That Chandrilan Wedding Banger in 'Andor' Season 2 Has a Deeper Meaning -

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Andor Season 2 Episodes 1-3.

Dancing can mean different things to different people, and, for Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), it’s about giving in. In Episode 3 of Andor Season 2, “Harvest,” the leader of the Rebel Alliance literally faces the music at her daughter’s wedding party and unravels on the dance floor, a scene unlike any other in Star Wars. As she dances, the song that gets the party going blasts on the speaker droid is a familiar one: “Niamos!”, the synthpop banger composed by Nicholas Britell for Season 1. Back then, its industrial beats served a different purpose, but now, Mon Mothma’s scene gives “Niamos!” a much darker connotation.

“Niamos!” Is an Anthem to Decadence in ‘Andor’ Season 1

Cassian confronts a stormtrooper on the beach planet Niamos in Andor Season 1 — Image via Lucasfilm

There are many different versions of “Niamos!” in the Andor soundtrack, the one from the wedding being the latest: a party banger designed to get everyone out of their minds on the dance floor. The original version, however, is heard for the first time in the very first scene in the series premiere, as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) goes to a club on Morlana One looking for his lost sister. Later in the series, it plays again in Episode 7, “Announcement,” on the planet Niamos, where Cassian goes to lie low after learning the Empire is looking for him on Ferrix. Until now, “Niamos!” was mostly associated with the planet it’s named after, which fans also refer to as “Venice Beach Planet,” “Space Miami,” and so on.

The scenes on that planet turn “Niamos!” into an anthem to decadence in the context of the rise of the Empire. For example, Cassian goes to Niamos for a luxurious time, spending the credits he stole from the Empire on Aldhani, and, at that time, the Empire had also issued its re-sentencing directive, allowing itself to arrest anyone without charges or warrant. As all that was happening around them, beings from all species pretended not to hear it, enjoying the beach as if none of it were their problem. Ironically, Cassian isn’t arrested for his connection to the Morlana One murders and the Aldhani heist, but under a fake name for simply “looking suspicious,” and no one helps him.

Mon Mothma Completely Redefines “Niamos!” in Season 2

In the first three-episode arc in Season 2, however, “Niamos!” gets a whole new meaning. “Harvest” is the culmination of Mon Mothma’s own arc of decadence, finally accepting that rebelling against the Empire has huge personal and moral costs. As if she hadn’t sacrificed enough in Season 1 by marrying off her teenage daughter, Leida (Bronte Carmichael), to the son of an unscrupulous entrepreneur, Davo Sculdun (Richard Dillane), to be able to keep funneling money to the Rebellion, the man who helped her make all these connections, her friend and erstwhile romantic interest, Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), is now implying he might expose these secrets if he isn’t properly compensated for his efforts. He must be dealt with.

Seeing Mon understand that Tay has to die to not become a problem (right as “Niamos!” starts playing) is heartbreaking, because, as a senator, she has always been an idealist and a champion of diplomacy, opposing Imperial fascism from day one. This gives a new dimension to her sacrifices; marrying off her daughter was painful, but she’s never had to kill anyone. It’s also what triggers her ferocious dancing — not joy, but a sorrow so deep, she’s overwhelmed. The already-iconic moment when she looks back looking miserable, just before she gives in to the music, is actually her last look at the life she’s just had to leave behind, because now, whatever happens to the Rebellion, she has blood on her hands, same as Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård) or any other spy and soldier.

As the episode ends, “Niamos!” continues playing, becoming a symbol of the Rebellion’s crossroads at that moment. Mon Mothma is getting her hands dirty, Luthen has to kill another person, and Vel (Faye Marsay) finally sees Cinta (Varada Sethu) again, only to discover she is not only a spy, but also Luthen’s main assassin and will kill Tay. On Minna-Rau, Cassian loses Brasso (Joplin Sibtain), his best friend, after Bix (Adria Arjona) survives a rape attempt by an Imperial officer. There’s no going back for any of these people, so they might as well face the music and go all-in against the Empire.

“Niamos!” Adds a New Flavor to ‘Star Wars’ Soundtracks

When “Niamos!” first played back in Andor Season 1, it stood out among other Star Wars themes. It wasn’t like anything in the franchise’s soundtrack by then, a synthpop song with heavy electronic dance music beats, reflecting the atmosphere of recklessness and hedonistic pleasure on the planet it’s named after. It stands out even among Nicholas Britell’s own soundtrack for the series, which already prioritizes a more “industrial” sound instead of the typical orchestrated music Star Wars is famous for. When it plays in “Announcement,” it’s almost as if the song is telling the audience that everything is about to change, and, now, it plays this same ominous role in “Harvest.”

More than just a different feel, however, “Niamos!” is also one of the best uses of diegetic music in Star Wars (music that plays within the world of the series, too), and that’s what adds to the dramatic atmosphere of Mon Mothma’s dancing in “Harvest.” The song is actually playing at Leida’s wedding, and everyone is dancing to it, building a whole atmosphere that, combined with the news she’s just had to endure, pushes Mon over the edge. Even her husband, Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie), is impressed when he sees her on the dance floor and notices she’s completely unaware of anything around her anymore. When it comes to party bangers, “Niamos!” seems to be the go-to song in Star Wars, so who knows? Perhaps we may hear it again in Andor.

Season 2 of Andor is streaming on Disney+. New episodes air on Tuesday nights.