On September 21, 2022, Star Wars: Andor will hit Disney+, making it the latest original Star Wars series to make its home on the streaming platform. Fans have eagerly consumed Disney+’s previous series, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Star Wars: Andor is shaping up to be quite different from the previous series. After all, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is a bit of an anomaly among the typical Star Wars series’ protagonists, as he boasts neither the popularity or history of figures such as Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) or Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), nor is he making his live-action debut like Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal).
Despite these differences, Disney chose to give Andor his own solo series. Meanwhile, the whole feel of the series is a bit different from the shows we’ve seen so far. From trailers and early reviews, we can see that Star Wars: Andor is a grittier and more thrilling side of the Star Wars universe. It’s a spy thriller with high stakes and realistic depictions of the rumblings of revolution and oppressed people.
Naturally, there are bound to be quite a lot of questions surrounding this series. Star Wars: Andor is connected to, and takes place in, the much wider Star Wars canon. But with Andor not having an extensive history in the Star Wars live-action films, it might be a little harder to place him in the timeline, as well as to know what his backstory is. Here is what Star Wars: Andor is about and its place in the Star Wars timeline.
What is Star Wars: Andor about?
Put simply, Star Wars: Andor tells the tale of Andor before we meet him in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. When we first meet Andor, he is a highly skilled and accomplished Intelligence Officer and captain of the Rebel Alliance. Not only that, but he was willing to give up everything for the Rebellion. However, we don’t get much backstory regarding when he joined the Alliance or, more importantly, why he chose to join them. Hence, Star Wars: Andor backtracks to pinpoint how exactly Andor transformed from a thief into one of the most passionate figures of the Rebellion.
Star Wars: Andor doesn’t just track Andor’s progression, but also the founding of the Rebel Alliance itself. The series will track how the Rebel Alliance formed to confront the Galactic Empire during a period filled with oppression, danger, and deception. As the series explores the early development of the Rebellion, we’ll also get to see the evolution of rebel leaders, such as Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) before she was a key figure in the rebellion as an undercover senator. The series is a tale of the origins of the Rebellion and the journeys of some of its biggest figures. Read the official Star Wars: Andor synopsis below:
The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Star Wars: Andor timeline, explained
As said above, Star Wars: Andor is the prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Specifically, it takes place 4 years before the events of Rogue One. For some more perspective, the series takes place about 15 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. This means it has been over a decade since the Galactic Empire issued Order 66 and established control over the galaxy. Viewers will recall that Obi-Wan went into exile after these events, believing it wasn’t the right time to challenge the empire. This means, by the time Star Wars: Andor occurs, the people have endured years of suffering and stifling their discontent under the Empire. However, with the Jedi Order mostly destroyed, and the living Jedi remaining in hiding, it comes down to the people to rebel.
For further reference, Star Wars: Andor also shares the same timeframe as the animated series, Star Wars Rebels. Both series take place nearly 15 years after the fall of the Galactic Republic and follow the early rebellious efforts against the Empire.
(featured image: Disney)
Published: Sep 15, 2022 02:19 pm