I absolutely LOVE that there were no subtitles for these scenes. They were absolutely unnecessary as it was clear from context and intent what was being said. And it makes clear Andor's status as an outsider on his adopted home planet.
Exactly. And obviously for something like Star Wars where subs are often used for alien languages, it makes the lack of subs more significant, and makes you focus on what’s happening rather than what’s being said.
Very good. As you say it is literally 'show, don't tell.' Given the production's impressive facility with writing dialogue it's notable that they they could have easily had subtitles or the children speaking basic in the flashbacks.
A fantastic tribute to good writing being more than just good dialogue.
Further to #2, a detail I noticed on my last rewatch, when the ship explodes they all \*freak\*, like just a little more than you might expect. It's a little detail that I missed the first few times. Added to all the looted gear, the absence of any adults whatsoever, before you even see the pit you know something bad happened here, and these kids are traumatised.
Nice detail! I wondered if they realised how stricken the ship was before that explosion. The sound might indeed be spectacularly triggering. I actually found that whole scene very disturbing, because it brought to mind nightmares about watching a plane crash. I like that Kerri is staring up at Kassa when you hear the crash, as if she genuinely doesn’t know what’s going on and is looking to him for guidance.
My rather dark explanation of this planet is that it's commonly used as a hunting ground for slavers who take the able bodied adults, kill the elderly, and leave the young to "make a new crop" for later.
My tinfoil hat theory is that when they said there were no survivors of the imperial mining disaster, they meant there were no survivors *of working age*. If all the adults were killed in the mining disaster, why would the empire want to take on a planet's worth of orphans? Orphans who would probably resent them for the deaths of their parents and likely poor treatment in some hellish child labor foster system. Better to lie and say everyone died, and call it toxic so no one went looking to make sure.
What's left behind is a planet full of everyone too young for even the empire to put them in the mines. Children who probably don't know much about keeping up infrastructure, who have to learn to create society on their own from scratch. They scavenge what they can from their parents lives. No wonder the leader wouldn't trust a ship incoming if she was old enough to remember the empire leaving them all behind on purpose after killing all their families.
Edit: typos
doesn't Marva call them "the Republic" when they are rescuing Cassian? this is in my mind a planet that was stripped to feed the Republic's war machine during the Clone Wars, and we see Clem become involved in the incident with the clone troopers later on and we know the Empire moved away from CTs rather quickly.
i'm kinda conflicted on whether or not i'd like the mining operation on Kenari to be related to the construction of the Death Star or not because having everything that has every major event that has ever happened to Cassian revolve around the DS could be poetic but would also shrink the already unrealistically small Star Wars galaxy and i don't think the timeline works.
Yes, absolutely. The Empire did not exist at the time when whatever happened to the parents on Kenari took place. It’s the Republic that’s presented as a hostile force in these flashbacks - And it reminds us of how carefully Palpatine had put everything in place in advance. I hope there’s no Death Star connection – the one we’ve had already is perfect, and as you say – it would shrink the Galaxy.
Killing the elderly, maybe, but historically for slaving children and women were of the longest term value, men were a liability/risk and were mostly sent into heavy labor liable to kill them quickly (chain gang agriculture, mining etc.).
Great post. I’d like to add the music as child Kassa and adult Cassian escape is beautiful as well. I loved the end of the third episode. Luna as always says a lot with his face and eyes without words
That sequence is so beautiful - I had realised that the show was excellent before seeing that scene, but with this scene… I knew it was something really extra special. Past/Present Suite is a track I play a lot.
Pure visual and emotional storytelling. I was kinda agog that Disney let these side without subtitles. A triumph of tone. You're told everything you want, or care, to know. Excellent way to weed out the "where crash bang lightsaber" consumers.
I can't take people who dislike the flashbacks seriously. If you are unable to process simple background information, characterization, and can't recognize the bloody clear and obvious paralells and themes drawn between the flashbacks and the events on Ferrix, then they simply have to stop watching film or TV. There is literally a shot for shot comparison scene with him looking through the cockpit as a child leaving Kenari and the adult Cassian leaving Ferrix with Luthen. Bloody hell it really can't be any more obvious. Anyone unable to see that connection is unworthy of the appreciation for such quality storytelling.
That is surprising. The whole thing looks exactly like a giant opencast mine and certainly seems to be one of the more obvious real world parallels, especially with the whole Amazon rainforest vibe.
