Foreign Perspectives is a mix of free and paid content. Certain columns such as these are free for all subscribers, but other articles will be exclusive for paid subscribers. If you enjoy the work I do, please consider upgrading to a monthly or yearly subscription. Your support is greatly appreciated and ensures that this Substack can continue to deliver high quality pieces.

Note: This piece discusses Andor’s premise and themes in general terms, but avoids major show spoilers. It does, however, spoil other Star Wars films including Rogue One.

Who would have guessed that the best piece of Star Wars media in years would be an interquel television show that also serves as a prequel to a prequel? That may sound like opening to a random chapter in a sprawling epic novel, but not to worry. Series creator Tony Gilroy always intended for Andor to be something both Star Wars fans and non-fans alike could enjoy. God knows that the brand certainly needs it now. Against all odds, this spin-off to the already excellent Rogue One film is hands down the strongest entry Star Wars has seen under Disney. Not only that, it’s simply damn good television that everyone should watch.

Andor has finished its all-too-brief run of 24 episodes across two seasons, but I’m confident that this is a series that will stand the test of time and be fondly remembered as something that only comes around every decade or so. From its impeccable production design on real sets to its introspective writing which puts most Hollywood films and television shows to shame, it’s easy to forget that this is indeed a Disney-made Star Wars project. It defies all the expectations of a prestige television show released in the “art reduced to content” era of modern streaming, which is something the House of Mouse themselves played a direct hand in creating.

What’s all the more amazing is that Gilroy has openly admitted to not being a hardcore fan of Star Wars. While he watched George Lucas’ original film when it first came out in 1977 like millions of others, his approach to storytelling is worlds apart. Coming from a family with a long history in the arts, Gilroy is primarily known for being the director and screenwriter of the action thriller Jason Bourne franchise and more cerebral dramas like Michael Clayton. At first glance, he does not seem like someone suited for space opera fantasy at all. Yet Andor ended up becoming the best Star Wars show not because it’s deeply seated in established lore, but because Gilroy put strong writing and moving parallels to real-world history ahead of everything else.

Andor is set five years before the Battle of Yavin, or 5 BBY as per the now official dating system of the Star Wars timeline. Audiences will remember this pivotal moment as the conclusion to A New Hope when Luke Skywalker successfully destroys the Death Star. Yet the path to defat the evil Empire’s massive space station with the capability to blow up entire planets was hardly a straightforward one. Andor’s premise centers around the years of spycraft, guerrilla missions, and sabotage it took for the Rebel Alliance to come together into one organized entity — as well as the countless lives lost in their struggle against the Empire.

The great man theory posits that talented, ambitious, resourceful, or otherwise extremely intelligent individuals are the ones who drive history. These are the household names ranging from Alexander the Great to Adolf Hitler. If these men did not act in the ways they did, then the times we live in now could have ended up very differently. George Lucas being heavily inspired by the “hero’s journey” template as popularized by Joesph Campbell is why his six Star Wars movies lean heavily into “great men” and related mythology. Andor, however, is the inversion of such themes.

The eponymous protagonist of the series, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), first appeared in Rogue One as the operative tasked with assassinating the lead engineer of the Death Star. In that film, we seem him as a dedicated member of the Rebel Alliance who sacrifices his own life in the process of furthering its goals. Andor shows how Cassian radically changes his outlook over time in going from a selfish survivor to a fighter believing in a higher cause. Yet despite being named after him, it can be argued that the series is more about the Rebels’ overall struggle against the Empire as a whole. If George Lucas’ Star Wars is an epic tale of great men, then Tony Gilroy’s Andor is the behind-the-scenes backstory of the nameless heroes who fall through the cracks of history to help them.

Just as Cassian kills a fellow Rebel spy who turns out to be a liability at the beginning of Rogue One, Andor contextualizes the difficult choices resistance fighters have to make in order for their cause to survive. Central to that is Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard), a brutal leader who makes first contact with Cassian and changes his life forever by bringing him into the rebellion. Luthen is a man of two faces; by day he’s a smiling seller of antiques on Coruscant, by night he’s a callous operator willing to make any sacrifice necessary to fight back against the Empire. Throughout Andor we’re only given bits and pieces of his backstory, but by the end we’re given a portrait of an incredibly complex man far deeper than your average Star Wars character.

The other important figure of the rebellion is Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly). Originally only a small supporting character in 1983’s The Return of the Jedi, her character has since been greatly expanded in other Star Wars media. Andor fleshes her out even more. Like Luthen, Mon is a complex figure who has to play dual roles as both a loyal Imperial subject and covert resistor. Her wealth is a vital asset to funding the rebellion, but such privilege means she is constantly in the public eye. This is in contrast to Mon’s cousin Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) who has much more freedom to be on the front lines, leading to subtle feelings of jealousy.

Significant time is also dedicated to depicting the brutality of the Empire and those part of its machine. The entire series begins with Deputy Inspector Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) attempting to investigate the deaths of two Imperial officers. Despite him suspecting early on that Cassian Andor was responsible, the higher-ups attempt to sweep the entire investigation under the rug. It soon becomes clear that the Empire, like real-world fascist or communist regimes, is full of opportunists who view ideology as secondary to career advancement or preserving the illusion of order. Karn is earnest in his dedication, but Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) is even more of a ruthless fanatic. Their paths eventually cross — and the result is one of the most unorthodox relationships in Star Wars history.

Practically all characters in Andor — whether they be the leads, supporting roles, or guest appearances only intended to be present for one story arc — are given their dues. Major Lio Partagaz (Anton Lesser) is the commanding officer of the ISB, but more of a resigned pragmatist than a dyed-in-the-wool ideologue. Kino Loy (Andy Serkis) goes from being a no-nonsense prisoner who follows the Empire’s rules until his entire worldview is shattered and he becomes radicalized into fighting. Lonni Jung (Robert Emms) is an ISB supervisor secretly spying for the Rebels, yet gradually realizes he is completely trapped in an impossible situation by both sides. By putting individuals into morally gray or chaotic situations, Andor never ceases to be engrossing even if we already know where things end up by Rogue One.

