Saw Gerrera, Mon Mothma, and Luthen Rael

So first of all... how fucking good is andor. I mean really, peak Star Wars and peak TV. But what I think is fascinating is how it fleshes out the Rebel alliance. 

https://at.tumblr.com/madmag94/fairly-substantial-andor-spoilers-and/cikwwbagr5xr

I’ve talked a bit about this before in the post above, especially in how Andor works within the context of the rest of Star Wars to lend a grim and realistic counterpoint to the optimism in other media. But I want to dig a little bit deeper into one of the major themes of Andor, and how its played out in this and other star wars media, specifically with regards to Luthen Rael, Mon Mothma, and Saw Gerrera.

Obviously spoiler warning for all but the last 2 episodes of Andor

So, one of the biggest themes in Andor so far has been the corrupting nature of revolution. The delicate balance between ends and means that pushes the leaders of any violent rebellion to their breaking point. The thing that, in the real world, so often leads revolutionary movements down the path of Authoritarianism.

Mon Mothma is an interesting character in the history of Star Wars, given her extremely obscure start. Andor is very much her first time getting any central focus, and the time between her only two appearances with lines until Andor was 33 full years, since her minor speaking role in Revenge of the Sith was cut. The only thing defined about her character was her important position within the Rebel alliance, which has given Genevieve O'Reilly a ton of space to define a beautiful character arc within Andor.

Within Andor, we see how the pressure of empire and rebellion drives Mon to the limits of her idealism. From her dynamic with Luthen and her concerns over his methods, to dealing with the amoral Chandrilan banker, to potentially using her daughter as a bargaining chip to keep her ability to funnel funds to the Rebellion. The rebellion asks mon, like everyone else, to make sacrifices in a circumstance where ethics can be a burden.

Of course we know that ultimately Mon Mothma DOESN’T sacrifice all her principles, in many ways her idealism is vindicated and she becomes the voice of a rebellion that engages in a higher form of war, and maintains it’s principles. But in the trenches before the dawn of the Rebel Alliance, the question of “how far can she go” looms over Mon’s entire character.

Saw has BEEN in this fight. He resisted the Empire right from the first day it was founded, as we’ve seen in Bad Batch. Saw’s defining character arc ever since he showed up in Rogue One is his extremism, and how that extremism alienates him from the alliance at large. But in the time of Andor, he’s also one of the parties who is able to actually get things done. He doesn’t have the luxury of cooperation and camaraderie at this point, and has been forced into a dark place by the nature of this.

And it’s clear how this has corrupted him. Once upon a time, he trusted the Jedi, and then the republic betrayed him. Lots of rebel movements are populated by the seperatists who killed his sister, or at least their sympathizers. He fights on his own, because thats what he has to do. But it wears on him. The fear, the paranoia, the lies, the deception. He can’t join the alliance because he can’t trust anyone without his clarity of vision. He never stopped fighting the good fight, but by the time of Rogue One he’s lost to his paranoia.

But he still, somewhere within him, believes. Unlike Mon, he sacrificed his idealism, if he ever had it, before the empire ever rose. But in his last words he shows that however hard he fought against the alliance, he still believes. In the end, he realizes his time is over, and that all he can hope for is that the Rebellion, the Dream, will persist

https://twitter.com/bland_username1/status/1588150327899045888?s=20&t=EeoDaaczHTlUScLNKADEXQ

(This wonderful twitter thread sums up a lot better how Saw, despite the needs of revolution costing him his soul no matter how righteous his cause, still believes in the dream. I’d encourage anyone who likes Saw to read it.)

Lastly we have Luthen Rael. Luthen’s monologue at the end of Andor is... perhaps one of my favorite monologues I’ve ever heard in on screen media (I’d love to use it as an audition piece sometime) and it so clearly articulates the themes of ideological sacrifice for the rebellion, and why its oftentimes worth it.

Luthen Rael has done terrible things. He “burned his decency” a long long time ago. Like Saw he has seen the writing on the wall and is willing to go to the places other people like Mon arent. But unlike Saw, he still keeps enough of his principles to know what he is. He doesn’t think he’s the only one with clarity of purpose, he’s tortured by the things he had to do, but he knows that in the end it serves the greater good.

