In terms of tone and storyline,Andoris arguably the most ambitiousStar Warsshow sinceThe Clone Wars, and its distinctive nature has set it apart fromall otherStar Warsprojects.Andorstill feels like it is placed in the same galaxy under the iron fist of the Galactic Empire, but dives deeper into the realities of harsh fascism and what it takes to stop such evil. Since the show deals with reality, it thought it might borrow some things from it, like swear words.
Andorhas garnered a lot of attention for being different; slow, grim, mature, and simplydoesn’t feel likeStar Warsat all. It is so different, in fact, that the one F-word we all know almost became canon in Disney’sStar Wars. According to an interview withInsider, actress Denise Gough, who plays the fascist ISB villain Dedra Meero in the series, the season finale almost delivered the very first F-bomb in the galaxy far, far away. Here are our thoughts on it.
How The Swear Would’ve Impacted The Franchise
Superb actress Fiona Shaw plays Maarva Andor, who gives a speech at her own funeral through a hologram recording to the oppressed people of Ferrix. Near the end of her fantastic and fiery monologue, she calls for the people to “Fight the Empire!” But Gough confirms that originally Shaw said “F*ck the Empire!” while rallying everyone to rebel. Gough says that Shaw’s passion excited everyone on set, “but we weren’t allowed to keep it, obviously.” Most likely because it was too much for such a self-professed “family-friendly” company like Disney to allow in one of its most popular franchises.
Related:Andor Season Finale Recap & Review: The Spark of Rebellion Explodes Against the Empire
If Shaw’s curse had been allowed to stay, then it would have been further proof of the idea thatStar Warscan deal with heavy real-world subjects, like fascism, rebellion, and sacrifice, and has the ability to relate it to us in real-world terms, no bars held.Andoris a giant leap for the franchise and proves that a property likeStar Warscan evolve into something different, something better.
While not necessarily more violent thanThe Mandalorian, the themes thatAndorexplores give the show a fresh new direction for a franchise that’s half a century old. Diving deep into a character-driven story without lightsabers or pandering to fans, the show instead does almost everything it can to do what fans don’t want, which leads to the most rewarding experience fans have had in years. Instead of dazzling spectacles in every single episode (there are a few though, and there are dazzling), the time spent with characters is intimate and beautiful. Fans know after spending such little but such dear time with Maarva who she is and would support her choice of language because that’s the character they’ve come to know. Because of this, many argue thatAndoris proof thatit’s timeStar Warsgrows up.
But It May Be Good A Good Thing That It Wasn’t Used Yet
Star Warshas used swear words before, like “damn,” “hell,” and “bastard.” Han Solo currently holds the record for most curses used. Usually swear words are invented inStar Warsto serve as substitutes for real swear words, such as “dank ferrik,” “karabast,” and"kriffing." For example, “sh*t” was traditionally replaced with “poodoo.”
Related:Andor Creator Tony Gilroy on What Separates the Series From Other Star Wars Projects
If the F-bomb had been allowed to stay, it would have caused more noise than the proton bomb that destroyed the Death Star.Andoralready caused some controversy in its third episode for admitting a different swear word into the franchise’s canon. As one of the best episodes of the season, most of the conversation was around the use of the word “sh*t” and not the new direction thatAndortook the property.
Imagine if the F-word was said in the season finale, possibly the best episode of the show thus far, and all the focus was on a cuss word and not the fantastic acting and setting, the amazing action and deep dialogue, orthe great story. BecauseStar Warshas never gone this far before, the F-bomb would have only distracted viewers at one of the most crucial points in the whole show.
While swearing is not wrong, it’s not always something to encourage. Yet, if there is any point to introduce such a weighty word like the F-word intoStar Wars, then Shaw’s shining moment was the perfect moment to do so. The word may be said sometime soon, especially ifStar Warsgoes in this direction for more than justAndor. It will inevitably be a distraction when it happens, but hopefully, it will be earned and rewarding as Shaw’s.