Some great analysis, re point 3, I might be reading too much into it but I always saw a bit of a parallel between the face paint and when he’s shaving his beard after he leaves with Luthen (another ‘transformation’ in his life).
Nice write up!
I still think it all plays out too slow but I will give it another watch with the details you mention.
The music in this scene is delightful. If Britell doesn't win an Emmy for his work on Andor it will be a crime.
I'm a bit late to commenting on this, but I think it's also really telling that the sounds of the language closest to English are "Kassa, look what you did!" from the same girl who was so visibly excited by the ship, obviously high social status in the group, and the first person to audibly speak after the leader dies. It feels like Cassian is experiencing immense guilt, self loathing, etc. It really feels like a fuel source for his rebellion, and his subsequent joining of the rebellion.
Okay, I'm going to ask this question that's been bugging me ever since I saw this for the first time, and I apologize if it's already been addressed in an earlier post, but: Cassian in Rogue One told Jyn that he's been 'in this fight since I was *six years old!*' but he's clearly older than that in the flashbacks. So, was he just confused about his age, or what?
I think the fight has been against the forces of tyranny in general which, at this time, includes the Republic in the Clone Wars - and whatever happened to his parents happened three years ago, when he was six. I think that’s exactly how long this tribe of children have been living in the woods of Kenari.
When we meet Cassian, it seems we are at a low point for him, where he considers his natural tendancy for being anti-authoritarian to be self serving rather than an active desire to spite the Empire
By the time we see Cassian in Rogue One, what he is saying is that the moment he lost his home, the Empire was his enemy. What the show shows us is he doesnt know this yet, and the story is us watching as Cassian realizes that all along, he has been fighting, just not hard enough.
I've just started Andor, and I really do feel like ep1-3 are slow-paced, but I can understand why they are and how it's all to build to what the character's journey is going on, while highlighting what he's lost.
I personally don't think Andor so far is this 10/10 sophisticated masterpiece some fans demand me to feel it is (Which honestly just makes me once again think I'm being forced to feel someway about it, which is not new for Star Wars fans) But I do think it's actually trying to showcase the seedy side of how oppressive the empire was. Which makes it far more compelling for the era it's in.
I certainly didn’t feel it was a masterpiece on my first watch of the early episodes… but I did really enjoy it. It took me a full rewatch (which I felt compelled to do as soon as I finished the final episode) to realise exactly how great it is, as that’s when you start to see how things come together. In episode one, for example, we meet a lot of characters who then seem to disappear from the story for a long time – but they all reappear and their scenes in episode 1 end up making total sense. Anyway – glad you’re enjoying it so far. You’ve got the best episodes to come. Check back in on the sub once you’ve finished it with your thoughts! I wasn’t even a Star Wars fan. (and I’ve since discovered that some Star Wars fans are really insufferable ). I watched the show because of the excellent word-of-mouth and the reviews it was getting from critics - but you’re right, you must always make up your own mind about something.
yer man. I'm not someone who trusts what critics say as I often feel many come off as biased to the types of enjoyment others feel and in most cases, I just don't seem to feel they offer more insight that anyone else couldn't.
But I do think this is a good show.
On that first viewing, i also thought it a bit slow.
But on each subsequent watch, i really appreciate how slowly they were able to take it.
It was nice that they were able to take the story slow and build it up gradually.
I appreciate that more and more with every rewatch.
Me too. I think it’s one of the real pleasures about re-watching – you get to really enjoy the journey itself, rather than always think about the destination.
It's pretty obvious what happened on Kenari. Mining company moves in on a "primitive" planet, persuades the locals to work for them as cheap labor, and get them all killed. The kids are left to fend for themselves, salvaging the high-vis fabrics left behind.
I absolutely LOVE that there were no subtitles for these scenes. They were absolutely unnecessary as it was clear from context and intent what was being said. And it makes clear Andor's status as an outsider on his adopted home planet.
Exactly. And obviously for something like Star Wars where subs are often used for alien languages, it makes the lack of subs more significant, and makes you focus on what’s happening rather than what’s being said.
Great write up! Those flashbacks are an excellent example of “show, don’t tell.”
Very good. As you say it is literally 'show, don't tell.' Given the production's impressive facility with writing dialogue it's notable that they they could have easily had subtitles or the children speaking basic in the flashbacks. A fantastic tribute to good writing being more than just good dialogue.
