#on aldhani ... ideally

[spaceprincessleia]

Karis Nemik & Arvel Skeen in Andor | 1x04 for @ireallyamabear

[darkwing-katy]

Part of me likes to think that Dedra gets released from the Imperial Prison she’s in after the demise of the Emperor. I like to think that the Alliance lets everyone out, especially because they know that so many were wrongfully imprisoned by the Empire during the events of Andor (after Aldhani). Sure, maybe there’s a few murderous people they know better than to let out, but I like to imagine that Dedra isn’t one of those few and she gets free. I like to picture her stepping out into the fresh air feeling the wind on her face. She’s gaunt and trimmed from the hard work, her hair is dull, and for a moment, she forgets what she just went through for the last few years of her life.

And then she hears what happened, how Emperor Palpatine is dead—Tarkin is dead, Krennic is dead, Vader is dead, so many people she’s heard of are dead, and because she’s grown to hate them in her time imprisoned (and she maintains that it was wrongful), she grins up at the sky as the wind caresses her face, the strands of her hair wafting in the breeze

and she thinks to herself, I fucking told you. You should’ve believed me cause I fucking told you.

because in her eyes, she was Cassandra (even if they never had a Cassandra myth in that part of the galaxy). She tried to warn everyone about what Axis was doing, how the tightening of regulations was only making it easier for the rebels to recruit more of them, how dangerous this Alliance was to all they held dear—

—she fucking tried to tell them—

—and all it got her was thrown into jail, forced to do manual labor for the ideals she tried to protect, forced to build the objects that would make up the project she had a role in—

and she got burned and locked away and now the Emperor is dead, the Imperial Empire is falling to pieces because the Rebels won.

do you believe me now?

[ofwings]

Sincere question: how do you square Vel x Kleya with the way the writers fridged Cinta? I want to be into them but I'm unhappy with how Cinta was written to get us here.

honestly i think this is something that you're allowed to feel Some Kind Of Way about. i don't think you'd be alone in that at all; i've seen some thoughtful opinions (h/t bikananjarrus) floating around re: this writing setup that i'm not sure i'm entirely in agreement with, but can also understand entirely. that's your prerogative!

i really loved cinta, and velcinta, and it's not the ending i wanted for them or cinta either. i have mixed feelings on cinta's death and how it was handled both in-universe and out, especially now that the series is over and it ended up not quite being the "everyone dies!" show that i expected it to be (genuinely shocked that kleya and vel even survived long enough to be having this conversation about them post-canon). if all you want to engage with is fix-it fic, this is the fandom for you; that's basically the entirety of what rogue one fic has been forever.

i think what has me invested in velkleya is the tragedy, though, at in-universe face value? like purely personal opinion here, but i've always really enjoyed ship dynamics where things aren't perfect, they're not each other's one true love; where things are potentially a little desperate and transactional and between two people that are having a rough go of it. i don't think vel ever gets over cinta! who would? that's clearly a "love of her life" type relationship, and it hurts that she lost cinta forever. i also don't think that kleya is a) in anything approaching a good mental state, and b) canonically i don't think she has any positive experiences around romance. them meeting on yavin isn't a meetcute.

i really enjoy stories where characters find love in circumstances that aren't ideal, especially if 'love' isn't exactly what they would label it themselves, if that makes sense. kleya had no intention of living after passing on her message to cassian imo; that vel ran into her as she was wandering off is pure luck. i think i enjoy the idea of two characters that have given everything to the rebellion - their comfort, their families, the person they loved the most in the world - could find an understanding in each other. finding someone to carry on with in the face of insurmountable odds is important, vel and cinta's whole story made that point.

a few days after the s2 finale, vel and kleya are going to be the last two people alive to really understand what it took to have the death star destroyed. the last two people that knew what aldhani cost, what ghorman cost. the last two people to understand the feeling of being the very last. grim romanticism i guess, but i think it's important that they find each other in that feeling. maybe it would help them both.

[wychelm]

caught up on andor and I can't tell if I'm less invested in this season because my heart is still in aldhani or because they're not actually managing to make it as hard hitting as season one. I do think the release schedule is not ideal but also? I'm genuinely getting kind of bored? and I'd be even more bored if it were weekly so who can say. regardless I'm still having a great time and I have no strong opinions about anything. the technical perfection just washes over me peacefully. I'm like yay there are some of my all time favourite characters going through it. krennic is hot. it's slow but I'm content like a baby

[surgeonquadpaw]

Also, glad at least other people notice the black characters just being killed off. I wasn't too up in arms about the Clem stuff honestly, but the prison episode already annoyed me with this. Now again in the finale. How long will Jezzi last? lol

[whatisbraincells]

Autistic Cassian evidence(from an autistic person):

Non verbal when first brought to Narkina 5

As well as during Ulaf’s death

He the has same wide eyed face I have when I’m somewhere unfamiliar both on Narkina 5 and Aldhani and with Luthen on his ship

