I Guess Mon Mothma is My Favorite Star Wars Character Now

Yeah, I just watched Andor Season 2, how could you tell?

Isn't it crazy that this show is real? Like, I didn't think Disney had it in them. And make no mistake, I give all the credit to the writers, actors, crew, and producers that made this happen, not a faceless corporate ghoul. Andor isn't just exceptional by Star Wars standards, a franchise entirely willing to trade on nostalgia slop these days, but just modern fiction in general, and one of the things I appreciate most about it is the strength of its supporting cast. When I started watching Andor, I didn't expect to come out of it a Mon Mothma superfan, but he we are.

First, I'll admit that I only had a passing familiarity with the character before watching. I knew she was in the movies and made cameos in some animated projects, (but you'll never get me to watch Rebels.) I also knew that she was a senator affiliated with the Rebellion and had a bad haircut. That's all. In season 1, I always found it amusing that her scenes always stood in stark contrast with whatever Cassian was up to. He's having shootouts and staging heists while Mon is attending dinners and worrying over spreadsheets. Nevertheless, I appreciated the fact that the importance of her work is never downplayed. The financial aspect of the Rebellion in the first season always trucks me as interesting. The Rebellion needed money, and that's not the most romantic of plots to pursue in Star Wars, but I was captivated nonetheless. Ever scene of Mon's is her going "My accounts!" and I'm so engaged that I'm right there with her, going "Her accounts!"

I can't stress enough how much I like how most of her scenes are just her talking. The first season stresses how her outward appearance of an outspoken yet ultimately ineffectual senator allows her some mobility behind the scenes, as seen when she absolutely schools Tay Kolma during their walk-and-talk at the dinner party. All of her scenes with Luthen Rael are also electric. These two seem to be so different on the outside, but really, they're not so different. Sure, Mon isn't some intelligencia mastermind, but she also employs plenty of manipulation on her end. And with the revelation that Kleya is his daughter, he and Mon also know what its like to use their daughters in their efforts in the Rebellion. But Luthen is able to see himself with an honestly that Mon isn't, a part of their relationship that persists throughout the entire show.

My one criticism of her scenes in season 1, and especially the first 3 episodes of season 2, are that most of her scenes play out similarly: she engages in a clandestine conversation with a fellow elite, usually dealing with money, the conversation doesn't go her way, and she ends up making a very pensive and worrisome face at the end. Bonus points of she walks with determination. No shade to the actress, Genevieve O'Reilly, because she's absolutely amazing every time. Only until season 2, episodes 3, does the damn break, and Mon Mothma crests the event horizon of her character.

In the first arc of season 2, Mon is struggling with the arranged marriage of her daughter, which she signed off on to secure safe dealings in her accounts. The wedding's a powder keg for her because problems in her personal life and the Rebellion all descend upon it, and there's no escape. She has to deal with Luthen's unexpected arrival, Tay Kolma turning sour, and her own feelings about arranged marriage weighing on her mind. Being in one herself, which we know to be challenging and loveless, she hates that she's consigned her daughter to one, and that Leida is seemingly into it. Leida being into old Chandrila customs is another sore spot for Mon, (recession indicator, lma0). The scene where she tells Leida that she can back out at any time, something she wished her own mother told her, only to be received with such coldness absolutely broke me. Its Mon's last chance to connect with her daughter before things get real, and its entirely rejected. Devastating.

The ending of Season 2 episode 3 is arresting for multiple reasons, but I keep thinking about Mon's heartbreaking dance. I spent a lot of time thinking about what it might mean. Having hindsight after the finale, I was able to put together that Mon has to abandon her family for Yavin, and this is her accepting that, but in the moment, using only the tools the show has to offer, I came away with a different conclusion. We know that Mon's life is monitored, that her driver is a ISB plant, and that her closest allies, like Tay Kolma, are turning on her. This dance is the only kind of release she really gets, and its still a socially sanctioned activity that constricts her. An obligation. Despite how hard Andor's life is, he gets to vent his frustration against the empire through physical resistance, acts that are ultimately productive for the Rebellion's cause, but what does Mon Mothma get? She can't fight and she can't talk to anyone; she can only dance. She doesn't have the luxury of explosive, violent rebellion, only a private moment like this one, because that's how alone she is.

