The notion that revenge isn't the Jedi way is a the Ghorman Massacre to the ability to tell a complete and satisfying story arc in just two seasons.
One of the most notable aspects of Andor is also the absence of the Skywalker family and very little focus on the Jedi or the Force. While both will always be key in Star Wars, it was exciting to see just how brilliant Star Wars can be even without the Jedi or the Force being involved. This separation also gave Andor the opportunity to prove one thing: revenge isn't the way of the Jedi, but it was thankfully the way of one Andor season 2 hero, who had one of the most satisfying scenes of the season.
"Revenge Is Not The Jedi Way" Is A Refrain In Star Wars
This Is Particularly Well-Known From A Key Anakin And Ahsoka Scene
Although Return of the Jedi was fascinatingly originally titled Revenge of the Jedi, Star Wars has been very clear over the years that revenge is antithetical to the Jedi way. It made much more sense for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith to contain 'revenge' in the title, as the very idea of revenge is tied to anger and hatred. These emotions are key for the Sith, who must use them to tap into the dark side, but they are opposite to how a Jedi should respond to even the most horrible experiences.
This is why Anakin's slaughter of the Tusken Raiders was so wrong (in addition to the obvious moral abhorrence of mass killing). Star Wars has reinforced this message directly, including with Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader's confrontation on Malachor, during which Vader told Ahsoka, "Revenge is not the Jedi way," repeating what he'd said to her when he was her Jedi master. It's true, as Anakin Skywalker's Star Wars timeline makes clear, that the Jedi should avoid the need for revenge, but one Andor season 2 scene proves how satisfying revenge can be for non-Jedi characters.
One Andor season 2 scene proves how satisfying revenge can be for non-Jedi characters.
Bix Caleen's Revenge In Andor Season 2 Was So Satisfying
Bix Had More Than Earned This Moment Throughout Andor
Bix Caleen's story is one of the saddest in Andor, and although new scenes like the rape attempt by the Imperial officer in Andor season 2 shed even more light upon that, this began in Andor season 1. Specifically, Bix faced horrible torture at the hands of the Empire in Andor season 1, and that trauma stayed with her. In Andor season 2, in fact, Bix was seemingly exhibiting signs of PTSD, having vivid nightmares and still suffering from intense fear.
Biggest Star Wars Reveals in Andor Season 2
Here are the biggest twists and Star Wars reveals from Andor season 2.
Andor season 2 gave Bix the perfect revenge for the trauma she suffered, though, when she was able to subject the Imperial interrogator who had tortured her, Dr. Gorst, to the exact same torture he had inflicted upon her. In fact, Bix first strapped Dr. Gorst into the exact same device he'd used on her years before, and then she and Cassian Andor blew up the building, no doubt killing Dr. Gorst in the process. Perhaps the single best aspect of this arc was that it wasn't treated as morally wrong.
Andor season 2 gave Bix the perfect revenge for the trauma she suffered.
Revenge Isn't Right For The Jedi... But It's Not Always Wrong In Star Wars
Not Every Character Is Held To The Same Morals, And That's For The Better
Image via Disney+
It would have been very disappointing had Andor season 2 presented Bix's revenge as something morally wrong that she shouldn't have done. Instead, this revenge in Andor season 2 was seen as a victory for Bix, and it was one she absolutely deserved. At that point, the Empire had stripped Bix of her sense of safety and even her sanity for a time, and while torture and murder are 'wrong,' the situation was much more complicated than that, in truth.
Revenge is something the Jedi should steer entirely clear of because it's all too easy to fall to the dark side when one gives in to revenge, but other Star Wars characters don't have to be held to the same standards. In Bix's case, getting this revenge on Dr. Gorst was exactly what she needed to get closure for what had been done to her, and it was ittedly satisfying to bear witness to. Thankfully, Andor season 2 recognized the complexity of revenge in Star Wars and solidified that it isn't always entirely wrong, especially for non-Jedi characters.
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