost as they sustain several casualties. This heist not only results in a significant financial boost but also functions as a warning signal, informing the Empire that resistance against their rule is growing stronger. Consequently, ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero initiates a manhunt for Cassian and Luthen in response.

As a film critic, I’d rephrase it like this: Drawing inspiration from the bustling city of Tbilisi, now the capital of Georgia, I found a captivating plot point in Gilroy’s latest work – a daring heist carried out by a band of Bolsheviks, among them, the enigmatic figure of Joseph Stalin. The question of his direct involvement in the robbery or merely its strategic planning remains a topic of debate. This stolen loot was used to fuel their revolutionary pursuits. Unlike the Aldhani heist portrayed in ‘Andor’, this audacious act ended with every robber escaping, alas at the expense of many innocent bystanders who became casualties of the violent attack.

Seasons 1-2

Luthen and his aide, Kleya, manage an extensive operative system across the galaxy. They enlist individuals supportive of rebellion, equip them with radios for communication, and are extremely cautious to hide their correspondence. On Ferrix, one such recruit was Salman Paak from Andor, who connected Luthen with someone else. Although their secrecy ensures their safety, it also hinders their connections with other rebel groups.

Gilroy has mentioned that he draws inspiration from the African National Congress (ANC) without elaborating further. During the 1980s, when the ANC was prohibited, they initiated a covert operation known as Operation Vula to secretly bring exiled members back into the country and maintain contact with imprisoned leaders like Nelson Mandela. The ANC consisted of diverse groups united by their shared goal of dismantling apartheid, much like the Rebel Alliance in the show Andor.

Season 1, Episode 10

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I must say one monologue that truly resonates is Luthen’s heartfelt speech in “Andor” Season 1, Episode 10, titled “One Way Out.” In a clandestine gathering, ISB defector Lonni Jung voices her struggles with maintaining a dual identity and queries Luthen about the costs of rebellion. His honest response is that it demands his inner tranquility and emotional bonds – essentially, everything he cherishes – and he may not even live to see the Empire’s downfall.

Gilroy frequently looks to the Russian Revolution as a wellspring of motivation. Although he hasn’t explicitly cited it, several spectators speculate that Luthen’s stirring speech might have been influenced by Sergey Nechayev’s 1869 manifesto, titled “Catechism of a Revolutionary.” The initial passages share a striking resemblance in sentiment, stating, “The revolutionary is a condemned man. He has no personal interests, no concerns, feelings, connections, possessions, or even a name of his own. His entire existence is consumed by one objective, one idea, one passion – the revolution.

The revolutionary is a person wholly committed to revolution, abandoning all personal interests, relationships, possessions, and even personal identity in pursuit of this single cause. He stands opposed to the existing social order and civilization, rejecting its laws, customs, morals, and etiquette as he seeks to dismantle it.
In essence, the revolutionary is a singularly focused individual who has cut himself off from the established world to bring about its destruction.
-Sergey Nechayev, Catechism of a Revolutionary

Season 1, Episode 12

At the close of Season 1, events culminate dramatically as they honor the passing of Cassian’s adoptive mother Maarva. Despite the Empire’s vigilance, locals carry her memorial stone down Rix Road. Prior to this, a recording of Maarva’s voice echoes, urging them to resist the Empire. An Imperial officer attempts to halt the message, but this provokes a riot. In the ensuing chaos, Cassian manages to free Bix and flee with additional companions.

Gilroy acknowledges that the band took its inspiration from the New Orleans second-line funeral processions, where traditionally, friends of the deceased would pay tribute by shooting guns over their coffins and donning masks. On occasion, these acts led to confrontations with law enforcement. For instance, at the funeral for James Lynagh in 1987, officers attempted to apprehend masked attendees, but they were met with resistance from the mourners.

Season 2, Episode 1

In the commencement of “Andor” Season 2, I find myself seated amongst esteemed Imperial officers, summoned by Director Orson Krennic for a clandestine gathering. The subject at hand? A top-secret endeavor involving Ghorman, a planet harboring a vital resource essential to Emperor Palpatine’s “energy project.” However, the extraction of this resource could potentially annihilate the planet and stir up its native inhabitants. Consequently, Krennic seeks our counsel in devising a plausible justification for taking control.

Several suggestions are put forth, primarily focusing on manipulating public opinion through propaganda and inciting a violent uprising across the galaxy to vilify Ghorman.

1942 saw Gilroy verifying that Nazi officials were devising the specifics of what came to be known as the Final Solution. In a chilling parallel, the Empire’s tactics towards Ghorman bear some resemblance to those employed against Jewish people by the Nazis. This includes the use of propaganda to manipulate public sentiment. However, it’s important to note that unlike the Nazi goal of annihilating an entire race, the Empire isn’t aiming to eradicate the Ghorman people. Instead, they are exploiting the planet’s resources to construct the Death Star, a weapon capable of obliterating entire planets with a single blast.

Season 2, Episodes 1-3

In its second season, Andor finds Cassian and his companions residing secretly on the farming world of Mina-Rau. Meanwhile, Cassian is off on a mission, leaving Bix, Brasso, and Wilmon Paak in a precarious situation since they’re there without the necessary documents and are breaking the law. An Imperial officer named Lieutenant Krole arrives unannounced for an inspection, exploiting their vulnerability to pressure Bix into romantic advances. However, when she rejects him, he tries to rape her, but Bix manages to defend herself and ends up killing him during the scuffle.

It’s clear that the Mina-Rau subplot in Gilroy’s work seems to draw heavily from the struggles faced by undocumented migrants in the United States. The depiction of an agricultural planet dependent on migrant workers mirrors real-life scenarios. Moreover, a Human Rights Watch article from 2021 highlights abuses against migrants by agents and Customs and Border Protection officers, and these allegations align strikingly with Bix’s portrayed experiences.

Season 2, Episodes 4-8

Even though Andor has a rich Star Wars background, it marks the debut of a live-action series delving into the planet Ghorman. As the Imperial regime subtly strengthens its hold on this serene world under false pretenses, the indigenous people establish their own resistance faction, known as the Ghorman Front, to resist. Regrettably, they unwittingly aid the Empire when the ISB manipulates a conflict between rebels and Imperials, leading to violent clashes.

The hidden-camera footage from Andor reveals that the creative team drew significant influence from France while crafting Ghorman. They intentionally echoed the spirit of the French Resistance in World War II, as seen by the Ghorman characters being portrayed by French actors, the Ghorman language being modeled after French phonetics, and their march through the streets before the massacre, accompanied by a patriotic Ghorman song. This sequence resembles the 1943 parade in Oyonnax, France, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, where Resistance fighters sang “La Marseillaise.

Season 2, Episode 8

The Ghorman Uprising commences with a massive protest in the capital city, Palmo. Demonstrators who oppose the Imperial rule, such as members from the Ghorman Coalition, march through the streets, waving Ghorman flags and shouting, “We are Ghorm! The galaxy is observing!” They proceed towards Palmo Plaza, where they will confront Imperial soldiers and KX robots.

It’s clear that many people have picked up on this: The protesters in Ghorman are echoing a well-known protest slogan, “The world is watching.” This phrase has been shouted in numerous protests spanning history and contemporary times, but it gained significant popularity among anti-Vietnam War demonstrators outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention. These protesters braved severe police violence, some of which was televised to a wide audience. The chant resurfaced during the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011 and again at the 2024 DNC among pro-Palestine demonstrators.

2025-05-18 01:09

8 Real-Life Movements That Inspired Andor’s Riveting Rebel Battles