The Reason Why Characters Explaining Oppression And Fascism To Cassian In The Andor Show Never Really

the reason why characters explaining oppression and fascism to Cassian in the Andor show never really bothered me is because TO ME and how I interpreted it, it looked like Cassian is fully-aware and doesn’t NEED explaining to. he already knows and understands everything that everyone tries to convince him about fighting against oppression. He’s lived it. The line “I’ve been in this fight since I was 6 years old” underlines how he’s always understood that his sheer existence is a sign of resistance against the Empire. He doesn’t need convincing and a list of reasons WHY oppression is bad, but his whole life has been fighting just to exist. He’s so tired and exhausted.

the explaining of systemic oppression is of course for the audience, but I also thought Cassian reflected how a lot of POC respond to other well-meaning people. Nemik is starry-eyed and well-intentioned, and while Cassian does throw some cynical remarks, he never fully stomps down his ideas or respond in bitterness. He nods along, nods along to everyone listing their reasons on why they’re choosing to fight back. He doesn’t want to shoot down Nemik, but he doesn’t want to be vulnerable and explain why he already understands Nemik’s points bc he’s LIVED it. He’s tired, and it’s even more exhausting to bring up the pain of his life story, and he’s not gonna share it with some kid he just met.

I know Cassian’s journey towards the Rebellion will clarify his arc more, but I always viewed him in this show and where his character is at this point in time as someone already knowing/understanding what everyone is telling him, but his response is “I’m already so tired of fighting to exist since the oppressors want me dead just for living, why should I be asked to give more?”

which is a sentiment i deeply resonate with. sometimes you are so tired of fighting just to be treated like a human being in everyday life, that it’s exhausting to have to give more of yourself to a cause or to be asked to participate in even more activism.

I was gonna close this more coherently but hopefully you know what i mean? maybe i will add more to this later