Entertainment
Andor Season 2 Takes The Acolyte's Mistake And Does It Right
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
For Star Wars fans, it was almost impossible not to compare the failure of The Acolyte to the immense success of Andor, though many felt the two shows had almost nothing in common. Now, though, they will have at least one shocking similarity: Andor season 2 is going to use time jumps to tell its story, something that The Acolyte tried to do in its first and only season. Fortunately for fans, Andor is only jumping forward in time, meaning that its second season will avoid the back-and-forth time jumps of The Acolyte that simply left everyone confused.
The Time Jumps Of Andor Season 2
What time jumps in Andor Season 2 are we talking about, though? Previously, showrunner Tony Gilroy confirmed that the show’s second and final season would have 12 episodes and that after every four episodes, the story would jump forward in time. In this way, the show will explore its titular character’s service to the Rebellion over four years that lead up to the events of Rogue One.
Now, The Acolyte also had time jumps, but that show approached them in a very different way that left far too many fans unsatisfied. While Andor season 2 will regularly jump forward in time, The Acolyte used multiple time jumps back in time in order to explain things like the origins of the mysterious, Force-sensitive twins Osha and Mae and Sol’s culpability in killing the Force witches who raised them. The obvious intent was for The Acolyte to throw us into the story in media res and leave us with many initial questions that the later flashback episodes answered.
Why am I convinced that the time jumps in Andor season 2 will make for more effective storytelling than in The Acolyte? Personally, my main problem with The Acolyte’s flashbacks is that they killed the show’s momentum.
The Problem With The Acolyte Time Jumps
The series already had pacing problems, but the time jumps made this problem infinitely worse: just when audiences began wondering why Jedi Master Torbin willingly killed himself, for example, we got an episode set 16 years in the past that did nothing to answer the question. It would be answered four episodes later by another flashback episode whose timing killed all interest in the growing relationship between Qmir and Osha.
Basically, The Acolyte did everything backward, using flashback time jumps to provide answers to mysteries that weren’t that compelling in the first place. Getting those answers meant destroying all of the storytelling momentum and destroying any interest audiences might have had in the current plot. Fortunately for Star Wars fans everywhere, Andor season 2 is on track to take The Acolyte’s mistake and make it right.
That’s because the show will be time-jumping forward, allowing us to see the progression of Andor’s character after he completes major arcs. We won’t lose any momentum because each arc will be wrapped up by the time we jump forward, meaning that we won’t, say, suddenly be jolted out of a Mon Mothma subplot to spend an episode dedicated to Andor’s tragic childhood. And there won’t be a frustrating mystery to solve…unless, of course, you count the mystery of how Andor ended up jaded but with a heart of gold in Rogue One.
It’s so simple, but Tony Gilroy’s plans for Andor season 2 reveal a stark truth: time jumps aren’t an inherently bad idea as long as they help shows tell a story without disrupting the narrative momentum. Jumps that don’t really help the story, meanwhile, are nothing more than gimmicks…in the case of The Acolyte, frustrating gimmicks had a habit of killing the pace right when things were getting good. Thankfully, Gilroy has discovered there’s “one way out” for making these jumps work: by simply telling a great story and letting everything else sort itself out.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