We would be here all day if I described the complicated relationships between each Rebel and Imperial, but such dynamics prove to be among the show’s most fascinating elements. Gilroy and his team of writers have taken great pains to make sure that every line of dialogue matters. Virtually all conversations carry nuances underneath which make Andor richly rewarding upon multiple rewatches. This is a level of writing that can only be achieved by people who have read up on real history and 20th century literature — a rare breed in today’s Hollywood landscape. It’s akin to a very good Expanded Universe novel written by a technical writer like James Luceno or a more introspective character-driven one like John Jackson Miller. It may take some time for all the details to unfold, but paying attention is well worth it.

Paired with Andor’s compelling writing is its magnificent visual direction. Previous Star Wars Disney+ shows heavily relied on StageCraft technology — large LED screens projected behind actors while they acted on set. While this can generally be fine when put in the hands of skilled directors, the artificial feel is difficult to get over. Andor faces no such problems because it was filmed on actual locations. Every planet, building, and interior shown feels truly lived in, which is what made George Lucas’ trilogy so memorable. From costumes to weapons to even the fictional languages spoken, this is exactly the kind of world-building I wish Disney would attempt with every Star Wars project.

I’m not surprised that the reported budget of the entire series was over $645 million, and that colossal amount of money is felt with every minute shown on screen. In the back of my mind, I was frequently reminded of George Lucas’ proposed live-action Star Wars: Underworld show that never came to pass. Some impressive test footage was leaked online a few years ago, with its gritty tone almost being a dead ringer for Andor. Underworld was similarly intended to be dialogue-heavy, low-level with its storyline scope, and more focused on human drama instead of lighthearted adventure. Over fifty scripts were apparently written and Lucas supposedly had plans for up to 400 (!) episodes, but each costing up to $5 million made the entire series unfeasible to produce.

A single episode of Andor costing about $27 million is ironically far beyond the scale Lucas conceptualized nearly two decades ago. If he had waited just a bit longer for television streaming run by huge media conglomerates like Amazon or Disney to become the norm, his vision for Underworld may have been possible. Still, you don’t have to go far to see just how unsatisfied both audiences and people in the industry are with the current media landscape. Despite smaller episode counts, subscription costs are rising, shows take far longer to produce, and the quality is arguably getting worse. Disney has played a huge role in this, to the point where CEO Bob Iger has even admitted they’ve gone overboard with too much content.

Andor subverts all these trends by having in-depth episodes which tell meaningful stories, not being an expensive vanity project, and actually striving to be something more than a disposable Star Wars spin-off. It fulfills the promises of what streaming-exclusive television should have been and is probably the closest we’re ever going to get to Underworld. Unfortunately, Disney is unlikely to do anything like Andor again. Viewership for its second season was noticeably better than its first, but it still paled in comparison to The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi which are closer to what the general public considers Star Wars to be. The return on investment for a passion project like Andor just isn’t there — further demonstrating how unsustainable the current model of streaming is.

For everything Andor does right, a segment of the fanbase is additionally in doubt if it truly “represents” Star Wars. With nary a lightsaber or Force move in sight, there’s possibly an argument to be made that straying too far from the mysticism of George Lucas takes the magic out of Star Wars. The Empire in Andor is more brutal than ever and we regularly see their atrocities. The Ghorman Massacre, previously only referenced in a few books and the Star Wars: Rebels animated series, is front and center as a major event. Early into the second season, a female character is subjugated to attempted sexual assault by an Imperial officer with the word “rape” being explicitly used. This is definitely not a show that children should be watching.

With that said, I still believe that Andor is Star Wars. Going back to the EU comparison, this series is merely attempting a different kind of storytelling. There are plenty of novels and comics which emphasize the totalitarian nature of the Empire, and Andor is in line with a kind of existing Star Wars that deals more with militarism than the Jedi or the Force. It will make you watch Rogue One and the original trilogy in a completely different light after knowing how much was sacrificed for the Rebels to win their victories. Instead of taking away from the achievements of Luke Skywalker and his friends like the sequel trilogy did, Andor enhances existing Star Wars lore while being respectful of what came before it. So yes, I would fully expect the Empire to have rapists, genocide advocates, and other unsavory characters.

With its high production values and mature storytelling, Andor is a miracle of modern television. It dares its audience to consider the implications of how history is shaped by factors both in our control and those forced upon us by oppressive systems. Most hardcore Star Wars fans will appreciate what Andor contributes to the canon, but one need not be a franchise devotee literate in Aurebesh or knowledgable of Tusken Raider burial practices to appreciate its greatness. Tony Gilroy’s show is part sci-fi, part spy story with plenty of influence from heist and prison break thrillers blended in for good measure. If Andor is the only time Star Wars ever attempts to be so ambitious, it will still go down as one of the greats discussed for generations.

Foreign Perspectives is a reader-supported Substack. If you like my work and have come this far, consider opting for a paid subscription so I can continue writing in-depth articles such as these on a regular basis. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Foreign Perspectives is gradually shifting into more paid content. Certain columns such as these are free for all subscribers, but other articles will be exclusive for paid subscribers. If you enjoy the work I do, please consider upgrading to a monthly or yearly subscription. Your support is greatly appreciated and ensures that this Substack can continue to deliver high quality pieces.

Where does Star Wars go from here? That was the question constantly on my mind when I was in Tokyo for Star Wars Celebration earlier this month. Well, I was actually more occupied with April 20 being the one-year anniversary of me getting married, but that also happened to coincide with the convention. Thanks to me, my wife has become a huge Star Wars fan over the five years we’ve known each other, so it was the perfect excuse to spend a weekend in Japan’s capital.

We were only able to manage tickets for the last day of the event, but I doubt that we would have been able to make much of Friday and Saturday. This was easily the most packed convention I’ve ever attended to the point where I kept asking if Japan was even the right country to hold such a massive gathering of people. The train lines to and from Tokyo were even busier than the usual. While I personally didn’t witness anything particularly egregious, there were also apparently quite a few stories of foreign tourists showed complete disregard for Japanese customs and decorum.

