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CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 7 

TV Show Review: Birth of a Rebellion – A Sociological Look 
at Andor: A Star Wars Story 

Ian Joaquin Esparza 
Department of Sociology 

California State University, Los Angeles 
 
Very few television shows in modern times showcase the 
dynamics between an oppressive system and people affected by 
these forces of oppression. Even fewer show this social dynamic 
in a relatable, grounded way as it is shown in the show Andor 
(2022). The struggles of a young rebel movement bred from these 
oppressive forces of the galactic empire are displayed in a brutal 
yet relevant way that mirrors real-life rebel causes in our society 
and history. Many themes and social issues highlighted throughout 
the show’s episodic arcs hold much truth and act as important 
social commentaries that spark dialogue about real oppressive 
factors in our own social institutions. In this review, I will focus 
on a few major sociological aspects that I feel are important to 
cover. The forces of colonialism at work, acts of cultural rebellion, 
critiquing the status quo, and mass incarceration are some of the 
key themes throughout Andor showcasing how individuals from 
various backgrounds are socialized due to the colonialistic nature 
of an oppressive regime. A highlight of the show is that it shows 
how individuals from different social statuses react to oppression 
and what steps they take to adapt or resist the societal norms laid 
by the forces of oppression. As much as the themes are important, 
the range of the diverse characters of Andor are the heart and soul 
of the show. Through their points of view, we as an audience are 
compelled to understand how people of different social statuses 
and backgrounds react to oppression and rebellion. The working-
class struggle, what roles the privileged play in these struggles, 
hopeful revolutionaries, and those fighting for a cause that they 
struggle to support. 

 
BEHIND THE SCENES 
The show is created by American screenwriter Tony Gilroy. He is 
known for the spy thriller franchise under the Bourne Series. 
Gilroy also acted as a lead advocate during the recent writers' 
strike, due to the poor treatment and unfair pay to writers in 



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Hollywood, which caused a pause in most Hollywood 
productions. Andor was created for the streaming service Disney+ 
and serves as a prequel to the hit Star Wars Spin-off film Rogue 
One, which was released in 2016 and was heavily worked on by 
Tony Gilroy. Andor strives to create more character depth for 
Cassian Andor, who was a secondary protagonist in Rogue One, 
and other smaller characters featured in the film. This Star Wars 
show received positive critical reception and was nominated for 
numerous Emmys and Golden Globes. It is set to receive a second 
and final season in Spring 2025. 

 
AN UNLIKELY HERO’S JOURNEY 
Andor takes place within the larger Star Wars franchise, 
specifically the events in the show fit in between the movies 
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Episode IV: A New 
Hope (1977). To understand the sociological themes of Andor, I 
must briefly summarize the state of the Star War Timeline. At the 
end of Revenge of the Sith, the Star Wars galaxy’s fair Republic 
reformatted into a sinister Galactic empire. During this transition, 
the Empire conducted a genocide on the peacekeeping Jedi 
Knights. With their religion and culture being outlawed 
throughout the galaxy, the Jedi Order represents Peace and Justice, 
somewhat unconventional for super-powered law enforcement 
individuals. Without the Jedi, the new Galactic Empire could 
impose its will upon the people of the galaxy with little to no 
resistance. Fifteen years after the fall of the Jedi, the galaxy is at a 
tipping point. The sinister motives of the Galactic Empire are in 
full effect across the galaxy, with some individuals having had 
enough of living under this umbrella of oppression. Andor follows 
a rogue protagonist named Cassian Andor as he experiences 
firsthand the oppression nature of the Empire and the birth of a 
rebellion that he will eventually give his life for. 

Star Wars broadly tells the tale of good vs. evil, and Andor 
further expands this general concept to a more mature audience. 
Often when watching one can forget that this is a show taking 
place in the Star Wars universe with its mature themes. The 
opening act shows Cassian visiting a brothel, where his motive is 
revealed to find his long-lost sister. After he leaves the brothel, he 
is stopped by two corporate security officers (or “corpos”). The 



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altercation ends with Cassian accidentally killing one of the 
corpos with him murdering the other. Cassian is forced to flee the 
scene and this altercation with the forces of oppression leads him 
toward a path of rebellion. As a wanted man, Cassian manipulates 
and uses his friends to survive a galaxy under the oppressive rule 
of an empire. Throughout the duration of the show, Cassian 
evolves from a common criminal and a con man to a revolutionary 
and leader. It goes to show that Cassian is not your typical hero, 
he is forced to act and survive circumstances that he does not 
really have control over.  

 
COLONIALISM IN SPACE 
The acts of colonialism are highlighted throughout the many arcs 
in the show's duration. The concept of “Colonialism refers to the 
direct political control of a society and its people by a foreign 
ruling state . . . The ruling state monopolizes political power and 
keeps the subordinated society and its people in a legally inferior 
position. But colonialism has had significant cultural, social, and 
economic correlates and ramifications” (Go 2007:1). These 
corporate security forces act as an extension of the Empire which 
displays a form of colonialism. The Empire employs this 
corporation’s services to enforce their rule upon colony planets 
such as Cassian’s home planet Ferrix. When we are first 
introduced to Ferrix we see how deeply rooted the community is 
grounded. It is a lively place until the empire takes over. 
Colonialism is showcased in multiple different scenarios, but it is 
displayed openly on the planet Ferrix, which serves as a hub-world 
where we see the Empire’s colonialist nature slowly take over the 
planet. It starts off with the corporate security rule and ends with 
the planet becoming occupied by Imperial forces. Livelihoods are 
crushed, citizens imprisoned, and stormtroopers march the streets 
of Ferrix. A once independent working world now faces the 
consequences of becoming an Imperial colony. Additionally, we 
see the aftermath of colonial exploitation in Cassian’s birth planet 
Kenria. Abandoned mining equipment with dialogue suggesting 
that the planet went through a disastrous environmental situation 
that led to the planet becoming hazardous. 

