Stars of Andor Diego Luna and Adria Arjona have weighed in on the shocking twist for Bix Caleen in the Andor season 2 ending, adding to the now extensive discourse on whether this was the right decision by Star Wars. Andor is officially over following its final three-episode arc this week, but the conversation about the show very much continues. In part, that is because Andor proved to be one of Star Wars’ best shows, and many hope it will set the tone for Star Wars movies and TV shows moving forward.
Not all the conversations have been so positive, though. In fact, the shocking twist that Bix Caleen had a baby in the Andor season 2 finale has led to plenty of debate about whether this was the right choice for Bix’s character and what the larger implications of that decision are. Now, Bix Caleen actress Adria Arjona and Cassian Andor actor Diego Luna have directly weighed in on this issue, and their answers prove interesting for the larger discourse.
Diego Luna And Adria Arjona Agree The Baby Symbolizes Hope
For The Actors, The Baby Is Exactly What The Revolution Is All About
At the end of Andor season 2, Bix Caleen is shown back on Mina-Rau, the planet she was on for Andor season 2 episodes 1-3, walking through the wheat fields. The camera then moves in front of Bix, revealing that she is carrying her baby—who has since been confirmed to be Cassian’s baby as well. This was immediately an incredibly emotional moment, as most audiences will be aware that Cassian will never know this baby, as he dies in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Cassian will never know this baby, as he dies in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
This has become a hot button issue for myriad reasons, but, evidently, Diego Luna and Adria Arjona believe this baby is the perfect ending to Bix and Cassian’s story. Per Collider, Luna said:
“I love that [Tony Gilroy] chose this path, you know? I love that, at the end, what we are doing is telling a love story, because everyone focuses, when you talk about revolution, in loss, in pain, in anger, in injustice, and all of that is there, yeah, all of that is there, but behind the revolution, there’s love. You know, there’s the sense of family, and belonging, and fighting for the right reasons, and that reason can only be love.”
Luna elaborated, “It’s a beautiful way to close this project. Remind ourselves what it should be about.”
For Luna, it’s clear that this baby represents exactly what Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy had intended: hope for the future. Although we don’t know the baby’s name, gender, or whether we will ever see them again, and despite knowing Cassian never even knew this baby existed, the baby is a reminder that this story continues on, even with such a dark ending for Cassian. In an exclusive interview with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan, Tony Gilroy stated this explicitly, saying:
“I knew, probably starting to sketch the second season. I had a good idea how much mileage we were going to put on these characters and how hard the road was going to be. And there’s a shadow over the show, and I just knew, not dramatically but personally, there had to be a legitimate hope at the end of this thing, or it was really… not abusive, but just wrong. There has to be a candle in the window, or what’s the point of getting up in the morning?”
While Arjona’s response regarding the baby twist in the Collider interview wasn’t as detailed as Luna’s (although she was nodding along with much of what he was saying), she did share how meaningful it was to have this context. Arjona explained:
“It’s so beautiful because Tony really believes that information is power, and so he kind of gives us all the information that we need even before we read a single line. So when you do read the script, you’re reading it with a bit of context and a bit of the trajectory… I think that’s really thoughtful of him.”
This comment is particularly interesting, because it means that both Luna and Arjona knew about the baby throughout filming for Andor season 2, and that undoubtedly impacted their performances as they were depicting this relationship between Cassian and Bix.
Related
10 Biggest Star Wars Questions We Have After Andor Season 2
Many storylines from Andor’s series finale feed right into Rogue One, but there are still some thrilling questions that remain unanswered.
Not Everyone Is Happy With This Ending For Bix
This Choice Has Brought About Serious Debate
Although Diego Luna and Adria Arjona seem to be on board with this conclusion for Bix (and Cassian, by extension), significant debate has erupted online regarding whether this ending was a good one, for various reasons. Specifically, arguments have arisen that this decision was buying into a harmful misogynistic trope that made Bix little more than a ‘vessel’ for Cassian’s baby. Others feel that this narrative of Bix becoming a mother diminished her role in the Rebellion.
However, it seems just as many viewers found this ending inspiring. Some have even argued that the exact opposite is true—that those who see a transition into motherhood for Bix as a negative, belittling choice are being misogynistic.
Ultimately, there are valid arguments to be made on both sides, and the truth is, the heart of this issue is incredibly complicated.
The Issues With This Ending Really Are Complicated
There’s No Easy Answer To This Conversation
Image via Disney+
In the end, there isn’t a black-and-white correct answer here. It’s true that a woman carrying on a man’s legacy after his death by having his baby is a trope that has been used for quite some time. It’s fair to argue, as many have, that Bix falls into this trope, especially given Cassian’s death in Rogue One. It’s also true that Andor had primarily men writing Bix’s character, and no matter how excellent writers are—and I think the Andor writers are excellent—that is always going to mean issues with blind spots and internal biases.
Yet, the argument that viewing motherhood as inherently negative is also misogynistic holds water as well. Characters shouldn’t be seen as automatically weaker when they become mothers, as that positions motherhood itself as a negative, weak path (which is of course not the case). There’s also the fact that, for Bix, the stakes are higher than they might be for many other characters who fit this trope.
Bix endured nearly constant trauma in Andor seasons 1 and 2. Given that history, Bix deserved safety, peace, and happiness at the end of the show. While some may feel giving her a baby was a misogynistic or superficial way to give her that peace, it’s true that Bix looks the most content we’ve ever seen her in this scene. It’s also worth noting, this narrative reinforces what the Rebel fight has always been about: hope for the future. The question just remains: was this done at the expense of Bix feeling like a fully-formed character in her own right?
Both Reactions To This Bix Twist Are Valid For Their Own Reasons
Neither Side Is Entirely Right Or Entirely Wrong
There’s validity on both sides of this argument. The fact that the Andor season 2 writers’ room was so male-dominated shouldn’t be overlooked, but the idea that motherhood inherently or automatically cheapens a woman’s story is also an issue. There’s also something to be said for Diego Luna’s interpretation of this decision, which essentially boils down to the baby representing hope for the future and the reason for fighting. That, too, has been echoed online.
It may feel like a cop out to say there’s no one answer, but in this case, I think that’s true. It’s fair to read Bix as incredibly brave and strong in this moment, choosing the Rebellion and her child over her relationship with Cassian. It can also easily be argued that the idea that Cassian lives on even after his major sacrifice is inspiring. At the same time, it’s a fact that this is a trope women have experienced many times before and that this message only being possible through Bix’s pregnancy and motherhood is problematic.
At least one point in Andor season 2’s defense is the fact that these arguments are only happening because the show went to places Star Wars hasn’t gone before. Yes, Padmé had a pregnancy arc of her own, but few would argue that Andor didn’t represent revolution, sacrifice, politics, and even motherhood in a new light in Star Wars. The debate will no doubt continue, but it’s nevertheless insightful to know more about how Diego Luna and Adria Arjona feel about this shocking Bix Caleen twist in Andor season 2.
All episodes of Andor season 2 are now streaming on Disney+.
Andor
8/10
- Release Date
-
2022 – 2025-00-00
- Network
-
Disney+
- Showrunner
-
Tony Gilroy
