As a middle-aged member of Generation X, this reporter never quite understood the fascination of Star Wars among his aging peers. This isn’t to say that Star Wars wasn’t part of my childhood, as it most certainly was—having literally all the action figures and many of the playsets. Christmas Day was really Star Wars day when I was a preteen. However, as I grew up, a fascination with “real history” took hold, and I have largely come to view the films as they were arguably meant to be seen, as in entertainment for children.
The exception is Andor, the two-season prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That film was largely forgettable, but then Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote it, was given the opportunity to make a prequel TV series providing the origin of the character. He painted a version of the galaxy far, far away like no other. There may have been the staple of weird aliens in the background and even a few droids for comic relief, but missing were any mention of the Force, Darth Vader, Sith, and the Jedi.
It was a darker and grittier Star Wars that presented the darkest of dark days.
Andor — First Season
The first season chronicled how Cassian Andor went from a petty criminal to one of the organizers of the galactic rebellion. It also offered the motivation behind the bureaucrats, who are the true force behind the scenes within the Galactic Empire. The ambitious Chancellor Palpatine may have orchestrated the events leading to the Clone Wars, but the legion of “Imperials” made it work.
The newly released 12-episode-long second season continued and even concluded the story. It truncated the original version of a planned five seasons by offering four mini-arcs that focused on the key events in the final years leading up to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Instead of an action-adventure romp, Andor is a slow-burn, political spy thriller drama. In that way, it is arguably the first Star Wars series written for an adult audience.
The inclusion of a few droids and aliens is there to keep the kids interested—and no doubt to sell more action figures—but this could easily be viewed by those who have never heard of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Darth Vader.
The irony is, of course, that Cassian Andor, Bix Caleen, Kleya Marki, Vel Sartha, and Luthen Rael are all destined to be forgotten and likely left out of the annals of galactic history. Yet, were it not for Cassian and the others, the knowledge that resulted in the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope couldn’t have occurred! That’s what makes the series a true science fiction masterpiece.
Andor Season 2’s Reasonable Firepower
Being the second season of a prequel to a movie that was in turn a prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, Andordidn’t offer an entirely new arsenal of sci-fi small arms, but there were plenty of old favorites mixed with a few twists.
Notably, that included Cassian Andor’s MW-20 Bryar Pistol, which was based on the K-16 Bryar Blaster Pistol originally created for the Star Wars Battlefront first-person shooter video game. What is unique about this blaster is that it wasn’t born out of a modern firearm from the real world, but the weapon created for the Battlefront game became canon in the live-action series.
The MW-20 was also seen to be part of a convertible “sniper blaster rifle” that Andor assembles during the Ghormanmassacre. While we know that assembling a sniper rifle in the real world is difficult (possibly even impossible) as the scope can’t be properly zeroed, that wasn’t an issue a long time ago in another galaxy. Notably, the MW-20 differs from the BlasTech A280CFE convertible heavy blaster pistol that could also be used in either a pistol or sniper configuration carried by Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It appears the thief turned rebel upgraded his weapon of choice between the events of the series and the film.
Stealing From The Empire
Cassian Andor carried a different sidearm at the start of the season. While charged with stealing the TIE Avenger, he was seen armed with an SE-14R blaster pistol, which was based on the Spanish-made Rexim Favor submachine gun.
That weapon was first seen in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope when Dr. Evazan drew it after provoking a fight with Luke Skywalker at the Mos Eisley cantina. The same sidearm could be spotted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story, carried by Death Troopers, but was also used by Lando Calrissian in Solo and then again in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Various characters in The Mandalorian also wielded the SE-14R.
Imperial Stormtroopers Firepower
Given that the second season of Andor takes place at the height of the Galactic Empire, there is no shortage of Imperial Stormtroopers present to keep order, and most could be seen carrying the BlasTech E-11 Blaster Rifle, their standard rifle throughout the Star Wars saga. That blaster was modeled on the British Sterling submachine gun, which was likely chosen as the production of the original film occurred at Pinewood Studios outside of London. The armorers likely had ample supplies of the Sterling available at the time. Though the mock-ups featured the original folding stock, it begged the question of why it is never deployed, as it would aid in the blaster’s accuracy!
The Sterling also served as the basis of the BlasTech E-10.5 Blaster Rifle, the preceding model. It has a longer barrel and a different foregrip. Behind the scenes, the changes may have been required, as the production relied large numbers of S&T airsoft replicas, which were dressed up to appear as a slightly different model blaster. In both seasons of Andor, the Stormtroopers are equipped with the newer version while other Imperial units, including Imperial Security Branch (ISB) troopers, carry the older model.
Return Of The Mauser
The German-made Mauser C96 pistol was famously modified in the original trilogy as the BlasTech DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol, which was carried by Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. In Andor, the C96 is again present, but this time modified to serve as the Merr-Sonn Power 5 Blaster Pistol, the standard sidearm for Imperial officers, including ISB officer Dedra Meero. It lacked the scope of the DL-44 and featured an MG-81 flash hider and other “greebles” to dress it up, making for a familiar-looking but still unique sidearm.
The C96 wasn’t the only German handgun to get the sci-fi redesign in Andor, as Cassian and his lover Bix Caleencan be seen at times with a dressed-up Walther P38. It may be the same prop weapon that Luthen Rael carried in the first season of Andor. Another version, believed to be a Morlana Security blaster Cassian obtained, is also carried by rebel Wilmon Paak.
Though no future seasons of Andor will be made (as the story has reached its logical conclusion), some of these small arms will likely continue to be seen in other Star Wars adventures!
Welcome to the rebellion!
