It's true, Andor showed just how desperate and rag tag the rebellion truly was.

Don’t forget “The Empire has been choking us so slowly we started not to notice”

I hope Bail Organa debut in Season 2 where he would be working with Mon Mothma the Idealist, Saw Guerrerra the Radicalist and Luthen Rael the Pragmatist as a mediator of the Rebel Alliance.

Luke happened to show up just at the right time, when the Rebellion finally hit a point of maturity to commit open warfare on the Empire after decades built on dirty and unsavory actions to build up a fighting force, while the Empire had literally just committed the most Heinous act in Galactic History with Alderaan. So Luke Lucks\willed by the force to be a massive hero at just the right time lol.

I disagree about Luke being a bored moisture farmer. I think it’s clear that he has a good heart and wants to make a difference for good in his time like any decent person, then finds out that he’s something more than just human, and believes that with such power and abilities that he has a moral responsibility to do good and help the helpless rather than to sit on such great potential and do nothing while people suffer. One doesn’t need to be oppressed to join a rebellion or revolution. If their cause is just and pure one may join because of moral responsibility and convictions.

It’s not bad to be inspired to do great things, but we must remember that we are all flawed human beings.

Luke said he hated the empire. He saw them as evil and wanted to fight them even before his Aunt and Uncle were killed.

I love both sides of this coin, its just there needs to be a whole lot more content with this structure. One side is the old, ww2 grand scale conflict. The new is a gritty, postmodern, cyberpunk, realism. We need characters, no individuals like Andor and Han Solo. In the OG trilogy Han (and here is where ill mention Dash) was shown as the scrappy guy, but he had more piloting skills than luke. Han's main scuff comes from him losing a bet or a debt payment, meanwhile Cassian is worried for his loved ones. It wasnt like that at first, but I think a message from Andor could be that once you wrap around an ideal, never let it go.

Wow. You have my endless respect for calling out the reality of situations. A lot of people get involved in causes without understanding the complexity of the situation.

Andor really did the Rebellion and the Empire the justice both really needed.

I do think it’s important to note that not all rebellions are the same. Some are in fact more just than others. Some are based more on lies than truth and vice versa. They exist on a spectrum. As you noted, not 100% good or evil. I believe the distinction is between what the rebels believe and what the reality is. I also think we simply don’t really know what complexities that brought people to the point of rebellion. Is it a question of media stirring up resentment and hatred, or living daily with the fear your next traffic stop could end your life? And obviously real life can often be a mix. So using critical thinking to be willing to pick a part any “movement,” is wise. But also, sometimes the facts show that a rebellion was justified. That the oppression was very real. That’s not to say rebellion’s are something to jump in to. But sometimes one must weigh if a rebellion is required before it’s too late, even if that means rebelling before one is absolutely pushed into one.

Always felt that part of the reason Star Wars' story resonated so well for people, at least the Rebels Vs Empire half of it, was because it reminded people of Old World War II films, comics and shows where plucky American and British forces triumphed with ingenuity, courage and luck over overwhelming odds presented by the Axis Powers, Like by the time Star Wars came out, a lot of those classic WWII movies like The Dam busters or Where Eagles Dare, and the War Comics were still somewhat in the public consciousness, and people saw the conflict as Space WWII, like the Western cultural memory of World War II was still incredibly strong by 1977, like to me it's pretty clear people tend to identify the rebels more with the RAF during the Battle of Britain or American soldiers fighting the Battle of the Bulge than the Vietcong.

14:22 "I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace." -Thomas Paine "And what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. [...] What signify a few lives lost in a century or two?" -Thomas Jefferson

The portrayal of the rebels in recent Star Wars movies has been excellent in my opinion.

I love Luthen's speech. It's what a soldiers and officers have taught me about war and rebellion from the age of fourteen, and I've been trying to share with people who cheer for violence ever since. There is a steep cost to war.

Being a rebel, it arises from catastrophic imbalances within society which breaks individuals down and ultimately creates rebels from the survivors.

When things get so bad that it comes for everyone then "In the end we all have to chose a side" is true.

I really love your coverage of Star Wars, and as an editorial and critical device (not sure how else to say it). As a professional philosopher I admire the lessons you describe, analyze, interpret, and ultimately evaluate in your thought pieces. Thank you.

do this to Blake's 7 universe, where at the start only Blake was the idealist, stumbling across an alien supership with a crew of outlaws, descending to desperation and paranoia to the inevitable end. The Star Wars rebels win, Blake's rebels lose.

