The Tragedy in Mon Mothma's Theme

[@Brainwashed101]

"You ever hear the tragedy of Mon Mothma, the Rebel? I thought not. It's not a story the Imperials would tell you..."

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I heard she was a spice addict.

[@DatTran1]

With how the New Republic quickly forgot Ezra's sacrifice who took down the most dangerous grand admiral of the empire it almost certained that Mon Mothma's sacrifice is also not a story the new republic would tell you.

[@orionwesley]

I thought it was a really unnerving song when I first heard it. I actually listened to it before I sat down to watch the series. After seeing the first (and thus far the only) season, I think it really embodies Mon Mothma and her life in the first season. She's constantly on edge, dealing with her daughter and worrying about her cousin's safety. She's also navigating the social niceties of her position, as well as the knife edge she finds herself on politically. The theme itself is tense, almost as if it were grating on one's last nerve. The choice of electrical instruments is daring, while the softer wind instruments add a distinctive touch of class. I almost envision her as that lighthouse out in the middle of a cold, wind-swept sea, with waves climbing and battering it, but it never falters. I have always found the heroines of Star Wars to be far more interesting than Vader or Kenobi or, yes even, Andor. Her theme isn't at all like that of Princess Leia's original theme or Across The Stars, which I feel best represents Padme Amidala in the prequels. It's even a lot different than her late contemporary's, Duchess Satine of Mandalore, which had romantic and tragic undertones to it. There's just something about Mon Mothma's theme that is so distinctly hers, and sets her apart from the long line of tragic heroines we've seen come and go. I love it. 🌈💖

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Well said and I love your metaphor of the lighthouse. We definitely received an incredible performance as well. It brings so much to the character even for later movies.

[@Bleepurchin]

The theme represents her experiences and her sacrifice. I wouldn’t say that this specific arrangement is necessarily the quintessential theme. I imagine it will evolve as her story unfolds and as she evolves. The characters of Andor are finding out who they are and so surely their themes should also follow those developments. Case and point; the titles of each episode of the series.

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I’m actually surprised that her theme hasn’t been given more variation already as her story unfolds. Perhaps though, as Mon’s character develops, the music and this setting has actually been fitting her better and better?

[@GTSHProductions]

@@starwarsmusicanalysisthe variation heard in episode 11 when she’s talking about her sacrifice to Vel was incredible. An even darker tone indicating her horrific but necessary sacrifice

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I don’t know if it’s the way her story unfolded or the music but it went from feeling angry and determined to destroyed by the end.

[@apfelkuchen4399]

Her theme is so dramatic and powerful

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

The way it grows and tears at you the entire way through always gets me.

[@apfelkuchen4399]

@@starwarsmusicanalysis Agreed. Great analysis btw. Very impressed by your channel 👍

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

@apfelkuchen4399 thank you so much!

[@enemyoftherepublic777]

I just discovered your channel. Excellent analysis! Subbed :)

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Thank you! I hope I can continue to meet expectations!

[@qwertyuiopqwerty112]

I think you missed one of the key background part that starts around 1:40 which sounds almost like a siren, but a weird and really harsh one. At the same point where you hear the upbeating guitar strings that grow louder, like the growing rebellion, so too is the cacophony of the siren, representing how far the empire will go to retain power and makes you feel the walls are visibly closing in, getting to the point where it is almost deafening (like a loom death star).

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Thank you! What a great added analysis!

[@jackrutledgegoembel5896]

Very good analysis, gave me a newfound appreciation for this theme. Thank you for posting!

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Thanks! Comments like that make it worth doing!

[@jackrutledgegoembel5896]

@@starwarsmusicanalysis I mean it from the heart! : )

[@NebulonEclipse]

I love these types of videos and I love the thought put behind the Andor Soundtrack it's so well made!

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Thanks! I enjoy doing them and Andor was incredibly well done on all levels!

[@goso03]

Thank you for this, what a great analysis!

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

My pleasure. Thank you for watching and for your kind words!