It’s not every day that Star Wars Celebration comes to this country. The last one here was in 2008 and it attracted about 17,000 visitors at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba outside of Tokyo. They held it at the exact same venue once again, but this time over 105,000 people attended. I think you can see the problem already. This Star Wars Celebration was the most attended year in the event’s history, with previous ones typically only accommodating around half that number. For Japan, it surpassed even Osaka Comic Con 2024 and Tokyo Comic Con 2023 which had nearly 62,000 and 85,000 visitors, respectively.

The planners behind the convention were evidently unprepared to deal with such huge crowds. Fans waited in line for hours to get Hayden Christensen’s autograph, only to be informed that the event was canceled midway due to scheduling changes. Refunds are currently being issued, but this means that people wasted all that time for nothing. Information getting lost in translation and Japanese staff being unable to communicate with foreign visitors only contributed to the general chaos of the weekend.

If you wanted official Star Wars Celebration merchandise, the wait for the main shop was over four hours on Sunday. Items for sale at other venues quickly sold out while the few stalls selling vintage goods were charging absolutely absurd prices. Our purchases were minimal as a result with me only getting an artbook and a couple of LEGO keychains for myself and an R2-D2 room light for my wife. Most of our time was spent simply walking around and seeing what was being sold at each booth. We were able to attend one panel featuring LEGO set designers, but everything else was completely full.

Being at Star Wars Celebration was mostly for the experience of going rather than actually getting much done. I knew perfectly well that it was unlikely we would meet anybody famous. The cost to acquire autographs and photos was out of the question considering what we had already sunk into our hotel, transportation, and other plans in Tokyo for the weekend. At a separate venue we watched a screening of A New Hope with the music performed by a live orchestra, which was probably more fun than anything we did at Celebration. If you’ve never had the experiencing viewing classic films this way, you definitely should.

If it sounds like I’m only complaining, rest assured it wasn’t all bad at Celebration. Some of the cosplay was genuinely impressive as were the displays of droids like R2-D2 and Chopper. Seeing the passion people across the world still have for Star Wars was moving, especially considering how much the franchise has declined in the public eye over the last decade. I should note that it was mostly millennials and older people who attended though, which only added more credence to my long-held belief that late Gen Z and the current Gen Alpha has little interest in the franchise.

That ties in to what was Celebration’s sole new film announcement, Star Wars: Starfighter. Planned for release on May 28, 2027, the same year as the franchise’s 50th anniversary, this standalone movie is supposed to take place five years after The Rise of Skywalker and will star Ryan Gosling. Details are still very scarce, but I’m of several minds about this project. First, it’s pretty obvious that Gosling was chosen to appeal to a young generation of moviegoers who are apathetic about Star Wars. I like Gosling and think he’s a good actor, but it has historically been rare for the series to rely on star power to attract audiences. Will it work? Who knows.

Shawn Levy is in the director’s chair. Given how successful Deadpool & Wolverine was, it’s also not surprising that Lucasfilm hired him. He’s no auteur, but his track record shows a respectable chain of successes. I’m less enthused about Starfighter taking place after the sequel trilogy. I suppose that Lucasfilm wants to finally start exploring a post-Rise of Skywalker era since they haven’t touched it since 2019, but given how poorly received that entry was, Starfighter is really going to have to distance itself from it. Let’s hope that Gosling is given a good script and Levy is able to deliver an enjoyable film free of bloat and half-baked characters.

A few more details were revealed for The Mandalorian & Grogu, but whatever footage was shown has yet to be officially posted online. It’s slated for release on May 22, 2026, which is something we’ve already known for quite some time. My wife is a huge fan of The Mandalorian and I certainly enjoyed the first two seasons, but like many I thought it fell off with The Book of Boba Fett spin-off and season three. Disney is definitely hoping their next film will bring in $1 billion. Whether it actually can pull in those box office returns is very much an open question. Dave Filoni and others also announced further details for Season 2 of Ahsoka, but given how filming has yet to begin, I wouldn’t expect to see it until late 2026 or early 2027 at the earliest.

Other than those updates, the future output of Star Wars live-action films and television shows is very slim pickings indeed. Lucasfilm claims that “films by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a new trilogy by Simon Kinberg” are “still in development,” but all of them were MIA at Celebration. These are movies that were announced years ago with hardly any updates on their progress since. This has become a terrible habit with Lucasfilm and new Star Wars movies, which suggests that things are a mess behind the scenes. Hell will probably freeze over before we see most of these. There wasn’t even any mention of Rian Johnson’s trilogy or Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian film.

Season 2 of Andor is currently streaming on Disney+ as of this writing, but once that’s over it seems we won’t see a new Star Wars live-action show for a long time. Maul - Shadow Lord and a few other animated shows were revealed, but these too are slated for 2026 or have no release date. Darth Maul has always been one of my favorite characters, so I’m interested in seeing what stories his series will explore between Clone Wars and Rebels. Yet a part of me can’t help but wish it was a big-budget live-action series instead. Ray Park is still in good shape and getting Sam Witwer to do his voice would have worked well. Alas, I doubt it’ll happen.

Perhaps it’s for the best that Star Wars seems to be going on semi-hiatus for the time being. The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter will determine the franchise’s box office future on the big screen, while I hope that Ahsoka Season 2 fixes issues with pacing and shows better writing. Most of this is probably a lot of naive cautious optimism on my part though. Similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars in recent years has suffered from too much lackluster content which, to quote Liam Neeson, has “diluted” everything. I would rather see an Andor or Skeleton Crew-tier show once a year instead expensive vanity projects like The Acolyte. The sequel trilogy, which is why most audiences jumped ship, needed much more planning than the rushed deadlines it was given.

Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 was ironically the perfect encapsulation of where the IP currently is. The high attendance showed that there are still some people who care deeply for George Lucas’ beloved creation and that demand for new stuff exists. The lack of substantial announcements, however, demonstrates that Lucasfilm finds itself in an awkward position of where to go next. The company needs to use this period of soul-searching to bring Star Wars back to its basics and regain the trust of audiences. While I’m no fan of The Last Jedi, Yoda did provide one legitimate pearl of wisdom in that film: “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

Foreign Perspectives is a reader-supported Substack. If you like my work and have come this far, consider opting for a paid subscription so I can continue writing in-depth articles such as these on a regular basis. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Foreign Perspectives is gradually shifting into more paid content. Certain columns such as these are free for all subscribers, but other articles will be exclusive for paid subscribers. If you enjoy the work I do, please consider upgrading to a monthly or yearly subscription. Your support is greatly appreciated and ensures that this Substack can continue to deliver high quality pieces.

While most have understandably given up on Star Wars with the present state of the franchise, I remain a dedicated fan. Call it battered spouse syndrome or call it naive optimism, but I’ve continued to monitor where this IP has gone fairly closely. Akin to Luke Skywalker’s enduring hope that there’s still good in his father, I’ll take the unpopular view that there’s still some good in Star Wars under Disney even if those moments often feel few and far between. The sequel trilogy sucked, but Rogue One was genuinely fantastic and I’ll stick out my neck to defend Solo as an enjoyable adventure film. The Acolyte was awful, but you’ve also got Andor, Skeleton Crew, and the first two seasons of The Mandalorian which I think are all worth watching.

Beyond the world of film and television, Star Wars has always had an enduring presence in literature. Both pre-Disney and in the modern era, there are a ton of Star Wars books that vary in quality. It’s stuff you seriously have to be a fan to bother checking out, but that’s where I’ve decided to come in. I’ve wanted to cover more books on Foreign Perspectives for quite some time now and considering that Star Wars novels and comics are occasionally part of my backlog, I figured I’d hit two birds with one stone — hence the column that is currently on your screen, dear reader.

I’ve recently gotten back into collecting Marvel’s giant (and heavy!) hardcover omnibus collections which reprint entire runs of comic book stories. Among those that have entered my possession is Star Wars: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus, a 700+ page tome that has the entire run of the first comic book series in the Disney era starring the eponymous Dark Lord of the Sith. It came out at at a time when hype for Star Wars was at unimaginable levels in 2015 given the upcoming release of The Force Awakens. It’s hard to believe that a decade has already passed since then, but Star Wars is decidedly in a very different place now.

How much the franchise has changed (or declined) in the last ten years will be a subject for a different article. The point of these book reviews is to sort the wheat from the chaff in recommending Star Wars literature, and in the future I’ll also be commenting on the pre-Disney Expanded Universe “Legends” media that also encompasses a large part of my library. Most casual fans don’t know where to begin with Star Wars outside of the films, so I hope my columns will be of some assistance. For the time being though, let’s get back to Gillen and Larroca’s Darth Vader and all the content that is featured in this omnibus. Can this book hold the interest of even the most cynical lapsed Star Wars fans?

It’s a definitive “maybe.” Whether or not you enjoy the 2015 Darth Vader comic series is wholly dependent on if you think the backstory of the character between 1977’s A New Hope and 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back is worth exploring. Writer Kieron Gillen, best known for his takes on X-Men and Young Avengers, notes in the book’s afterword that Vader finds himself in a very different position in both films. At the end of A New Hope, the Rebels have destroyed the Death Star and their success is Vader’s failure. Yet at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, we see Vader in a greatly expanded leadership role and obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker. What caused him to escape the ire of Emperor Palpatine and be back in charge? That’s the main question which drives the premise of Gillen’s series.

The generally strong writing achieves its goal in being a compelling character study that is consistent with how Darth Vader is in the films and adds even more depth to his journey. In one of the comic’s most memorable scenes which has been widely shared online, Boba Fett informs Vader of the name of the Rebel who blew up the Death Star. Upon hearing “Skywalker,” Darth instantly makes the connection that not only did his child in fact survive, but that Palpatine has been lying to him for nearly 20 years. We now have a definitive turning point for the path that eventually leads to his redemption in Return of the Jedi, which is what I believe elevates the material above the status of “prequel telling a story we didn’t need to know.” The cracks between Vader and Palpatine’s relationship begin to form, creating an interesting power struggle dynamic that is explored both here and in later stories.

Darth Vader does a good job tapping into existing lore with appearances of stalwarts like Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett while making them feel more than just fan service. The story takes place around the same time as the 2015 comic series Star Wars, which means that other familiar characters from A New Hope are also present, but this omnibus gets you up to speed with the relevant issues and information you need to know. The main antagonist to Vader is Cassio Tagge, which eagle-eyed viewers of that film will remember as one of the Imperial officers awkwardly looking at the Sith Lord choking Admiral Motti for dismissing the Force as an “ancient religion.”

While Tagge died on board the Death Star during its destruction in the previous EU continuity, Gillen wanted a military opponent for Vader in his series. Realizing that Tagge was never actually killed on screen, this provided the necessary loophole for Gillen to write him in as still alive post-A New Hope. Some might disagree, but to me this is an example of a retcon that can actually work and be turned into something interesting if done right. In the context of what these comics are trying to do in showing Vader and Palpatine being at odds with each other, Tagge is the bureaucratic Imperial middleman that the latter employs to test the former. Let’s just say that after everything is said and done, there’s now a more satisfying reason for why we don’t see him in The Empire Strikes Back.

Gillen’s new characters are exceptionally written too. Darth Vader was the introduction of Wookie bounty hunter Black Krrsantan, who later appeared in The Book of Boba Fett. Given how that series was a jumbled mess at best, these comics show what the character is actually supposed to be like without any kind of limitations. Again, a high point of this series is how much it effectively digs into Star Wars lore to make everything feel like a natural extension of what already exists. Gillen delivers some great moments portraying the seedy underworld of bounty hunters, which also gives further context for Vader’s use of them in The Empire Strikes Back. Even more entertaining are the assassin droids Triple-Zero and Beetee who can basically be described as C-3PO and R2-D2 if both of them were evil and packing heat. They have some of the most hilarious dialogue exchanges throughout the issues.