Honestly, it's great how they have showed so many of these struggles in Andor with it's brilliant acting and writing, for example some of my friends love the Empire and ISB scenes and see the rebels as terrorists, whilst others I know see them as freedom fighters.

Not all rebellions are good. The Nazi are a good example, before they grew in power and eventually was taking down. Star Wars lore is also about inspiration towards others to go against what's morally wrong and knowing your fighting for a good cause. Whether it's through stories like books, shows, or films. Even through movements like what Dr Martin Luther King did for equal rights.

I love a channel that doesn't turn a blind eye to the DOLPHIN THREAT!!!!! GO ALLEN!!!!

Andor did such a good job showing the justification of the Rebellion, the Empire is truly horrible and scary in it, also I like how they show the complicated environment rebellion exists in.

Everyone forgets that Dolphins invaded Venice in 2020

Ok it was kind of nice to see someone else acknowledge there in no way he planned Luke and Leia being siblings

I actually love this video. I was watching Rogue 1 the other day with the fact that rebellions are overglorified in mind, and actually disliked the "rebellions are built on hope" line because from what I learned they start because people that start rebellions are hungry and/or angry, so they force change. They are built on hate for injustice (or perceived injustice) more than hope.

Logically the times have changed, the original SW was more idealistical, now we are more realistic/cynical, we know that there's always a shade of gray also in the most noble of men. Naturally the difference btw the "good" guys and the baddies is that the former are haunted by their actions, contrary to the latters that often are really sociopaths (think how was haunting the interrogation of Bix by ISB, they LIKED their job!).

Chirrut Îmwe : "There is more than one sort of prison, Captain. I sense that you carry yours wherever you go."

0:53 That is one of the reason why I like this channel, just going a little deeper than what other channels are doing, I love it and keep it up!!!

Hell of an episode. A lot of wisdom being shared. None of our heros are the paragons of goodness we want to believe they are. History is written by the victor and they naturally paint themselves in the best possible light.

great vids you've been making. appreciate them 🤝🏼

I would also love to see a show touch on the theme that the New Republic is misguided by attempting to revive the Old Republic. The whole idea of a functioning democracy on that scale is flawed. It could never work and this was one of the major causes for the Old Republic to become corrupt and fall.

This guy always loves his morally grey plots.

I tell you…I love your videos. I swear what you say is actual conversations I have with people. Thank you for your voice in this fandom. I’ve come back to it BECAUSE of Andor and the ideas it’s fostered.

Luke trilogy: the documentary Andor: behind the scenes Luke trilogy: the recruitment poster Andor: actual missions

Fantastic video very well done. One of your best. Thank you.

Allen can you do this type of analysis on the modern Disney formula? What is the message that's being sent with all the "babysitter" shows? The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Bad Batch and Omega, and Obi-Wan and little Princess Leia? At first glance one might say it's to draw in really young fans but are little kids recruited by Grogu and little Leia? It seems most of us were more interested in Boba Fett the bounty hunter than Wicket the Ewok. I just imagine the Disney corporate board sitting around trying to decide what the premise of all the Disney shows are going to be and over and over again the "Let's turn the main characters into babysitters." idea keeps getting approved. I really hope a new generation of kids are being drawn into the universe but is this the dynamic that's behind 3 of the shows? Speaking of Boba Fett and marketing; Was the Mod Gang a Disney attempt to recruit the Honda Grom subculture into the Star Wars universe? There's a Wicket action figure but there are no MOD gang or little Princess Leia action figures. What's going on?

I can only hope in the future to make your wish come true and extend my critical thinking skills something that I tried to do on a normal basis.

Allen, Awesome and insightful video! Thank you.

I've been following you for quite a while, and this is your best video so far, great job Allen! I, too, hope that Disney saw the numbers and will keep releasing their SW content in the style of Andor.

If anyone has listened to the Revolutions podcast by Mike Duncan, you see a lot of things he was talking about in the show. He commented a bit on Twitter about Andor.

I believe this is the exact reason why George made the rebellion in the Original Trilogy the good guys, but the separatists in the Prequels the bad guys. They were both fighting for the same thing, just on a different moral compass, showing that a rebellion can be a good thing and a bad thing. Where once there was light, now there is dark. Where once there was dark, now there is light. Edit: i also believe that’s the reason why all of the GREAT Star Wars TV series we have now exist in the grey. The Bad Batch is now a gang of smugglers and bounty hunters, Andor and the people in that realm are all fighting for the same thing as the rebellion in the OT but taking much more risky and dirty actions to get there. We’re bound to have more “grey areas” now than ever before.

Love your stuff, Alan. You go way beyond the surface look so many others settle for, and really make Star Wars something to think deeply about. Keep it up!