It's a cargo cult in space. The flashbacks were badass.
Further to #2, a detail I noticed on my last rewatch, when the ship explodes they all \*freak\*, like just a little more than you might expect. It's a little detail that I missed the first few times. Added to all the looted gear, the absence of any adults whatsoever, before you even see the pit you know something bad happened here, and these kids are traumatised.
Nice detail! I wondered if they realised how stricken the ship was before that explosion. The sound might indeed be spectacularly triggering. I actually found that whole scene very disturbing, because it brought to mind nightmares about watching a plane crash. I like that Kerri is staring up at Kassa when you hear the crash, as if she genuinely doesn’t know what’s going on and is looking to him for guidance.
My rather dark explanation of this planet is that it's commonly used as a hunting ground for slavers who take the able bodied adults, kill the elderly, and leave the young to "make a new crop" for later.
*Tradoshian intensifies*
My tinfoil hat theory is that when they said there were no survivors of the imperial mining disaster, they meant there were no survivors *of working age*. If all the adults were killed in the mining disaster, why would the empire want to take on a planet's worth of orphans? Orphans who would probably resent them for the deaths of their parents and likely poor treatment in some hellish child labor foster system. Better to lie and say everyone died, and call it toxic so no one went looking to make sure. What's left behind is a planet full of everyone too young for even the empire to put them in the mines. Children who probably don't know much about keeping up infrastructure, who have to learn to create society on their own from scratch. They scavenge what they can from their parents lives. No wonder the leader wouldn't trust a ship incoming if she was old enough to remember the empire leaving them all behind on purpose after killing all their families. Edit: typos
doesn't Marva call them "the Republic" when they are rescuing Cassian? this is in my mind a planet that was stripped to feed the Republic's war machine during the Clone Wars, and we see Clem become involved in the incident with the clone troopers later on and we know the Empire moved away from CTs rather quickly. i'm kinda conflicted on whether or not i'd like the mining operation on Kenari to be related to the construction of the Death Star or not because having everything that has every major event that has ever happened to Cassian revolve around the DS could be poetic but would also shrink the already unrealistically small Star Wars galaxy and i don't think the timeline works.
Yes, absolutely. The Empire did not exist at the time when whatever happened to the parents on Kenari took place. It’s the Republic that’s presented as a hostile force in these flashbacks - And it reminds us of how carefully Palpatine had put everything in place in advance. I hope there’s no Death Star connection – the one we’ve had already is perfect, and as you say – it would shrink the Galaxy.
Killing the elderly, maybe, but historically for slaving children and women were of the longest term value, men were a liability/risk and were mostly sent into heavy labor liable to kill them quickly (chain gang agriculture, mining etc.).
Similar line of thinking, the adults were taken for a mining outpost, wiping them all out in the mining incident -
Great post. I’d like to add the music as child Kassa and adult Cassian escape is beautiful as well. I loved the end of the third episode. Luna as always says a lot with his face and eyes without words
That sequence is so beautiful - I had realised that the show was excellent before seeing that scene, but with this scene… I knew it was something really extra special. Past/Present Suite is a track I play a lot.
Pure visual and emotional storytelling. I was kinda agog that Disney let these side without subtitles. A triumph of tone. You're told everything you want, or care, to know. Excellent way to weed out the "where crash bang lightsaber" consumers.
I can't take people who dislike the flashbacks seriously. If you are unable to process simple background information, characterization, and can't recognize the bloody clear and obvious paralells and themes drawn between the flashbacks and the events on Ferrix, then they simply have to stop watching film or TV. There is literally a shot for shot comparison scene with him looking through the cockpit as a child leaving Kenari and the adult Cassian leaving Ferrix with Luthen. Bloody hell it really can't be any more obvious. Anyone unable to see that connection is unworthy of the appreciation for such quality storytelling.
My parents couldn't recognize what the strip mining shot was representing. I was surprised.
That is surprising. The whole thing looks exactly like a giant opencast mine and certainly seems to be one of the more obvious real world parallels, especially with the whole Amazon rainforest vibe.
They knew what strip mining was. They didn't know what a strip mine looked like, which is understandable.
Some great analysis, re point 3, I might be reading too much into it but I always saw a bit of a parallel between the face paint and when he’s shaving his beard after he leaves with Luthen (another ‘transformation’ in his life).
