Yeah, I’m pretty sure Andor and Rogue One are the best part of Star Wars. My son will argue it’s the Clone Wars animated series, and he has a good argument for it. But for me, it will be the depths of despair and heights of hope of the Rebellion vs. the Empire in Andor/Rogue One. These final episodes drive home the cruelty and malice of the Imperial regime while highlighting the many sacrifices made by the Rebel Alliance. And it all ties neatly into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It’s been a while since I found a television show this poignant and relevant.

Learning the history between Luthen and Kleya in episode 10 made what she had to do at the end that much harder to watch, but it was worth it to get all that juicy character and story development. And I like the fact that Luthen and the Rebellion never fully worked out their differences. That and the stuff with Saw Gerrera really drive home just how fractured the Alliance to Restore the Republic was before the Death Star. Seeing how the various factions either came together or were wiped out individually makes the point of the old adage about hanging together or hanging separately.

Kleya might be my favorite new character to come out of this series, although I admit to being torn between her and Bix. Both are strong women slowly broken down by the sacrifices they make for the Rebellion and the men they love. For Kleya, that has meant standing behind Luthen, the father figure who learned as much about manipulating his adversaries and allies from her as she learned about warfare from the former Imperial sergeant. For Bix, well, she did everything Luthen asked of her. She did everything she could for Cassian. And in the end, she realized that Cassian was more important to the Rebellion than their relationship. She probably also knew the secret that is revealed at the end of episode 12.

As for Cassian, the titular hero has plenty of sacrifices of his own, a point made painfully clear when he and Vel toast the fallen of the Rebellion. Those who were murdered by a fascist, authoritarian, morally bankrupt government that was so fragile and weak it had to destroy everything that opposed its ideals and methods. Those who died for nothing more than trying to live, to exist in a cruel, uncaring world.

But as with all the best parts of Star Wars, there is hope. Even as Cassian is preparing for the mission to the Rings of Kafrene that kick starts the hunt for Galen Erso and the Death Star plans in Rogue One, we see scenes across the galaxy of darkness growing and the light rising up to meet it, scenes of loss and despair blending into victory and hope. Above all else, Andor and Rogue One implore us to hope against all odds.

After all, rebellions are built on hope.

I suppose that’s what made the sequel trilogy ring so hollow for me. It tried too hard to be dark and edgy without realizing that there needs to be hope in the universe. The sequel trilogy basically said that all the goodwill and success at the end of the original trilogy meant nothing because the First Order rose and “somehow, Palpatine…returned.” For all it’s flaws, the old Star Wars Expanded Universe took the right tack in that the Imperial Remnant would take decades to fully root out but that hope would win in the end. Instead, we were told Luke’s victory over the Emperor was meaningless, that Anakin did not, in fact, bring the Force into balance.

But Andor remembers that people need hope, need to be reminded of what we’re fighting for. Even though it probably wasn’t intended as such, it serves as a call to action to all those fighting against the cruelty and malice of the current American administration. We can’t despair. We have to keep fighting. Even if we lose. We keep fighting. And we lose and lose and lose until we win.