Why do I get so emotional watching Andor?

That's me too, my friend. You must be a Rebel at heart. I know I grew up with stories about Rebels fighting severe oppression and invasion. My mom was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Her father, uncles and grandfather were involved in the 1916 Rising and the next few years ensuing Revolution and Civil War. There are stories about my grandfather as a child being beaten by soldiers and his bike being taken, one of his brothers was caught in crossfire and hit in the leg, neighbors that were "disappeared", crazy stuff. My dad told stories about going to visit in the 70s and 80s and seeing some real underground rebel network stuff in pubs with some of my uncles... So all my life I have had a real interest in that whole situation. Andor hits a LOT of real feelings for me in the similarities and just the spirit of a grassroots, everyman movement rising up to fight the all-powerful Empire. The fact that Maarva was played by an Irish actress and bears a striking resemblance to my mom and aunts is another big factor.

 

Also me.
There are a lot of things in Andor that hit me really really really hard.
A lot of characters give so many feelings with only a look, an action, a pose, a word. All new characters itselfs and its actors, specially Nemik (Alex Lawther).
The insights of the Empire and The Rebellion on the rising, so well constructed.
The visuals: planets, facilities, ships, props...
The cinematography and lights in a lot of scenes.

Something very very deep with this show.

Am just in love with all of it.

 

Can I suggest that the similarity between what happens in Andor and what has happened IRL the past 100-200 years generates more sincere and profound empathy in the viewer.

Not to devalue the emotions that other SW films evoke. But those are larger than life scenarios that we volunteer to experience vicariously.

With Andor it's somewhat less voluntary and perhaps more meaningful that way.

 

Don't you think only you can answer that question?

 

It's a viewer byproduct of a GREAT story developed by master storytellers!

We are living in blessed times when it comes to quality television. We got Andor, there's been The Last of Us, tomorrow we get The Mandalorian again...and later this year, we'll get Ahsoka and the Skeleton Crew.

Savor it people. This kind of quality from so many shows doesn't happen very often.