 
 



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CHARACTER MOTIVATIONS 
As much as Cassian is the main protagonist, the supporting 
characters are as equally as important as Cassian’s role in this Star 
Wars story. Andor shows a diverse range of characters that are 
differently affected by the oppressive nature of the Empire; some 
embrace it and many rebel against it. There are more characters 
than I can feature in this review, but I will explain two who play 
the most important roles in connection to the sociological nature 
of society under the Galactic Empire. Each is on a different end of 
the spectrum that represents how one is shaped and influenced in 
such a society. 

First off is Syril Karn, an over-achieving, by-the-book 
corporate officer who leads the initial effort to hunt down Cassian. 
Syril believes that the system works, he represents those who fully 
trust the government and believes that those in power can do no 
wrong. But there is a side to him that is extreme, where he sees his 
superiors as lazy, and he takes matters into his own hands. Syril 
believes in the system and will do whatever it takes to uphold the 
system. A sort of blind devotion that drives Syril. He can be seen 
as a representation of younger members of alt-right movements. 
Even when the very system he supports punishes him and 
disregards him, Syril’s blind devotion to the empire makes him a 
dangerous extremist, which leads to fascist tendencies. Syril is 
helping a system that does not even care about him and his belief 
that if he helps the empire in any way he can to gain favor might 
lead to his end.   

Another important rebellious figure in Andor is Mon 
Mothma. She is an Imperial senator but secretly funds rebel 
movements. Mothma understands the power that comes with her 
privileges and seeks to use them for a cause that does not oppress. 
Mothma is a deep-cut Star Wars character who originally made 
her first appearance in Return of the Jedi. Diehard Star Wars fans 
will recognize her as the future leader of the rebel alliance. But at 
this point during the events of Andor, we find her at her most 
vulnerable. Mothma, due to her social status, struggles to 
understand the necessary steps to fight the empire. She has lived 
through a luxurious and comfortable life while becoming a 
prestigious senator, though she does acknowledge the injustices of 
the Empire. Mothma also faces her own oppression, due to the 



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culture of her home world, such as arranged marriages, which 
causes conflict in Mothma’s life between her and her daughter. 
Mothma is in an unfulfilling arranged marriage that has caused her 
to become disillusioned over the practice and gives her a counter-
cultural feeling toward it. But her daughter embraces it, following 
the traditional trap of cultural norms. Mothma is so caught up with 
her duties that it takes time away from her being a mother, and the 
relationship between the two is strained in a way similar to how 
families today can feel separated due to holding different ideals 
on social issues. One of the most important scenes with Mothma 
is during a meeting with a shady businessman where Mothma 
needs his services to adequately fund the rebellion, but the cost is 
high: an arranged marriage between her daughter and the 
businessman's son. Mothma knows that her daughter will 
wholeheartedly embrace this tradition, but it is something that 
Mothma does not want her daughter to go through, especially 
since these arranged marriages are implied to happen when these 
individuals are pre-teens to teenagers. However, Mothma realizes 
that she must do whatever it takes to fight the empire, even at the 
cost of her daughter’s freedom; personal sacrifices must be made 
for the greater good, and rebellions always come at a cost. Also, it 
is important to note that the Empire’s CIA equivalent is spying on 
Mothma and suspects her of rebellious motives. Mothma faces 
oppression on levels only accessible to her status, and she risks 
losing everything that makes her comfortable for a cause that goes 
against the very system that gives her comfortability. 

Every character faces their own rebellion and becomes a 
rebel in their own way, though how they rebel can depend on their 
social status and experiences of socialization. Socialization “is the 
process through which we can learn not only cultural beliefs and 
social rules, but also the underlying structure or grammar that 
enables us to behave individually, organically, and seemingly 
spontaneously” (O’Brien 2017:135) and can be used to describe 
the dynamic between individuals and the institutions with which 
they are involved. From people with privileged upbringings 
funding causes through the safety of their status to the common 
criminal that finds it necessary to rebel for their own survival. The 
way a society operates enables certain individuals to act or react 
accordingly, whether it be to work their way up the system or work 



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to dismantle it. Cassian becomes a rebel due to necessity, Syril 
commits acts of rebellion to uphold the system he believes in, and 
Mothma rebels due to her acknowledgment that her privilege 
enables her to help those in need. Through the different 
perspectives of social classes shown in Andor, we see how people 
from different social backgrounds react to an oppressive system.  
 
CONCLUSION 
Andor doesn’t shy away from the brutal social commentary that 
enables sociological dialogue. Often throughout the show, we see 
rather realistic depictions of oppressive forces at work. Through 
the many social issues and crises in our society, Andor acts as a 
piece of media that helps to showcase these acts of social injustice 
by incorporating an already well-known franchise to engage the 
audience in the story. There are many other sociological aspects 
within the show that may serve as an introduction to sociology for 
the general audience, as well as a form of mass media that may 
help the audience create correlations to aspects of our society. I 
highly recommend viewing this show to gain some modern 
representation of sociological knowledge! 

 
REFERENCES 

Gilroy, Tony. 2022. Andor. Lucasfilm. Disney. 
Go, Julian. 2007. “Colonialism (Neocolonialism).” The Blackwell 

Encyclopedia of Sociology. Edited by George Ritzer. John Wiley & 
Sons, Ltd. 

O’Brien, Jodi. 2017. “The Production of Reality: Essays and Readings on 
Social Interaction 6th Edition.” Los Angeles: SAGE. 


	TV Show Review: Birth of a Rebellion – A Sociological Look at Andor: A Star Wars Story - Ian Joaquin Esparza



