Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Andor season 2, episodes 1-9
Andorseason 2 is changing how you watchRogue One: A Star Wars Story, and we haven’t even gotten to the finale episodes yet. Taking place in the four years before the events ofRogue OneandA New Hope, every 3 episodes ofAndorseason 2 features a time jump as it gets closer to the Battle of Scaif. To that end, the new season has been setting the stage for the beloved 2016 movie in multiple exciting ways.
Not only has Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor been evolving into the Rebellion captain he is inRogue One, but the resistance efforts against the Empire have been growing as well into a full-fledged Rebel Alliance. Likewise, Imperial efforts to gain even more control over the galaxy have been fleshed out as well.Keeping that in mind, here are the top 10 waysAndorseason 2 has already changedRogue Oneahead of the finale episodes.
10Expanding Director Krennic’s Imperial History
The Struggles of Project Stardust
While he wasn’t inAndorseason 1, Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Krennic makes appearances in multiple episodes ofAndorseason 2. Revealing his efforts to find the right power sources for Project Stardust aka The Death Star,Andorseason 2 confirms Krennic’s behind-the-scenes involvement with the tragic Ghorman Massacre. After all, the entire Imperial slaughter of the Ghorman people was secretly about the Empire’s need to mine the planet’s rare kalkite deposits for the battle station’s reactor lenses.
Andorseason 2 also reveals thatDirector Krennic was over a year behind schedule on the Death Star’s construction, putting his project and known tensions with Grand Moff Tarkin in a whole new light. Ghorman was part of Tarkin’s sector, and the Grand Moff had already had a hand in the loss of several Ghorman lives long before Krennic made plans to mine the planet. As such, it’s fascinating to see more of Krennic’s career with the Empire and his efforts to make the Project Stardust a reality.
9The Origins of “Rebellions are Built on Hope”
Andor’s Brutal Experience On Ghorman
The brutal Ghorman Massacre began when Imperial forces were given secret orders to instigate violence, giving them cause to wipe out the hundreds of protesters who’d initially been peaceful.Cassian Andor himself was present during the fighting, and it was here where he first heard the lines “Rebellions are built on hope” from the Ghorman hotel clerk, who was determined to fight the Empire despite the overwhelming odds.This is the same line Cassian tells Jyn Erso inRogue One, which she then uses to convince the Rebel Alliance to help her launch an assault on Scarif.
8How K-2SO REALLY Joined The Rebellion
Rewriting Star Wars Canon
A KX-series droid deployed during the Ghorman Massacre, K-2SO nearly killed Cassian during the chaos of the Imperial slaughter. However, the droid that would become Andor’s partner and a key asset to the Rebellion was instead hit by an incoming speeder.Kaytoo’s remains were then taken by Cassian back to Yavin to be rebuilt and given a new cortex, suppressing his Imperial programming.
This new origin offers a more in-depth explanation beyond simple “reprogramming” as referenced inRogue One.However, it also puts K-2SO and Andor’s relationship in somewhat of a darker light, considering the backdrop of the Ghorman Massacre. Likewise,Andorseason 2 does rewrite theStar Warstimeline with K-2SO’s new origins, as the first meeting between K-2SO and Cassian was much different from the canonical comic special released by Marvel in 2017.
Scarif Was Cassian’s Ultimate Destiny
Image via Disney+
With the Rebel base on Yavin up and running by 2 BBY, Cassian and Bix Caleen are approached bya Force healer inAndorseason 2 episode 7. While Cassian isn’t interested in what she has to say, the healer does tell Bix that she could sense Andor’s greater purpose in the future, identifying him as a “messenger”.This is a rather poignant observation considering the events of 2016’sRogue One, as Cassian does end up giving his life sending the Death Star plans to the Rebellion, the implication now being that it was always going to be his destiny.
