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Got A Bad feeling

I have a bad feeling about this…

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"Everything I did, I did for the Rebellion. And every time I walked away from something I wanted to forget, I told myself it was for a cause I believed in. A cause that was worth it. Without that, we're lost. Everything we've done would have been for nothing. I couldn't face myself if I gave up now."
―Cassian Andor vows to accompany Jyn Erso to Scarif[6]

Cassian Jeron Andor was a human male operative of the Alliance to Restore the Republic who was remembered as a hero after his sacrifice to secure the Galactic Empire's Death Star plans at the Battle of Scarif. An accomplished spy and assassin, Andor was well-respected within the Rebellion and was trusted with leading Alliance Intelligence missions by Alliance High Command.

Originally a Kenari boy named Kassa, the human was rescued from a Republic vessel that had crashed on his Mid Rim homeworld of Kenari by smugglers Clem and Maarva Carassi Andor prior to the Clone Wars. Thereafter, the boy was named Cassian Andor, given a forged identity as an individual born on the planet Fest, and settled with his adopted family, including the droid B2EMO, on the Free Trade sector world Ferrix. Andor eventually made his way into the war against the Empire, working as a skilled spy, assassin, soldier, and pilot, operating many rebel missions with aliases such as Willix, Aach, Joreth Sward, Clem, and the codename Fulcrum. Before officially joining the Rebellion, for a period of time he was a tourist on the planet Niamos using the alias Keef Girgo.

By 1 BBY, Andor was a captain for Alliance Intelligence and was assigned to assist in Operation Fracture: to extract Imperial scientist Galen Walton Erso, responsible for the development of a secret Imperial "planet-killer" superweapon. Erso had tasked cargo pilot Bodhi Rook with delivering a message about the weapon to renegade rebel leader Saw Gerrera on the moon Jedha. Andor, alongside his droid companion, K-2SO, and Galen's daughter Jyn Erso, traveled to Jedha City and made acquaintances with two local Guardians of the Whills: Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus.

Together, they recovered Rook from Gerrera's enclave of rebel Partisans, and Jyn Erso watched her father's holographic message about the superweapon—named the Death Star. After narrowly escaping the test firing of the Death Star on Jedha, the crew traveled to the planet Eadu, where Galen Erso was stationed at an Imperial laboratory. Andor was secretly instructed by Alliance Intelligence's General Davits Draven to assassinate Galen Erso, and to that end, the rebel operative kept his intentions to himself and lied to Jyn Erso that they would retrieve her father.

However, Andor was conflicted as Jyn Erso claimed that her father, per the message she received, was deceiving his Imperial superiors and had installed a fatal flaw within the Death Star—one that the rebels could exploit to utterly obliterate the weapon. Andor hesitated while Galen Erso was within his sniper rifle's scopes, and rebel reinforcements bombed the Imperial facility, killing Jyn's father. After Andor pulled Jyn Erso away from the ruined facility and their crew hastily fled aboard a stolen Imperial transport, the rebels gathered to discuss the threat of the Death Star at their hidden fortress on the moon Yavin 4. When Alliance High Command rejected Jyn Erso's plea to steal the Death Star plans from an Imperial installation on Scarif, Andor assembled a team of soldiers willing to act of their own accord, having been inspired by Erso's assertion that rebellions were built on hope and determination against all odds.

The rebel team, designated Rogue One, was comprised of Andor, Erso, K-2SO, Rook, Îmwe, Malbus, and Sergeant Ruescott Melshi, and aimed to steal the plans themselves. Andor, Erso, and K-2SO snuck into the Scarif base's Citadel Tower vault, while Melshi led the bulk of their forces to cause chaos around the base by planting detonators and engaging the Imperial garrison. Upon the arrival of the Alliance Fleet in Scarif's orbit, Andor and Rogue One requested the fleet to disrupt the planetary shield so that they could beam the Death Star plans to the fleet. Although the rebels succeeded in transmitting the plans, the Death Star itself came to Scarif and fired upon the Imperial base: Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso embraced each other on the shores of Scarif in their last moments, satisfied that Jyn's father would be proud. Thanks to Rogue One's efforts, the Rebellion used the plans to identify the weak point planted by Galen Erso, and the Death Star was soon destroyed.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Kassa of Kenari[]

"Suddenly the Rebellion is real for you? Some of us live it. I've been in this fight since I was six years old! You're not the only one who lost everything. Some of us just decided to do something about it."
―Cassian Andor to Jyn Erso[6]
YoungKassa

Young Kassa on Kenari

Cassian Jeron Andor[5] was born and named Kassa[1] on the planet[13] Kenari[1] in 33 BBY[3] in the later years of the Galactic Republic prior to the start of the Clone Wars.[14] The boy was part of a small tribe of youths alongside his little sister Kerri[1] on Kenari, living in the jungles and surveying deforested ruins that were caused by massive mining operations.[15] He lost his mother at a tender age. There was little else in Andor's life aside from constant battle.[7] However, the many struggles he faced were largely undocumented. It was known, according to what he personally confirmed, that he had fought as a revolutionary since he was only six years old.[16]

At the age of nine years old,[17] when a transpo corsair[14] of the Galactic Republic[18] crashed near his village,[14] Kassa wished to join the Alpha party of fellow youths to investigate the wreckage. While some of Kassa's peers had wanted to exclude the boy, their group leader personally allowed him to don their camouflage markings and join their party. Each armed with a blowgun, the Kenari trekked through the jungles and approached the crash site.[1] After their group leader was killed by the lone survivor of the transport with blaster fire—technology alien to the Kenari—the youths promptly sullied the crash victim with poison darts and carried their late leader's body away.[19] A shocked Kassa stayed behind and went inside the ship, where he lashed out his frustrations at the alien technology that lined the vessel's walls. Suddenly, however, a trio[8] of scavengersMaarva Andor, her husband Clem,[20] and their droid B2EMO—entered the ship in search of salvageable technology and came face-to-face with Kassa.[8]

MaarvaSavesAndor

Maarva Andor rescues Kassa from Kenari.

Subsequently, he was taken offworld and adopted by Maarva, who did not want Andor to be in danger by those who would come for it next.[8] The Republic ship bore a symbol closely related to the eventual Confederacy of Independent Systems,[14] which waged the Clone Wars against the Republic later in 22 BBY until 19 BBY.[21] Moving to the[14] planet[22] Ferrix with his new adoptive parents,[14] Kassa then took on the name Cassian Jeron Andor, with official records stating his origin to be the[19] planet[5] Fest.[19] While questions about the truth of that claim did emerge, the haze caused by covert operations and war left it plausible and kept the truth hidden. Like many other rebels of his generation, conflict was a constant throughout Andor's life.[16] He also never forgot his sister.[18]

Childhood on Ferrix[]

"Well, they'd hang me, wouldn't they? Take me up Rix Road and hang me in the square. Wouldn't be the first time, would it? Isn't that where they hung your father?"
―Luther Rael, to Cassian Andor, regarding the Empire and Clem Andor[8]
Andor-Clones-on-Ferrix

During Cassian youth, his father Clem Andor was killed by the Galactic Empire

The boy's birth father was killed at the Carida Academy in a protest against the expansion of Republic militarism[5] during the Clone Wars.[23] Andor joined an insurrectionist cell backed by the Confederacy that operated in the wilds of the Outer Rim Territories and fought against the Galactic Republic. While he never became a formal Separatist, Andor saw combat experience in the cell as a child soldier.[5] While he did not have specific duties during his time as a child soldier, limiting his experience[7] to tossing rocks and bottles at Republic walkers and clone troopers,[5] his life remained one full of conflict.[7] Nevertheless, Andor continued to live on Ferrix with his adoptive parents even as[24] the war ended in 19 BBY[21] with the defeat of the Confederacy.[25]

The Republic, meanwhile, was restructured into the Galactic Empire under Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who became the state's Galactic Emperor.[25] Around 18 BBY,[26] the Empire moved to assert control over Ferrix, deploying a formation of clone stormtroopers under an Imperial officer. Andor and Clem stood with many other members of their community as the clones marched through their town, with Clem urging the boy to remain calm and wait for the Imperials to leave. When a few citizens began to protest and throw rocks at the soldiers, Andor was ordered by Clem to not intervene while he went to defuse the situation. The officer, however, assumed Clem was part of the demonstration, leaving Andor to watch as his adoptive father was held at gunpoint. Clem was taken away by the Imperials and hanged for his supposed defiance at Rix Road.[24]

Enraged at the execution of his father, Andor traveled to Rix Road while his father's body still hung to confront four clone stormtroopers with a baton.[24] At some point, Andor spent time with anarchist groups that defied the Empire.[5] Alongside the destruction of Imperial property, Andor had a charge for attacking an Imperial soldier on his record.[19] Andor claimed that he was forced to fight for the Empire on the swampworld Mimban after leaving prison when he was sixteen years old, although when he said this to Luthen Rael after they met[10] in 5 BBY,[27] Rael said that he only spent six months on Mimban and served as a cook, before deserting.[10] Andor was also in a relationship with salvage yard owner Bix Caleen.[24] Their relationship was broken due to Andor "always leaving."[source?]

