Sen. Alex Padilla's forcible removal from a Dept. of Homeland Security news conference is among the real-world events the 'Andor' showrunner likens to his 'Star Wars' prequel.

Andor creator Tony Gilroy on the Star Wars series' Emmy nominations and the nominations that they didn't get too.

A close runner-up for many was Kino Loy (Andy Serkis), making his quite literal breakout speech from the prison in season 1, assuring inmates that there was one way out. "Kino is my favorite," one fan added. "Absolutely legendary. He doesn't need to come back and do anything else in Star Wars. That character in that moment alone was perfect."

A slow-burning tale about the creep of authoritarianism, the show explores how the “Star Wars” universe’s revolutionary Rebel Alliance is born from the wreckage of state surveillance, militarism and the erosion of civil liberties under the fascist-coded Galactic Empire.

Star Wars has many iconic villains, but one villain's backstory explains so much about this character and how they’ve been rotten from the start.

With Andor over, next up on the live-action Star Wars TV front is Ahsoka Season 2, which will likely premiere sometime next year. The Mandalorian & Grogu is also set to be released on the 2026 movies schedule, this being the first theatrical Star Wars offering since The Rise of Skywalker.

Andor, the latest in Disney+’s ever-lengthening line of Star Wars shows, is the first Star Wars film or show to feel fundamentally different. Andor is, first and foremost, a political thriller.

"Andor" dances to its own thoughtful tune, and if other "Star Wars" series can do the same, it portends a good future for these shows. And sure, they can have cute Baby Yodas, too – in moderation.

It has cliffhangers, quips and western-style shootouts, and it definitely doesn't take itself too seriously. The origin story distractingly explains every facet of Han Solo's personality – and chucks in at least one cameo too many – but aside from that, it's that rare Star Wars adventure that you can just watch on its own.