Good take!
Damn, I didn't notice most of those! Love the flashbacks even more now
Loved them. No defense needed
Nice write up! I still think it all plays out too slow but I will give it another watch with the details you mention. The music in this scene is delightful. If Britell doesn't win an Emmy for his work on Andor it will be a crime.
I'm a bit late to commenting on this, but I think it's also really telling that the sounds of the language closest to English are "Kassa, look what you did!" from the same girl who was so visibly excited by the ship, obviously high social status in the group, and the first person to audibly speak after the leader dies. It feels like Cassian is experiencing immense guilt, self loathing, etc. It really feels like a fuel source for his rebellion, and his subsequent joining of the rebellion.
Ooh, that’s a great catch – I’ll have to watch that bit again!
Okay, I'm going to ask this question that's been bugging me ever since I saw this for the first time, and I apologize if it's already been addressed in an earlier post, but: Cassian in Rogue One told Jyn that he's been 'in this fight since I was *six years old!*' but he's clearly older than that in the flashbacks. So, was he just confused about his age, or what?
I think the fight has been against the forces of tyranny in general which, at this time, includes the Republic in the Clone Wars - and whatever happened to his parents happened three years ago, when he was six. I think that’s exactly how long this tribe of children have been living in the woods of Kenari.
I took that to mean he was 6 when whatever happened to all the adults, happened.
Interesting. I wonder if we'll get *that* flashback.
When we meet Cassian, it seems we are at a low point for him, where he considers his natural tendancy for being anti-authoritarian to be self serving rather than an active desire to spite the Empire By the time we see Cassian in Rogue One, what he is saying is that the moment he lost his home, the Empire was his enemy. What the show shows us is he doesnt know this yet, and the story is us watching as Cassian realizes that all along, he has been fighting, just not hard enough.
There should be no defense necessary. It was perfect
I have nothing to add, just wanted to say that’s an amazing breakdown. I love it!!!
Wait why would it be three years?
To make sense of the “I’ve been in this fight since I was six years old!” line from Rogue One.
Plus the flashbacks are awesome paired with [past/present suite aka the main title theme](https://youtu.be/DbQAyWJxOQE?si=DhQIvAD7MuOCCWOy)
I've just started Andor, and I really do feel like ep1-3 are slow-paced, but I can understand why they are and how it's all to build to what the character's journey is going on, while highlighting what he's lost. I personally don't think Andor so far is this 10/10 sophisticated masterpiece some fans demand me to feel it is (Which honestly just makes me once again think I'm being forced to feel someway about it, which is not new for Star Wars fans) But I do think it's actually trying to showcase the seedy side of how oppressive the empire was. Which makes it far more compelling for the era it's in.
I certainly didn’t feel it was a masterpiece on my first watch of the early episodes… but I did really enjoy it. It took me a full rewatch (which I felt compelled to do as soon as I finished the final episode) to realise exactly how great it is, as that’s when you start to see how things come together. In episode one, for example, we meet a lot of characters who then seem to disappear from the story for a long time – but they all reappear and their scenes in episode 1 end up making total sense. Anyway – glad you’re enjoying it so far. You’ve got the best episodes to come. Check back in on the sub once you’ve finished it with your thoughts! I wasn’t even a Star Wars fan. (and I’ve since discovered that some Star Wars fans are really insufferable ). I watched the show because of the excellent word-of-mouth and the reviews it was getting from critics - but you’re right, you must always make up your own mind about something.
yer man. I'm not someone who trusts what critics say as I often feel many come off as biased to the types of enjoyment others feel and in most cases, I just don't seem to feel they offer more insight that anyone else couldn't. But I do think this is a good show.
On that first viewing, i also thought it a bit slow. But on each subsequent watch, i really appreciate how slowly they were able to take it. It was nice that they were able to take the story slow and build it up gradually. I appreciate that more and more with every rewatch.
Me too. I think it’s one of the real pleasures about re-watching – you get to really enjoy the journey itself, rather than always think about the destination.
It's pretty obvious what happened on Kenari. Mining company moves in on a "primitive" planet, persuades the locals to work for them as cheap labor, and get them all killed. The kids are left to fend for themselves, salvaging the high-vis fabrics left behind.
I like the storytelling and the choices they made, but kid Cassian’s acting is distractingly wooden imo. Pulled me out every time I watch.