Fomenting dissent[]

Trip to Morlana One[]

"What are you? Seriously. Boyfriend? Husband?"
"I'm looking for my sister."
―A hostess and Cassian Andor[1]
Into the brothel

Andor enters a brothel

By 5 BBY, Andor was still living with Maarva and B2EMO on Ferrix.[1] At one point, he stole an Imperial N-S9 Starpath Unit from the Empire from the Imperial Naval Base on Steergard.[8] Despite having a new family, Andor did not forget about his long-lost sister and had begun[1] a galaxy-wide search[28] for her. After learning of a girl from Kenari working at a brothel on Morlana One, he traveled to the planet's Leisure Zone in search of her. Upon entering, he ordered a drink at the bar and was soon approached by a hostess, which angered two other patrons who had not been served yet. The hostess dismissed them and turned her attention back to Andor. He calmly refused her services and asked her if there was in fact a girl from Kenari working there. When the woman left to check, the two men began making snide remarks at Andor. Upon the hostess returning, Andor learned that a girl from Kenari had indeed been working there, but had left several months earlier. Andor asked for her name and if she knew where the girl had gone, whispering that he was searching for his sister when the hostess inquired about his relation to the girl. She then said that people came and went all the time and that he should leave. Andor asked if she knew the girl's name, but the hostess replied that nobody used their real names at the establishment.[1]

As Andor walked through the rain of Morlana One back to his ship, the two men from the brothel, who were guards for the Preox-Morlana enforcement division, followed him, stopping him from returning to his ship. When Andor said that he had three hundred credits in his pocket and did not want any trouble, the first man, Kravas Drezzer, smiled and said that three hundred was exactly the amount owed for illegally parking his ship past the causeway. He then held his blaster to Andor's head while his compatriot, Verlo Skiff, rummaged in his coat to take his credits. It was then that Andor sprung into action, headbutting Skiff and brawling with Drezzer, wrestling his blaster away and aiming it at the man. On his knees, Drezzer realized that Skiff was not breathing and told Andor that he had killed him. He then begged for his life, offering to help corroborate a story that would excuse Andor of murder. However, Andor decided to kill Drezzer before fleeing back to his ship and returning to Ferrix.[1]

Back on Ferrix[]

"Wouldn't you rather give it all at once, to something real?"
―Luthen Rael, to Andor[10]
Andor-NewsSlider

Andor on Ferrix

Returning to Ferrix, Andor first stopped at his hideout, which was a downed ship located in a junkyard outside the city. He was later awakened by B2EMO. As he ate, he inquired if anyone had come by the house looking for him, to which B2EMO responded that his friend Brasso had. He then asked B2EMO to help him lie and form a cover story for his whereabouts the previous night. When the droid agreed, Andor hustled to the mines, where he met Brasso after he returned from his shift. The man agreed to an alibi for Andor, and afterward, Andor traveled to[1] Caleen Salyard[29] to meet with his friend Bix Caleen. He told her of the Starpath unit he had acquired, knowing she had a contact who would want to buy the item. Caleen begrudgingly agreed to contact the buyer on his behalf.[1] Looking to use the money to leave Ferrix, he arranged a meeting with the buyer, a rebel named Luthen Rael. Wanting to buy the unit but being more interested in Andor's skills, Rael tried to recruit Andor to his growing efforts. When Rael revealed that he knew a lot of information about Andor, including about his father's death, Andor became angry and pulled his blaster on the man, but before their conflict could escalate, the two were attacked by the Preox-Morlana. Andor got grazed in the shoulder by a blaster shot. Working together, the pair managed to escape back to town, commandeer a speeder, travel to Rael's ship, and leave Ferrix.[8]

Highlands of Aldhani[]

"What would we be stealing?"
"A quarterly payroll for an entire Imperial sector."
―Andor questioning Rael[10]
TheEye-AndorS1E6

Andor and the rest of the crew infiltrating the Imperial Outpost on Aldhani

Later, Rael tried to convince Andor to join his nascent rebellious movement, but Andor insisted that, while despising the Empire, he only sought his own freedom and comfort. Thus, Andor agreed to participate in a mission on Aldhani for a reward of 200,000 Imperial credits. Adopting the alias 'Clem' - the name of his adoptive father, he shaved off his facial hair and met with a crew of seven, led by Vel Sartha. One of them, Cinta Kaz, helped tend to his blaster wound and the team discussed the plan.[10] The crew executed the plan soon after, leading three members of the team to die in-midst of combat. To escape the garrison, Andor flew a Max-7 Rono freighter through the Eye of Aldhani, to flee an assignment of TIE Fighters deployed to intercept them. Midst of the escape, Nemik was crushed by a payload of credits, critically injured, he continued to provide basic directions to Andor who piloted the freighter. After escaping the planet, Skeen and Sartha commanded him to change course to the remote nearby moon of Frezno to tend to Nemik's injuries. While Quadpaw operated on Nemik in a medical establishment, outside, Skeen offered Andor in his plan on bailling out on his crewmates and split the entire payroll for themselves after fleeing towards a nearby moon via the freighter. Andor, disgusted and deciding to stay commited to the cause, immediately shot Skeen dead. Later entering the establishment and holding Quadpaw and Sartha at blasterpoint - Andor announced Skeen's death, and briefed on Skeen's planned betrayal of the crew as well as confirming his own share of the credits, some of which And or intended to spend on purchasing Quadpaw's ship in his barn to return to Ferrix. Before leaving, Sartha gave Andor Nemik's manifesto.[30]

Return to Ferrix[]

"I got lucky. I scored. I've got enough credits to get us anywhere. We're gonna clear out. Leave this mess behind."
―Andor to Maarva[24]

After leaving Frezno, Andor returned to Ferrix to find it under Imperial occupation. He hoped to convince Maarva and B2EMO to leave Ferrix for a fresh start elsewhere to evade Imperial rule using his share of the payroll. However, Maarva refused, having been inspired by the news on the Aldhani heist to join the rebellion. Andor also encountered Caleen, injured when she hit a wall while being held captive previously. He gave her twelve thousand credits for Caleen to pay off the debt he owed to people.

Trouble on Niamos[]

"Six years."
"Six years? No. Don't, wait. I didn't do anything, I'm just a tourist!"
―Andor being sentenced to prison in court.[24]

Despite his efforts of convincing Maarva to join him, Andor left Ferrix alone and traveled to Niamos,[24] a world that had once been a popular site for fugitives who needed to lie low but since had fallen under Imperial occupation.[31] There, he went under the alias Keef. After a run-in with a shoretrooper who accused him of being involved in anti-Imperial activity, Andor was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison on Narkina 5, under the new Public Order Resentencing Directive.[24]

Imprisonment on Narkina 5[]

"I would rather die trying to take them down than die giving them what they want."
―Andor to Loy[32]
VeemossDeath

Andor was imprisoned on Narkina 5

Sentenced to six years in prison, Andor was incarcerated in a prison complex on Narkina 5 and was assigned to a table consisting of six other inmates to construct special Imperial machinery which competed with other tables supervised by fellow prisoner Kino Loy. Across day shifts, Andor formed bonds with fellow inmates, particularly those of his own table. Whenever Andor had thoughts of beginning an uprising, he was shut down by Loy who preferred to finish his sentence which was nearing completion. Despite this, Andor and another teammate of his level, Birnok conspired to disable the Tunqstoid steel charged flooring to enable the chance of an uprising by gradually cutting a water supply tube with a make-shift knife across shifts. When Andor and Loy learnt of prisoners being re-sentenced, they led a successful uprising on the facility and escaped by swimming across the lake onto nearby land.[32][33]

When Andor and Melshi reached land, they ran and climbed away to evade incoming patrols. After successfuly evading them, the two conspired to steal a distant parked Quadjumper guarded by two fisherman. Melshi attempted to steal the ship which lead to him and Andor being caught in a net trap. Despite this, the two were later freed by one of the fisherman who were sympathetic to them and agreed to drop them back on Niamos.[33]