No mention of Darth Vader would be complete without Doctor Aphra, the female archaeologist who works for the Sith Lord by providing him critical technology and intel. She’s the complete opposite of Vader by being extremely chatty and irreverent, but he tolerates her because of her valuable skill set. I have a feeling that some readers will be immediately turned off be her personality, but I think Gillen writes Aphra well enough to not outstay her welcome. At least in this series (I have yet to read her solo run of comics), she works fine in small doses and provides some necessary comedic relief in what would otherwise be completely dower proceedings. Star Wars has always had characters like her, so that’s nothing new.

I’ve sung my praises of the writing, but what about the artwork itself? This is where things are far more of a mixed bag. Salvador Larroca is responsible for the bulk of the art and he’s proven to be especially controversial among the Star Wars comic book community. A cursory search of the man’s name on Reddit reveals a considerable number of threads highlighting just how bad his drawing can get. For the 2015 Star Wars run, he resorted to what appears to be a bizarre combination of Photoshop and tracing. The result is an ugly mishmash that really doesn’t work, with Larroca’s more recent comic adaptation of the Obi-Wan Kenobi television series being particularly egregious.

Now, the good news is that Darth Vader isn’t anywhere near as bad as some of the stuff Larroca would do later on. There are some odd flubs here and there to be sure, but nothing too horrible that made me want to put the book down and stop reading. Where Larroca’s penciling falters, the vibrant coloring and shading are generally able to pick up the slack. The thing is, once you see some of the other side issues in this omnibus that were drawn by Mike Deodato Jr., Leinil Francis Yu, Mike Norton, and Max Fiumara as well as the stunning covers handled by other artists, it’s quite difficult to ignore how much Larroca pales in comparison. Most will probably cite Vader Down #1 as the omnibus’ standout issue since it features Vader’s famous line, “All I’m surrounded by is fear and dead men” and an incredible sense of scale. It just made me wish that Deodato Jr. had drawn the entire series instead.

Larroca is not without talent and I think some of his best moments are the two-page spreads which generally succeed in capturing the huge scale of the Star Wars universe. Yet I think it’s pretty clear that Lucasfilm keeps hiring him less for his drawing skills and more for the fact that he’s able to dish out dozens of issues a year across multiple series. Punctuality and strong work ethic are great traits, but I think most readers would vastly prefer quality over quantity in an artist. As is, you’re going to have to accept a Darth Vader comic that from a visual standpoint only reaches good instead of great while the rest is just passable. Gillen’s writing is really what most are going to stay for.

The entire narrative, which compromises of 25 issues and a few side comics that are all collected in this omnibus in the desired reading order, largely fulfilled what I wanted out of a good Darth Vader story. Despite admitting to not liking the prequels, Gillen has clearly done his homework in researching all the Star Wars films and crafting an interquel chapter that falls neatly in between. Vader himself goes through a satisfying character arc, and the strongest moments come when we see him contemplating what strategic move to take next. By the end of this series, we have gained a greater understanding of what his motivations are and how they have changed over time. I enjoyed my time with Darth Vader and can certainly recommend it as a pretty decent starting off point for anyone who wants to get into Star Wars comics.

I’ll conclude this review by discussing this book’s format and what the most accessible way is to read these comics. As I alluded to at the start, I’ve recently been collecting more Marvel Omnibus volumes. If you aren’t familiar with them, these are massive hardcover books that contain entire runs and story arcs of notable comics. The quality is exceptional and for all the faults Disney has, they have not skimped out on making sure that diehard collectors such as yours truly get their money’s worth. Believe me, these are the kinds of coffee table-sized books you need to save up for each month because the heavier ones can cost $150 USD or more. Chances are you’ll probably pay less than that because online retailers like Amazon run discounts, but I live in Japan and have to deal with added shipping costs. You may face similar challenges depending on where you are based.

At 736 pages, Star Wars: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus is surprisingly one of the shorter entries in the Marvel Omnibus line and originally retailed for $100 which isn’t too bad considering all the issues it contains. Unfortunately, even the second edition released in 2022 is out of print. I was able to snag a used copy in good condition off a third party Amazon JP seller for just $35, but that was a total fluke and I would not expect most to ever come across such an incredible deal. A look at Amazon US shows that it’s going for $200 minimum and eBay prices aren’t much better. Until this omnibus comes back in print (if that ever happens), I can’t really recommend you go for it now.

However, those who missed out are in luck. Late last year, Marvel published the first half of this Darth Vader series under their Epic Collection line. While obviously not as nice as the Marvel Omnibus edition, the overall quality is still quite good considering that these are meant to be affordable paperbacks. It’s currently hovering around $25 and the second volume will be out later this year. For that price, you can’t go wrong. If the gargantuan (I’m running out of synonyms for big) Marvel Omnibus hardcovers are for the insane collectors like me, then the Epics are the more reasonable alternatives for the average person who doesn’t want to give themselves a hernia every time they leave their bookshelf.

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It’s hard to believe that over a decade has passed since Disney bought Star Wars from George Lucas.

But even harder to believe is the current state of the franchise, which is quite the far cry from the anticipation everyone had in the years and months leading up to 2015’s The Force Awakens. What was once the movie event of the decade is now a series that doesn’t even have a concrete release date for any new films at all, instead relying on a slew of television shows which have ranged in quality from surprisingly good to painfully amateur.

This week, another Star Wars television show entitled Ahsoka will hit home screens across the world via Disney+ in what is supposed to be a continuation of the Rebels animated series starring Dave Filoni’s beloved original character. And yet one can’t shake the feeling that hardly anyone seems to care. If you asked the average person who has seen a Star Wars film or show, you would be hard-pressed to find many who are even aware that Ahsoka is happening at all.

I should note that I’m not someone who is automatically anti-Disney Star Wars. I’m a genuine fan of Rogue One and Andor, I think the first two seasons of Mandalorian are solid television, and I’ll even defend Solo as underrated. But when it comes to the main sequel trilogy and shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi, it’s pretty clear to me that the House of Mouse dropped the ball. But what happened?

In this edition of Foreign Perspectives, we’re doing something different. I will assume the role of my alter ego OJ the Media Doctor and have a conversation with my patient, Star Wars. By the end of our talk, I’ll have prescribed how to improve his current course and take better care of himself.

