“Andor”: According to the third episode, went too far?

Andor This is a rarity in the Star Wars Universe. The story of Cassian (Diego Luna) and his transformation of the expert into the hero of the rebel alliance, exciting as needed. But, in addition, the creator and screenwriter Tony Gilra gives an argument to the depth of adults and the tone that leave the usual in the saga. The solution that surprised fans during the first season of the series and this, At the same time, he caused some criticism.

Especially because a sober and complex point of view on the plot indicates completely new places in the franchise. To show the usual life of the bureaucrats of the empire through Sirl Karn (Kyle Soller), to political processing behind the actions of subversive activities. The truth is that Andor Expanded the ability Star wars Explore the franchise in the universe and challenge the tough creative limits of the franchise. However, for the third episode of his second season, he also caused disputes For the fact that the uncomfortable land, which is surprised by its direct cruelty.

Chapter called Harvest And director Ariel Kleiman, he talks about Cassian’s attempts to protect his relatives on the agricultural planet Mina-Rau. Among them, his friend Bix Kalin (Adriya Arjon). While the character is hiding from the imperial troops that arrest unregistered citizens, he has to deal with the officer. This first flirts with Bix, and then tries to attack it sexually. Which launches a battle in which a person is ultimately killed. Among the rudeness of the sequence there is no doubt about what happened. Much less when Bix expresses this in a unambiguous phrase: “I am trying to break it.”

Inexpressible milestone for the franchise

To date, Star wars It was an almost innocent franchise regarding sex. In fact, throughout its history, the characters are usually curious asexual. With the exception of the brief captivity of Leia (Carrie Fisher), Jabb El Hutt, in which he was forced to remain almost naked in his court – the form of sexual violence – ,,, The truth is that the characters are unlikely to share physical contact.

From the kiss of Leia to Luke (Mark Hamilla) to the awakening of the jealousy of Khan Solo (Harrison Ford) to the romance between Padme (Natalie Portman) and Anakina (Hayden Christensen). The sexuality of the characters is limited and, without a doubt, corresponds to the tone of the entire audience of the saga. Thus, the decision to enable the scene of sexual violence, bothered fans and even an accidental audience. Social networks were filled with discomfort by a disputed scene and accused Tony Gilra, from the fact that he distorts the meaning of how the “star wars” can be.

Look at the complex universe

But in fact, Gilra has already given some signs of creating a world in which the characters crossed the situations of realistic violence in the first season of the series. Especially in everything related to the prison planet of Narkin 5 and the form of operation of prisoners. The approach to institutionalized violence and abuse of power could also be seen in the attacks of the empire on Ferricks. In addition, in the world of mining An imperial official who devastated his sanity.

Nevertheless, a clear rape scene marked by the point of lack of a return for the series. Moreover, when studying real violence from the point of view of scientific fiction Star wars In the dilemma. When is it too much when demonstrating the Galactic Civil War, in which the planets are blown up, and entire species are enslaved in the authoritarianism service? This is a question that Saga George Lucas It seems that this has not been considered directly, so far.

Villains, evil and cruel people

Franchise Star warsIn fact, this is quite homogeneous in its image of explanation and contextualization of violent facts. During the first trilogy, Dart Vader (with the voice of James Erla Jones) destroyed the planet Olderan only for the punishment of Leia. Later he amputated Luke’s hand. That, after he tortured him for most of his last meeting in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).

Even during the new trilogy, the image with obvious inspiration in the Nazi imaginary, populated public acts of the first order. The first speech of General Armytage Hax (Domnall Glison) in Star Wars: Episode VII – Awakening of PowerHe showed him the air of cruel and terrible authoritarianism. Hence Star wars Independently show the cruelty of the oppressor and the suffering of the victims.

Symbolic violence against free violence

What seems completely new is free violence, which in itself is not a political symbol. In your first season, Andor He struggled to show the life and struggle of anonymous characters. All whose greatest contribution to the cause of the rebels was an act of extreme victim. As an iconic scene, showing the holographic projection of Maarva (Fion of the show), in which he calls the population of Ferricks. Something, which ultimately leads to a bloody uprising and cruel repression.

However, although the scene showed death and other painful situations, the rape of Bix seems to be a small and perverted character who departs from the standard of symbolic violence. Much more, because it was an idea of ​​regrettable circumstances that could take place against the background of battles on ships and political negotiations. Yeah Andor He noted the template during the study in a rather modest basis of the rebel alliance, sU, the third episode seems to insist on showing a more uncomfortable side of the civil war.

Important solution for Andor

Nevertheless, an understanding of the public reaction, for Tony Gilroly, the BIX situation is important to show the cruelty of the empire. From his point of view, telling the history of the war also implies, as the darker and painful parts show it. Hence The author and director do not seem true to avoid the narrative of the situations of sexual violence.

“I have one opportunity to tell everything I know – either I can open, or what I found out – about the revolution, about battles, with such a large number of incidents and as large nuances as possible. Let’s be honest: the history of civilization has a huge arterial component: rape “ explained in an interview for Hollywood reporterField

Thus, despite the resistance of the fandom, it is very important for Gilra to directly show violence, without any allegory. A controversial script that shows that Andor leads to Star wars Not only to another audience. In addition, to a dense and dark study of their main topics.