It’s debatable whether the destruction of the Death Star is a military action. Either way, as GenX will remember, the movie CLERKS had the final say, civilian contractors taking on military construction work know the risks!
But by the time we get to Andor the proto-Rebel Alliance are clearly terrorists.
The word terrorist has been used to replace insurgent, rebel, revolutionary or, worst of all, freedom fighter, for about a century. It’s a convenient term for Imperial powers, like the French in Algeria, because it leaves people in no doubt “these are the bad guys”.
Andor is the archetypal frontline terrorist. He basically ticks every box on the “are you a terrorist” list, from stealing state military equipment to assassinating state officials. Mon Mothma’s story arc turns on her realisation that she is primary funding for a terrorist network.
But Andor’s peak terrorist moment comes when Luthen, with the young Kleya, performs a “propaganda of the deed” terrorist bombing against Imperial civilians.
Andor even shows us the original meaning of the word “terrorisme”, the state’s use of violence against a civilian population on Ghorman. Andor refuses to distinguish between terror as rebellion against state power and terror as state power. Maybe its most subversive act.
And of course half of Andor shows us the Imperial Security Buraeau tracking this emergent terrorist cell. Dedra Meero remains firm in her belief that she is on the right side, all the way up to her final bleak moment in the show.
Which is why my guess is we will never see anything else like Andor from Star Wars as long as Disney owns the franchise. I strongly suspect Disney did not understand how political Andor would turn out.
Nation states worldwide are increasingly using the term “terrorist” against their own citizens…
…there are now hundreds of pensioners arrested in the UK for holding signs saying “I Oppose Genocide” + 3 words I can’t repeat without risking arrest!…
…Disney probably isn’t keen on exploring that part of Star Wars again.
Conveniently, Andor was very expensive and dragged fewer eyeballs than the average for Star Wars, so not doing that again is justified by the accounting as well.
We had two seasons showing us what the Star Wars mythos could be. Now it’s back to space wizards and cute baby yodas. Mandoslop and Grogu is the lowest grossing Star Wars ever, but still kind of broke even. Maybe.
Which is why Star Wars is dead…now on the channel 🔗👇👇👇
Damien Walter 