The problem with being too early. Not many comments to read. Wonderful Video as always Alan. I just recently subbed because I had been watching your videos consistently for some time now, so I was like "Why not" xD

Wow you really hit it out of the park with one. Great analysis Alan.

Dude I'd love to be able to smoke a blunt with you and discuss this topic. This episode could be an abstract for a philosophy paper. Well done homie.

We need A Gerrera show! (Or a movie) (or maybe even a trilogy!)

Alan knows how to get a point across without offending anyone one side. Takes a special kind of individual who knows how to convey a message in such a way that can make us more appreciative.

Your best video yet and all great points especly the last one that more and more people seem to have fallen into.

You're right. I would add context of the preceding cultural conditions. The idealism in 60s America was bound to evaporate. It is historically accurate, however, that Star Wars specifically reanimated warfare in our zeitgeist.

This is a really concise and thoughtful breakdown of a very complicated topic, big props I love it.

Excellent video. I'm really looking forward to your analysis with all the upcoming series.

one brilliant aspect of the evolution in star wars lore is the acceptance that rebellions are initially supported by a minority of the disaffected - and that the wider acceptance only emerges after the 'oppressor' starts using heavy handed tactics and poor judgement. The US War of Independence only gained popular support when the British (and mercenary auxiliaries) began employing heavy handed measures, the Irish only achieved wide support in their rebellion (1921) when when the British acted similarly. So important is this transition that it is almost always an early and critical goal of the insurgency to achieve an escalation by the ruling government. David Galula [1964] stated that the role of the counter insurgent is always more complex and difficult than that of the insurgent: they don't just need to defeat the insurgent - they need to govern as well. This requires energetic and thoughtful leadership, control of the narrative and judicious use of force without undue compromise of civil liberties. Most authoritarian regimes lack the requisite variety to govern well in peace time let alone when confronted with embarrassing challenges to their power. Galula went on to say that the insurgent's problem set is significant less complex at the outset of a movement - and thus they have a credible advantage in terms of freedom of movement and messaging . If they overload the regime - expose its inadequacies and force it to respond in a ham fisted manner - then the numbers of the disaffected increases and insurgency goes from annoying trouble makers to bold freedom fighters. The writers of Andor seem to know this - hopefully other SW writers will follow suit.

Fuck yeah, this is that good good content, like “good, good, let the social commentary flow through you”

The great thing about Star Wars is that all of the sci-fi and fantasy tropes exist in this Universe. Broad strokes to tell a story that gives up more details upon repeated viewing.

I really love your commentary and it compels me to do something I try to avoid doing, which is the beloved KZfaq comments section essay. One thing I really like about Star Wars is that while the newer iterations are showing some necessary moral ambiguity, which is great, they are not devoid of morals. It is really good for a work of fiction to acknowledge that things aren't always black and white and that morality, bravery, and rationality are not always simple, but I hate it when it resorts to "nothing is good, nothing is evil, we know nothing and can do nothing." Star Wars has struck the correct balance. It can make the characters and the viewer *feel* like nothing matters without implying that nothing actually matters. About rebellion in general and the real world application, I think I can agree with you there. Personally, I feel very rebellious, and I am afraid that the world is going to necessitate a few rebellions soon. In the US and other first world countries, life is tolerable for most, but still the rich and powerful are lining their pockets, consolidating power, and taking our freedoms, and there is no option to slow or stop this process on the ballots. It will not be like this for long. Our world is changing. I am a Christian, and I need teachings like "give to Caesar what is Caesar's" to remind me that Christ's answer to worldly oppression was neither submission nor violent, vindictive defiance. The answer was not to burn down Rome and its corrupt emperors in order to create a new kingdom in its ashes, but to make that new kingdom somewhere else, somewhere beyond the cycles that plague this Earth. That is why he didn't call his disciples to be rebels, but fishers of men. But as for this Earth, there will always be tyrants, and as long as there are tyrants, there will always be rebels. It is as plain and natural as a rattlesnake biting your heel when you step on it. You can debate the ethics and morality of the rattlesnake's actions and whether it was warranted, but regardless, when you step on a rattlesnake, you get bit. We've had no shortage of rattlesnakes and no shortage of men who think they can stomp on them without getting bit.

Honestly, when it comes to rebels in real life, there will always be more people becoming like Saw Guerra than Luke Skywalker. Instead of sticking to be a good person and only becoming a rebel when you have no choice , they instesd become like the Partisans, causing unnecessary violence and destruction, and sometimes going further than that.

Love the rant about thinking!

