The Rogue Ones: A Star Wars Andor Podcast is back for season two, as is series creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy. In the first episode of the revived podcast, host Mike DeAngelo and The Playlist’s Editor-In-Chief Rodrigo Perez break down the first three episodes of Andor Season 2 — which hit Disney+ this week — before welcoming Gilroy to reflect on the final season’s big themes, major tonal shift, and what it means to build a revolution brick by brick.

Created by Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, “Andor” is a prequel to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (which Gilroy co-wrote and famously helped reshape during reshoots). Set five years before the events of Rogue One, the show focuses on the origins of the Rebellion and how ordinary people — not just Jedi or Chosen Ones — stand up against oppression. Season two picks up a year later in the first three episodes and jumps one year ahead with each block of three afterwards, leading directly to the beginning of “Rogue One” by the end. (read our review of season two here)

READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

With a new release format (three episodes per week over four weeks), Gilroy confirmed that they’ve essentially crafted “eight Star Wars movies in five years,” describing each arc as its own standalone chapter. “It’s like a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,” he explained each three-episode arc. “There’s no time to let your foot off the gas. It’s running the whole way through.”

For those wondering whether Andor Season 2 would continue the slow-burn approach of Season 1, Gilroy isn’t afraid to embrace a more urgent structure. The season premiere sees Cassian stealing an Imperial prototype ship, getting caught by a distrustful rebel cell, and ultimately escaping — all while Gorman’s coming uprising, Mon Mothma’s personal sacrifices, and Dedra Meero’s sinister manipulation of the Rebellion begin to bubble to the surface. As Gilroy teased: “We have to deliver the information to Yavin about the Death Star, and we have to explain how that information got there.”

Even with that endpoint in mind, Gilroy remains committed to character over spectacle. He says the core of “Andor” is about how ordinary people make impossible choices in impossible times. “How do you fall in love? How do you hang on to a relationship? Who am I willing to die for?” he asked rhetorically. “Most people live their whole lives and then suddenly it’s like — holy shit — now you have to die for something. Why? I just wanted to live.”

Season 2 promises more guest stars and deeper connections to Rogue One, but Gilroy insists they will never add characters for the sake of fan service. “We won’t ever add anybody that we don’t need. Our fan service is to be serious. We’re not going to mess around or wink at you. We’re taking this shit seriously.”

Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.

As for the big question fans keep asking: Will Gilroy stick around the Star Wars universe beyond Andor? The answer is a firm no. “I think we’re all going to drop the mic here after this one and try to do something else,” he said. “This has been the most important thing I’ll ever get to do — in terms of how much imagination went into it, how much I learned, how much work went into it, how much better I became as a writer. It’s hard to imagine a situation like this ever coming around again.”

Listen to our spoiler-filled episode covering Episodes 1-3 of Andor Season 2 and hear more from Tony Gilroy on what’s to come, what makes this season different, and why he’s ready to move on from a galaxy far, far away.

Andor Season 2 is dropping three new episodes weekly now on Disney+.

The Rogue Ones is part of The Playlist Podcast Network—which includes Bingeworthy, Deep Focus, The Discourse, and more. We can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and most places where podcasts are found. You can stream the podcast via the embed within the article. Be sure to subscribe and drop us a comment or a rating, as we greatly appreciate it. Thank you for listening.