The Latest STAR WARS Disney+ Show Is More Relevant Than Ever in the Trump Era...

So in case you guys haven't been following U.S. news recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been conducting numerous raids around Southern California over the last few days. Considering that the population in SoCal—and Los Angeles in general—is predominantly Latino, citizens in this metropolitan area of 4 million people didn't take the news lightly.

So as the news coverage have shown, score of Angelenos have been protesting against the federal agents...prompting wannabe dictator Donald Trump to deploy the California National Guard (as opposed to CA Governor Gavin Newsom making this call himself—which would be the norm if the U.S. was still a fully-functioning democracy) in Los Angeles.

Now, if you watched the hit Star Wars Disney+ series Andor, or at least Season 2 of the show which concluded last month, you'd feel that this provocation being wrought by the Trump regime against a Democratic state like California was suspicious as hell. In Andor: Season 2, we found out that the Empire antagonized Ghorman to force a local uprising that would justify the deployment of Imperial forces onto the small world...allowing the Empire to secretly mine a resource known as 'deep substrate foliated kalkite' that would be used to power the superlaser on the Death Star.

I highly doubt that Trump is creating a Moon-sized battle station (since most of the people in his administration are idiots who used to work for Fox News), but his motive to anger the largest liberal state in this country reeks of flat-out authoritarianism. The ICE raids were, after all, spearheaded by White House Deputy Chief of Staff and wannabe Nazi douchebag Stephen Miller.

As of this Blog entry, the National Guard has arrived in Los Angeles...so we'll see what happens if protests continue in my hometown.

Combine this weekend's development with the fact that Trump—a 5-time draft dodger—is planning to host a North Korean-style military parade in Washington, D.C. next Saturday (June 14, which is the Dotard's birthday), and you have the makings of fascism in the world's only superpower. And let's not forget that the parade will cost up to $45 million in American taxpayer money when all is said and done.

To make this post relevant to Andor again, Trump continues to show that he's the "monster" that Palpatine was in the Star Wars galaxy, according to Mon Mothma. Just as how the Rebel Alliance continued to take shape while the Empire was trying to consolidate its power in that fictional galaxy, an anti-MAGA rebellion needs to continue taking shape across the United States of America in real life. Carry on.

This is so wrong. All to feed the ego of a mad tyrant who never had the balls to serve. This is not what we do in America. This is so fucking wrong. Makes me so sad. And so angry.👇 https://t.co/ZmDcwLovhA

— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 7, 2025

Welcome to Donald Trump’s America

pic.twitter.com/7VLKrSoAQY

— Rachel Bitecofer 🗽🦆 (@RachelBitecofer) June 7, 2025

“Tasted a little tear gas— tasted like fascism” pic.twitter.com/o7SLl4ZWnV

— Acyn (@Acyn) June 8, 2025

ANDOR: It's Been One Week Since the Best Star Wars Show in the Disney Era Came to an End...

So last Tuesday, the final three episodes for Season 2 of Andor premiered on Disney+...and all I can say is: Well-done, Tony Gilroy!

The Star Wars streaming series began with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) infiltrating a top-secret Imperial facility to steal a prototype TIE Fighter, and concluded with Andor walking amongst his fellow Rebels at the base on Yavin 4 to embark on a mission that would directly lead into the events of 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

In the 12 episodes that graced Andor: Season 2, we returned to the storylines of such formidable characters as Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona), Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau), Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) and of course, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) and Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). In Season 2 specifically, Rogue One characters Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), K-2SO (once again voiced and motion captured by Alan Tudyk) and Bail Organa (portrayed by Benjamin Bratt and not Jimmy Smits, respectively, on this show) made memorable appearances as well.

There are so many things to discuss about Andor: Season 2, but all I will say is that this show truly is The Empire Strikes Back of Star Wars Disney+ series. Andor's grittiness and extremely-grounded themes are things that we probably won't see much of in future Star Wars projects (especially in regards to the use of profanity like in Andor), unless an apt showrunner like Tony Gilroy has a major involvement in those productions.