Return to Niamos[]

"We need to split up. Double our chances. One of us has to make it. People have to know what's going on."
―Melshi to Andor[33]
Melshi-Cassian-Niamos-DoF

Melshi and Andor before parting ways

After arriving on Niamos, Andor retrieved his case containing his personal belongings from his previous hotel room and contacted Xanwan on Ferrix to ask him to pass on his assurances to Maarva. Xanwan, shocked that Andor was unaware, informed him that she had recently passed away. Devastated, he silently grieved her death watching the sun set on the coastside, though he did not tell Melshi. After Melshi wondered whether they were the only ones who escaped, Andor gave Melshi a pistol and the two split up to convey the story of their imprisonment at the Narkinian facility to others.[33]

Saving Bix and joining the Rebellion[]

"What game is this?"
"No game. Kill me. Or take me in."
―Rael to Andor[9]

After returning again on Ferrix to attend his mother's funeral, Andor learnt Caleen was captured by Imperials. After Pegla arranged for Andor to meet with Brasso in an underground tunnel to, he made the decision to rescue her from captivity. As a riot errupted outside during Maarva's funeral, Andor navigated his way through the hotel-turned-prison and rescued Caleen from her cell. Escorting her out, they join Pegla who helped Brasso prepare a shift for take-off to transport Wilmon away from Ferrix. Cassian bids B2EMO, Caleen, Pegla, and Wilmon farewell and promised to meet with them again later on.

Later as Rael returned to his ship, he discovered Andor who was waiting for him, offering his blaster, he offered Rael to end his life then and there for how much of a nuisance he became for him, or to spare him and take him in as he seeks to join the fight against the Empire. Rael, smiling at how Andor had changed, accepted his offer.[9]

In the Rebellion's service[]

Life in Rebel Intelligence[]

"Rebellions are built on hope."
―Cassian Andor[6]
CassianAndor-WotF

Cassian Andor, Rebellion Intelligence Agent

Andor joined the early Rebellion,[7] which later became the Alliance to Restore the Republic, after being recruited by General Davits Draven,[5] who was a fellow veteran of the Clone Wars and became Andor's case officer.[16] Holding the rank of captain, Andor served as an officer in the Alliance's Intelligence branch,[12] which he spent most of his Alliance service in. He established a reputation as an agent who was willing to die in the name of taking down the Empire.[16] He often worked alone on missions where he had little hope for backup. He was also involved in scrappy, but nevertheless vicious, battles waged for unclear goals.[7]

Becoming a veteran spy of the Rebellion[6] who took on many missions that could be deemed morally questionable,[16] Andor maintained a network of contacts throughout the galaxy who kept him informed about the Empire's activities.[6] Throughout his career as an intelligence agent, Andor also worked undercover and used several aliases[5] in locations under Imperial control, taking on the dangerous tasks to secure intel on Imperial actions. During one of his missions, Andor needed to impersonate government agents on[16] the planet[34] Ord Mantell. While working as one government agent, he went by the name Willix. As a senatorial contact on Darkknell, he was Aach. Andor used the name Joreth Sward when he was an assistant to Admiral Grendreef. Andor also used the code name Fulcrum when he worked as a Rebel recruiter in the Albarrio sector.[5]

He worked to recruit several new agents during that operation. Under the Fulcrum codename, he also funneled intelligence to many rebel cells. By virtue of spending so much of his service undercover in star systems that were under Imperial control, he was able to see firsthand how ruthless Imperial occupation could be towards the people they controlled, with the spy often being stationed on moons and planets that the Empire was strip-mining. Ultimately, Andor decided to take many morally questionable options instead of doing nothing against the Empire over the course of his career. While most of his fellow undercover Rebels did not survive their own missions,[16] Andor managed to survive[6] but recognized that his successes, like those of other agents, did not bring about major victories for the struggling rebel cells.[16]

During that time, Andor came to rely on the fact that he was following orders to justify the actions he carried out in the name of the Rebellion.[16] In 2 BBY,[4] Senator Mon Mothma, who was in contact with Draven,[16] managed to unite the different rebel cells into the truly[35] unified Rebel Alliance.[16]

Meeting K-2SO[]

Andor and Kaytoo Wecacoe

Cassian and K-2SO on Wecacoe

Cassian proposed a mission to Draven to recover Imperial protocols on Wecacoe. Draven suggested that Cassian take the twins Kertas and Rismor, who were renowned for their skill in gathering Imperial intelligence. However, the twins did not speak much, as they communicated via smell. The team expected a limited Imperial presence due to the fact that Wecacoe was a backwater planet, but upon arriving, they found the facility guarded by swarms of KX-series security droids and stormtroopers, Cassian imagined Alliance High Command ordering him to turn back, but, determined not to end up empty-handed, decided to proceed. The team slipped into a sewage pipe and entered the storage facility to find an abandoned Imperial cruiser. Unfortunately, they were spotted entering the tunnels and stormtroopers began investigating the area using surveillance cameras.[36]

While they were hurriedly searching for data, Cassian looked for another way out. Suddenly, an alarm rang out and the team was forced to flee. Since there were too many troops along the perimeter, Cassian decided to distract one of the security droids, K-2SO, and then shut him down. The droid pinned him, but then the twins shut him down and removed his memory. K-2SO escorted the spies to their ship, but they were soon intercepted by stormtroopers. When they arrived at their ship, they found it surrounded by troopers. Both of the twins ran off, telling him that K-2 had all the info they needed. Suddenly, their ship exploded. Cassian realized that he had to get rid of the base programming to have the droid as an ally, and deleted the last memories. The pair than ran to a ship and hijacked it. Then, Cassian took the droid back to ship to learn the new Imperial security protocols.[36] K-2SO was subsequently modified and came under Andor's ownership,[16] with the rebel spy developing a friendship with the reprogrammed droid as they continued to work together.[6]

Mission to the F'tzner system[]

"Wookiee rescue was absolutely not in the briefing."
―K-2SO[37]
Cassian and K2 Adventures -3

Cassian taking K-2SO to Charissia to look after the three young Wookiees

Following this, Andor and K-2SO were sent to the F'tzner system to undertake a raid on an Imperial freighter. Andor used gas to trick the Empire into thinking that smugglers stole the cargo, as smugglers were known to use gas to raid transports. When they got to the cargo room, they found three Wookiees named D'Koetaa, D'Lylaa, and Wyhyatt, and took them instead of the cargo. Andor then took them to the monastery moon of Charissia in the Bartahn sector. There, he left K-2SO to look after the three Wookiees while he undertook a raid, which was successful.[37]

Investigating the Aloos[]

In 1 BBY,[4] Andor sent K-2 to Coruscant to infiltrate the Aloo family. The rebels believed that Imperial advisor Sim Aloo and his daughter Alinka were collecting Sith artifacts for Emperor Palpatine. Under the guise of a cargo droid named K-2SB, K-2SO spied on the operations until a ship he was on was stolen by the Wookiee Chewbacca and the young bounty hunter Mayvlin Trillick, both of whom had been blackmailed into assisting Alinka recover an artifact from the planet Ushruu. K-2 had been tasked by Alinka to pilot the ship there, and when he communicated the situation to Andor, Andor ordered him to assist them but to recover the artifact himself and not allow it to return to the Aloos.[38]

The road to Rogue One[]

Ring of Kafrene[]

"Look I have to go."
"What kind of weapon?"
"A planet killer! That's what he called it!"
"A planet killer?"
―Tivik and Cassian Andor discussing intelligence on the Death Star provided by defector Bodhi Rook[6]
RingOfKafrene-TSWB

Andor's contacts confirmed that the Ring of Kafrene (pictured) was a hub for Imperial transportation of kyber crystals.

