Andor Showrunner opens on Star Wars Rebels’ minimization to tell a more powerful story

One of the last episodes of Andor Season 2, entitled “Welcome to the Rebellion”, is already greeted as one of the most powerful episodes of the show and rewrites, or at least refers, an important moment from Star Wars Rebels.

In the episode we see Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) Take a position in front of the imperial senate with a speech that incinerates them. Call the lies of the empire on Ghorman, the names of the genocide for what it is and ends with a chilling warning: “The monster that will come for everyone soon is the emperor Palpatine”.

A few moments later, Cassian away from the ISB agents and she went to Yavin 4 to officially join the rebel alliance. It is a compelling and raw moment of the series and … apparently, you joke with Canon.

Fans of Star Wars Rebels It could remember a very different version of this story. In that series, Mon Mothma holds a similar speech while it is transported by the golden squadron, and is transmitted throughout the galaxy. That sequence was once considered the Gospel in the temporal sequence.

But showrunner Tony Gilroy I haven’t seen it as unfair. He said Entertainment Weekly:

“We are diverting the canon. In the fee, it is saved by the golden squadron and the speech they kept in the cartoon, which was a canonical show, [is on that ship]. And Danny is like “Do I have to stick to this speech?” “

So rather than abandoning Rebel Entirely, Gilroy and his brother/co-writer Dan Gilroy He opted to circumvent it, finishing animated events as a second act rather than the only act.

“In a truly subtle way, we are minimizing what they did in Star Wars Rebels, but we are keeping it consistent. We are only saying that you don’t really know the entire story of what happened.”

Essentially, the speech we have seen Andor becomes the catalyst and the Rebel The moment becomes a continuation. According to their logic, Cassian rescues Mon and, subsequently, Luthen Rael organizes his appointment with Gold Squadron, where he gives a second broadcast of his message.

It is a retroactive narrative, but it works because it is emotionally honest and deepens the arch.

Genevieve O’Reillywho really made the role of Mon Mothma, reflects on the power of the scene and on the decision to have Cassian by his side.

“He worked for the rebellion in depth and intrinsically, and it was vital for the rebellion. But it is the moment when Rubicon crosses and she crosses him with Cassian. It was beautiful, who is with him, given where we go to Rogue. But it is that there is no time at that point. There is no hairpin.”

For those who have lost it, here is the complete text of Mon Mothma’s speech:

“Senators, friends, colleagues, allies, opponents, I find you in front of you this morning with a heavy heart. This morning I find myself with a difficult message.

“I think we are in crisis. The distance between what is said and what is known is true has become an abyss. Of all things at risk, the loss of an objective reality is perhaps the most dangerous.”

“The death of truth is the last victory of evil. When the truth leaves us, when we let it slip away, when it is torn from our hands, we become vulnerable to the appetite of any monster screams stronger.

“The taking of this chamber on the truth was finally lost in the square of Ghorman. What happened yesterday, what happened yesterday on Ghorman was a genocide not caused. Yes, genocide. And that truth was exiled from this room.

“And the monster that screams the strongest, the monster we have helped to create, the monster that will come for all soon soon, is the emperor Palpatine.”

Nine episodes in his second season, Andor He continues to impress fans with his strong narrative.

What have you thought of the speech and the canonical round?