Hit TV show Andor spurs viewers to draw parallels to Israel's war on Gaza
Fans of the Star Wars prequel series Andor have taken to social media this week to draw comparisons between Israel's war on Gaza and the show's narratives of occupation, resistance, and authoritarian violence.
Set as a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Andor series traces the formation of the Rebel Alliance and Cassian Andor's role within it, focusing on the rise of resistance against the Galactic Empire. It provides context to the political and social conditions that shaped the early rebellion and expands on characters and events that influence the broader Star Wars narrative.
Following the first season, which aired in late 2022, Andor viewers took to their social media accounts throughout the last season, drawing parallels between the show and Israel's war on Gaza. Specifically likening the Empire to Israel and the US, and the Palestinians to the people of Ghorman.
Make no mistake, this shit is real. Right now. Just today, Israel announced the complete elimination of Gaza. Open your eyes to what this show represents. Real life genocide.
If we don't engage with that then there is no purpose. So let the aid in and free Palestine. #Andor — Andres Cabrera (@SquadLeaderAce) May 7, 2025
In an opinion piece published back in April for The Guardian, film critic Radheyan Simonpillai detailed the similarities that were also echoed among viewers.
'In the new and final season of Andor, an occupied civilian population is massacred; their cries for help ignored by the Empire-run media, which instead paint the victims as terrorist threats to public safety. Meanwhile, the politicians who have enough backbone to speak out, and use the word 'genocide' to describe these aggressions, are met with violent suppression.'
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
'Star Wars fans will be forced to reckon with how this story isn't about what happens 'a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away'. It's about what's unfolding right now in Gaza.'
Just watched this series and kept saying it reminded me of Israel and Palestine. Especially the part where they demonize those people in collusion with the press to manufacture consent for their genocide / destruction of their planet. https://t.co/HnNjy2xiuB — Anna (@annaskiba16) June 2, 2025
Although it is not certain that Andors' creator Tony Gilroy had Gaza in mind when writing the second season, he did mention Palestine as an example of the history that informed the show in a 2022 Deadline interview.
In addition, actors from the show, like Irish actress Denise Gough, who plays a villain in the series, have been vocal about their support for Palestine.
'Andor' actress: 'I refuse to stay silent on Gaza.'
"We're being asked by Palestinian people to speak,' so those who don't speak out can't say 'I didn't know what to do' says Denise Gough.
WATCH: https://t.co/LZkTyTDfWV pic.twitter.com/F463lrS9dS — BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) May 31, 2025
A recent Reddit post, in which a social media user says they have 'never felt more on the side of the Palestinian cause', has brought the conversation on the parallels between the show and Gaza back into the limelight one month after the finale aired.
'It showed me the side of resistance we often grapple with, the side where resistance more often than not becomes an armed resistance when the peaceful part of resistance doesn't get you anywhere,' the post reads.
'When your land is taken forcibly, when your city is besieged, when your land, sea, and air borders are controlled by an occupying entity, and you are left with one choice, to fight back, even if the empire (Israel/US) is overwhelmingly stronger, more powerful, and better funded.'
The person continued to write that although the story is fictional, it made them see that in 'fighting an empire, you do not get to choose the terms. You are forced into the shadows, pushed into impossible choices, and made to sacrifice lives so others might have a future'.
'Right now, in Gaza, people are making those same impossible choices. When your children are bombed to smithereens, starved to death, your hospitals destroyed, your homes flattened, and the world either watches in silence or arms your oppressor, resistance stops being about right or wrong. It becomes survival.'
This brought about a flow of responses that agreed with the post's writer.
'There is a shot of Gorman with white buildings and a golden dome-like structure reminiscent of the dome of the Rock. I immediately thought of Palestine.'
Others disagreed that there was a parallel between the armed resistance of Palestinians to that of Ghorman's Rebel Alliance.
'People comparing the rebellion to Hamas is definitely not what I thought I would see today yet here we are," one person responded.
There are also those who argue that attempting to draw the parallel in the first place was futile. 'Human history doesn't have a narrative as simple as Andor and never will,' one person said.
'What happened on Oct 7th was unjust and horrifying and counterproductive. What is being done in response is unjust and horrifying and counter productive.'
The Reddit post found its way to X, and one person posted a screenshot of the thread, joking that it would be the end of the series.
nah, they're about to cancel this series pic.twitter.com/EXI9Gx4gpB — Sana Saeed (@SanaSaeed) June 1, 2025
While many joked that the show cannot be cancelled now that it's already done, others highlighted the irony of how the show was produced by Disney, which has historically aligned itself with being pro-Israel.