Andor often went to great lengths to recover information about threats to the Rebellion, with the man developing a particular focus on retrieving intelligence about weapons development.[16] Andor began working to surveil Imperial kyber crystal shipments, with his contacts confirming that the Ring of Kafrene was a hub for undercover Imperial transportation of the dangerous crystals. Although he could not discover the magnitude of the operation due to the fact that the Empire was using civilian ships to do the bulk of the movement, he reported the development to General Draven.[39]

In light of this knowledge,[6] in 1 BBY,[4] Andor was dispatched on a mission to the Ring of Kafrene to meet Tivik—an injured Rebel informant from Saw Gerrera's Partisans—in section nine. Through Tivik, Andor learned[6] vital information[16] about how the Empire had built a superweapon, which his informant—a defecting cargo pilot named Bodhi Rook—described as a planet killer. As he continued to try to coax information out of Tivik, two stormtroopers advanced towards them.[6] The stormtroopers surrounded them,[16] having become suspicious of the exchange, and the two troopers before them demanded to see scandocs.[6] Despite deeming it to be a terrible moral choice, Andor realized there was a chance Tivik would be taken prisoner and interrogated until he revealed what he had told his fellow Rebel, which would mean he would need to kill the informant to protect what he had learned from getting out.[16]

MissiontoKafrene

Cassian and Tivik

Andor only had a few moments to consider the options before him.[16] As the stormtroopers demanded answers, he feigned awkwardness before quickly drawing a blaster pistol, gunning down the two troopers. Another trooper noticed the incident and called for reinforcements to section nine. Realizing their clandestine meeting location was also a dead end, Cassian deduced the quickest escape path was to climb out, but Tivik revealed he would be unable to escape the area because of his injured arm. Although Andor calmed Tivik, he quickly decided to shoot Tivik in the back[6] to ensure he would not be captured by the Empire. Visibly upset but deciding to wait before he reflected on what he had done,[16] Cassian stowed his pistol in his belt, left the bodies, and climbed away before more stormtroopers could arrive[6] as they closed in.[16]

A new mission[]

"Galen Erso is vital to the Empire's weapons program. Forget what you heard in there. There will be no extraction. You find him… you kill him. Then and there."
―General Draven's secret orders to Cassian Andor[6]
Rescue of Jyn Erso-Rogue One

Andor was dispatched to Wobani to rescue Jyn Erso.

On orders from Mothma, Draven, and[16] Senator[6] Bail Prestor Organa, Andor took part in the liberation of Jyn Erso[16] on the planet Wobani.[6] Erso was a former close associate of Saw Gerrera and the daughter of scientist Galen Walton Erso, who had been pressed into working on the secret project Tivik had warned Andor of.[6] Andor had identified Erso despite being entered into the Imperial prison system underneath the alias Liana Hallik. Andor also confirmed she had operated under several under aliases.[39] He was given further orders by the three Rebel leaders to help convince the younger Erso into helping them retrieve a message from Galen that had fallen into Gerrera's hands[16] thanks to Rook,[6] as Gerrera would not be willing to work with them alone.[16] Indeed, Andor was then stationed at the Rebel base on Yavin 4 as Erso arrived at the base, having been rescued by rebel forces that included K-2SO.[6]

During a briefing with Mothma, Draven, and Erso, Andor explained that Gerrera had the Imperial cargo pilot, who defected at the behest of Erso's father, captive before revealing that the Empire was building a planet-killing superweapon. Erso ultimately joined the mission Andor was set to led to meet with Gerrera,[6] with Andor's mission, according to what Erso was told, being to confirm the message was real before finding Galen, if that was possible.[16] Andor was ordered to travel to the moon of Jedha,[6] which was the last known location of the Partisans[16] but also an active war zone due to their actions. As Erso got aboard Andor's U-wing, LMTR-20, Andor was pulled aside by Draven, who told him to keep an eye on Erso due to her reckless and potentially volatile nature as well.[6]

Draven-warns-Andor

Draven instructs Andor to look out for reckless behavior from Jyn Erso before ordering him to kill Galen Erso.

Revealing there would be no extraction carried out, Draven then changed Andor's mission[6] with a questionable command that was designed for its ends to justify its means: while Mothma indeed hoped Gerrera could convince Galen to testify in front of the Imperial Senate to stop the superweapon's development, Andor was secretly ordered by Draven to kill Galen, who was vital to the secret weapon's completion, on sight.[16] In truth, however, the weapon—known to its developers as the Death Star—was already operational. When Andor returned to the U-wing, he attempted to confiscate the A-180 blaster that Erso had armed herself with, but ultimately allowed her to keep it. They then departed to Jedha to find Gerrera[6] and learn more about the secret weapon the Empire was developing.[16]

A brush with the Death Star[]

"There is more than one sort of prison, captain. I sense that you carry yours wherever you go."
―Chirrut Îmwe, while sharing a cell with Cassian Andor[6]
Andor-Tythoni-ambush

Andor is present for the ambush at Tythoni Square.

Once they landed outside of Jedha City, he and Jyn left K2 with the ship and proceeded towards the Temple of the Kyber, where they would contact one of Gerrera's Partisans and request a meeting with him. Going to his various sources, the two got stuck in the middle of Tythoni Square, where an Imperial patrol was ambushed by the Partisans, attacking and causing heavy casualties on both sides. When the Imperial TX-225 GAVw "Occupier" combat assault tank destroyed a building with several of the Partisans still inside, Andor shot and killed the tank commander. However, when Jyn took cover behind the tank as more stormtroopers arrived, Andor then fired on a Partisan that was about to throw a grenade at the tank, which would have killed Jyn, an act that was noticed by the other Partisans. When the last troopers were eliminated, the Partisans advanced and looted the tank of the stolen kyber. However, Imperial reinforcements, including an AT-ST, soon arrived. As the fight continued, the two escaped and ran into K-2SO. However, the two were then mistaken for his prisoners and were detained by troopers.[6]

MeltingJedhaCity-RO

Jedha City is destroyed by the Death Star.

Just then, Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus stepped in, defeating the entire group of troopers. However, as Andor and his new companions were then immediately captured by Saw's forces, with their leader, Benthic, noting that Andor had killed one of their own. They were blindfolded with sacks over their heads and were taken to Saw's hideout outside the city before being thrown in cells.[6] Arriving at the base meant Andor had a chance to see Gerrera face-to-face.[16] While imprisoned, he found the Imperial pilot Rook was imprisoned beside him and asked him of the location of Jyn's father. However, Rook, who had just been interrogated by Bor Gullet, was incoherent and unable to communicate with Andor. Shortly afterward, the Death Star arrived over Jedha and fired its superlaser for the first time, targeting Jedha City. The city was instantly annihilated, with the destruction progressing quickly outward. Andor was able to free himself and led Îmwe, Malbus, and Rook outside as the rest of the Partisans descended into chaos as they attempted to escape the blast. Andor located Jyn and brought her outside as K2 brought the U-wing to load their crew. As the blast continued to radiate, Andor and K2 were forced to jump to hyperspace while still in atmosphere, but miraculously escaped.[6]

ConflictedAndor

Andor receives orders to continue with haste to Eadu.

Having learned Galen Erso was on the planet Eadu, Andor contacted Draven via a coded communication, telling him "Weapon confirmed. Jedha destroyed. Mission target located on Eadu, please advise." He was advised to proceed with haste, and while they were in hyperspace, a conflicted Andor directed K2 to plot a course for Eadu. Jyn spoke up and told the group that she had seen the message from her father. She told Andor that her father had built the weapon with a trap inside it that would allow it to be destroyed. Andor asked to see the message, but it had been destroyed on Jedha. He asked Bodhi if he had seen the message, but the pilot shook his head. Andor told Jyn that there might be problems trying to convince Alliance High Command to act on her word with unverifiable evidence. Jyn demanded that he tell the Alliance that the Death Star plans were on Scarif, and they could use the plans to find the way to destroy the reactor and therefore the entire station, but Andor refused as they were in the heart of Imperial territory. Jyn said that they would have to find her father so he could testify himself, and while he outwardly nodded, Andor knew that his orders were to eliminate Galen if they found him.[6]

Orders due on Eadu[]

"I had orders… orders that I disobeyed, but you wouldn't understand that."
"Orders? When you know they're wrong? You might as well be a stormtrooper."
―Andor and Jyn Erso, following Galen Erso's death[6]
Andor-inspects-damage

Andor inspects damage to the LMTR-20 after crash-landing on Eadu.

Despite the crew[16] they had suddenly gathered,[6] Andor kept up the appearance that he would be rescuing the elder Erso, even though he was grappling with the moral dilemma of killing the man.[16] The group arrived on Eadu, flying low and through bad weather attempting to avoid Imperial detection. After they crashed some distance away from the Imperial facility, Cassian and Rook left so that he could get in position to take out Galen, with Cassian preventing Jyn from joining them and lying to the group, saying he was simply doing reconnaissance. However, before he departed, he put his weapon in the sniper configuration, which K2 noticed and caused Jyn, Chirrut, and Baze to later follow them.[6]

When they reached a vantage point with a view of the landing pad, Cassian sent Rook leave to find a ship to escape with. When Rook asked what Cassian would be doing, he sent Rook on his way without offering an explanation. He then watched a meeting between Galen and Director Orson Krennic as the later arrived in a shuttle with a squad of death troopers. Missing several opportunities to take him out,[6] Cassian hesitated to fire[16] and realized there was more to the situation than what met the eye,[6] ultimately deciding there must be another way as[6] he lowered his blaster. His change of heart either came from his murder of Tivik finally catching up to his conscious or his adventure with Erso, and meeting with Gerrera, having changed his way of thinking.[16]

Cassian-rescues-Jyn

Andor rescues Erso after her father's death.

