Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted (2024)

Summary

  • Andor explores the Dark Times and the evil of the Empire, establishing the latter sections of the Rebel Alliance's formation.
  • The new "Reign of the Empire" novels will delve into the origins of Rebellion, detailing Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa's efforts shortly after Revenge of the Sith.
  • George Lucas originally cut scenes hinting at Rebellion's origins from Revenge of the Sith, meaning Reign of the Empire will tell this story.

The pseudo-prequel to Andor is promising to tell a Rebel Alliance story that has long been desired by many in the Star Wars franchise. Andor is often ranked among the best Star Wars TV shows, primarily due to its grounded tone, excellent writing, and compelling story. The latter focuses on the titular Cassian Andor before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - technically the fourth chronological Star Wars movie in order - as he navigates the early days of the Rebel Alliance and becomes someone dedicated to fighting against the Empire.

As alluded to, Andor's story makes it one of the most compelling Star Wars stories ever told. The reason for this is its exploration of the Dark Times and its depiction of how evil the Empire can be, which makes the formation of the Rebel Alliance all the more exciting. This is expected to continue in Andor season 2's story, though it is worth noting the Rebel Alliance's building blocks are already formed at the beginning of the show. For this reason, the newly announced prequel to Andor is even more intriguing.

Related

Andor Season 1 Ending Explained In Full

The end of Andor episode 1 sees Cassian Andor's world explode in rebellion - foreshadowing the rise of the Rebel Alliance and the coming Death Star.

Star Wars' Andor Prequel Will Show The Origins Of The Rebel Alliance

Three Books Will Flesh Out The Rebellion Directly After Revenge Of The Sith

Three new novels, titled Star Wars: Reign of the Empire, will flesh out the origins of the Rebellion. The books were announced shortly after SDCC 2024, with the first in the series titled The Mask of Fear. These three books will take place directly after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and focus on three characters vital to the Rebel Alliance: Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Bail Organa.

Where Andor shows the Rebel Alliance escalating from a covert group to a fully-fledged army in open war, Reign of the Empire will explore exactly how it formed in the first place...

Given that Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera are two important characters to Andor, the books are essentially a prequel to the series. Beginning five years before Andor, The Mask of Fear will detail Mon, Saw, and Bail's attempts at forming a rebellion against the Empire in the latter organization's earliest days. Where Andor shows the Rebel Alliance escalating from a covert group to a fully-fledged army in open war, Reign of the Empire will explore exactly how it formed in the first place.

Star Wars Is Telling The Story George Lucas Cut

Lucas Almost Detailed The Rebellion's Origins In The Prequel Trilogy

Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted (2)

What makes Reign of the Empire even more interesting is that the books will tell a story George Lucas originally wanted to. When Lucas was in the process of crafting Revenge of the Sith, the early cut of the film was much longer than the theatrical release. This led to several scenes being removed from the film, including several that hinted at the origins of the Rebel Alliance involving Padmé, Bail, and Mon Mothma.

The scenes were included in the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith. Each one involved the trio raising their concerns about Palpatine and deciding to move against him, building the foundations of what would become the Rebellion. However, Lucas decided to cut these scenes, giving shows like Andor and book series' like Reign of the Empire to delve into a story straight from the mind of Star Wars' creator.

Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted (3)
Andor
Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted (4)

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Diego Luna stars as Cassian Andor in Andor, a Disney+ exclusive series set five years before Rogue One. The series follows the titular character as he transitions from a humble thief to a revolutionary icon of the rebellion against the empire. Cassian, a man who tries to keep himself out of confrontations post the destruction of his world, is shoved into the central conflict as he naturally slots into the role of leader. Andor will explore the rebellion's burgeoning days and highlight pivotal events in the Star Wars Franchise before the construction of the Death Star.

Cast
Genevieve O'Reilly , Adria Arjona , Diego Luna , Kyle Soller , Alan Tudyk , Stellan Skarsgård , Denise Gough , Forrest Whittaker

Release Date
September 21, 2022

Seasons
1

Writers
Tony Gilroy , Dan Gilroy , Beau Willimon , Stephen Schiff

Showrunner
Tony Gilroy

Number of Episodes
12
  • Andor (2022)
  • Star Wars

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Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted (2024)

FAQs

Star Wars' Andor Prequel Is The Rebel Alliance Story I've Always Wanted? ›

The pseudo-prequel to Andor is promising to tell a Rebel Alliance story that has long been desired by many in the Star Wars franchise. Andor is often ranked among the best Star Wars TV shows, primarily due to its grounded tone, excellent writing, and compelling story.

