Star Wars has always been about balance—light and dark, good and evil, and even humans and aliens.
But when I look at recent stories like Solo: A Star Wars Story and Andor, the balance feels different. Solo thrives with a perfect mix of humans and aliens, capturing the colorful chaos of the galaxy.
Meanwhile, Andor leans heavily on human narratives, with aliens taking a noticeable backseat.
And I think I’ve figured out why there’s such a difference between the two. Let’s me explain.
The Empire’s Human-Centric Ideology in Andor
One of the biggest reasons Andor feels so human-focused is its setting within the Empire’s domain.
The Galactic Empire is notoriously speciesist, favoring humans over aliens and relegating non-humans to the fringes of society.
This systemic bias, rooted in the Empire’s institutionalized “Human High Culture,” asserts human superiority over other species and marginalizes non-humans within Imperial society.
This theme is central to Andor, where the oppressive control of the Empire dominates the narrative.
It makes sense that the series focuses on human characters, as they are the ones navigating this human-centric hierarchy.
As we’ve seen in the ISB, non-humans were systematically excluded from positions of power.
The Imperial Security Bureau, like the rest of the Empire, openly discouraged alien participation, ensuring that leadership roles stayed exclusively human.
This exclusion extended to the Imperial Navy and High Command, where non-humans were rarely if ever, allowed to serve as officers.
Scoundrels and Aliens in Solo: A Star Wars Story
On the flip side, Solo takes us to a completely different corner of the galaxy. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian exist on the fringes of society—exactly where the Empire pushed aliens.
In these spaces, smugglers, bounty hunters, and outlaws thrive, creating a melting pot of species.
The criminal underworld in Star Wars has always been a melting pot of species. You’ll see everything from Rodians and Twi’leks to Wookiees and Weequays mingling in these shady circles.
In Solo, this diversity feels natural. Chewbacca, Han’s loyal partner, is the perfect example of how closely scoundrels and non-humans are tied together.
Then there’s Rio Durant, the quick-witted Ardennian pilot, and L3-37, the droid with a passion for equal rights, both of whom bring even more depth to the mix.
What’s really interesting is how scoundrels and criminals often reject the Empire’s human-centric ideology.
They don’t care where you’re from or what species you are—if you can help get the job done, you’re in. It’s this rejection of the Empire’s speciesist mindset that creates spaces where aliens and humans can genuinely work side by side.
That’s what gives Solo its distinct feel—it leans into the chaos and diversity of the galaxy in a way that feels authentically Star Wars.