#mom mothma

[itsthegirlinthebowtie]

my hero leia organa getting hera out of trouble, c3po my boy returning to my screen on her behalf, mon mothma being a badass leader ahsoka practicing the saber forms with anakin’s training videos, the fact that anakin even made these videos for her in the first place, the way i almost cried during that whole scene, ahsoka saying “that’s my style” with that lil smirk, thrawn being a badass the whole time completely unphased by everything, ezra saying “what, why?” about ahsoka training sabine (all of us lowkey lmao), the chaotic sibling energy in the entire episode, ezra force fighting like a motherfucker, his absolutely ezra moment of saying “wait we can talk about this”, his reunion with ahsoka :’) I loved this episode your honor

[ravenhairedwaywanderer]

[apricotbones]

Mon Mothma with the Diana Burnwood vibes 🔥

[toadlessgirl]

Okay, time to get pretentious and REALLY talk about this shot.

So put on your over-analysis goggles, and let’s talk about the Imperial Cog, Renaissance-era military forts, 18th century prison architecture, the military-industrial complex, the surveillance state, and why this single shot of Mon Mothma standing in a doorway in “Nobody’s Listening!” (the 9th episode of Andor season one) is making me so feral I want to kiss Luke Hull and his entire production design team right on the mouth.

For those of you not in the know - the shape on the screen behind Major Partagaz is the crest of the Galactic Empire - often called the Imperial Cog. It appears throughout Star Wars media on flags, tie fighter helmets, uniforms and as a glowing hologram outside ISB HQ.

In canon it was adapted from the crest of the Galactic Republic. 

irl it was created by original trilogy costume designer John Mollo. Mollo has stated that the symbol was inspired by the shape of historical fortifications.

Bastion forts (aka star forts) first appear during the Renaissance with the advent of the cannon. Their shape eliminated blind spots, allowing for a 360 degree field of fire.

An apt metaphor for the Empire. Powerful, imposing and leaving you with nowhere to hide.

The Imperial crest also strongly resembles a gear or cog - hence the common “Imperial Cog” nickname.

Given how inextricably linked military and industry are, it’s also an apt metaphor. Both alluding to the Empire’s massive industrial power, and how it treats all of its citizens with a startling lack of humanity, valuing them only for what they are able to produce for the Empire.

The idea of the cog is repeated in the shape of whatever it is that they’re producing in the prison. They’re literally cogs in the Imperial machine making more cogs for the machine... while inside a larger cog.

This shape, in relation to a prison, also references something else which was almost certainly intentional on the production team’s part.

In the 1791 British philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham proposed a design for a prison he referred to as the “panopticon” - the name derived from the Greek word for “all seeing”.

The basic design for the panopticon was a large circular rotunda of cells with a single watchtower in the center. The plan would allow a single guard to theoretically observe every cell in the prison, but more importantly cause the prisoners to believe they are under surevillance at all times, while never being certain.

Later philosophers (notably Michel Foucault) used the panopticon as a metaphor for social control under totalitarian regimes or surveillance states. The perceived constant surveillance of a panopticon causes prisoners to self-police due to the belief they are always being watched, even if they don’t know for certain that is true. They live in constant fear even if nobody is actually watching them, even if “Nobody’s Listening!” 

The idea of the metaphorical panopticon has in more recent years been adapted to many other examples of social control: CCTV, social media and business management...

Like the concept of cubicles in an open floor plan office.

So that all being established - let’s finally talk about Mon Mothma’s apartment.

The cog shape is everywhere. There’s hardly a shot where at least one cog isn’t visible. Every room is connected by cog-shaped doorways.

The shape serves as a backdrop to most scenes, often centered and featured prominently.

(Side Note: The cog also appears as a repeated pattern on room dividers with the interesting added detail of intersecting lines that make them resemble spider webs.

The fact that Mon is often filmed directly through these web-like screens (particularly when conducting rebellion business) leads me to believe that this was a very intentional choice.

Even in the very heart of the Empire the nascent Rebellion is starting to build a web of networks and intelligence.)

