Edior's note: The below contains spoilers for Episodes 1-5 of Andor.Andor is perhaps the first of the Disney+ Star Wars shows that proceeds with the pacing of an actual television series. The Mandalorian had an action-packed bit of spectacle nearly every week, and Obi-Wan Kenobi felt like a six-hour movie that was divided into chapters. Andor isn’t afraid to take things a little slower. The fifth episode, “The Axe Forgets,” didn’t feature any extensive action sequences or jaw-dropping revelations. It simply gave us time to learn a bit more about the characters, and preview the challenges they had ahead of them.
Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is in an increasingly vulnerable position in the Galactic Capital. Coruscant once stood as the center of democracy within the Republic, and has turned into a stark, dystopian nightmare in the shadow of the Empire. Mothma’s brief conversation with Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) in “Aldhani” was her only connection to what was going on in the impoverished outer worlds. Although she has heard about the suffering that’s taken place, she is forced to stay within the heart of privilege.
We see the complexities of Mothma’s position through the brief conversation she shares with her husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie). In the previous episode, Fertha casts doubt upon Mothma’s efforts to start a charitable foundation and ignores her political positions by inviting Imperial dignitaries to a social function. It seems that he’s seemingly passed on this attitude to their daughter, Lieda (Bronte Carmichael). She claims that her mother only makes these public charitable contributions to “show off,” and asks her father to take her to school instead.
While this brief scene is the type of awkward family dinner conversation that’s common in television drama shows, it feels unique within the Star Wars franchise. Showing the distance between Mothma and her family highlights her struggle to take part in the early Rebel Alliance. Is she truly willing to “give everything” to this cause, as Luthen would suggest?
Mon Mothma Is an Outsider in Her Own Home
We don’t know much about the charitable cause that Mothma is currently fixated on. Judging by her husband’s callous remarks, this isn’t the first time that she’s spoken up against one of the Empire’s crimes. In the previous episode, Mothma discussed how cutting off critical shipping lanes would leave many planets without food or resources. It’s clear that she is actively fighting on the political battlefront, which may lead to unintended consequences at home.
Fertha is clearly an Imperial sympathizer and has managed to get Lieda to share his point-of-view. Lieda asks her father to take her to school to show her support; Mothma leaves the room in sadness. This underscores the double-edged sword of activism. Mothma feels like she isn’t going far enough to support the Rebellion, but at the same time, she feels like her actions only isolate her from her family. How can Mothma hope to lead a rebellion if she can’t even get her daughter to take an interest in her cause?
At the same time, Mothma is likely feeling a sense of guilt for her privilege. She knows that people like Luthen are risking their lives on a daily basis, and all she has to complain about is not getting to bond with her daughter. Similar to Cassian (Diego Luna), Mothma has yet to find a community that truly supports her. She may have the privilege of wealth, but she’s an outsider in her own home.
The Complexities of Family in 'Andor'
Mothma’s conversation with her family is mirrored by a very different scene between Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) and his mother, Eedy (Kathryn Hunter). Syril is looking for a sense of comfort, but his mother believes he still has a prosperous future ahead of him if he simply “applies himself.” These scenes show the same theme; people return to their families in times of crisis. Both Syril and Mothma are reprimanded for their failings and don’t find the empathy that they were looking for.
This brings up an interesting question about how Mothma’s later activities will affect her family. In Star Wars Rebels, she becomes a fugitive from the Empire when she makes an open cry for rebellion, and is forced to flee from her home. While she probably wouldn’t mind putting her husband in danger, Lieda is a different story. Perhaps, Mothma will get the chance to bond with her daughter and explain why she is willing to risk her life. Her hesitations about putting her family in danger may explain Mothma’s caution during her conversation with Luthen.
In the Star Wars Legends timeline, Lieda eventually joins her mother in serving the New Republic. While the new canon has diverted from the non-canon content on several occasions, it would be interesting to see a powerful mother-daughter duo working against a jerk like Fertha. Andor looks at the small-scale battles being waged in the Star Wars universe, and for Mothma, this battle is at home.
Andor releases new episodes weekly every Wednesday on Disney+.