[@ivangalantz4927]

great analysis

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@IsaacKuo]

Cool, seems fixed! Anyway, my thoughts ... my guess is that season 2 may embellish or evolve Mon Mothma's theme into a more explicitly sinister direction. The line I keep coming back to is, "I've learned from Palpatine". We're meant to notice it, and be shocked by it, like Tay Kolma. If I recall correctly, Rogue One implied that Mon Mothma wouldn't use Cassian Andor for dirty work; a different Rebel leader ordered him to assassinate Galen Erso. But that guy's nowhere to be seen in Season one while Mon Mothma's front and center. I suspect what we're going to see in season 2 is that Mon Mothma lives the same sort of double life as Palpatine. Out in the open, she's the respectable leader of the righteous Rebel Alliance. In the shadows, though? She'll use secret operatives like Cassian Andor for all the things that are politically ... inconvenient ... for the Rebellion. Maybe we'll see Mon Mothma directly order Cassian Andor to assassinate someone in one of the arcs. Maybe even worse. I really feel like the show is going in that direction, because otherwise it really seems puzzling to include Mon Mothma so heavily in a TV series so otherwise focused on Cassian Andor. So, Mon Mothma's theme has this duality, and feeling of descent. I feel like this descent of her soul will continue, although maybe the emphasis will be remixed. Maybe this will be thematically similar to what they've done with Dedra Meero. We're meant to root for her at first, but then see she's actually a monster. Perhaps we'll see a more complex Mon Mothma - one who can live this double life where she hypocritically upholds the Rebel Alliance's morally superior ethics in the light, while simultaneously flaunting them as needed in the shadows. And in the end, we'll slap ourselves in the forehead and think, "Of course! Did we really think that someone with pure ethics and morals would be the one to claw up to the top and seize ultimate power?" "I've learned from Palpatine."

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I love this theory. It definitely would not be what I’d expect but it could also ruin her character as a whole. I think the rebellion only survives on its morals because of someone like Mon at the helm. If that’s overly compromised, then it’s hard to believe that the rebellion could have ever pulled together. It’s possible she orders an assassination though. I’d guess either Davos to keep her from being revealed after be inhaling blackmailed further or Luthen, truly testing Cassian’s allegiances. Thanks for being willing to rewatch. I hope it was worth it!

[@IsaacKuo]

@@starwarsmusicanalysis As I see it, Maarva Andor is the light counterpart to the dark of Luthen Rael. So what does that make Mon Mothma? I think the most interesting possibility is if she is both and neither. She has real visceral empathy for those who will suffer as a result of Aldani, but that doesn't stop her from turning around and using it just half a day later while recruiting Tay Kolma. She has two faces. One face can protest with righteous indignation; this face can inspire with the light. But the other face is the one she says is the true Mon Mothma to Tay Kolma. Before I realized that Maarva was the light counterpart to Luthen, I was thinking Mon Mothma would somehow claw her way back from the abyss during season 2, and that this would be a lot harder than the initial slide down. Maybe they'll go that route, still. I'm guessing they'll go the other way, though. They built up a two faced Mon Mothma willing to sacrifice everything for the cause.

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I’m curious how long Luthen will last in Season 2. I hadn’t considered the duality of Maarva and Luthen before but I really like that. Mon is the inevitable conclusion of those voices combining.

[@aylinilya.]

i think we could see cassian escort mon mothma out of coruscant after she makes that one speech in rebels after the ghorman massacre

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

@aylinilya. That would be really cool!

[@-----REDACTED-----]

“Depression” feels somewhat off as a description. More like…gravity? Given the burden of what is at stake for her personally as well as the entire galaxy which she carries seemingly alone…but it doesn’t sound “defeated” which might arguably act as a test substitute for “depression”. Not even sad, really, but dangerous, threatening, suffocating. One slip up is all it takes. Hmm, I don’t know…

[@starwarsmusicanalysis]

I think they both describe her accurately but drive at two distinctly different characteristics. There certainly lu is a gravity to Mon as well as her music but there is undoubtedly also a depression to the lines.