However, the Rebellion's Blue Squadron came and attacked the facility. The squadron had been launched by Draven when he lost contact with Cassian following their crash. Rebel X-wings bombed the platform, killing Galen in the process. He made his way to the platform and rescued Jyn, who had ascended the platform to find her father herself, and the group left on a stolen Zeta-class Heavy Cargo Shuttle and returned to Yavin 4.[6]

Back on Yavin 4[]

"They were never gonna believe you."
"I appreciate the support."
"But I do. I believe you. We'd like to volunteer."
―Andor and Jyn Erso, following the Rebellion's initial refusal to go to Scarif[6]

As they proceeded back to base, alerting Alliance Command that they were in a stolen shuttle, an angry and sorrowful Jyn confronted Cassian, telling him that she had figured out that he was planning on killing her father.[6] Although Cassian was defensive[16] and reminded her that he even had a chance to pull the trigger and did not, Jyn retorted that he may as well have, since he ended up being killed by Alliance forces.[6] Revealing the buried anguish that fueled his fight against the Empire,[16] Cassian quickly grew angry at her accusations and reminded her that he had been in the fight for much longer than she had and that she was not the only one that had lost everything doing so.[6]

DeathStarBriefing-SWBC38

Cassian Andor (center) during the meeting with Alliance High Command

Jyn tried to convince the alliance to attack Scarif in order to retrieve the plans to the Death Star, but many of the council members were despairing, lamenting how they had already lost the war and talking about disbanding. Mon Mothma told Jyn that they could not proceed with her proposed attack without more support, so Jyn stormed away from the meeting. However, knowing this would happen, Cassian began assembling a squad of Rebel assassins, mercenaries, and soldiers to go and fight on Scarif to retrieve the plans, going directly against the wishes of High Command. Meeting Jyn in the hangar, Andor confessed that neither he nor the rebels he gathered could live with themselves if they turned back now and said that they were willing to go with her to fight. Baze, Chirrut, Bodhi, and K-2SO also joined them. Together, they took the stolen Imperial shuttle and left for Scarif, with Rook piloting. When an air traffic control officer contacted Rook and asked what he was doing flying the ship, which had not been authorized for takeoff, Andor told him that he had to lie, and although Rook temporarily stumbled, he eventually said that their squad, "Rogue One," was lifting off.[6]

Sacrifice on Scarif[]

"Make ten men feel like a hundred."
―Cassian Andor to Rogue One[6]
ScarifInfiltration

Cassian, Jyn, and K-2SO sneak into the security complex

Rook was able to use Imperial clearance codes to pass the Shield Gate that protected the planet and steered the shuttle to Landing Platform Nine. There, Andor gave command of the troops to Sergeant Ruescott Melshi, instructing them to place explosives around the landing sites that surrounded the Citadel Tower. Meanwhile, after ambushing a trio of Imperials who came aboard to inspect their ship, Andor joined Jyn in stealing their uniforms, dressing as an Imperial officer, and infiltrating the facility with K-2SO.[6]

Inside, K-2 accessed another droid to find a map to reach the plans. When they neared the area where the plans were kept, Andor was contacted by Melshi, who told him that the soldiers outside were ready to go. Andor gave the command to blow the charges, and a widespread firefight began outside as a full garrison on Imperial troops were deployed to fight the invaders. Meanwhile, as Andor and Jyn attempted to retrieve the plans, a group of stormtroopers arrived and discovered that K-2, who was left outside to watch, was an enemy. K-2 sealed Andor and Jyn inside to protect them and sacrificed himself in a fight against several stormtroopers.[6]

Jyn-cassiandeath

Cassian's and Jyn's death

As troopers began to attempt to breach the doors, Andor and Jyn decided to retrieve the plans by hand instead of using the mechanism and began to climb to reach them. When Krennic made his way inside, he shot Andor, who fell as Jyn continued to climb upwards to escape through a hatch. Andor survived and limped his way after Jyn, who had ascended to the top of the citadel to transmit the plans to the rebel fleet that had arrived over Scarif. After Jyn avoided a TIE, she was about to transmit the plans when Krennic arrived again. However, before he could kill Jyn, Andor saved her and shot Krennic, wounding him and escaping with Jyn.[6]

Seeking to ensure the plans would fall into the hands of those who could change the tide of the struggle against the Empire,[16] Andor and Jyn beamed the plans to the fleet and went back to the beach where many of their rebel comrades lay dead. As they knelt on the sand, they watched as the Death Star fired at Scarif and destroyed the base. Cassian told Jyn that her father would be very proud of her. The two then accepted their fate and shared a final embrace before they were killed in the resulting blast.[6]

Legacy[]

Exds

Andor's efforts helped lead to the destruction of the Death Star.

With his bravery having helped to turn the tide of the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion, Andor became a hero to the Rebel Alliance. Although the path towards victory was littered with the emotional costs soldiers like Andor had paid by compromising on their morals, he had helped change the course of the Rebellion[16] and history as a whole.[40] After Rogue One transmitted the plans to their fellow rebels,[6] the intel was used to eventually destroy the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin.[40] As the Galactic Civil War wore on, Luke Skywalker, the pilot who had destroyed the Death Star, named a new starfighter group Rogue Squadron in honor of Andor's team.[41]

After the Battle of Yavin, a rebel group known as the Shrikes were ambushed on Taanab by agents of the ISB. The Alliance captured a transmission from Hutt Space from the sole survivor, Caluan Ematt. In a memo to Mothma, Draven wished Andor were alive, as he would have been Draven's first pick to extract Ematt and bring him to safety for his knowledge and expertise of the Hutt underworld.[39]

Personality and traits[]

Overview[]

"Does he look like a killer?"
"No. He has the face of a friend."
―Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus[6]

A good rebel agent who held dark secrets,[7] Andor was a human male standing at 1.78 meters tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes.[5] He held a reputation for having striking good looks, which he used to lure in the unsuspecting during his service as a Rebel spy.[42]

Younger days[]

As a young man, Andor kept his origins close to his chest, officially denoting that he hailed from the planet Fest instead of revealing the true nature of his childhood on Kenari. However, he did trust some close friends and romantic partners with the truth, including Bix Caleen. He did not tell many, but he also did not keep track of everyone that he told.[19] Although he had needed to leave her behind[18] years prior,[1] Andor also never forgot his sister Kerri[18] and actively searched for her. He was prone to owing various individuals money, at one point being in debt to Nurchi and Brasso, the latter of whom he was more keen to pay back due to being good friends with the man.[1]

He also had a reputation of being something of a womanizer. When trying to explain away a mysterious injury to Caleen, the latter wondered if it may have been caused by a jealous husband.[1] When Andor's mother Maarva was trying to figure out who knew that Andor was born on Kenari, she stated that she was worried about "all his women," naming some of them before admitting that there were some names that even she did not know.[19] Arvel Skeen was quick to inform Andor that their fellow Aldhani rebel infiltration team member Cinta Kaz was already "sharing a blanket."[43] Andor eventually developed into[44][45] a selfless man, which set him apart from other, more extreme rebels who blurred the same lines as him.[16]

Rebel agent[]

As a Rebel, Andor was a committed, steady, practical, and by-the-book intelligence officer with a fair amount of combat experience,[6] but that experience grew from missions that sometimes blurred the line between what was morally wrong or right. Despite his selflessness,[16] he was cold and distant to others.[7] Andor often kept quiet and reserved, a trait he had acquired due to his experience in war. Although fighting on the side of the Rebel Alliance, he'd been hardened by war to the point that he did not hesitate to commit morally questionable acts when necessary.[6] During those days of the early rebel movement, he relied on the excuse that he was following orders to justify what he had done.[16]