Also little Cass also has that face on Kenari and in the square with Clem

Also in Rouge One when they’re breaking in

Bad with social cues but also a little shit with his friends

Example: not realizing why Timm would think Bix was cheating on him with him but also being a little shit to Bix about dating him

Also not realizing Vel was telling him to back off Cinta

Bad with metaphors(not knowing what “already sharing a blanket” meant, “huh” face when Nemik is rambling)

Struggles with changing ideals

Follows instructions closely

Semi verbal after learning about his mom

Gets attached quickly

Covers up bad social skills with sarcasm and again being a little shit

Black and white thinking- Empire bad, rebels good

Determined to finish tasks or finish learning things

For example, learning everything he can about the guards and what happened on 2

And still searching the ship on Kenari

Or eating his food on Aldahni

Being treated as an outcast on Kenari

Prefers animal/droid companionship(K2 and Bee)

Immediate kinship with Nemik(also autistic)

And Skeen(who is not autistic but does have similar interests/past)

Also Jyn(who is autistic cause I say so)

Meltdowns(after K2’s death, yelling at Nemik on the transport, nonverbal episode on Narkina 5, “nobody’s listening!” possibly even shooting Skeen and freaking out on Vel, snapping on Jyn)

Easily collecting found family(need for attachment, possibly attachment issues stemming from being taken from Kenari)

Bad at expressing emapthy

Aka simply just going “Oh” when given someones tragic backstory

Absolutely not thinking about Syril even though he blew up his team(task focused thinking)

Bad with authority

Some examples in Rouge One like the whole defying the entire rebellion thing and also talking over Taramyn on Aldhani

Quick decision making/quick judgements

Still lives with his mom(as in, can’t live alone because he needs help or is too attached)

Not being able to do big speeches(making Jyn do the pep talk before the Rouge One mission and making Kino talk to the whole prison on Narkina 5)

Antisocial(does not like when he has to meet new people)

No concept of personal wellbeing/rarely does things for his own benift

Getting the Aldhani money for his mom, not wanting to use it on himself, wanting to get the whole prison free not just himself, not going with everyone at the end for their safety, killing people for the Rebellion to stay secret, not killing Galen for Jyn

Unexaggerated facial expressions(keeps a similar face for most of his appearances)

Lemme know if you have anything else! If you don’t agree dni it’s not that hard

He’s also bi and polyam and in love with Melshi, Jyn and Bohdi <3

[jake-and-amy-are-married]

Flags of Andor Season 1

Ferrix

Narkina-5

Aldhani

Niamos

Kenari

Chandrila

Ferrix

Front:

In the national flag of Ferrix, the left band is of Red colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The central emblem of the middle band indicates the ideal of Ferrix - "Onto Stone we are" and displays the Sky and stone. The right band is yellow in colour showing the clay nature of the land.

Back:

The colours remain the same, with the central emblem changing to the First brick of Ferrix, with the words "established in 1912"

Emblem:

The colours remain the same, with the central emblem showcasing the worker's gloves, honouring the nation's main value system. The emblem is covered with Lavender, one of the few plants that grow easily in clay soil.

Narkina -5

Flag:

In the national flag of Narkina-5 before the Empire's Coup, the top & bottom band is of blue colour, indicating the Icelandic nature of the country. The top middle sun indicates prosperity and truth. The bottom middle is an eel, showcasing abundance.

Emblem:

It is based on the ideas of abundance and prosperity. The sun, the palm tree, and the bird all indicate the Icelandic nature of the nation. The meal in the centre is depicted with spices and fish, indicating the unique culture. The fishing net depicts the major trade of the nation.

Aldhani

Front:

In the national flag of Aldhani before the Emporer's Coup, the band is of bright blue colour, indicating open spaces, freedom, intuition. The central emblem of the flag indicates Nasma Brani the sacred temple. The land's three suns are also depicted.

Back:

The colours remain the same, with the band changing to the nation's vast flora. The night sky, with the moon and stars are also depicted.

Emblem:

The colours remain the same, with the central emblem showcasing a cross between 1) A spear, indicating power and strength 2) A shepherd's staff, indicating the nation's primary source of commerce.

Niamos

Flag:

On a white field emblazoned with a white V and the sea, the top band is of green colour, indicating fertility & growth. The middle is a purple colour, indicating royalty and luxury. The last band is pink showcasing friendliness & playfulness.

Emblem:

The colours remain the same. The central emblem showcases the seafaring nature of the nation, with a sailboat indicating movement, transport, and joy.

Kenari

Front:

In the national flag of Kenari, the band is of bright green colour, indicating growth, health and luck. The central emblem of the flag indicates a banyan tree, symbolizing longevity.

Back:

The colours remain the same, with the band changing to a flaming torch, indicating enlightenment and hope.

Emblem:

The colours remain the same, with the central emblem showcasing The sun, the banyan tree leaf, and the native birds of Kenari. The native weapon - the staff, is also indicated on the bottom of the emblem.