The score is doing a lot here. The track "Brasso" is absolutely arresting, and one I've come back to many times. I love how starts somber and orchestral only to explode into booming, bassy electronica. I'm a lover of electronic music by free admission, and the scene fits the ethos of the rave, which is all about achieving catharsis through music and community (and drugs. Lest we forget Mon downing a shot or three before this). I've also seen some takes that emphasize the orange of her dress, how it evokes fire and phoenix imagery, seeing as how Mon is metaphorically reborn after this moment.

My favorite moments of the series come when Mon and Andor finally get to meet. Is it a stretch to say that Mon Mothma is the secondary protagonist of this show? A couple characters could vie for that spot (Syril, Dedra, Luthen) but Mon has the star power to back her claim. She's an original trilogy alumnus, after all.

I can't relate to you just how wild it was to see Mon and Cassian in the same room. It was worlds colliding, even though it really shouldn't be, right? Seeing them in that dirty safehouse really put things into perspective. And their interactions were just electric. The framing and stakes of the whole senate escape were already phenomenal, but Andor delivering his iconic "Welcome to the Rebellion," a line I've heard in every damn ad for this show, to Mon of all people, sealed it as one of my favorite episodes of Andor.

Two iconic, (and memeworhty,) moments that came out of it were Mon's absolutely insane facial expression at Cassian popping her driver as they finally get out of the senate. Within 20 minutes, she's seen this guy kill two people for her without hesitation, and her reaction is priceless. Yes, because its kinda funny, but also because it emphasizes how these two characters come from entirely different worlds. Cassian is used to the fighting, and used to shooting first, but Mon is entirely new to this, and likely hasn't fully realized that the war is happening now. Its actually pretty touching the moment's these two have. "Just keeping walking, I'm right behind you" and "Take my hand" make Cassian very gentle with her, which I find sweet. And Mon saying "I don't know how to thank you" is equally warm. I dunno, man, it just think its cute. Them running down the senate steps hand in hand is an oddly romantic image for a show whose tone is always so dire and serious. (Not romantic in a relationship sense, although Mon definitely should have left her husband. Can Perrin fight?)

I love that Cass and Mon's history plays a part in the show's final hours, as his role in her escape buys some credibility for his Death Star claims. And she also acts quickly to give him leave to see Kleya in the infirmary, which is another small but powerful moment that recalls their shared history with Luthen. Its clear they has this unspoken bond and respect for one another, and that has ripple effects in Rogue One, where we see Mon react pretty knowingly after she receives word that Cassian and the others have gone to Scarif for the plans, despite the council's decision.

I'm just kind of obsessed with dynamics like this. For example, Rick Grimes and Morgan Jones in The Walking Dead operate somewhat similarly. They have much more on-screen interactions, but the idea that two characters are so connected, yet only really cross paths when the story deems it most interesting, is so incredibly fascinating to me. The restraint. The confidence. I feel similarly to Cassian and Mon, who have very brief scenes together, but are so fulfilling to come back to and analyze. Their individual stories are made so much richer by the juxtaposition to each other's, and nowhere is that point made more saliently than in season 2 episode 3. Both Cassian and Mon are losing their family thanks to the Empire, just in different ways. Brasso dies by violence, and Leida is lost thanks to the Empire influence on Mon's life. Tragedy in different genres.

Andor is amazing—obviously—and while I came to love the title character more than almost any other Star Wars character, only one has him beat. I'm always fond of characters like Mon Motha, ones who are so critical to the good guys winning, but play relatively minor roles. Thank you, Genevieve O'Reilly, for brining this character to life once again, and making the absolute silliest face I've seen captured on film. I won't forget you during awards season.