The single most pivotal character of the whole SW arc is quite possibly Bodhi Rook, the Imperial cargo pilot in Rogue One. His backstory, from becoming a military pilot to flying for secret military programs to being convinced to betray the Empire and deliver the plans of the most powerful weapon to ever threaten the galaxy over to what was considered by both sides a terrorist would be fantastic... and questionably within the imagination of Disney producers.

Love your take on this and all the Andor coverage. I am a huge fan of this new more realistic bent that Star Wars has been taking. I hope it and the challenges it brings with it continue.

"Greatness has to be fought for it is not handed out freely." Absolutely. This is applicable to an individual level as well as a large group or operation like growing a large business or in influence. Be competitive

Thanks for the thoughtful video!

I still can't believe you guys don't have a million subs yet. Hope you get there one day :)

Alan, thank you for reminding the world of the genre called Fables.

The audience wasn't "simpler" then. It was around 12 years old. Lucas always said that this was his main target group.

The classic struggle is not liberty vs. authoritarianism. It's the rulers vs. the average person.

I kind of agree with you on that. Unless a rebellion is needed to rid all corruption in the goverment and military when nothing else will help, then do not try get involved in one that may already be here.

Way to raise the bar! Great work

"FUCK YOU DOLPHINS, FUCK YOU WHALES." - its now canon, thanks GentTEch

Thank you for another excellent video. IMHO, Rogue One and Andor were the best things to ever happen to Star Wars since The Empire Strikes Back.

Once again, your PhD level of Star Wars knowledge, critical thinking, and excellent communication skills shine through in another well thought out subject that gets my mind thinking in ways no other channel on KZfaq is capable. Thanks for all your content and contributions to our fun little community.

Well said. Well done. Thank you.

Thank you for this video

"Who gains the most from rising sea levels if not dolphins?" This is the problem I had with Zelda: Wind Waker. It takes place in a future where all of Hyrule has been covered in one vast ocean, but for some unexplained reason the water-dwelling Zoras have gone extinct. It's heavily implied that they evolved into the bird-like Ruto. _How_ exactly is it better to be a bird in an archipelago of a few scattered tiny islands than a fish???

We left the theatre on opening night of Return of the Jedi and everyone thought the Ewoks totally stupid.

Came here for Star Wars lore, stayed for Dolphin slander. Fuck yeah. You get it. Those things are evile

The Luke and Leia kiss is in fact funny; all leading up to Han's reaction when Leia tells him.

Awesome . Keep up the good work.. love the neutral viewpoints you use..

Good analysis of the Rebel archetype. Finally, I'm hearing honesty about the rebel's journey with the show Andor and it's reviews on the show.

Thanks, connected the dots perfectly...

Your analysis is as good as it gets. Thank you for wading into the truth.

Another great video, are you sure your not a Battletech fan?

Brilliant, Alan...

Great analysis

You do some of the best life deep dig analysis that I’ve seen. My daughter is studying acting and media in general and I wish she would watch a few of your insights so that she could understand characters that she herself may create. Keep it up, I always look forward to watching your videos. Then again I also look forward to watching the videos from the United Spot as well. I suppose you both have a slightly rebellious attitude and in the end that might be all that stands between us and ruthless tyranny.

Very good video to put out there to the world

great Video, Sir.

Generation tech is just the best Star Wars channel being honest

Thank you Alan.

“His moisture farm” is what I call my bedroom too

The Vietcong also had VERY powerful patrons. Not just the PRC and the USSR but North Vietnam, who not only helped keep them supplied, but they also provided a LOT of manpower for their 'higher tier' (battalion, regiment, even division sized) military units.

This is a good take on things. Lots of subtle truths to pack into a 15 minute video.

Never has your sign-off been more apt, Alan.

This analysis of rebellion within Star Wars and it’s broader implications in reality is spot on. Tip o’ the hat to you. Great job indeed.

The main thing Star Wars tells is to trust in the force and fight the dark side. It’s simple

Insightful commentary

Well said.

A great talk about the growing complexity of our beloved Star Wars. You're correct about "rebellion finding you" as was demonstrated last year in Ottawa Canada. Our paid off news media tried to portray the peaceful protest as something akin to the US capital storming that had happened earlier. We're still feeling the effects and our idiotic leader is doubling down. I couldn't find a job for 2 years because of the crazy restrictions. Those same restrictions are why groceries and everything else is $2-$4 more than it used to be...and wages aren't going up...and so many "obedient Canadians seem "okay" with it all.

Great breakdown!! Love your takes on how stars wars mimics the world around us… thx!!

I saw some sort of dolphin meme and immediately thought of generation tech. It was probably a month ago.