Chandrila

Flag + emblem:

The flag and emblem remain the same. The sun shines on the Chandrilan Embassy sitting on the beach. The blue indicates trust, stability, and faith. The buildings are indicative of the emboldened history.

@sw-andor @swsource

A quick thank you to @antifandor and @someinstant for listening to all my rambling about this lol.

All reiterations are allowed with credit!

[jynmelshian]

it's the living a double life that involves dressing up/changing his appearance and behaviour/body language that he clearly isn't comfortable with but has to keep up appearances. but also his whole existence being in opposition to an oppressive force that allows for virtually no freedom of self/no self expression, and how's he's simultaneously so alone in that endeavour but also constantly surrounded by people. and depending on those situations they're either people who like and respect the version of you they see without knowing the truth of what you believe or what you are (luthen on coruscant) vs people who "know who you are" and understand you but it's difficult to connect with them/allow yourself to be open with them because you've trained yourself to be as closed off as possible and you don't want to risk being known to "outsiders" (luthen among the rebels never really revealing himself ie not letting vel or cassian mention him on aldhani in order to protect his cover). he can't be at peace until the very structure of society and the biases of those in charge have changed, but he doesn't allow himself any semblance of joy or calm even among those who share his ideals because he's just Not Ready for that. i could give many examples of trans people i know personally who aren't even out to their other lgbt friends because telling *anyone* runs a risk of their family finding out (or anyone they dont want to be out to). i know this is a very cynical reading of the trans experience but there's truth in it and yeah I'm totally projecting but i can't get it out of my head

luthen rael is arguably the most trans coded character in andor. besides cassian

[authoreeknight]

Andor's arcs are so brilliantly interwoven.

It's fascinating to me about how they start laying the groundwork for Narkina 5 as soon as the ISB is introduced. The very first dialogue we hear at the conference table is about detention numbers. Partagaz is tough on Deedra Meero until he needs to end a stinging meeting with her on a positive note so he brings up her very satisfactory detention numbers on Sev Tok and says he'll be sending more of that sort of work her way.

Then in the wake of Aldhani they increase sentences. All the other measures are brutally logical, but why increase sentences for people already incarcerated? Prisons are expensive.

Then with Narkina 5 it all starts to make sense. They're building something, something in secret, and in a big hurry about it. A prison is an ideal starting place for components where you don't want anyone getting the big picture. Compartmentalization is built-in. Nobody's going to be eager to poke around and figure out what the workers are up to, and of course the laborers themselves won't be talking because it looks like the system the Empire uses doesn't allow communication with relatives. No droid tech is going to draw conclusions from a repair visit. Efficient and about as secure as anything can be.

Loose lips blow up Death Stars.

[harelliequinn]

I know Andor is over but I can’t stop thinking about it, it just occurred to me how good Luthen’s character is over the course of Season 1. It’s not as obvious as Cass’s or Mon’s, but it’s just as rewarding looking back on it.

When we find him, Luthen is cold and hardened by the toll of the war, he’s made his heart a sunless space as he calls it. He even likens the revolution to an equation he came up with fifteen years ago, and fights by the cold calculus when he sacrifices Kreegyr.

But there’s a spark of something else in him. Seemingly out of character, he latches onto Cassian, trying to convince him to join the fight. Sure, a lot of that is just the calculus of needing an extra body on Aldhani, the same way he needed Lonni in the ISB, but as the season goes on, he continues focusing on Cassian, caring way more about him than he really should going by his own ideals, as Kleya even calls him out on.

Even when it puts his own life at risk, he still goes to Ferrix personally in the end, despite Kleya begging him not to. And then, he hears Maarva’s speech. A passionate, heart-stirring call to action to her community, all of these individual beings a community. It’s a stark contrast to his own speech of rebellion, a lonely cold fight he alone bears. That’s what rebellion against the Empire is about, not just fighting no matter what, but fighting together, fighting for each other. You know, saving what we love, as Rose and Rian Johnson put it.

And so Luthen’s arc becomes clear. It’s about being reminded why he’s fighting after nearly losing sight of it entirely, opening his heart to help guide Cassian’s newfound belief in the cause. And surely they’ll both stumble along the way, but Maarva’s rebellion wins out in the end on Scarif.

[e-the-village-cryptid]

I think they tried to explain this with the line "Aldhani has the property of being close to nothing and not very far from anything." It's not in a populated region, but it's still centrally located— Aldhani is to the galaxy as Kansas & Nebraska are to the United States, for example. Its central location, sparse population, hydroelectric energy source, and natural cave systems made it an ideal location for a vault— the money does have to be stored somewhere, right?

Of course, the real explanation is always: Because we need to set up a good heist :)

So…

Why did the empire keep an entire garrison’s payroll of cash in some remote-ass dam installation in the bum-arse end of nowhere on a sparsely populated planet?

I’m not complaining btw. I’m just curious is all.

Maybe they were just storing it temporarily.

The money was just resting in the vault.

Resting for a very long time but still.