In “Sagrona Teema,” the separation of class and who is endangered during the rebellion becomes clear
While episode 1 of Andor season 2 sets the foundation for various problems, episode 2 explicitly demonstrates who is at risk when taking direct action against the Empire—the undocumented, the worker, the person of color. Following in the footsteps of season 1, this season not only continues to examine how a galactic empire would function but also turns a critical eye to how the opposition to empire functions. In these first three episodes, culminating with “Harvest” (more in my next post), a clear critique of leftist opposition rises.
This critical look comes from the juxtaposition of Mon Mothma on Chandrila with Bix on Mina-Rau. In season 1, I appreciated Genevieve O’Reilly’s portrayal of Mothma, but this season, she’s truly hit her stride as she hosts a three-day wedding for her daughter. Long shots show her talking with guests before slipping into her role as a funder of the rebellion all while navigating the guilt of her teenage daughter being wed to a stranger, which Mothma agreed to in order to help Luthen.
One of the guests is Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), who Mothma worked with in season 1 in order to hide some financial blemishes as she funnels money to Luthen and the rebellion. At first, Tay seemed totally dedicated to the cause—and with a bit of a crush on Mothma, possibly. Now, his wife has divorced him, and he seems to have soured with Mothma—or at least think he deserves more attention, however that might be interpreted.
This lavish party is juxtaposed with Brasso, Bix, and Wilmon on Mina-Rau, where the Empire has arrived to audit the farming groups, including arresting undocumented farm workers. In solidarity with his workers, the grain farmer tries to help Brasso and the others figure out how to escape Imperial detection in hopes of furthering the rebellion’s mission.
While Mothma may have to deal with Tay’s indelicate advances for more attention, Bix finds herself cornered by an Imperial officer asking her out on a date. Even though she claims her husband will be returning to the planet soon, that doesn’t seem to deter the officer. As an undocumented, migrant worker, Bix’s position is far more dangerous than Mothma’s. The interweaving of the stories of these two women both working for the rebellion reflect the often real-world implications of who is most endangered during times of protest and revolt. While Mothma stands to lose much, her precarity does not represent the same risk that Bix, an undocumented woman of color, is taking.
While I often find myself caught up in the plot and minute political commentary of Andor, this first arc also has beautiful visual storytelling. Mon Mothma’s home filled with lavishly dressed guests is bright and decadent in color and saturation compared to Brasso, Bix, and Wilmon’s current home, where the shots are less saturated, the skies grayer, and the uniformity of wheat dulls the view. Both storylines are full of life as well as secrecy. Where Brasso, Bix, and Wilmon have lovers, friends, and community, some of who know about their illicit activity, Mothma finds herself alienated while surrounded by people.
These two communal storylines further juxtapose with one of my favorite aspects of Andor: showrunner Tony Gilroy’s continued dedication to making the Empire less cool. In this episode, it’s revealed that Dedra Meero is living with Syril Karn (played by Kyle Soller). While their relationship is hinted as a possibility at the end of season 1, I was still surprised to see them living together. In her totally white and devoid of character apartment, she and Syril reunite after her work trip to learn about the Ghorman plan. It is the most awkward and purposefully cringe interaction of the show.
In my next post about the third episode, “Harvest,” I’ll write more about the importance of portraying the Empire as an empire, but for now, I was reminded when watching this episode of a video essay, “Fascists will waste your time” by Thought Slime, which reiterates again and again that we need to remember that fascists are, simply, evil losers. I’ve always struggled with how “cool” the Empire appears in much of Star Wars, even while doing evil acts, and Andor was one of the first Star Wars properties to directly confront this idea—at least that I was aware of. I appreciate the continued dedication to this task. Dedra and Syril having a relationship does not detract from how socially broken, awkward, and fascist they are. They have little to no social awareness in addition to being cruel.
The final important plot point in “Sagrona Teema” involves Cassian, who is able to escape the Maya Pei rebels. Their continued infighting and silly arguments have delayed him considerably, which feels especially scary while his friends are facing down the Empire on Mina-Rau. We do get one final hint that the Maya Pei band are going to be important as Cassian finally managed to steal back his ship and fly away—right over the towers of Yavin 4.
POSTED BY: Phoebe Wagner (she/they) is an author, editor, and academic writing and living at the intersection of speculative fiction and environmentalism.