CassianAndorFull-Fathead

Cassian Andor during the Rebellion

Although he displayed some degree of remorse and regret after some of his actions, such as he chose to execute Tivik during the mission to the Ring of Kafrene, it was never enough to convince him to seek redemption until his adventure with Jyn Erso.[6] Nevertheless, he was more morally conflicted than fellow insurgent Saw Gerrera, who also went to great lengths to uncover intelligence on topics, particularly weapons, that threatened the Rebels.[16] In a briefing to Mothma, General Draven described Andor as "one of the most capable agents within Rebel Intelligence," with the ability to handle a wide range of missions, from reconnaissance to assassination and sabotage. Draven also said that Andor was capable of analyzing intelligence and acting on that intelligence without the need to contact superiors. Draven indicated that, since Andor worked for the rebellion since childhood, that the Alliance was like his family and that his loyalty was unwavering. Mothma, however, worried about the terrible things Andor and other Rebel agents were asked to do in the name of the Rebellion.[46] Indeed, many of the missions he carried out for the Alliance were morally questionable.[16] Mothma wondered if the command was doing enough to help agents like Andor to cope with the psychological damage inflicted by their actions.[46]

Comprising on their morals in the name of victory was dreadful for the emotional health of Rebels like Andor. In truth, Andor had been driven to the extremes he carried out by the anguish he carried inside him. Having lost everything in his life, Andor was able to hold back thinking about his morally questionable actions[16] until his time with Erso.[6] Whether it was due to killing Tivik or a change in his outlook due to the adventure he had with Erso,[16] he disobeyed orders to kill Galen Erso[6] before revealing his internal anguish by arguing with Jyn; she compared him to a stormtrooper for following orders he thought were wrong,[16] which made him burst out in anger because of all he had done in the name of rebellion.[6] In the end, Andor's selflessness[16] and regret for his past actions[6] led to him joining the ragtag Rogue One mission.[16] Meeting Erso and joining that mission helped Andor remember why he became a Rebel agent in the first place.[7] Paying the ultimate sacrifice he could in the apogee of his selfless devotion to the Rebel Alliance[16] and wanting to bring a new hope to the galaxy, Andor willingly gave his life[7] to ensure the Death Star plans were given to those who could use them to win the war.[16]

Skills and abilities[]

"He can pilot. He can shoot. He can lie. He speaks Alarin, Myo, Nari. He's got steady nerves and he's not afraid to kill."
―Luthen Rael, about Cassian Andor — (audio) Listen (file info)[47]

Andor found that gathering intelligence required more than spying alone. He is an expert in espionage, saboteur, and assassinations throughout his missions.[16] Andor was a committed soldier and fighter, rebelling against various regimes over the course of his life. Although sometimes he questioned his actions, he accepted that he did what had to be done in the name of a good cause. He was prepared to double-cross allies to get the job done. On one occasion, he killed his informant Tivik instead of risking letting him be captured by Imperial forces.[6]

Andor was often an unassuming man that his opponents would underestimate. After killing two Corpos on Morlana One, the Preox-Morlana sent a squad after him, with Linus Mosk warning the group not to underestimate Andor.[19]

Equipment[]

"His weapon was in the sniper configuration."
―K-2SO on Cassian Andor's A280-CFE blaster[6]
MW20

Cassian wielding his adoptive father's MW20.

Prior to joining the Rebellion, Andor wielded an MW-20 Bryar pistol, which was wielded by his adopted father Clem Andor years earlier.[8] Andor carried Karn's blaster for a time. During the preparation for a mission on Aldhani, Arvel Skeen became suspicious of Andor after seeing the corporate-issue blaster and questioned Andor as to whom it belonged to.[43] After the mission, Andor stashed the weapon away in a hidden box on Niamos, where it was left after he was arrested and detained in the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex.[48] When Andor later returned to the planet with Ruescott Melshi after their escape from Narkina 5, he retrieved the box and handed the blaster off to Melshi before the two parted ways.[33]

CassianAndor-Databank

Andor with his A280-CFE, set in the pistol configuration

As a member of the Rebellion, Andor wore a brown Corellian-cut field jacket that depicted his military rank and also held a personal identifier transponder that concealed a suicide pill. He also wore brown military fatigues. On Jedha and Eadu he used a blue-colored coat with fur lining. Andor owned a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft called the LMTR-20.[6]

He carried a canvas bag over one shoulder on the Ring of Kafrene and a backpack on Jedha. Andor carried an A-180 blaster before Erso stole it.[6] Due to his years of law-bending, Andor had honed his escapology skills, and he carried a compact security kit hidden inside one of his boots.[5]

AndorRingOfKafrene-R1

Cassian's concealed blaster.

Cassian was capable with a variety of blasters. He primarily wielded a BlasTech A280-CFE blaster—a versatile, modular heavy blaster pistol that could be reconfigured into an assault rifle or sniper rifle by adding a barrel and stock attachments, which he carries in a thigh holster.[6] On the Ring of Kafrene, Andor killed Tivik and a pair of stormtroopers with a concealed blaster pistol of unidentified model. He used the same weapon to dispatch Krennic during the Battle of Scarif.[6]

Behind the scenes[]

Conception and portrayal[]

"I think what's remarkable is the sacrifice that Cassian Andor makes for the galaxy."
"I know what he represents. This is the story about the people. It's a story that has the most to do with us. It's about what we can do, it's about the power we have."
Kathleen Kennedy and Diego Luna reflect on Cassian Andor's story[44]

Cassian Jeron Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, is a character created and developed for the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Luna's casting in the film was first announced on August 15, 2015. At this time, the first photo of the character was released,[49] and the first footage of the character was shown in the Rogue One teaser trailer on April 7, 2016.[50]

Luna spoke with his natural Mexican accent while playing Andor.[51] When Luna jumped to the tower[52] in the Scarif vault,[6] he broke his rib but did not notice it. He did not tell anyone about his injury.[52] After Rogue One's release, Luna shared a story from a fan who took her Mexican father to see the film because of his accent, which he said made him emotional.[51]

Andor and further development[]

"There's so much that this series answers, that Rogue One just questions. For me, Rogue One is very much about an event, and now we're going to get the chance to actually understand and get to know [Cassian Andor] — who he is, what pain he carries. What are his fears? What is his real motivation? It's all going to be answered here."
―Diego Luna discussing Andor[53]
Andor Promotional Banner

Concept art of Cassian Andor on Ferrix by Vincent Jenkins

By 2018, Lucasfilm Ltd. has begun developing a television series set before Rogue One which starred Andor and K-2SO. They would be similar to the film characters Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and they would storm the Citadel. After viewing the script sent by Lucasfilm,[54] Rogue One writer[6] Tony Gilroy thought the material was fine but hard to sustain over a long run. He then wrote a forensic manifesto explaining why the idea would not work and what Lucasfilm should do instead.[54] Gilroy explained that the show should have a large hole that Andor climbs out of over the course of five years. Gilroy added that Andor's journey should not involve escapades with K-2SO because it could get repetitive.[55] Gilroy's idea became the Andor television series,[54] which was called "The Education of Cassian Andor" during early development.[56] The show would explore Andor's backstory, revealing how he changed from a nihilist into a selfless martyr.[57] Gilroy wanted the first season to explain why Andor sacrificed himself in Rogue One.[57] When Gilroy was conceptualizing Andor's larger story arc, he started to map out a narrative journey for Andor that would feel compelling and complete. This included showing Andor at a low point in his life at a time when the Empire was gaining power across the galaxy.[58] Gilroy used Andor's story to depict the intertwining lives of common people as they orbit around the formation of the Rebel Alliance.[54]

To create a 24-episode series spanning five years, the show's directors worked in blocks of three episodes with Season One having four blocks.[59] Gilroy realized that maintaining the show's scope for four more seasons would be overwhelming, so he and executive producer Sanne Wohlenberg decided to use the same structure used in Season One.[54] For Season Two, Gilroy and the crew decided to use each block to represent a year, which Gilroy found to be very exciting from a narrative point of view.[59]

CassianAndorLuthenRaelConceptArt

Concept art of Cassian Andor and Luthen Rael escaping Ferrix by Chester Carr and Luke Hull

Gilroy was drawn to the idea of a story spanning Andor's childhood origin and a five-year history that takes him to a revolution.[60] The show had Andor stop pretending he is not affected by the Empire and choose who he is going to be. Gilroy used Andor's line about being in this fight since he was six years old as a jumping off point to create Kenari.[56] Andor's murder of[61] Kravas Drezzer and Verlo Skiff in the episode "Kassa"[1] was meant to show that he is a survivor in an oppressive galaxy with no sense of justice. Andor's decision to spare Syril Karn was meant to show that he learns from his mistakes.[61] Giloy wanted to have Melshi in the show, so he figured that the Narkina 5 prison was a great place to show where and how they met.[62] During the writers' room in November, 2019, Gilroy told the writers he was interested in seeing Andor escape during a prison sequence.[63] In an early iteration of the story, Andor and the prisoners would steal the guards' boots to escape the prison[64] on Narkina 5.[32] Writer Beau Willimon said the goal of the prison episodes was to make Andor feel the Empire's oppression in a serious, sustained, and inescapable way. He viewed Andor as a recruiter for Kino Loy in a similar way to how Luthen Rael recruited Andor.[65] Concept art depicting Andor was created by concept artists Vincent Jenkins, Chester Carr, Peter McKinstry.[66] and Luke Hull.[67]