If there’s enough interest, I might even turn this bit into a recurring series since there are more than a few media franchises which are quite ill and in dire need of help. But without further ado, let’s examine today’s ailing man.

OJ: Star Wars, please step into my office.

A balding middle-aged man with a five o’clock shadow enters in the room. He has a protruding belly, reeks of cheap cologne and day-old Jack Daniels, and is wearing a faded T-shirt that claims Gungans are people too.

Star Wars: What’s up, doc?

OJ: It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? You’ve seen better days.

Star Wars: What’s that supposed to mean?

OJ: For someone with your reputation, I would have assumed that your handlers took better care of you.

Star Wars: I’ll admit that I’m not in the best of shape today, but the people still love me!

OJ: Well, that’s what I wanted to talk about. It’s already been over a decade since you switched ownership, huh?

Star Wars: Yeah. Dad got tired of looking after me and decided that he wanted to spend more time on himself.

OJ: And how have things been at the House of Mouse?

Star Wars: I don’t think I want to talk about it. Hey, have you seen Mission Impossible lately? I heard he’s doing well.

OJ: Star Wars, I can’t prescribe anything if we don’t get to the root of the problem.

Star Wars: Fine, fine. You promise this won’t get out, right?

OJ: As a media medical professional, I always abide by patient confidentiality.

Star Wars: Good, I wouldn’t want Mom hearing about this.

OJ: Is that what you call that Kathleen Kennedy woman?

Star Wars: I don’t have much of a choice. No matter how much things get screwed up, she won’t let me go.

OJ: I see. Well, let’s start at the beginning. You first came back into theaters with The Force Awakens.

Star Wars: Did you like it? I was really proud of that one.

OJ: Well imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I guess, but I don’t think that applies to your own work.

Star Wars: What do you mean by that?

OJ: Come on, anyone with two brain cells can see you just remade A New Hope.

Star Wars: But the people loved it! It made over $2 billion!

OJ: Buddy, it was 2015 and you would’ve made that with any film that wasn’t The Holiday Special.

Star Wars: I thought we agreed to never speak of that again.

OJ: Fine, but the point stands. The movie has its fun moments, but it doesn’t hold up that well today. Turning Han Solo into a divorced loser? Rey defeating a trained Sith apprentice having barely touched a lightsaber? Leia hugging her over Chewie after Han’s death? What were you thinking?

Star Wars: People were just glad to see me after all those years and that’s good enough.

OJ: Fine, but you couldn’t rely on nostalgia and good will forever. The Last Jedi is proof of that.

Star Wars: It subverted your expectations didn’t it!

OJ: It subverted my expectations that it would be better than The Force Awakens.

Star Wars: You hated it that much?

OJ: I’m afraid I’m going to have to side with the detractors on this one too.

Star Wars: Why?

OJ: A film of yours that went against formula and did something different would’ve been fine, if it wasn’t part of the Skywalker Saga. Sorry, but there was no reason for Luke to become a depressed lout. And my god, that milking scene. What’s Hollywood’s obsession with turning beloved male protagonists into useless old men these days anyways?

Star Wars: Mom is all about “girl power” and “female empowerment.”

OJ: She’s one of the wealthiest people in the industry and has had her name attached to countless big projects over the last 40 years. And does she really expect us to forget characters like Leia and Mara Jade?

Star Wars: I don’t make the rules, man.

OJ: Sad Luke Skywalker isn’t even the worst part of that film. What the hell did you do to my boy Finn? A stormtrooper who decided to break his indoctrination and join the Rebels? One who might even be Force sensitive? How could you introduce this plot point with so much storytelling potential and just throw it away?

Star Wars: Um.

OJ: And instead you threw in pointless crap like that Canto Bight subplot while getting rid of Snoke before we even got to know him.

Star Wars: It, uh, subverted your expectations though, right?

OJ: You need to stop saying that. Bad storytelling isn’t subverting anyone’s expectations.

Star Wars: It was different from The Force Awakens though! You complained that the last one was too similar to previous Star Wars films so we went in a new direction!

OJ: Did you though? Most of the film still just takes story beats from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, while the previously mentioned “different” stuff fell flat. There’s the potential for a good movie somewhere in The Last Jedi and it looks alright from a technical perspective, but man are the people who blindly defend this film annoying. And I guess I could say the same about those who think it’s the worst thing ever too. To me it was just disappointing.

Star Wars: Maybe if the film had come out at any time besides the first year of the Trump presidency there would’ve been more room for nuanced conversation. A lot of people on both sides went insane during 2017 to be fair.

OJ: And that’s another thing too. I know that you always touched upon politics in some way with your older films, but you gotta reign it in with alienating your audience. Especially with the stuff the people in charge say to the fans. Rian Johnson arguing with people on Twitter looks bad no matter how you slice it. Imagine if the prequels had come out when social media existed.

Star Wars: Ok, ok. I’ll at least keep that in mind.

OJ: I don’t want to harp on The Last Jedi forever or else I’m going to be the one who’ll need a prescription. Let’s move on to Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: Must you torture me so?

OJ: I think even you realized it sucked. Whether you loved or hated The Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker appealed to no one and pissed off everyone. Again going back to Finn, how could you have wasted such a great character? For a film that was supposed to tie up all the loose ends of a decades-old space opera franchise, you sure introduced a ton of storylines that had no resolutions.

Star Wars: You have to understand that I was going through a lot of complicated things at the time. Change of director, change of script, etc.

OJ: Yeah, we all could tell.

Star Wars: Don’t rub it in.

OJ: I’m sorry, but you can’t ignore the fact that you messed up an entire trilogy. The Force Awakens was a remake of A New Hope. The Last Jedi decided to retcon what The Force Awakens set up and made a bunch of dumb creative decisions while acting like it “subverted expectations” in some kind of intelligent way. Rise of Skywalker decided to retcon things yet again, but was an even bigger mess. I dunno how you can even call this a trilogy with how incoherent everything is.

Star Wars: I didn’t mean for things to get this out of hand.

