Andor (Disney+) • Page 29

Andor's ugly ambivalence: using antisemitic tropes but bashing fascism

I totally had this woosh! past me. Did anyone else get these vibes? Coming from a middle class household (parent is a professor) I feel I had similar... "conversations" with my folks. I took it as a more universal suburban middle class trope. Am I off base?

 

I also just took it as a standard overbearing upper middle class parent. Though, I’m not Jewish so I don’t have that lens to view it from.

The article makes a decent argument for what it’s worth. I’m now thinking about how often what I’ve thought of as a overbearing parent trope in other media has maybe been the Jewish mother trope the article refers too.

 

I didn’t know that was a Jewish thing? I’ve definitely seen it in people from other backgrounds. But I don’t have a lot of first hand experience with Jewish culture either.

 

Damn. I'm going to have a hard time recommending this show in light of that.

 

Yeah I feel like that is very common in a lot of cultures?

 

The problem is that a trope can both be a common thing among all walks of life and also be a specific stereotype of a particular group, which makes it hard to parse intent if you're looking through that lens.

 

After reading this article, I'm confused by the latter section. Despite them saying differently, it's weird to have the Empire both evoke Nazis and also buy into the trope of conspiratorial Jewish power. Seems contradictory.

 

The more I think about this commentary, the more I think it’s off-base. I’m not Jewish, but I found myself relating to the dynamic between Syril and Eedy. This is obviously anecdotal. The author takes the archetype of a generically overbearing mother as an anti-semitic trope when such parenting exists, and has been portrayed in media, throughout many different cultures. They go so far as to say that Judaism doesn’t exist in Star Wars and then proceed to launch their argument from there. I am not attempting to discredit their personal experiences, but when you write an opinion piece like this, I think some criticism is fair when your argument is this thin.

Even in their conclusion they admit that there’s no overt anti-semitism in the show. They state that it’s more subtle and coded, but what examples does the author actually provide? The only thing they offer is “everything about Eedy seems Jewish” even though she reminds many people of their own mother, regardless of their religion or race.

The Uncle Harlo connection doesn’t seem very strong either. On the surface, it’s clearly an example of nepotism, yet the writer isn’t concerned with addressing that possibility. They jump to the conclusion that this Uncle Harlo raises the “spectre of conspiratorial Jewish power”, and yet we see Uncle Harlo is entirely unable to help Syril acquire a position with any actual power. He gets him a job as a cog in the machine at the bottom of a totem pole.

If I am wrong about this, I apologize and hope to be better educated and will try to do so, but this author makes connections that I really don’t see as there.

 

I also, growing up the grandson of the most overbearing Jewish grandmother you could imagine (love ya Numa), didn’t think for one second they were riffing in some anti-Semitic stereotype. Never even crossed my mind until I read the opinion. I don’t think it’s a crazy outlandish take, but I don’t think it’s a strong enough argument for me to no longer recommend Andor to people.

 

yeah thats basically where i'm at with it - i'm not going to accuse the writer of reaching or trying to make an issue where there isn't, but i, personally, just don't see it.

 

I am going to recommend Andor to people until the day I die.

 

I 100% just thought she was a typical annoying overbearing mom

 

Season absolutely ruled. Can't wait for 2. Gotta rewatch Rogue One now.

 

Yeah think I’m gonna rewatch RO soon

 

I’ll probably rewatch it after season 2.

 

Why is he yelling? Or is that just how Scottish people sound?

 

I can wholeheartedly say that it's always exaggerated! But there are some occasions where people are very loud and overly excited.

 

I just learned we won't see season 2 until 2024. That wait is going to be excruciating.

 

just go to sleep

 

At least we get Mando S3 in a few months. And hopefully Ashoka at some point next year

 

Ahsoka gotta be august/september. mando gonna take us into May. Think Ahsoka will bridge the gap between Mando3 and Andor2

 

There’s also The Acolyte coming out too, I’m guessing before Andor since I believe it started filming before