"I still cant process that disney backed a show about resistance while staying silent on the real thing happening in Gaza," one social media user wrote on X. "Ironic doesnt even cover it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Jeremy Corbyn: UK must decide if it will 'block efforts to expose truth' over Israel support
Jeremy Corbyn has told Middle East Eye that the British government must decide whether it will support an inquiry into UK involvement in Israel's war on Gaza, or 'block our efforts to expose the truth'. On Wednesday, the former Labour leader presented in parliament his bill for an independent, Chilcot-style public inquiry into Britain's support for Israeli military operations in Gaza. The bill passed without division and Corbyn hailed the development, telling MEE: 'We have passed a major hurdle in establishing an independent inquiry into the UK's involvement in Gaza. 'I will now be writing to the prime minister to ask for assurance that the government will not stand in the way.' The independent MP said: 'The government must decide: will it support an inquiry that has support from MPs across the political spectrum, or will it block our efforts to expose the truth?' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters John McDonnell, the former Labour shadow chancellor, who is also supporting the bill, told MEE: 'All we are asking for is the truth to be told about the genocide taking place in Gaza, not just to expose the horrendous brutality of Israel's actions, but to enable those accountable for this war crime to be held to account.' The Gaza (Independent Public Inquiry) bill is now on the House of Commons' order of business for 4 July, though it is listed low down the order paper and will only be debated if the government decides to give it the time. There are already indications that Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government will seek to torpedo efforts to establish an inquiry, which would seek the full cooperation of both Labour and Conservative ministers involved in decision-making processes since October 2023, when Israel's war on Gaza began following the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October. Asked by Corbyn about the provision of components for the F-35 jets used by Israel and if the government would support his inquiry, the UK Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer replied: 'I do not see that this could be any further scrutinised and litigated… or what an independent inquiry on the F-35 parts would achieve.' In an earlier statement on Gaza, Falconer said the British government was 'appalled by repeated reports of mass casualty incidents, in which Palestinians have been killed when trying to access aid sites in Gaza'. He said Britain was continuing to 'strongly support efforts led by the US, Qatar and Egypt to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza', and that the Israeli government's 'decision to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict aid' undermined these goals. 'All we are asking for is the truth to be told about the genocide taking place in Gaza' - John McDonnell, former Labour shadow chancellor Presenting his bill in parliament shortly after Falconer's response, Corbyn spoke of the need for an inquiry into the UK's 'economic, military and political cooperation with Israel since October 2023,' including the sale or supply of weapons and the use of the Royal Air Force base Akrotiri on Cyprus, from which transport and spy planes fly regularly. He said the inquiry should find out the full list of military shipments to Israel, stating: 'It's very simple: until this government ends the sale of weapons to Israel, it remains complicit in the mass murder of Palestinians.' Corbyn referenced the Chilcot inquiry into the UK's involvement in the Iraq war, which was published – after much resistance from the government – in 2016 and found 'serious failings within the British government'. Labour's leader at the time, Corbyn apologised for his party's 'catastrophic decision to go to war in Iraq'. In parliament on Wednesday, Corbyn said 'history is now repeating itself'. UK: Corbyn and new independent MPs urge Labour to act on Gaza Read More » 'Over the past 18 months, human beings have endured a level of horror and inhumanity that should haunt us all forever,' he said of Israel's war on Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 55,000 Palestinians. 'We are not just witnessing a war, we are witnessing a genocide, this time live-streamed all over the world,' he continued. Corbyn highlighted Britain's "highly influential role in Israel's military operations'. Export data released in May showed that the UK approved $169m worth of military equipment to Israel between October and December 2024, shortly after the Labour government had partially suspended arms exports over concerns they could be used unlawfully in Gaza. RAF flights British surveillance flights over Gaza have continued even following Foreign Secretary David Lammy's announcement that the UK was suspending free trade agreement talks with Israel in response to its expanded military operations in the Palestinian enclave. RAF shadow aircraft have conducted hundreds of surveillance flights from Akrotiri over Gaza since the war began. Corbyn called for the inquiry to uncover what exactly the base in Cyprus is being used for, regarding the supply of arms and intelligence. 'In the future, our history books will shame those who had the opportunity to stop this massacre' - Jeremy Corbyn At least 40 parliamentarians now support Corbyn's bill, and MEE understands that more MPs have expressed support for a second reading following the former Labour leader's Wednesday speech in parliament. 'Today, children are taught about history's worst crimes against humanity. They are asked to reflect on how these crimes could have possibly occurred,' Corbyn said in that speech. 'In the future, our history books will shame those who had the opportunity to stop this massacre but chose to enable atrocity after atrocity instead.'