In mid-2019, Gilroy called Diego Luna and told him the full plan for an Andor-focused story. Luna was glad that Gilroy's proposal included details that resonated personally with him[57] and he was convinced by Gilroy's ground-level approach.[54] At the end of the call, Luna agreed to reprise his role in the series.[57] He then talked about returning for two or three years before shooting started.[68] Luna was excited to explore the darker side of Andor's psyche, as well as to show the nuance and complexity of a younger version of the character.[58] To prepare for reprising his role, Luna imagined aspects of Andor's history that never made it into Rogue One, and he used that as background to bring the character to life. He and Gilroy discussed this as the scripts came together, helping to personalize Andor for the actor. Luna thought about people who are forced to run due to outside pressures, but decide to stop and make a stand.[69]

Costume designer Michael Wilkinson was tasked with making Andor someone who can disappear by hiding in his clothes but still be compelling, have "some swagger," and be something the audience is drawn to. Wilkinson decided that the arc of Andor's costumes would begin with him hiding in his clothes due to being a mess-up. As the series progressed, Andor shed his layers a little bit and his silhouette became more tailored with longer lines, and his shoulders became square. This was intended to show Andor is subtly becoming the character he is in Rogue One.[70] The Aldhani rebels' disguises were made using natural fabrics. Wilkinson made the costumes very dark, textural, and organic.[71]

Production began in late November of 2020.[72] Scenes on Ferrix were filmed in an intricate set in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire.[58] According to Tony Gilroy, everything on Ferrix was filmed first.[73] As Luna spent more time on set, he started to enjoy the process more and fall in love with his character,[53] and he did not enjoy playing the role until the third or fourth day. He felt that his costume was either too big or too small.[68] The actor managed to embody a rash and more impulsive Andor with a younger mindset.[58] Luna aimed to let audiences understand his character and explain how six-year-old Andor got wrapped up in a rebellion. He said that the trick is in telling a story that people can connect with and explaining how Andor got to where he was in Rogue One.[53] Luna found it very important to understand that the show depicts a childish version of Andor who is unaware of the consequences of his actions.[61]

Narkina 5 bts filming

Diego Luna and Andy Serkis on the Narkina 5 prison set

The rehearsals between Luna and Fiona Shaw, the actress who played Maarva Andor, were limited to what could be conveyed through a mask due to COVID-19 production protocols. One of the first scenes filmed with Luna and Shaw was an argument between their characters in the Andor household.[74] Luna found it very important for young Andor to be played by a Mexican actor to show that the two actors shared something.[61] Young Andor was played by Antonio Viña in flashback scenes.[1] When Viña flew to London for his last session, Luna made sure that he was the right actor for the role. Luna noticed that Viña does a lot with his eyes, which Luna found very important for the role.[61] Scenes on Aldhani were filmed at the Cruachan Dam and the surrounding mountains in the Scottish Highlands.[58] According to Faye Marsay, Vel Sartha's actress, the scenes were filmed during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.[75] According to Sanne Wohlenberg, the Narkina 5 prison scenes were filmed last before the wrap of Season One.[76] When Andor and the other prisoners arrived at the prison, all of the actors choreographed their convulsions to happen when the lights changed.[77] Andy Serkis, the actor that played Kino Loy, said that all of the actors would walk on metal plates for with bare feet, which drained their energy.[78]

Andor logo new

The logo for Andor

Speaking at Celebration Anaheim, Luna stated "You're not going to recognize Cassian Andor in the beginning. I cannot wait for you to meet him" when discussing his character's journey,[79] revealing that Andor would start off the show as a selfish character before undergoing an awakening that transforms him into the man seen in Rogue One.[44] The series' logo, title, and a behind the scenes video for the series was revealed on December 10, 2020 at a Disney investors meeting.[72][80] Tony Gilroy had a long-game plan of how the season would get to the fifth year in terms of Andor's story.[63] The show's two seasons will be the last time Luna plays Andor in Star Wars.[81] Michael Wilkinson worked on Andor's new look in the second season.[71] On December 9, 2022, Luna announced on Twitter that he was currently filming the second season of Andor.[82] For his performance in Andor, Luna was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Actor - Drama Series.[83]

Discrepanices[]

2016's Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide states that Cassian Andor was born on Fest, 26 years before the events of Rogue One,[5] which corresponds to 26 BBY.[21] This was repeated in later sources.[84][85][7][86][87][88] However, with the release of Andor in 2022, the titular character's place of birth was confirmed to be Kenari.[1] Thereafter, Andor's updated Databank entry on StarWars.com states that the character was nine years old when he was taken off Kenari,[17] while the StarWars.com Episode Guide for the "Reckoning" episode of Andor, released on September 21, 2022, states that the Confederacy of Independent Systems had yet to be formed and the Clone Wars was yet to be fought at the time of the character's departure from Kenari.[14] Since previous sources establish that the Confederacy was formed in either 24 BBY or 22 BBY and the Clone Wars started in 22 BBY,[89] this article assumes that Cassian Andor must have been born no later than nine years before 24 BBY, or 33 BBY, making the previously stated birth year of 26 BBY impossible.

Appearances[]

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Non-canon appearances[]

Sources[]

