As the second season of Andor unfolds, the critically acclaimed Star Wars prequel continues to peel back the glossy veneer of sci-fi rebellion to reveal something far more chilling and familiar: the normalisation of fascism—not in a galaxy far, far away, but right here on Earth.
This season builds on the show’s already powerful political narrative, depicting a slow-burning rise of authoritarianism that doesn’t rely on cartoonish villains, but on bureaucracy, propaganda, and fear. It’s a bold reflection of the subtle and systemic erosion of democracy, eerily resonant with current events in the United States.
What Andor does masterfully is show how ordinary citizens become complicit in oppressive systems—not because they are inherently evil, but because compliance becomes easier than resistance. Surveillance expands. Freedoms shrink. Resistance is criminalised. The parallels to U.S. political discourse, particularly in the aftermath of events like January 6, are difficult to ignore.
Showrunner Tony Gilroy doesn’t hold back. Season 2 makes clear that fascism doesn’t emerge overnight. It creeps in through laws framed as “security measures,” through leaders who peddle fear, and through institutions that value order over justice.
For American audiences, Andor serves as both entertainment and warning. Its nuanced storytelling prompts a troubling question: What if the Empire isn’t science fiction anymore?
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