He is the Axis around which the Rebellion at this point swings, the one who is currently fighting the hardest to bring them all together into a Rebel Alliance. And its because he has a willingness to do what is right rather then what is good, but the wisdom to know that it leaves a stain. He can’t lead the rebels, because he’s not a hero. But his work will lay a path that heroes can walk.

Kino Loy leads the prisoners on Nakina 5 to freedom, knowing that in the end he can’t swim, and will have to be left behind. Saw, Luthien, Cassian, Melshi, they’re all willing to pay the personal price of revolution. To wade into the muck and blood that the rebellion necessitates, to pave the way for a brighter rebellion. One that can fight openly, proudly, one which can win. They're all paving the way

For A New Hope

fandoms; the 100, penny dreadful, star wars, star trek, & harry potter

POSITIVE ‘SEND ME A FANDOM AND I’LL TELL YOU’:note:  please use this meme to be positive about all your favourite fandom things !!

THE 100

what character caught your eye when you first watched: john murphy

your first favourite character: john murphy

what is your favourite character now: bellamy blake

describe why you love your favourite character: bellamy is... unique. his character he’s incredibly complex and his history even more so. having to raise his baby sister and then taking up a leadership position not because he wanted it but in order to survive, and then being burdened by the responsibility of it. and having to grow so much, he’s a character we see grown from someone who cares not exclusively but so much more about his baby sister and himself than anyone else in early season one to the man he is today and it’s wonderful, bellamy easily has some of the best writing on the show, some of the best development on the show, and he’s a relatable and loving character to have as a favorite. i don’t see how anyone could not love bellamy blake. 

what is some development that you wish they had implemented on the show  (  keep it positive  ): honestly anything where they explain why azgeda stopped using blood in their warpaint would be great. jk jk no but i actually do wish they’d dove a little deeper with the mountain men, and with azgeda as villains in s2 and s3 respectfully. nia and ontari especially were characters that had so much potential built into them but it was cut down prematurely, ontari especially being a nightblood that was taken from her parents, she was raised by a queen but as a soldier for her a servant for azgeda in many regards, she believes so deeply in the flame and that she was meant for it. the end result excusing the means in which it takes to get there etc. idk man just maybe not having killed them off would have been such a better way to go ?

a ship that never got together but shipped: season one bellamy &. clarke, i don’t so much ship them anymore but i really liked bellarke in season one.

a ship that did get together and wanted it to be endgame: wick &. raven, it really made me sad that they wrote the character off when they fired the actor, i was really hoping he’d get recast, because wick was very good for raven she doesn’t need him and thats 100% true, but he was very supportive of her and he was good for her, and i think that it would have been nice to see them develop further.

what is your favourite season: season one.

what is your favourite episode: murphy’s law.

talk about an episode that was significant for a favourite character: day trip is incredibly important to bellamy blake as a character. i think murphy’s law however is such an important episode for EVERYONE in season one, we get to see for the first time real consequences for the actions that the delinquents do to each other on the ground, the mob mentality that can so easily form in these situations. and the dangers of not having an effective rule in even such a small group of people. i really want season four or five to have a parallel to murphy’s law at some point because it is such a good episode that highlights so much of the raw simplicity of having to survive on the ground. 

what is one of your favourite headcanons about one of the characters, it can be canon or fanon: * points at literally all my azgeda headcanons *

if your favourite character could crossover into another fandom, what would that fandom be: bellamy and octavia as the winchesters would be cool, put clarke griffin and eric jackson in grey’s anatomy please and thanks, john murphy in law & order: special victims unit as a victim. azgeda in game of thrones, the ark as part of the expanse. grounders &. mad max

if any character could date someone from another fandom, who would your otp be: ontari and ivar might like destroy the entire world but that’d be hella fun to see come to light ( would be highkey the most unhealthy bullshit ever please never let this happen ). and i already said this for spn but sam &. clarke.