The themes of both seasons of Andor definitely resonate in the real world...with Mon Mothma's brilliant Senate speech about the Ghorman Massacre in Season 2's Episode 9 (titled "Welcome to the Rebellion") lamenting about how we all fall victim to monsters who "scream the loudest" when truth is buried in the public discourse. Emperor Palpatine is the monster who Mothma was referring to on Andor, but in real life, the majority of the world who aren't right-wing radicals know who the monster is that's currently residing in the White House.

While the closing minutes of Season 2, Episode 12 (titled "Jedha, Kyber, Erso") focuses on the fateful mission that Cassian is about to embark on that will lead to his sacrifice in the climax of Rogue One, the final scene of Andor is a hopeful one: With Bix, Cassian's wife, walking in a wheat field of the planet Mina-Rau while cradling their newborn infant. It is sad to know that Cassian will never meet his offspring, but it is reassuring to know that he and Bix have brought a child into the Star Wars galaxy who will be able to see the sunrise that Cassian—and fellow Rebel heroes like Luthen Rael—won't get to see on their own.

Once again: Well-done, Tony Gilroy!

Renew THE ACOLYTE...Now!

So a few hours ago, I watched the season finale of The Acolyte on Disney+...and all I can say is— Screw the haters. Renew The Acolyte for a second season immediately!

After viewing Episode 8, titled "The Acolyte," it made me that much eager to see the story of Osha (Amandla Stenberg) continue as (SPOILERS AHEAD) her journey down the path of the Dark Side quickly unfolded once she killed her former Jedi mentor, Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), upon finding out that he murdered her mother on Brendok 16 years earlier. I want to see what awaits Osha and her cortosis-welding teacher Qimir (Manny Jacinto) after the would-be Sith spared the life of Mae (also played by Stenberg) in exchange for her sister Osha becoming his apprentice instead.

And of course, as shown in the screenshot at the top of this Blog entry, I want to see how Darth Plagueis plays a role in the future trials and tribulations of Qimir and Osha. I expected Darth Tenebrous to show up in tonight's finale instead (I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he made an appearance in Season 2), but it's still awesome that Darth Sidious' former master appeared in this Star Wars streaming series.

And let's not forget the final scene of today's episode...with Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) meeting a certain green-eared Jedi Master at the Jedi Temple to seek his counsel following the discovery that her former Padawan was still alive after being seduced by the Dark Side of the Force a long time ago. That Padawan, of course, being none other than Qimir.

So yea— If Lucasfilm wants to politely give all the haters the middle finger for review-bombing The Acolyte, Season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes and other sites, as well as continuing the story of Qimir and Osha and revealing how Plagueis and Yoda factor into their tale, then giving The Acolyte at least one more season is the way to go!

We've seen the Old Republic in the Star Wars prequels, the reign of the Galactic Empire in Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Rogue One and the original Star Wars trilogy, and the New Republic in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (as well as in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka)... Let's see more of the High Republic in live-action through the eyes of creator Leslye Headland!

The Dark Side also continues to beckon.

Season 1 of a STAR WARS Masterpiece Has Come to an End...

So earlier today, I watched the Season 1 finale of Andor, a 12-episode spinoff of 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, on Disney+.

Needless to say, this finale—titled "Rix Road"—did not disappoint...just like all other episodes of Andor!

I am confident in saying that Andor is The Empire Strikes Back of Star Wars' Disney+ shows. It relied on nothing more than a compelling story and a mature, and at times very dark, tone to be entertaining.

The only other Star Wars project that Andor gave fan service to was Rogue One, which of course, was directed by Tony Gilroy—the showrunner of Andor—during the reshoots for the 2016 winter blockbuster.

I am very excited for Season 3 of The Mandalorian to drop on Disney+ early next year...but in the meantime, Andor is the Star Wars series that needs to be topped in regards to excellent writing and awesome, original characters!

And for those of you reading this who also watch Andor, stay for the end credits!

I'm so stoked for Season 2.