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There are an almost comical amount of characters in the Star Wars universe, the overwhelming majority of which have little impact on the overarching narrative. Andor is built around a character who was promoted from deuteragonist of a prequel to star of his own show, and the series continues to treat bit players well.

Andor is, by leaps and bounds, the most politically conscious and bracingly realistic piece of the Star Wars universe. It moves the long-running duel between the Rebellion and the Empire from science fantasy into the violent struggle of pure human desire for freedom against an oppressive tyrannical regime.

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Andor is the kind of fast-paced narrative that has never really been present in Star Wars. It starts with the humble hero, a former child soldier barely scraping by while seeking out his scattered family, killing two corrupt cops. Within the hour, he's hard at work trying to skip town to avoid incarceration or execution for his morally justified actions. Just a couple of episodes later, he's been convinced to join the Rebels on a do-or-die suicide mission in exchange for enough cash to live in peace. Taking the gig puts Cassian Andor on a team with six hardcore rebels who question his commitment as they fast-track the operation. Andor's new rebel allies could easily be written as dull archetypes or boring non-entities, but the show refuses to allow any part of its narrative to go to waste.

A Rebel troop with an assault rifle in Andor episode 4

The audience is introduced first to Vel, the leader of the operation and the first person to voice the group's concerns about bringing Andor into the fold. In short order, Andor meets Tamaryn, Arvel, Cinta, and Karis. They each take it in turn to point out the fact that including a new stranger in the team is unacceptable. The team has an inside man named Gorn who joins the team's displeasure upon meeting Andor. Their suspicion comes in waves, but, it reaches a fever pitch that forces "Clem" to admit the nature of his partnership. When Andor announces the fact that he's being paid to join the crew, it doesn't change anyone's mind. He only gains trust when he demonstrates competence, but no matter how capable he is, the other Rebels think he's either a liability or a traitor. They don't believe he'll go the distance because they don't see in him the only thing that links the group.

For one reason or another, every Rebel on Aldhani is driven by all-consuming righteous anger. The Rebels don't trust Andor, because anyone who would accept a cash payout to do this job isn't doing it for the right reasons. He may be more capable, more intelligent, more experienced, and more lethal than anyone else on the team, but none of that matters. He might be able to turn a suicide mission into a facile victory, but if he isn't there for the right reasons, he can't be trusted. Each member of the Aldhani mission is willing to die for the cause because the pursuit of freedom is more important to them than anything else. All six of them came to this decision through different means, but each one is key to the character of the Rebellion as a whole.

Vel is the leader of the crew. She states at every turn that she's the one in charge, and she's willing to withhold information from her partners to get the mission done. Like everyone else, she doesn't want Clem around, but she accepts the terms if it'll get the mission done. If she thinks that Clem could blow the mission and cost the team their lives, it doesn't stop her from going ahead. Cinta is a medic, and she's evidently in some kind of relationship with Vel. She's described as the toughest of the group, but she's also the most comparatively decent towards Andor. Little is known about Tamaryn, but he gains the slightest respect for Andor when the mercenary offers advice to help them blend in. Gorn lost his family, granting him the most classic motivation of the group. Perhaps the most interesting duo in the group are Arvel and Karis, who represent important aspects of the show's politics.

Karis Nemik | StarWars.com

Karis is the kindest member of the group. He's the only one to offer a relatively warm welcome to Andor. When he gets a moment to speak to his new cohort, he lets him in on his true passion. Karis has written a manifesto that he believes will eventually lay the groundwork for a new Republic. Arvel, on the other hand, prides himself on being reckless enough to take on the suicide mission. He mocks his friend for his writings with a good-natured vibe, but there's clearly a real difference of opinion between the two. Karis is the kind of radical who reads theory and writes treatises on the nature of representative governance and Arvel is the kind that thinks anything short of terrorism is a half-measure.

Andor, with its crew of rebels, introduce every version of the hero in this struggle. We, the audience, know that Cassian Andor will eventually become as dedicated to the cause as his current crowd, but the show has explored how he'll get there.

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