You are excused if you were unaware that anotherStar Warsshow is coming soon to Disney+. Disney has been busy with Marvel Cinematic Universe shows on their streaming platform, and of course, they’ve been busy withStar Warsones too.
After the resounding success ofThe Mandalorian, it should come as no surprise that the minds behind the magic of the mega-profitableStar Warsproperties will continue to mine the galaxy for stories untold on screen. While Marvel Comics have delved deep into lore, filling the story gaps, and exploring new characters, on-screen storytelling has been contained in comparison.
Considering thatAndorwill be the fourth live-action show in theStar Warsuniverse, it’s rather remarkable. They have isolated the stories to film and animation shows thus far. The success ofThe Mandalorianhas shown that the desire for original live-action programming continues to be insatiable.
And so we arrive atAndor, a prequel toRogue One, starring Diego Luna as lead Cassian Andor.Andor,on its surface, has a difficult task ahead of it. Andor’s fate inRogue Oneis like that of every other character introduced in that film (spoiler alert: short-lived). And knowing that, the burden of creating a compelling story around a character whose fate is already told (this is the same challenge that George Lucas faced with the prequel trilogy) has its serious challenges.
That said, here is what we think we know and what we can expect in the first season ofAndor, arriving on Disney+ on July 25, 2025.
What The Trailer Tells Us
Other than focusing on star Diego Luna’s Andor, the show will be introducing new faces to theStar Warsgalaxy. Those include Genevieve O’Reilly (as Mon Mothma), Alex Ferns (as Sgt. Kostek), Stellan Skarsgård, and Fiona Shaw, in unnamed roles. The Empire is at full strength, Stormtroopers are ever-present, the Senate is still functioning (it doesn’t get dissolved untilStar Wars: A New Hope), and the seeds of the Rebellion we saw inObi-Wan Kenobiare growing.
Excitingly, we got a quick glimpse at Saw Gerrera, the gruff and raw freedom fighter who inRogue Onewas battle-damaged and mechanically reliant. We also saw some of his foot soldiers, armed and ready for battle.
Related:Andor Trailer 2 Breakdown: A Rebellion Is Coming
But, the trailer took time to put thepolitics ofStar Warsin full view and establish that Mon Mothma, an eventual, powerful leader of the Rebellion, will be well-placed within the high society of the Empire, working her talents from within at destabilization. Skarsgård’s character seems equally important within this space and the driving force behind imploring Andor to action.
Politics have always been a pivotal part of theStar Warssaga, exploring the rich tapestry of inspiration from the Roman Empire, American imperialism and conflicts, and world history. There looks to be plenty of action and excitement, too, as we saw scenes of Andor flying a ship being pursued by Tie Fighters, Andor blasting his way out of a sticky situation, as well as Skarsgård’s character.
How and When Andor Will Connect to Rogue One
Showcreator Tony Gilroy confirmedthat the series would lead right up toRogue One.But not this season. In fact, it’ll be the finale of season two ofAndor. This alone is a big announcement because it confirmed that a second season of the show has been ordered before the first even hits the streaming service.
Production on season twois expected to begin in November 2022, putting it on pace for a fall debut in 2023. Season one will be twelve episodes, double that ofObi-Wan Kenobi. Season two will also be twelve episodes. It speaks to the strength of the showrunner, the story, and the team creating the show that Disney brass feels so confident about the show to give it 24 episodes before anyone in the public has seen more than the trailer.
While at the Television Critics Association panel on August 3rd, Gilroy told those in attendance:
“By the time we get to Rogue One, what’s great about building this show back in reverse and seeing the proceeding four years is I think that killing will be as sad as it always is. I think it’s as sad as it is for him. I think if we are successful with the 24 episodes that we make, when you watch Rogue, a lot of scenes in Rogue are going to take a deeper significance and a deeper resonance. That is not a happy moment for him but there are so many things that will have been sacrificed along the way and so many regular people that have made just epic decisions about which way they’re going to do and what they’re going to give.”
In many interviews, Gilroy and Luna have laid the groundwork to explain thatAndortakes place five yearsbeforeRogue One, meaning that the Cassian Andor we know from that film is not the one we’ll see in the show. While Andor inRogue Oneis at times a ruthless spy, we expect to see a more unsure and unsettled Andor, who stumbles into the early days of the Rebellion.
What We’re Guessing and Hoping We’ll See
Rogue Onehad a lot of fan favorites, but possibly none more so than the sarcastic, heroic, and selfless droid K-2SO. Gilroy spoke further about this popular droid at the TCA panel and avoided spoilers while doing so:
“It’s difficult to carry an imperial droid around with you and not draw all kinds of attention,” Gilroy said. “It’s a difficult piece of luggage to be bringing with you everywhere you go.”
Related:Star Wars: Who is Cassian Andor?
Even though we know we’ll see Saw Gerrera in the show, it would be great to see more about his story. They explored his character inStar Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as other canonical story expansions, but it seems likely audiences may get a glimpse of his extreme tactics that built his reputation.
In line with the moral ambiguity of Gerrera, we know that actions of Andor’s past are not always proud moments for him, as he said inRogue One. We expect to see an Andor who makes tough decisions in the Rebellion’s name, whether or not we as the audience agree with them.
Andor, with its planned 24-episode run, seems poised to be the biggest setpiece for expanding pre-Rebellion storytelling possibilities, with potentially far-reaching implications on elements in other story favorites,likeThe Mandalorian.
If Gilroy’s comments ring true, the ramifications of events withinAndorwill not only emotionally enhance the already grippingRogue Onebut add to the overall weight of stories and sacrifice told of the Rebellion and their quest to destroy the Empire.
