What Would A ‘Game Of Thrones’ Version Of ‘Star Wars’ Look Like?
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Andor has introduced fans to a new genre in the Star Wars franchise and shown that it can be successful. Viewers agree that the latest series feels more like a spy thriller that happened to be set in the galaxy far, far away. Instead of focusing on the conflict between the Jedi and the Sith, Andor depicts what an average person experiences during the time of the Empire. No one has Force powers. No one wields a lightsaber. The next genre the Star Wars franchise can explore is political intrigue. Interpersonal relationships, double-crossing, and betrayals are what makes A Song of Ice and Fire franchise so popular. The vast Star Wars universe will be a perfect setting to explore this genre, which has not been done before in the franchise.
The Galactic Senate is the main legislative body governing the Republic, the Empire (as the Imperial Senate for a time), and the New Republic. The audience has only seen a small slice of political dealings. A few senators make passionate speeches to persuade others to their cause. However, with thousands of worlds represented by thousands of senators, backdoor political dealings are inevitable. Sheev Palpatine does not become Supreme Chancellor through passionate speeches alone. He must have made deals (both as a senator and as a shadowy Sith) with a number of people. If you vote for this, I will vote for this. Join my coalition, and I will help you with this. Quid pro quo. Promises are made and broken. Viewers have a small glimpse of this in the bureaucrats’ behaviors in Andor. It will be interesting to see the master manipulator at work and how he makes someone think they are outmaneuvering him as he moves in for the kill.
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The season finale of Andor hints that fans may soon see Game of Thrones reflected in Season 2. Woven in between Cassian Andor and Luthen Rael’s subterfuge is Mon Mothma and her clever maneuvers to assist the Rebellion while under Imperial scrutiny. With well-placed words, she has placed the blame for the unexplained missing money in her accounts on her husband’s gambling habits. Despite her previous misgivings, she has reluctantly introduced her daughter to Richard Dillane’s son. Using the promise of marriage as part of political negotiations is a page out of Game of Thrones.
Another way to portray a story like Game of Thrones is by depicting multiple interests vying for a throne. The title of Emperor is not hereditary, however. Palpatine plans on ruling forever, so a fight for the throne of the Empire will not be a possible storyline. On the other hand, hereditary monarchies do exist on other worlds in the galaxy. One such world is Alderaan, but it might be too much to shatter the virtuous image of this peaceful planet.
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The Legends novel The Courtship of Princess Leia touches on this idea when the Queen Mother of Hapes pushes for her son’s marriage with Leia, who is now a leader of the fledgling New Republic and de facto leader of the influential refugees of Alderaan. Even with the canon novel The Princess and the Scoundrel chronicling Han and Leia’s wedding, and the beginning of their marriage, there is still potential to expand on the ruling family of the Hapes.
If one were to dig deeper into the lore of Hapes beyond The Courtship of Princess Leia, one would find stories of factions playing the game of thrones. As the title of Queen Mother is passed through the female line of succession in this matriarchal society, Princess Leia would have been next in line to rule Hapes and its wealthy worlds. After Leia chooses Han, Princes Isolder of Hapes falls in love with and marries Teneniel Djo, a witch of Dathomir. She would become the next Queen Mother after Prince Isolder’s mother stepped down. However, the issue of succession resurfaces when the couple’s daughter Tenel Ka joins Luke’s Jedi academy and has little interest in taking over the throne. The story of the next ruler of Hapes would continue to 27 ABY, as depicted in Legends’ The New Jedi Order series. One could expand on the underlying schemes moving through this story as the past Queen Mother finds a suitable heir (in her opinion) or go to an entirely new world with their own fight for the throne.
Andor has demonstrated that a Star Wars story does not always have to be about a young person from a faraway land discovering unknown powers within and using them against a larger sinister force. It can be about political struggles in the Senate or a monarchy on a distant world. As with the success of A Song of Ice and Fire, a similar story can also be successful in the galaxy far, far away.
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Source(s): Wookieepedia
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