George Lucas designed his Star Wars saga using recurring motifs. He once noted during the production of The Phantom Menace, “It’s like poetry, they rhyme,” highlighting the interconnected echoes across the series. This thematic mirroring not only shaped the Star Wars universe but also subtly commented on real-world political shifts, particularly how fascism can emerge from democracy. The Disney+ series Andor brings these parallels into sharper focus, a development that its creator, Tony Gilroy, finds disconcerting.

In a recent conversation with the Hollywood Reporter, Gilroy expressed his unease about the resemblances between his series and current events. As someone deeply passionate about history, Gilroy initially found it rewarding to integrate his extensive knowledge into the show’s narrative. “Back in 2019, the connections between what was occurring globally and the events within the Empire were already striking,” he explained. However, as time progressed, these similarities grew more pronounced and unsettling. Gilroy recounted a specific incident where the resemblance was particularly striking: “When Senator Padilla was escorted out of the ICE meeting, it closely mirrored a scene from our show where a Ghorman senator was detained. We all started messaging each other about how eerily similar it was.” This reflection of reality in their fictional world was not a source of pride but rather a somber moment for the team. Gilroy lamented, “It’s very sad for us how much it rhymes.” This blending of fiction and real-life politics underscores the challenges of keeping contemporary political issues out of Star Wars.