Cassian Andor is set to arrive back on screens of Star Wars fans later this year in Andor, an all-new series coming to Disney+. Played by Diego Luna, this character has only appeared in live-action one time before this series in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In this film, Andor is the second main character alongside Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones, and is the main rebel leader who goes to help find the Death Star plans and investigate the rumors of an Imperial superweapon that could wipe out the resistance once and for all.

Andor dies at the end of the film in an epic and emotional scene, something that felt natural given there was no mention or sign of him or any of the other heroes in Rogue One throughout the original trilogy, the series of films that the first Star Wars spinoff movie is set so close to. It seemed unlikely fans would ever get to see the character again, but he’s back once more on Disney+. Andor is said to be a prequel series focusing on the earlier years of the character, but is not an origin story. Rather, it tells the tale of Andor as a rebel spy amidst a rising conflict in the galaxy, a show that seems to be the Star Wars equivalent of The Americans or other Cold War dramas.

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With this announcement, some fans have expressed concern that Cassian isn’t an important enough character to warrant a central role in a series like this, particularly as he already had an entire film in which he was in the spotlight. Despite these worries, it’s ultimately the way in which the story of Andor is told that will determine if this show is warranted, not the perceived importance of the character prior to its release.

cassian andor rogue one

With the conclusion of the Skywalker saga, Star Wars seems to be going backward in order to move the franchise forward. This is highlighted by The Mandalorian and its related shows, like the recently concluded The Book of Boba Fett, which are set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi and years before the sequel trilogy. Lucasfilm and Disney have moved back in the timeline, but for a specific purpose: to find the right moment in the canon of Star Wars to tell a story like this.

This is also evident with Obi-Wan Kenobi, another Disney+ series arriving later this year, which is set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith and quite some time away from the original and sequel trilogies. The upcoming series The Acolyte is another example of this, set even further back in the timeline in the years before The Phantom Menace. As of now, there are no clear signs of any projects set after The Rise of Skywalker, and the 2019 film looks set to be the furthest point in canon, for the time being at least.

Of course, one of these projects set years before is Andor. In the absence of a clear saga or central story in the franchise at the moment, although it’s becoming more clear that The Mandalorian is a mini-universe of sorts, shows like Andor are popping up frequently on the lists of upcoming Star Wars projects, especially given that Disney+ seems to be the home of the franchise for the time being as theatrically released movies are in development. It currently seems as if any notable character is a serious possibility to lead their own show at some point, with rumors of a Bo-Katan series, in particular, swirling around at the moment. Andor is one that is already confirmed, and is proof that Lucasfilm are determined to tell interesting stories that fans will enjoy, and see these pre-existing characters as a way to do this.

As so many characters are getting shows, fans are asking the question stated above, if Andor and other heroes (or villains) are important enough to deserve the spotlight that comes with getting a whole series to themselves. Ultimately, though, it depends entirely on the story and the way in which it’s told. There are plenty of stories that can be told that might not have a great impact on the overall Star Wars canon. Many episodes of The Clone Wars are prime examples of this. The Mortis arc, one of the most famous series of episodes of The Clone Wars, show Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka as they are stranded on an unknown planet that is strong with the Force and home to ancient, powerful beings on both the light and dark side.

A lot happens in these episodes, including Anakin finding out that he is destined to turn to the dark side, fight his master Obi-Wan, and lose Padme as she dies in childbirth. However, the memories of their time on Mortis for these heroes vanish after they leave, so the story is quite inconsequential all things considered. Still, the themes it explores and the way in which it carefully navigates a hectic time period in the galaxy to further the characters and improve the prequels overall is a testament to the quality of the show.

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in Rogue One

Therefore, Andor doesn’t need to have incredibly high stakes in order to be a show of high quality. Not every upcoming Star Wars project needs a Luke Skywalker at the end of The Mandalorian season 2 type moment, and for many it would be a disservice to do so. Dave Filoni did an excellent job on both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels to raise the stakes more than audiences thought was possible, and this was in part down to the stretching of canon in order to solidify the stories being told as ones of importance. The Mandalorian and its related shows, such as The Book of Boba Fett, seem to be taking the same approach, as they have far more of an impact on the overall Star Wars canon than what fans thought was possible prior to the release of any live-action series.

As stated, Andor is being tipped as a spy thriller set in the Star Wars galaxy, so it ultimately needs to succeed in telling a successful espionage, tense story. In doing so, Andor will be successful, and therefore the show will have been worth it. The main story of Star Wars is over (for now at least) with the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga in 2019, so it’s natural to look elsewhere to find new compelling stories. Not all of these stories have to have the highest stakes or a tremendous impact on canon, although many surely will, and it seems that The Mandalorian has that covered anyway for fans worried that post The Rise of Skywalker projects won’t have the relevance that the movies did.

Looking at another franchise, the MCU, the interconnectivity on display in all Marvel films almost conceals the fact that many films (and shows now) don’t exactly push the broader story of the universe forward significantly, if it all, and that’s perfectly okay. Rather, they focus on character development and telling the story of the particular project at hand to the best of their ability. For Andor, the importance of the character as perceived by fans prior to the show’s release only means so much, and even if the series doesn’t have a big impact on canon, it doesn’t mean that it’s not successful of that Diego Luna’s character doesn’t deserve his own show. Rather, as long as it’s a good show, Cassian Andor will deserve his time in the spotlight.

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