OJ: I’m sure you didn’t at first, but all of this is modern Hollywood hubris at its finest. Now as for Rogue One and Solo—

Star Wars: Here it comes.

OJ: I thought they were actually pretty good.

Star Wars: Wait, what?

OJ: I’m serious. Rogue One felt like an actual war movie and accomplished the difficult task of having high stakes even though we all knew how this story was going to turn out. I thought it captured the aesthetics of the Empire during the New Hope era well, the performances were convincing, and that Darth Vader hallway scene was one of the best things you ever did.

Star Wars: Wow, thanks. I didn’t expect to hear such high praise from you.

OJ: I even liked Solo. It reminded me a lot of Han’s adventures in the early years of the Expanded Universe. You know, those pulpy novels. Maybe it got too fan servicey at times, but Alden Ehrenreich did a good job capturing the arrogance and naïveté of a young Han Solo at this stage of his life. Donald Glover as a young Lando was even better. Not to mention that fantastic Kessel Run sequence and incredible score.

Star Wars: I’m glad to hear that. Not many saw that one.

OJ: Because you made the mistake of releasing it so close to The Last Jedi when too many people were alienated. You should’ve moved it to the end of 2018 and then delayed Rise of Skywalker to 2020 in order to give it more time in the oven.

Star Wars: We just wanted to have a steady stream of content.

OJ: And that’s the issue, you’re so obsessed with “content” over actually creating media that tells worthwhile and meaningful stories. I think this is your biggest problem right now.

Star Wars: Really?

OJ: Yes, take The Mandalorian for example. For your first live-action television series, you actually did something creative that showed us a different side of your universe. It was serious and gritty like those westerns and samurai films you originally took inspiration from, but also had an interesting protagonist and good hook with the Baby Yoda Grogu character.

Star Wars: So you liked it?

OJ: Yes, but only to a point. Weird CGI deep fakery aside, I thought ending Season 2 with Luke Skywalker in his prime taking away Grogu from Mando to become a Jedi was a fitting conclusion to that storyline. It was something genuinely emotional and heartfelt. But then you had to ruin it by reuniting them in a Boba Fett spin-off show that the vast majority of people didn’t watch.

Star Wars: Uh, well, let’s just say we had to do some story restructuring.

OJ: Did you not learn anything from Rise of Skywalker? Look, I know that Gina Carano got into unnecessary fights on social media and it was bad for the brand, but was firing her really worth it? You axed her character from this intricate television universe you were creating and the haphazard rewrites are so obvious.

Star Wars: Um.

OJ: The Book of Boba Fett and Season 3 of The Mandalorian had some interesting ideas, but you dropped the ball once again. They feel like shows combined with scraps of reworked episodes or canceled spin-offs. It’s very disjointed and you drifted too far from what these characters were supposed to be.

Star Wars: Did you not like seeing Boba Fett return?

OJ: I thought his portrayal in Season 2 of Mandalorian was perfectly fine and in-line with what I imagined a more wisened version of the character would be like. But then in his own show you turned him into a wimp who barely had any control of his circumstances. Other characters did practically everything for him. If I wasn’t familiar with the character already, I’d have no idea that this guy used to be considered one of the most fearsome bounty hunters in the galaxy. And then Mando comes and upstages him. It felt more like The Footnote of Boba Fett.

Star Wars: Well, what about Mandalorian Season 3?

OJ: I didn’t hate it, but it was a clear downgrade from the previous two seasons. The stakes felt far lower and it’s pretty clear that Mando isn’t even the star of his own show anymore.

Star Wars: Pedro Pascal is a busy man.

OJ: Which is why I’m probably assuming we’re not going to see this character for a long time in addition to the ongoing writers strike. Though I guess Mando and Grogu riding off into the sunset is better than what you did to Han and Luke.

Star Wars: Hey, I also brought back Obi-Wan! You liked that show, right?

OJ: I really wanted to, but after thinking it over, that was a disappointment too. You should’ve stuck to your previous plan of an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie instead of turning it into a six-episode show. So many of this show’s characters are idiots and the overall production feels surprisingly cheap. The idea of Obi-Wan reflecting on his life while in exile in between Episode III and IV is a fascinating concept, but John Jackson Miller did it far better in his novel from the old EU. So much of this show was a wasted opportunity.

Star Wars: We brought back Darth Vader though!

OJ: But did you need to? It introduces so many continuity problems. To be fair, it was a pretty epic duel and I’m glad we could see Hayden Christensen as Anakin again. But man, Obi-Wan walking away from that fight without killing him makes zero sense. The original idea of them being separated on a sinking space ship and Vader thinking Obi-Wan died would’ve been far better.

Star Wars: Again, we had some trouble behind the scenes.

OJ: This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re owned by the richest entertainment company in the world, and yet somehow you keep making all these amateur mistakes when it should count.

Star Wars: I’m not always happy about it either, but it is what it is.

OJ: You need to get over your laziness and stop acting like the fans are just going to lap something up because it has your name on it. And again, I know you’re better than this. Look at Andor.

Star Wars: Oh, you saw that one too? People told me it was going to suck.

OJ: And can you blame them? After that sequel trilogy, Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re the last horse I’d want to bet on at the races. But Andor is probably the strongest thing you’ve done in years. Again like Rogue One, it’s a gritty story that explores the cost of war and the difficult choices humans sometimes have to make to defeat an enemy.

Star Wars: You liked it even though there weren’t any lightsabers or Jedi?

OJ: I liked it because it told a good story with characters I actually cared about. Andor depicted just how bad life is under the Empire, but also that the people fighting against it don’t always make the most ethical decisions either. Showing that the Rebels aren’t all sunshine and rainbows in that way does a far better job at “subverting expectations” than turning Luke Skywalker into a self-hating senior citizen.

Star Wars: So what, we should just hire Tony Gilroy to do everything from now on?

OJ: No, you should hire talented writers and let them do their thing. Everyone loved The Clone Wars for that reason.

Star Wars: We still have Dave Filoni.

