If there were a prize for transforming a series of intense, dramatic moments into something that seems almost jubilant, the teaser for *Andor* Season 2—set to debut on Disney+ on April 22—would undoubtedly take the top spot.
Those who appreciated the first season understand that *Andor* encompasses numerous genres—a prison break thriller, a political narrative, and a high-stakes espionage saga—but it is anything but cheerful. Creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy describes *Andor* as fundamentally a Dickensian narrative: an orphan striving to change his fate, meeting allies and adversaries who expose the brutal truths of a merciless time.
That orphan is Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), the rebel spy who (spoiler alert for a nearly decade-old film) sacrifices his life after successfully relaying the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance in *Rogue One*. Gilroy has made it clear that the series will end where the movie begins.
This implies we already know the conclusion of Season 2: with Cassian entirely willing to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to his mission and fully resigned to sacrificing his life in the battle against the Empire.
### The Burden of Rebellion
Cassian’s destiny—and that of the other rebels featured in the teaser, including future Rebel leader Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly)—is to bear the heavy weight of sacrifice for their mission. This concept was initially presented in *Return of the Jedi* with Mon Mothma’s iconic remark about the Bothans who perished to provide the Rebellion vital intelligence.
The teaser encapsulates this burden in the characters’ facial expressions, despite Cassian’s brief smile and his amusing 1950s-style disguise. The same somber mood is mirrored in the steely gaze of Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), who also returns in Season 2. As depicted in *Rogue One*, *The Clone Wars*, and *Star Wars Rebels*, Saw is the most ethically ambiguous of the rebels—so radical that even Mon Mothma and her secretive ally Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) keep their distance from his tactics.
Rael, who appears equally grave in the teaser, previously conveyed the rebels’ bleak reality in one of *Andor*’s most celebrated scenes. In Season 1, he stated:
*”I’ve surrendered any hope of inner peace. I’ve turned my mind into a sunless void. I share my ambitions with phantoms. Each day I awaken to an equation I formulated 15 years ago from which there’s only one outcome: I’m damned for what I do.”*
### What Does the Teaser’s Music Indicate?
Given the series’ dark themes, the music selected for the teaser is unexpected. The 2004 rock anthem *The Revolution Starts Now* by Steve Earle plays over the visuals, highlighting a lavish gathering featuring Mon Mothma rather than her distressed demeanor.
The editing also portrays Cassian and his cloaked companion as if they are action heroes nonchalantly walking away from an explosion, rather than desperate rebels on a perilous quest.
Nonetheless, Earle’s lyrics resonate with one of *Andor*’s fundamental themes: the necessity to conquer fear and take a stand. This mirrors Kino Loy’s (Andy Serkis) stirring address in Season 1, in which he inspired his fellow inmates to escape through collaboration. It also relates to Maarva Andor’s (Fiona Shaw) posthumous hologram address in the Season 1 finale, urging the citizens of Ferrix to “oppose the Empire.”
Interestingly, Gilroy initially crafted Maarva’s speech with a more explicit message—*”F*** the Empire”*—but Disney+ chose a more subdued version.
### A Concerning Lyric Reference
The teaser also includes another surprising musical reference. Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn, reprising his role from *Rogue One*) can be heard saying, *”What a swell party this is,”* as he admires the Death Star.
This line originates from the Cole Porter tune *Well, Did You Evah*, famously performed by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in the 1956 film *High Society*. The song is a satirical commentary on two inebriated party attendees casually engaging in serious discussions while marveling at their surroundings.
It’s possible that Krennic delivers this line at the same high-society event as Mon Mothma, emphasizing the notion that Coruscant’s elite are either unaware of or complicit in the Empire’s ascendance.
However, this reference raises a potential dilemma. *Star Wars* has always upheld a captivating, self-contained universe, steering clear of overt nods to the audience. While the franchise incorporates elements inspired by real-world culture, they are generally woven into something fresh and foreign.
For instance, the