Andor Gave Us the Gayest Screen Fade in Star Wars History

Andor will get deal proper—very proper, even—about lots of issues in Star Wars, nevertheless it’s slowly however certainly studying methods to do one factor even higher: cinematic tropes within the galaxy far, distant are even higher after they’re queer.

After the occasions of the Aldhani heist rippled all through the galaxy, it appeared unlikely that we’d get to see the fantastic Vel and Cinta—Star Wars TV’s first express on-screen feminine queer couple—once more, however this week’s episode, “Narkina 5,” briefly caught up with them as they surreptitiously dropped in on Ferrix to attempt to monitor Cassian’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, nobody is aware of the place Cassian is, as a result of he’s been jailed on the episode’s titular Imperial jail world. After a quick chat which reveals simply how a lot every of them are prepared to sacrifice of their private life to decide to preventing the Empire, Cinta decides to remain on Ferrix whereas Vel goes off-world. “I’m a mirror, Vel,” Cinta tells her doubting associate, after explaining her plan to assimilate into Ferrix and get nearer to Cassian’s recognized associates. “You love me because I show you what you need to see,” she continues, earlier than greedy Vel’s hand tenderly.

If the closeness between the 2 in prior episodes was too informal so that you can have observed that Vel and Cinta had been romantically concerned, and in some way even really feel this dialog is simply too delicate to know for sure, we then get the Star Wars romanciest-thing possible as Vel glumly takes a shuttle off-world:

This goddamn fade shot. Look at it! Distant lovers, gazing at various things—Vel, her eyes cleverly matched to be trying into Cinta’s, whereas Cinta appears to be like away from her, exhibits us that her love for Cinta stays on Vel’s thoughts, whereas the mission is on Cinta’s, as the finished fade exhibits us she is watching the door to Maarva’s residence. It’s stuffed with melancholy and longing, and represents a private instance of a theme working all through “Narkina 5” of how the Empire tears folks aside in so some ways because it tightens its chokehold on the galaxy. But additionally: it’s extremely queer.

Andor already understood that it might painting queer folks within the Star Wars galaxy as casually and as a part of its cloth as heteronormative characters have been for the reason that very starting. But there’s one thing fantastic in its strategy to Vel and Cinta growing into one thing extra explicitly textual (and developed to the purpose that it’s infinitely extra participating and romantic than The Rise of Skywalker’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it queer kiss) by taking one among Star Wars’ most constant modifying tropes and simply… making it homosexual. It might’ve solely been extra Star Wars if it was a full-on screen wipe, however nonetheless: it’s fantastic.

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