The Force is with the second season of "Andor," the Star Wars prequel series, despite the absence of Jedi Knight characters. Continuing the tale of Rebel Alliance warrior Cassian Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, this season has largely been acclaimed by critics. It has earned the top score among all live-action Star Wars TV shows and movies on Rotten Tomatoes. The second season of "Andor," released today, currently boasts a positive rating of 98%.

This ranking surpasses the critics' rating for the series' first season, which held a 96% positive rating. It even eclipsed "The Empire Strikes Back," the generally acknowledged favourite among all Star Wars films, which holds a 95% positive rating. On the other end of the spectrum, "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," released in 2019, has the lowest rating at only 51% positive.

In a show of their faith in the series, Disney+ shared the complete second season with critics in advance. Consequently, the score reflects the entire 12 episodes, rather than just a few as is typical of other Star Wars live-action releases. The decision to initiate full season screenings is seen as a mark of assurance in the content, or an indication that the initial episodes are slow, with the plot gaining momentum in the latter half. Critics agree that both cases apply to "Andor" season two.

While Rotten Tomatoes ratings frequently fluctuate, particularly in the initial stages, it's important to note that these rankings are fluid and subject to change as the season progresses and more critiques are contributed.

While the vigorous acclaim for "Andor" in live-action titles is noteworthy, it's matched by 2014's Star Wars Rebels and 2021's Star Wars Visions, on the animated side, which also claim 98% positive ratings. Disney+ will premiere the first batch of three episodes from the new season of "Andor" at 6 p.m. PST on Tuesday, with three further episodes set for release each subsequent week.