What is the Star Wars sequence for Andor? ›

Andor – 5-0 BBY

While we know Cassian Andor's ultimate fate thanks to Rogue One, Andor starts five years before that movie to show how he became the rebel we met in the celebrated prequel movie. The first season might have wrapped up, but we've got another 12-episode second season on the way.

Does Andor take place before Revenge of the Sith? ›

This series introduces the “Rogue One” rebel Cassian Andor when he was still a nonbeliever. But over the course of the season, set about 14 years after “Revenge of the Sith” and around five years before “Rogue One,” per the AV Club, we witness Andor's radicalization as he becomes a leader of the rebellion.

Is the Rebel Alliance good or bad? ›

While the Empire labels all dissenters and rebels as extremists and terrorists in Imperial propaganda, the Alliance is depicted and portrayed in various Star Wars media as a group of resilient freedom fighters, based on tolerance, self-empowerment, and hope for a better future using insurgency weapons and tactics.

Is Andor a rebel spy? ›

As a young man, he smuggles stolen Imperial ship components before joining the Rebel Alliance. Rogue One depicts Andor as a pilot and intelligence officer for the Rebel Alliance who leads a rebel unit called Rogue One in stealing plans for the Death Star, setting the events of the original Star Wars film in motion.

Are rebels before or after a Andor? ›

Star Wars Rebels Opens In 5 BBY

This year is also when Saw Gerrera abandoned Jyn Erso, which is depicted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's flashbacks. Andor season 1 is another Star Wars story that takes place concurrently with Rebels, as the former show also begins in 5 BBY.

Where does Andor fall chronologically? ›

Everything after the Death Star explosion is ABY, or After Battle of Yavin. Andor is set in 5 BBY, so five years before Rogue One and A New Hope.

Does Mandalorian take place before Andor? ›

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor are both set years before The Mandalorian, and before the original Star Wars film trilogy. The Book of Boba Fett is set after The Mandalorian season 1 and season 2 but before season 3.

What is the time difference between Andor and Rogue One? ›

The first season begins five years before Rogue One and tells one year of Andor's story when he first becomes a revolutionary. The next four years are then covered by the second season, which leads directly into the events of the film.

Are there Jedi or Sith in Andor? ›

There were no Jedi, and other reasons 'Andor' was great - Los Angeles Times.

Is Luke Skywalker in the Rebel Alliance? ›

Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a moisture farmer on the planet Tatooine, Luke joins the Rebel Alliance and becomes a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.

Is Yoda part of the Rebel Alliance? ›

He wasn't a member of the rebellion but he did rebel against the empire by training a kid to assassinate Darth Vader.

Is Rebel Alliance a Jedi? ›

Not all of the Jedi joined The Rebel Alliance in the Star Wars universe. While some Jedi did join the Rebellion, others chose to remain neutral or went into hiding after the rise of the Galactic Empire. Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi are two examples of Jedi who did not join the Rebellion.

Is there a secret Jedi in Andor? ›

A popular theory has gained steam across the season that Luthen Rael, the ambitious rebel expertly played by Stellan Skarsgård, is actually a former Jedi working to take down the Empire in revenge for Order 66. This would also suggest that his assistant Kleya was, in fact, his padawan.

How old was Cassian Andor when he died? ›

As for Cassian Andor's age, according to Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, Cassian was born on the planet Fest in 26 BBY. Despite being an experienced member of the Rebel Alliance, Cassian was only 26 years old when he perished on the tropical planet with the rest of the Rogue One squad.

Will there be a season 2 of Andor? ›

Of all the Star Wars shows on Disney Plus, "Andor" has consistently been the most critically acclaimed. It's also proven incredibly popular with viewers and was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards. All of that adds up to a high level of anticipation for the forthcoming second season, which will also be the show's last.

How does Andor fit in the Star Wars timeline? ›

“Andor” takes place four years before “Rogue One”… but it's Star Wars, so there's a lot more context necessary. That's about five years before “A New Hope” and 15 or so years after “Revenge of the Sith.” It's also roughly five years after Disney+'s “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” which aired in the spring.

Do I need to watch other Star Wars before Andor? ›

Can I watch Andor without having seen Rogue One or other Star Wars movies or shows? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. While the events of Andor will lead into what happens in Rogue One (following two 12-episode seasons), all that film will give you is knowledge of what's to come.

How is Andor connected to Star Wars? ›

Andor, also known as Star Wars: Andor, is an American science fiction television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016), which in turn is a prequel to the original Star Wars film (1977).

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