George R.R. Martin doesn’t post long essays when he blogs, but he doesn’t need to. In just a few paragraphs, he managed to call Andor the best Star Wars spinoff to date. That short, simple line from the creator of A Song of Ice and Fire got fans buzzing. And frankly, it deserves a closer look.
Then came the real highlight—his thoughts on Andor. Martin wrote:
“ANDOR was this year’s highlight, though. Far and away the best of the Star Wars spinoffs. Looked gorgeous, Diego Luna was first rate, and there was a realism and tension to the story that was sadly lacking in most of the other spinoffs.”
That line alone sparked conversation across the Star Wars community. On Reddit, some jokingly rolled their eyes, accusing Martin of doing everything but finishing The Winds of Winter. But many others agreed with him completely. One comment said, “They put the ‘war’ back into Star Wars,” which captures the essence of Martin’s point. Andor succeeded not by relying on Jedi or legacy characters, but by showing the cost of rebellion through grounded storytelling and authentic performances.
Martin has always emphasized realism in his own work—choices, consequences, emotional stakes. That’s exactly what Andor delivered. Diego Luna’s Cassian isn’t a chosen one or a mystical hero; he’s a man caught in a system, fighting for survival and eventually finding purpose. The show doesn’t just tell us that the Empire is evil. It makes us feel the weight of its oppression.
One Redditor put it well: “He uses the term realism, but it’s also about believability, relatability.” Another added, “Andor earned everything it delivered.”
In contrast, many of the other Disney+ spinoffs have felt rushed, shallow, or overly reliant on nostalgia. The Mandalorian had its moments, and Obi-Wan Kenobi sparked excitement, but few shows have made the Star Wars galaxy feel as alive—and as dangerous—as Andor did.
Martin ended his post with one line that ties it all together:
“It’s nice to see someone doing science fiction right.”
And that’s the heart of it. Andor didn’t just add to the Star Wars universe. It elevated it. Check out his full blog here.