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Critical juncture
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam last week declared his government's intentions on the host of difficult problems facing the country. He began with the issue of security. He said Lebanon has achieved 80 per cent of its goals by asserting the Lebanese army's control of the south in accordance with the provisions of the November ceasefire deal with Israel despite daily Israeli violations. While obliged to withdraw completely from Lebanon, the Israeli army has retained what it calls 'strategic posts' several hundred metres within Lebanese territory, arguing they are essential for protecting northern Israeli settlements. While Hizbollah's fighters and arms have withdrawn and Hizbollah arms dumps and posts have been destroyed from the border zone to territory north of the Litani River, Israel continues to target the movement's members wherever they are found and has reportedly killed 150 since the beginning of the ceasefire. This being the case, Hizbollah insists on retaining some weapons. Once Israel stops attacking HIzbollahis, there will be no need for them to bear arms. Last week Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas agreed that Palestinian factions based in the 12 refugee camps in Lebanon must also be disarmed. They said the existence of 'weapons outside the control of the Lebanese state has ended.' They also discussed the 'regularisation' of the existence of 270,000 Palestinians in the country. They are barred from some professions and owing property or businesses and cannot secure public service jobs or access healthcare and social security, Salam told 'The Wall Street Journal,' 'All over the Lebanese territory, the state should have a monopoly on arms. We don't want to put the country onto a civil-war track, but believe me, this is not going to affect our commitment to the need to extend and consolidate the authority of the state.' This will necessitate expanding and army the military to defend the state's sovereignty and territorial integrity and strengthen the domestic police force to impose law and order on a country which has, since independence in 1943, practiced laisser faire across the board. Salam has declared his intention of going on the warpath against endemic corruption and of reforming and restoring public confidence in banks which have contributed heavily to the country's 6-year economic and financial crisis. He said the World Bank and Gulf states have offered Beirut their support in this endeavour. He called for independence of the judiciary and pledged no government interference in the 2000 explosion of a stockpile of amonium nitrate in Beirut port killed 2018,injured 7,000 bs near the port. Investigating judge Tariq Bitar has recently returned to the case and is set to issue an indictment on August 4th, 2025, the fifth anniversary of the blast which shook Lebanon to the core. Salam said discussions have been held with Damascus and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the repatriation of the estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon. He said that now that the Assads have left power in Syria 'everything is possible.' Talks between Washington and Tehran over restoration of an agreement to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions has created a favourable atmosphere as well as a commitment by these external powers to 'restore Lebanon,' Salam said. When CNN's Becky Anderson asked Salam if Lebanon would normalize relations with Israel, he took a firm line by saying that his country would stick with the Arab peace plan adopted by the 2002 Beirut summit. This called for full Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territory occupied in 1967, including Syria's Golan Heights, the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and resolution of the Palestinian refugee problem. 'We are committed to peace, but a peace based on the two-state solution.' His reply dismisses her suggestion of a 'path to peace' as the requirement for Lebanese relations with Israel. It can be said that Nawaf Salam is qualified to be Lebanon's prime minister at this critical juncture in the country's recent history. He was born in December 1953 into a highly political family deeply committed to Lebanon. His grandfather reformist Selim Salam was elected to the Ottoman parliament in 1912. His uncle Saeb Salam, fought for Lebanon's independence from France and subsequently served four times as prime minister between 1952 and 1973. His cousin Tammam Salam was prime minister between 2014 and 2016. Nawaf Salam's academic achievements are outstanding. He earned a doctorate in political science from France's Sciences Po, a Master of Law from Harvard Law School, and a doctorate in history from the Sorbonne. He practiced law, lectured at distinguished universities, and worked as a legal consultant in France, the US, and Lebanon. From July 2007 to December 2017, he served as Lebanon's UN ambassador. In November 2017, he was elected to the International Court of Justice, becoming the second Lebanese to assume this post. He attracted international attention by presiding over the South African lawsuit against Israel for committing genocide against Gaza. Following the election of army chief Joseph Aoun as president of Lebanon, Salam was nominated by parliament as prime minister and took up the post on January 14th this year. The fifth general to assume the presidency, Aoun pre-empted Salam, his candidate for prime minister, by vowing to battle mafias, halt drug trafficking, tackle corruption and fight sectarianism. He pledged to promote economic, political, and judicial reform. He pormised to end Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory and 'affirm the state's right to a monopoly on the carrying of arms.' Elected at a time of multiple crises in Lebanon, Aoun has a mighty example to emulate. This was the first general to take power, Fuad Chehab, who assumed the presidency after the country's first civil conflict in 1958. He was an incorruptible, autocratic figure who unified the country, launched reforms and social development, and built state institution. During his presidency, There were five prime ministers, including Saeb Salam. Lebanon hopes the duo of Aoun and Nawaf Salam could match some of the achievements of Chehab and his associates. Photo: TNS
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
UAE aid convoy enters Gaza carrying 1,039 tonnes of food supplies
The United Arab Emirates has announced the entry of a new humanitarian aid convoy into Gaza as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, continuing its efforts to support displaced Palestinians and alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The convoy included trucks carrying 1,039 tonnes of food supplies and flour, addressing urgent needs for approximately 1.3 million beneficiaries. This latest delivery is part of the UAE's ongoing support for the people of Gaza, who are enduring dire humanitarian conditions amid severe shortages of essential food items. Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 ensures the continuous and wide-scale flow of aid through all available channels. Despite humanitarian challenges, the UAE continues to deliver food assistance within Gaza. Through the operation, it has been supporting 31 bakeries to help ensure the steady supply of bread and basic foodstuffs for displaced families facing deepening hardship. Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 reaffirmed that the sustained delivery of UAE aid to Gaza, under the current difficult circumstances, reflects the UAE's longstanding and unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people. WAM