6Andor’s Relationship With Alliance Leadership
Cassian Valued His Independence
On the verge of promotion inAndorseason 2 episode 7, Cassian leaves for Ghorman at the request of Luthen Rael, despite reservations fromRogue One’sGeneral Draven. Draven is less than pleased with Cassian’s decision to leave without providing any details, especially when the Rebellion wants him to become one of their leaders. Nevertheless, Andor still takes off: “The day I need permission to come and go, I’m gone.”
Ultimately, Cassian does get promoted to hisRogue Onerank of Captain by the end ofAndorseason 2, having earned it following his successful extraction of Mon Mothma from Coruscant. However, one can imagine Draven probably wasn’t surprised when Cassian rallied multiple Rebels to secretly join him and Jyn Erso on their mission to Scarif, motivating the rest of the Alliance to launch fighters in support. While Cassian’s loyalty was to the Rebellion, he was still very independent and not above bending (or outright ignoring) protocols.
5Revealing Saw Gerrera’s Full Paranoia
The True Depths of His Instability
Andorseason 2 has also expanded upon the full extent of Saw Gerrera’s paranoia (and where it likely came from). Unwilling to trust his own men, there’s a moment inAndorseason 2 episode 5 where it’s very hard to confirm if Saw actually uncovered an Imperial spy within his own ranks. It’s just as possible that he only had a feeling one of his men was a traitor before shooting him in the head, as the soldier had been pushing Saw for information about their next targets.
It’s easy to see how Saw’s distrust and paranoia would only continue to evolve by the time ofRogue One. After all,Rogue Onesees Saw driven to the point where he’s using a mind flayer named Bor Gullet to torturously probe the minds of others around him. While Saw would gain the unfiltered truth, the cost was often his victims' sanity.
4We Now Know Why Saw Gerrera Has A Respirator
Too Much Rhydo…
It’s quite likely that the origins of Saw’s intense paranoia came fromAndorseason 2’s reveal that Saw Gerrera is addicted to breathing in rhydonium. An unstable source of starfighter fuel, the toxic fumes of ryhdonium can be breathed in, granting a form of intense “clarity” according to Saw while also risking intense physical damage to the body and mind.This more than likely explains not only why Saw is so unhinged inRogue One, but also why he has to breathe from an oxygen tank in the 2016Star Warsmovie.
3We’re Seeing How Cassian Learned To Trust
Believing In Something Bigger Than Himself
Cassian Andor has been shown to value his independence, while also having a clear focus on survival to keep those he cares about safe.However,Andorseason 2 has been showing Cassian’s gradual evolution into someone who is a true believer in The Cause with each new episode. Over time, across both seasons, Cassian Andor has turned into a genuine hero of the Rebellion, something that will more than likely come to full fruition by the end of the show’s finale episodes.
2Was Cassian Thinking Of Bix On Scarif?
Cassian and Jyn Erso Wasn’t Actually A Thing…
Andorseason 2 confirms the romance and relationship between Cassian and Bix Caleen. However,Andorseason 2 episode 9 ends with Bix leaving Yavinand not telling Cassian where she was going, promising to reunite with him once the fighting was done, as she didn’t want to be the reason why Andor ever stopped fighting for The Cause. As such, one can imagine that this means Cassian was still thinking about reuniting with Bix one day during the events ofRogue One, rather than having any kind of romantic feelings for Jyn Erso, as some fans have liked to theorize.
1The U-Wing Was Cassian Andor’s Ship Of Choice
A Rare and Incredibly Fast Rebellion Starfighter
It’s also fun to seeAndorseason 2’s confirmation that the U-Wing, the Rebellion ship which first debuted inRogue One, was very much Cassian’s ship of choice. In comparison, the U-Wing was a much rarer Alliance craft compared to other ships like the X-Wings and Y-Wings. As such, it’s pretty cool that Cassian is shown to be such an expert pilot of the troop transport ship in the newStar Warsshow.
Andor’s series finale premieres Tuesday, May 13 at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST exclusively on Disney+.
Andorseason 2, episodes 1-3
Andorseason 2, episodes 4-6
Andorseason 2, episodes 7-9
Andorseason 2, episodes 10-12
