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'Star Wars' fans find symbolism in the characters, costumes, and architecture of 'Andor' that reveal 'the different ways that fascism imprisons people'

Dec 25, 2022, 16:54 IST
Insider
"Andor" is set before the character becomes a spy for the rebellion.Disney+ / Lucasfilm
  • Fans of the "Star Wars" spinoff "Andor" have dedicated hours to analyzing its symbolism.
  • Some argue the Galactic Empire's fascism can be seen in costumes, characters, and set design.
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Reviewers and fans of the latest "Star Wars" spinoff, "Andor," have found the series rich with symbolism — from character costumes and mannerisms to the doorways they stand in — that one fan said reveals "the different ways fascism imprisons people."

The limited series follows Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, taking viewers through the lead-up to his actions as the star of the 2016 film "Rogue One," and shows how he came to be part of the Rebel Alliance fighting against the authoritarian Galactic Empire.

While George Lucas has long acknowledged that the Empire was inspired by fascism in Nazi Germany, "Andor" fans say the Disney+ show highlights the stakes of the rebels' fight against the Empire in a way that the original "Star Wars" trilogy, now 40+ years old, didn't fully explore.

"I think like when you're 12 the idea of being the chosen one and coming in and saving everybody is so appealing, because that's just where you are with your black and white morality," one superfan named Sam told Insider. "But as you get older, I think you begin to realize that no one's coming to save us but us, and so just the idea that to have a show that shows that these are normal people, they don't have superpowers. They're not fighting with lightsabers, but what they do matters."

Mon Mothma was often depicted behind web-like shapes in her apartment that also formed the outline of cogs representing the Empire.toadlessgirl

Sam runs the Tumblr @toadlessgirl, where she posted a popular analysis of the doorways within "Andor" revealing the creeping fascism of the Empire, especially surrounding the character Mon Mothma. Sam is a researcher and historian whose last name is known to Insider but who has requested it be withheld because she posts, along with "Andor" analysis, private subject matter on her page.

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In her analysis, Sam details the way the cog shape indicative of the Empire is visible throughout the apartment belonging to the character Mon Mothma, a senator secretly aligned with the Rebels. Mothma, she notes, is also frequently depicted through "web-like screens (particularly when conducting rebellion business)" that serve as a visual metaphor for the web of networks and intelligence at the heart of the story.

"The fact that that [cog] symbol is all over her house shows that she's constantly under surveillance and the different ways that fascism imprisons people: that it has the people you will literally imprison and have become a cog in the machine, and then you have people who are metaphorically imprisoned," Sam told Insider, highlighting one particular scene where Mothma appears outlined by the symbol for the Rebel Alliance in her cog-shaped doorway.

Other reviewers have been similarly dedicated to analyzing the architecture of the world created for "Andor," which production designer Luke Hull described to National Geographic as gravitating toward a "Brutalist style."

A doorway within Mon Mothma's apartment reveals the rebel symbol, fans found, showing her dedication to its cause despite the Empire's authoritarian reach closing in on her.toadlessgirl

But eagle-eyed fans say the architecture isn't the only element of visual storytelling that demonstrates the far reach of the Empire. The costumes and physical mannerisms of characters also reveal the way they think and feel about the Empire and its spreading authoritarian rule.

"The first time you meet Syril [Karn, who works with the security force at Preox-Morlana], they talk about that he tailored his uniform to look more like an Empire uniform and it says so much about his character in that one moment," Sam told Insider.

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NPR reviewer Glen Weldon also noted Karn's "obsession with the aesthetics of fascism" — evidenced by his costuming and character's choice to tailor his clothes — in his glowing review of the series. Patrick Caoile likewise wrote for Collider that Karn's fashion choices have more meaning than meets the eye.

"And I love that multiple times throughout the show they show Mon, as soon as she gets into the car, will loosen her collar," Sam told Insider, arguing that the characters' relation to a tight collar on their costume indicates how comfortable they are feeling with the Empire. "And you constantly see Dedra [Meero], when she's frustrated with the people above her at the [Imperial Security Bureau], you constantly see her pulling on her collar."

Screenshot of Syril Karn, depicted by Kyle Soller, in trailer for Disney's "Andor." Karn's costume was seen as evidence of his devotion to the Empire.Andor official trailer

While some may argue that the clues seen by fans are coincidental or unintentional additions made by the filmmakers, Sam says that every bit of "Andor" felt intentional and offered a deeper understanding of the show's main themes of the importance of resistance — and holding on to hope in the face of fascism.

As he worked on set creating the details fans like Sam were searching for, Hull told National Geographic his focus was on creating a realistic feeling to the planets of "Andor," highlighting the parallels between the current tumultuous political climate — where experts warn totalitarianism is on the rise — and the fantasy world belonging to the characters.

"It's about scale and empire and monochromatic fascism," Hull told National Geographic. "My main goal was to trick people into thinking that they are watching something that could be set in the real world and then remind them that it's 'Star Wars.'"

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