OJ: And I hope that he continues to do a good job. I have more faith in him to do you justice than Jon Favreau these days, though I wonder how much of The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett’s shortcomings were his fault. Disney has the habit of turning good ideas into crap.

Star Wars: Have you looked at my other media outside of the films and shows?

OJ: Yes and to your credit that stuff probably has the same ratio of good to bad quality as the old EU did. I thought your books A New Dawn, Tarkin, Lords of the Sith, and Dark Disciple were all great. They did a good job of fleshing out eras in between the films and I recommend them to people who were disappointed by the sequel trilogy for better stories. At the same time, who asked for a Canto Bight short story collection? And that comic where an Imperial nurse falls in love with Darth Vader? Were you high on crack?

Star Wars: Well, that’s what happens when so many writers try to create stories about me.

OJ: Fair enough, but man do you fail at the worst times. Those books I mentioned were good, but how many people have read them versus all the people who saw those awful sequel trilogy films? You can’t boast that your restaurant is good because the side dishes are tasty when the main entrees are terrible.

Star Wars: I know, I know. Look, it’s hard creating stuff that appeals to everyone, ok?

OJ: Well, I heard that you have three upcoming films planned. Are they actually happening?

Star Wars: Yeah! We have a new one in the works starring Rey.

OJ: Good lord, again? Do you really think people are excited for that after Rise of Skywalker?

Star Wars: Well James Mangold is also doing a film that’s going to take place at the very beginning of my timeline. It’ll be a Biblical scale epic that goes into the origins of the Force and the Jedi.

OJ: That sounds more interesting. But how’s it coming along?

Star Wars: Uh, James says he’s busy.

OJ: Great, so I’ll file that one under “never happening.”

Star Wars: Don’t forget that Dave Filoni is doing his own film too!

OJ: Really, when’s it coming out?

Star Wars: Maybe late 2026?

OJ: You don’t even have a release date for any of these films?

Star Wars: These things take time.

OJ: Jesus Christ, this is worse than I thought. You have serious commitment issues in following through with these projects. You keep announcing collaborations with directors who are going to make films for you, only for them to leave. What happened to Rogue Squadron? That movie Kevin Feige said he was working on?

Star Wars: That’s just showbiz, baby.

OJ: I understand, but you need to keep this sort of thing on the down-low. When the public sees these stories, it makes it look like you’re having serious problems behind the scenes.

Star Wars: That isn’t too far from the truth.

OJ: Yes, I know. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Speaking of which, this session has gone on for quite awhile. Before we wrap up and I prescribe you something, tell me what you’re working on now.

Star Wars: I have a brand new series by Dave Filoni based on the Ahsoka character coming out this week.

OJ: I saw the previews, but I have to say that I’m concerned.

Star Wars: Why?

OJ: I’m not seeing anyone talking about it. You’ll need significant prior knowledge of Clone Wars and Rebels to understand the story and who characters like Ezra and Thrawn are. To be honest, this is the first show of yours I’m not going to be watching as it releases because I still need to get caught up with Rebels.

Star Wars: Well, I’m sure lots of people will still see it regardless.

OJ: Will they? Look, Ahsoka is a good character, but I doubt she’s going to pull the same viewership numbers as Mando. And even he saw a significant drop during Season 3 because the show went downhill.

Star Wars: Ahsoka may not become the biggest hit ever, but we have Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte too.

OJ: Is that really worth bragging about? No one knows what Skeleton Crew is and the dumb stuff the Acolyte showrunner is saying doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence. No one is going to take anything she says about female empowerment seriously either considering that she was the personal assistant to Harvey Weinstein.

Star Wars: There was little hype around Andor, but it still got a ton of praise. Skeleton Crew could be in a similar situation.

OJ: If it’s that good, I’ll be the first person to say it. But a show being good is only one part of its success.

Star Wars: What’s your point?

OJ: My point is that even if these shows are the greatest things since sliced bread, you need to get people to care.

Star Wars: Fine doc, I’m all ears. What should I do?

OJ: First, take a breather and re-evaluate what direction you want to go in. George Lucas changed his ideas constantly, but in the end he had a solid general idea of what direction to take your original trilogy in. I know that not everyone was big on the prequels, but again, he at least had a solid plan and they told a coherent story.

Star Wars: So you’re saying that I need to pull myself together and plan ahead?

OJ: Yes, exactly. It’s fine to change some things as they come, but you have to run a tighter ship. Don’t repeat Rise of Skywalker or the convoluted mess that the current live-action shows are in.

Star Wars: What else can I do to straighten myself out?

OJ: Hire the right people for the job and don’t insult your audience. Most fans who didn’t like The Last Jedi or Obi-Wan Kenobi aren’t these horrible sexists or racists who go out of their way to harass people. Some of the stuff I see your writers post on social media just turns me off from their work entirely. You have fans all over the world from across the political spectrum and intentionally going out of your way to alienate entire segments of it doesn’t foster good will.

Star Wars: Alright, anything else?

OJ: Focus more on quality over quantity. After Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte, and Andor Season 2, take a step back and consider what actually makes an interesting story instead of content to fill a seasonal Disney+ slot. You need to also figure out when you’re actually going to release new movies instead of giving us these vague promises of future projects that probably will never happen. We don’t mind waiting because a film of yours used to be a special event that only happened occasionally.

Star Wars: You’ve given me a lot to consider, doc. I appreciate your time and hopefully I can set myself on the right track again.

OJ: I hope so too. Get a good night’s sleep and call me in the morning if anything comes up. You should make regular check-ups with me.

Star Wars thanks Dr. OJ and leaves the room. Dr. OJ’s secretary enters.

OJ: Ah, Jean. Who’s my next patient for the day?

Jean: It was supposed to be Indiana Jones.

OJ: Indy, Star Wars’ little brother! Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. When’s he coming?

Jean: Like I said, he was supposed to be your patient. But unfortunately, I just found out that he actually passed away.

OJ: What!? When did this happen!?

Jean: Earlier this year. He was on life support for a long time, but sadly flatlined.

OJ: That’s terrible. This is the first time I’m hearing this.

Jean: Here’s the coroner’s report.