Non-canon sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 Andor logo new Andor — "Kassa"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide
  3. 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide establishes that Cassian Jeron Andor was twenty-seven years old during the events of Andor, which the book dates the events of to 5 BBY.StarWars-DatabankII Cassian Andor in the Databank (backup link) establishes that Andor was nine years old when he left Kenari, with StarWars "Reckoning" Episode Guide | Andor on StarWars.com (backup link) establishing that this occurred before the Confederacy of Independent Systems had formed. Rise of the Separatists establishes that the Raxus Address and the following informal forming of the CIS occurred two years before the First Battle of Geonosis, which Star Wars: Timelines and other sources state to take place in 22 BBY. For all this information to be true, Cassian Andor had to have been born in 33 BBY, with his departure taking place after his birthday, but before the Raxus Address in 24 BBY, and the events of Andor taking place before his birthday in 5 BBY.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Star Wars: Timelines
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34 6.35 6.36 6.37 6.38 6.39 6.40 6.41 6.42 6.43 6.44 6.45 6.46 6.47 6.48 6.49 6.50 6.51 6.52 6.53 6.54 6.55 6.56 6.57 6.58 6.59 6.60 6.61 6.62 6.63 6.64 6.65 6.66 6.67 6.68 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 Helmet Collection logo small Star Wars Helmet Collection 56 (Weapons & Uniforms: Rogue One Commandos)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Andor logo new Andor — "Reckoning"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Andor logo new Andor — "Rix Road"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Andor logo new Andor — "Aldhani"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Andor logo new Andor — "Narkina 5"
  12. 12.0 12.1 StarWars-DatabankII Cassian Andor in the Databank (backup link)
  13. StarWars-DatabankII Kenari in the Databank (backup link)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 StarWars "Reckoning" Episode Guide | Andor on StarWars.com (backup link)
  15. StarWars "That Would Be Me" Episode Guide | Andor on StarWars.com (backup link)
  16. 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 16.19 16.20 16.21 16.22 16.23 16.24 16.25 16.26 16.27 16.28 16.29 16.30 16.31 16.32 16.33 16.34 16.35 16.36 16.37 16.38 16.39 16.40 16.41 16.42 16.43 16.44 16.45 16.46 16.47 16.48 SWInsider "From the Shadows: The Dangerous Life of a Rebel Agent" — Star Wars Insider 212
  17. 17.0 17.1 StarWars-DatabankII Cassian Andor in the Databank (backup link)
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 SWInsider "Kassa" — Star Wars Insider 217
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 Andor logo new Andor — "That Would Be Me"
  20. StarWars-DatabankII Clem Andor in the Databank (backup link)
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
  22. Andor logo new Andor — "Nobody's Listening!"
  23. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Graphic Novel Adaptation
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 Andor logo new Andor — "Announcement"
  25. 25.0 25.1 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
  26. "Announcement" takes place shortly after "Kassa," which dates itself to 5 BBY. In the episode, Maarva Carassi Andor says she has avoided the square on Rix Road for 13 years due to Clem Andor's death, meaning he must have died in circa 18 BBY.
  27. This exchange occurs in the episode "Aldhani" of the television series Andor, which takes place in between "Kassa," which dates itself to 5 BBY, and "Narkina 5," which StarWars "Narkina 5" Trivia Gallery | Andor on StarWars.com (backup link) (Slide 6) dates to 5 BBY.
  28. SWInsider "On Program" — Star Wars Insider 220
  29. StarWars "Kassa" Episode Guide | Andor on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
  30. Andor logo new Andor — "The Eye"
  31. StarWars-DatabankII Niamos in the Databank (backup link)
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 Andor logo new Andor — "One Way Out"
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 Andor logo new Andor — "Daughter of Ferrix"
  34. Build the Millennium Falcon Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 48 (Guide to the Galaxy: Visiting Ord Mantell)
  35. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Secret Cargo"
  36. 36.0 36.1 Rogue One - Cassian & K-2SO Special 1
  37. 37.0 37.1 IDWStarWarsAdventuresLogoSmaller "Tales from Wild Space: Adventures in Wookiee-Sitting" — Star Wars Adventures (2017) 3
  38. The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear!
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 Star Wars: The Rebel Files
  40. 40.0 40.1 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
  41. Star Wars (2015) 52
  42. Star Wars: How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks and Other Galactic Survival Skills
  43. 43.0 43.1 Andor logo new Andor — "The Axe Forgets"
  44. 44.0 44.1 44.2 StarWars SWCA 2022: 20 Highlights from Lucasfilm's Studio Showcase on StarWars.com (backup link)
  45. SWInsider "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 212
  46. 46.0 46.1 Star Wars: Rogue One: Rebel Dossier
  47. Andor logo new Andor — "Aldhani"
  48. Andor logo new Andor — "Announcement"
  49. StarWars Rogue One—The Daring Mission Has Begun: Cast and Crew Announced on StarWars.com (backup link)
  50. SWYTlogo Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer Tease on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)  (Posted on StarWars.com)
  51. 51.0 51.1 Diego Luna 'got emotional' over fan story about diversity in Rogue One by Derschowitz, Jessica on Entertainment Weekly (January 4, 2017) (archived from the original on November 9, 2019)
  52. 52.0 52.1 YouTube "Star Wars means so much!" Diego Luna and the Andor cast on auditions, tricky lines and falling over on the BBC Radio 1 YouTube channel (backup link)
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 Diego Luna on returning to Star Wars with Andor: 'This story matters' by Coggan, Devan on Entertainment Weekly (August 25, 2022) (archived from the original on August 25, 2022)
  54. 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 How 'Andor' Became the First 'Star Wars' TV Series for Grown-Ups: 'I Wanted to Do It About Real People' by Vary, Adam B on Variety (archived from the original on August 24, 2022)
  55. 'Andor' Creator Tony Gilroy On Building "Complex" 'Star Wars' Series With Budget Bigger Than 'Michael Clayton' – Crew Call Podcast by D'Alessandro, Anthony on Deadline Hollywood (September 26, 2022) (archived from the original on September 26, 2022)
  56. 56.0 56.1 StarWars "The Education of Cassian Andor": Creator Tony Gilroy Explores the Nuance of Andor on StarWars.com (backup link)
  57. 57.0 57.1 57.2 57.3 Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised by Breznican, Anthony on Vanity Fair (May 17, 2022) (archived from the original on May 17, 2022)
  58. 58.0 58.1 58.2 58.3 58.4 ANDOR Production Brief V3 FINAL 8-04-22 by McIntyre, Gina on Getty Images (August 4, 2022) (archived from the original)
  59. 59.0 59.1 Andor: Tony Gilroy Explains Star Wars' Rogue One Prequel Series' Epic Five-Year Structure — Exclusive Image by Travis, Ben on Empire (July 4, 2022) (archived from the original on July 4, 2022)
  60. StarWars "A Potent Moment in History": Insights from Tony Gilroy and the Andor Cast on StarWars.com (backup link)
  61. 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 Diego Luna weighs in on Cassian's murderous moment on Andor by Ross, Dalton on Entertainment Weekly (September 22, 2022) (archived from the original on September 22, 2022)
  62. 'Andor' Creator Tony Gilroy Talks Luthen Rael's Future and Being Surprised by Certain Easter Eggs by Davids, Brian on The Hollywood Reporter (November 9, 2022) (archived from the original on November 9, 2022)
  63. 63.0 63.1 'Andor's EP Sanne Wohlenberg and Writer Beau Willimon on Bringing Tony Gilroy's Vision to Life by Lovitt, Maggie on Collider (November 10, 2022) (archived from the original on November 10, 2022)
  64. StarWars Tony Gilroy Breaks Down Andor Season 1 on StarWars.com (backup link)
  65. Andor Writer And Executive Producer On Making A Grown-Up Star Wars Show [Exclusive Interview] by Mathai, Jeremy on /Film (November 9, 2022) (archived from the original on November 9, 2022)
  66. Andor's designers approached it like a Star Wars period drama by Webster, Andrew on The Verge (archived from the original on November 9, 2022)
  67. 68.0 68.1 Diego Luna Says 'Andor' Is Going to Challenge What You Think You Know About 'Rogue One' by Davids, Brian on The Hollywood Reporter (September 1, 2022) (archived from the original on September 22, 2022)
  68. 'Andor' Star Wars Series: "What You Know Is Really All Wrong" by Breznican, Anthony on Vanity Fair (May 23, 2022) (archived from the original)
  69. 'Andor's Costume Designer on Creating Cassian's Wardrobe and Returning for Season 2 by Lovitt, Maggie on Collider (November 14, 2022) (archived from the original on November 14, 2022)
  70. 71.0 71.1 StarWars Dressing the Galaxy: Designer Michael Wilkinson Defines the Look of Andor's Costumes on StarWars.com (backup link)
  71. 72.0 72.1 StarWars Future Lucasfilm Projects Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
  72. 'Andor' Creator Tony Gilroy Talks Luthen's Good Day, That Post-Credit Scene and Season Two by Davids, Brian on The Hollywood Reporter (November 23, 2022) (archived from the original on November 23, 2022)
  73. StarWars Daughter of Ferrix: Andor's Fiona Shaw on the Role of Cassian's Mother, Maarva on StarWars.com (backup link)
  74. Andor's Faye Marsay Talks Preparing To Play Vel Sartha, The Real Rebellions That Inspired Her & More [Exclusive Interview] by Anderton, Ethan on /Film (November 2, 2022) (archived from the original on November 2, 2022)
  75. YouTube Were the Prison Episodes TOO Dark for Star Wars? on the Star Wars Explained YouTube channel: "The prison episodes of Star Wars Andor were very bleak for a Star Wars story. I got the chance to ask the writer of the arc about the balance between darkness and hope. Here is what he had to say." (backup link)
  76. 'Andor' Director Toby Haynes Talks That Forest Whitaker-Stellan Skarsgard Scene: "It Was a Career Highlight" by Davids, Brian on The Hollywood Reporter (October 28, 2022) (archived from the original on October 29, 2022)
  77. 'Andor': Andy Serkis on How the Prison Set Messed With His Head by Amin, Arezou on Collider (November 4, 2022) (archived from the original on November 4, 2022)
  78. TwitterLogo Star Wars (@starwars) on Twitter: "You're not going to recognize Cassian Andor in the beginning. I cannot wait for you to meet him!" (backup link)
  79. SWYTlogo Sizzle Reel | Andor on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)  (Posted on StarWars.com)
  80. Diego Luna says Andor will be the end of him playing Cassian by Ross, Dalton on Entertainment Weekly (September 20, 2022) (archived from the original on September 22, 2022)
  81. TwitterLogo Diego Luna (@diegoluna_) on Twitter (December 9, 2022): "Vamos por la segunda temporada de #Andor !!!! Muchas gracias por todo el cariño y apoyo." (backup link)
  82. Diego Luna Golden Globes by Globes, Golden on Golden Globes (December 15, 2022) (archived from the original on December 12, 2022)
  83. Star Wars: Rogue One: Secret Mission
  84. Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
  85. Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
  86. AltayaCite "The Heroes of Rogue One" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
  87. Star Wars: Character Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition
  88. Rise of the Separatists establishes that the Raxus Address and the following informal forming of the Confederacy of Independent Systems occurred two years before the First Battle of Geonosis, which marked the start of the Clone Wars in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the events of which took place in 22 BBY, according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. Therefore, the Confederacy was informally founded in 24 BBY. Attack of the Clones also depicts the formal founding of the Confederacy.

External links[]

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