I had originally presumed that the repeated appearance of the cog was just Luke Hull and his production team adding some brilliant visual storytelling to their already amazing sets. But the following line from episode ten leads me to believe they intended for these details to have an in-story explanation as well.

When speaking to Tay and Davo Skuldon about the apartment Mon states that “It’s state property. The rules are strict on decor. Our choices for change are limited.”

While it’s unclear whether the “state” in this instance is Mon’s home planet of Chandrila or the Empire itself - that second option makes the decor even more insidious.

If Mon’s apartment is Empire property that means the shape of the doors is intentional in-world, not just for the sake of visual storytelling. It means that this was a conscious decision by the Empire. A reminder to even the richest and most powerful of its citizens that they are always watching - whether you can see them or not.

Which brings us back to our original shot.

My favorite thing about this shot isn’t just that is shows how very alone Mon Mothma is. 

It isn’t just that she’s in the heart of the Empire, surrounded and dwarfed - just another cog in their machine.

It isn’t just that’s she trapped in her own metaphorical prison, worrying her self sick about who may be watching, not safe even in her own home.

What makes this shot truly extraordinary to me, is that right in the midst of the Empire you can see a new symbol forming.

Forming with Mon Mothma right at the center.

It’s a bit blocky, still constrained by the the harsh lines of the Empire, but giving how intentional every design decision on this show has been I find it pretty hard to believe it’s there by accident.

A symbol that will one day adorn the helmet of a boy from Tatooine.

One that will come to represent what all rebellions are built on...

[britney-rosberg06]

everyone is always like “padme and fox besties agenda” this, “bail and fox besties agenda” that, FOOLS

[jyndor]

STAR WARS ANDOR (2022-) | episode four: aldhani

[ahsokatanohno]

HERA AND LEIA ARE PALS. AHSOKA AND EZRA AND SABINE REUNITED. AHSOKA IS HOPEFUL AND THRIVING. THREEPIO IS HERE ON BEHALF OF SENATOR AND DEFENSE COORDINATOR LEIA ORGANA. ZEB IS TRAINING RECRUITS. MY HEART IS FULL.

[thestrongeststars]

Some Andor as John Mulaney quotes because how else do I cope with the finale

[groove-on-boogie-down]

Also Mon Mothma’s daughter Leida is up to something!!!

This is the second party where she has run into Tay and Mon and she looks so SHIFTY everytime. Even when Mon and Perrin were by the window talking about their youth, Leida darts by in the foreground looking around like she thinks someone will catch her. Definitely curious about her arc in this story.

[chamerionwrites]

Any time I follow a character tag I'm immediately reminded of why I do not follow character tags

[metahigh]

I hope reality of an arranged marriage radicalizes leida

In other words i want that catholic home schooled posh girl go ape shit crazy

[julietwiskey1]

An idea for a fic is the wedding between Leida and Stekan Sculdun getting closer to happening but Leida is getting cold feet. She really does not want to get married and have that be the rest of her life. But she absolutely refuses to tell anyone to stop it. But vents one night to Vel.

Vel then has to explain tho Mon that her daughter needs her to be the bad guy. Be the one to put a stop to the wedding that Leida totally wants. Leida will of course argue with Mon that she wants to be married and she can’t stop them and that she is ruining her life.

But Leida will drop the topic surprisingly quickly and find small ways to show her gratitude.

[melenae]

mon mothma married to a conservative “stop making everything about politics” man just like all of our mothers

[meandmyechoes]

thinking about how Andor “feels likes Star Wars”. At times I feel like it’s just a well-structured, character-rich story under a Star Wars wrap, but more often, and more so with each episode, I love the themes they explored that were always just out of frame in past entries. The average people, just feel so real.

I’m thinking about Andor feels “fanfic-y” in the sense it treats Star Wars as a universe. It asks and answers questions about how it works and who lives in it.

[whippedcloudsofcream]

“He lets me do anything I want.” Oh Jesus, Mon is Trouble.