STAR WARS

what character caught your eye when you first watched: han solo

your first favourite character: luke skywalker

what is your favourite character now: luke skywalker &. cassian andor

describe why you love your favourite character: how can you not love luke skywalker. i think i liked him because he symbolized all that is good, but wa still capable of making mistakes and he didn’t let that stop him from being as amazing as he knew he could be. he was himself, that was all that mattered, and i think that counts for a lot.

what is some development that you wish they had implemented on the show  (  keep it positive  ): i think we deff needed some more anikin x obi wan information ike they kept hinting they were brotps af and never showed us shit in the prequel trilogy and i was like ??? um dudes.

a ship that never got together but shipped: im hoping for jedistormtrooper because i really fucking liked it but i’m here for stormpilot too.

a ship that did get together and wanted it to be endgame: han &. leia

what is your favourite season: the original trilogy 

what is your favourite episode: new hope or rogue one

talk about an episode that was significant for a favourite character: rogue one is the single most significant episode ever and i don’t need to explain why.

what is one of your favourite headcanons about one of the characters, it can be canon or fanon: luke having to get over the trauma of having kissed his sister and not being able to look her in the eyes afterwards for like a good year and a half when he finally realizes what happened.

if your favourite character could crossover into another fandom, what would that fandom be: please put cassian andor in the star trek movie verse.

if any character could date someone from another fandom, who would your otp be: luke skywalker x luna

STAR TREK

what character caught your eye when you first watched: spock

your first favourite character: james t. kirk

what is your favourite character now: james t. kirk

describe why you love your favourite character: because kirk is amazing.

what is some development that you wish they had implemented on the show  (  keep it positive  ): i really want them to go into more info on like how ships get passed along bc i dont htink they explain that at all. 

a ship that never got together but shipped: i dont have any tbh 

a ship that did get together and wanted it to be endgame: n/a

what is your favourite season: i never watched the series tbh WHOOPS

what is your favourite episode: the first film of the new cast 

talk about an episode that was significant for a favourite character: BEYOND was great for spok and krik tbh.

what is one of your favourite headcanons about one of the characters, it can be canon or fanon: james likes to listen to classical music and only classical rock music ( * remember tho that like classical music for them is like 20th century music )

if your favourite character could crossover into another fandom, what would that fandom be: JAMES T. KIRK IN ALIEN PLS

if any character could date someone from another fandom, who would your otp be:  spock x lexa

HARRY POTTER

what character caught your eye when you first watched: harry potter

your first favourite character: hermione granger

what is your favourite character now: draco malfoy

describe why you love your favourite character: um can i not ? these are getting long.

what is some development that you wish they had implemented on the show  (  keep it positive  ): less slytherin as evil peoples please and thnx

a ship that never got together but shipped: draco x hermione, hermione x harry

a ship that did get together and wanted it to be endgame: hermione x ron

what is your favourite season: the goblet of fire

what is your favourite episode: the chamber of secrets

talk about an episode that was significant for a favourite character: no.

what is one of your favourite headcanons about one of the characters, it can be canon or fanon: no.

if your favourite character could crossover into another fandom, what would that fandom be: draco in peaky blinders would be fun.

if any character could date someone from another fandom, who would your otp be: no.

cassianbodhi

unfortunate backstory for this message is me pleading u to send it to me so i can dump my hcs somewhere but lets disregard that for now

