“Star Wars: Andor” S2 streams on Disney+ April 22, continuing the winning streak of this prequel to the prequel “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” (which is a prequel to the 1977 “Star Wars” film that started it all).

Why, we asked the actors who play the series’ two malicious villains, Kyle Soller (Sryil Karn) and Denise Gough (Deedra Meero), does George Lucas’ continually expanding saga endure nearly a half century since it launched?

“It’s a story as old as we can be telling stories,” Gough, 45, began in a joint Zoom interview. “It’s incredibly human and complex, dealing with the inner struggle of making good choices and bad choices with these archetypal energies of good and evil that are forging through us at all times. And doing it in a beautiful and imaginative way.”

“Star Wars” remains relevant, she added, “Because it just keeps re-examining those themes in the world that we’re currently living in. I think of the great classics. Great writing. I did ‘Angels in America’ on Broadway — that’s Tony Kushner.

“That play was 30 years old when we did it — and it was just as relevant, if not more. Great writing is timeless and we are so lucky to be in Tony Gilroy’s ‘Star Wars’ world.”

“Any time writers are committed to telling really truthful human stories it just connects to people,” Soller, 41, declared. “For people who have a hard time dealing with difficult and big, universal themes, if you deal with them through fiction, it’s easier to absorb them.

“When you watch a documentary, it can be hard to take factual things. Fiction is like an empathy gym. It draws you in.

“If the writing respects the intelligence of the people watching it, then it’s always going to connect if this just so happens to be ‘Star Wars.’”

Can their villains see themselves, not as defenders of the corrupt Empire but as villains?

“I’m pretty sure Deedra is a villain. But,” Gough said, “the great thing, again, about the writing, is that you get context. In Season 2 you find out what Deedra’s background is. You see she’s never, ever, had an example in her life of love, affirmation, healthy boundaries, self-esteem. The only thing that she has ever known is control and safety.

“I don’t agree with what Deedra does at all. I understand it. What she stands by and allows to happen is villainous, for sure.”

“They are villains, definitely,” Soller agreed. “The gift of Tony’s writing is you’re getting to see characters operating in their very specific sectors of the Empire, doing what they believe to be right.

“You don’t have to agree. But you can understand.”

Disney+ streams 2 episodes of “Star Wars: Andor” Season 2 April 22.