1- Who is the most affectionate? !! i feel like probably bodhi bc cassian is a little bit distant from affection at first bc everyone hes ever loved has gone in some way or another but they’re both pretty gd touch starved at this point so there is so much snuggling and eventually cassian warms up to pda a little bit more2-Big spoon/Little spoon? bodhi is almost always the big spoon even tho he’s 2″ shorter than cass bc he likes to be comforting and wrap himself around him. jetpack ur bros3-Most common argument? both of them are.. kinda bad when it comes to self worth n personal love and all that so if they ever argue its kinda along the lines of “cassian jeron andor listen to me you are so worthwile and important and i love you” or one of them being very reckless on a mission and the other getting angry 4-Favorite non-sexual activity? they like playing cards together, and sometimes cassian reads before bed and bodhi wiggles up to lay next to him and read over his shoulder spooned behind him5-Who is most likely to carry the other? cassian ends up carrying bodhi to bed a lot because he’ll just not sleep for a while and then pass the hell out in the middle of the mess hall and cassians like.. well here we go again and hauls him off to bed6-What is their favorite feature of their partner’s? bodhi’s favorite thing about cassian: all of his jackets but also his Smilecassian’s favorite thing abt bodhi: his hair ?? its amazing he has a Thing for bodhis hair 7-What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other? well im feelin like bodhi realizes hes kinda in love w cassian some time after scarif and then just spur of the moment kisses him? so thats the main first change is bam okay they’re kissing now8-Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate? someone i follow uses Bode as a nickname for bodhi which i think is hella cute in like a modern au or smth. bodhi calls cassian Cass a lot just as a quick abbreviation but also captain and sometimes other people call bodhi “your pilot” around cassian and he accidentally picked that up9-Who worries the most? its bodhi no question10-Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant? bodhi has a notebook full of things he needs to remember that he keeps in his bag or pocket at all times and it includes cassian’s standard coffee and food orders just in case11-Who tops? you fools... the strict top/bottom dichotomy is oppressing us all.. 12-Who initiates kisses? already answered13-Who reaches for the other’s hand first? bodhi is the #1 hand holding champion of the resistance so he’s into that 14-Who kisses the hardest? depends on the situation i think, after a mission they do have some intense “oh my god we made it out holy shit i love you so much” kisses, or sometimes if cassian has to do a mission w/o bodhi (or vice versa) they can barely make it out of the ship before the other is over there kissin them15-Who wakes up first? cassian is a really oddly early riser when he doesnt need to be and sometimes for meetings. plus he wakes up early w nightmares and stuff sometimes and likes to just lay in bed w bodhi there until he calms down16-Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer? both of them i think.. bodhi Never wants to get up bc in the empire they were pretty strict abt that stuff 17-Who says I love you first? already answered18-Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?) ok im talkin abt my college au here bc im uncontrollable but like. some days cassian has classes and bodhi doesn’t and bodhi makes him lunch every once in a while before test days or whatever and he always puts in a little note that’s like “you’ve got this!! i believe in you!! you can’t have your zepplin shirt back until you focus and do your readings tonight 19-Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first? assuming we’re going w a modern au in which either of them has family to speak of, i’d say bodhi in his weekly call to his mom to chat he’s like “hey mom i have a boyfriend!! he’s cute and has nice hair but he’s bad at making jokes”20-What do their family/friends think of their relationship? bodhi’s mom is totally fine w it and so is his sister, cassian’s parents are kinda weird abt it at first but mostly bc his last relationship was really weird so they’d question it no matter who he was dating. but, they trust this bodhi kid and think if anyone has to date cassian it should be them21-Who is more likely to start dancing with the other? bodhi doesn’t think hes a good dancer.. at all but he’s fairly ok but cassian is.... a really good dancer and this is totally inspired by the film dirty dancing havana nights which i still havent seen but he’s a good dancer but doesnt dance much so bodhi��s really surprised but then some nights they sneak into the mess hall when they can’t sleep and they dance because its good for emotional release and theres space down there

22-Who cooks more/who is better at cooking? theyre both pretty good cooks but cassian cooks more bc it reminds him of what little he remembers of home23-Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines? bodhi googles them because he thinks hes funny and he keeps them in his notebook24-Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?25-Who needs more assurance? both of them rlly? like bodhi’s been thru some shit and so has cassian and theyre both kinda insecure and not the best at positivity abt themselves so they both need a lot of reassurance abt things26-What would be their theme song? hmmm either in our bedroom after the war by stars, or you are a runner and i am my fathers son by wolf parade27-Who would sing to their child back to sleep? cassian definitely..28-What do they do when they’re away from each other? they try to keep busy but they definitely send transmissions as much as possible to keep in touch29-one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart. yknow. what happens in canon is enough for me lol30-one headcanon about this OTP that mends it. they have a lot of rituals after scarif for when one or both of them can’t sleep for any number of reasons, sometimes they’ll sneak out to this big hill near the base and look at the stars, or they’ll play cards (bodhi’s teaching cassian some tricks, but cass is fairly sure they arent good tricks and theyre making him lose), or cassian will tell bodhi about galactic history and run his fingers through his hair until eventually the sun rises or they fall back asleep