While shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian are getting all the attention, another Star Wars show is releasing soon. Andor will follow the adventures of Cassian Andor during his time before Rogue One. The show aims to provide a better understanding of the gritty underbelly of the Rebellion and the struggle the Rebels endured. Not much is known about Andor besides the broad strokes of the plot, but with its place in the Star Wars timeline, there is plenty of space for cool cameos. The show will need to be careful though, if there are too many legacy characters, the audience may lose sight of the main characters and their story.
Many viewers know that Cassian Andor was a spy for the Rebellion, and during Rogue One he hinted at the fact that he had done some despicable things in that time. Andor gives the chance for Star Wars to explore the Rebellion from a much different angle. While Star Wars Rebels showed some different sides of the Rebels, it still mainly focused on the Jedi and the heroes of the Rebellion. Andor seems like it will be taking viewers away from the glamour of the Rebels and bringing them down into the dirt, where people may have to do bad things in order to accomplish better goals.
While it’s always a great experience to see beloved characters show up in new shows or movies, it can also be very distracting. The Book of Boba Fett suffered from this problem when it used Din Djarin and Luke Skywalker for two whole episodes without Boba Fett. While the episodes were spectacular, they took away from the main premise of the show. Andor could be following the same path if it isn’t careful. The days of the Rebellion are full of Star Wars legacy characters. Anyone from Leia Organa to Hera Syndulla are around and could be featured in some content. The difficulty stems from not overusing legacy characters. If the show only uses Cassian as a vessel to show other characters, then Cassian himself becomes pointless.
Cassian needs to be the focal point of his own story. The show is meant to show the Rebellion from the eyes of a foot soldier. If Leia or even Bail Organa are in it too much, then it loses some of the unique aspects that the story could have. While it’s unlikely the show won’t feature any cameos, it should limit itself to one or two at the most. Fans are anticipating seeing some familiar faces in Andor, and that’s okay. Cameos can be entertaining if used well, but the over-reliance on them can hamper a show’s ability to tell a cohesive story.
One character that will definitely be in Andor is his beloved droid partner, K-2SO. Their partnership was one of the best relationships in Rogue One and fans are eager to see its development. Besides K-2, Andor should avoid any other characters from Rogue One. Having them appear in this prequel show would complicate the timeline and could be detrimental to the impact of Rogue One‘s story. Cameos should be used to progress the current story, not to tell a different one. The characters can deliver important information, or a key piece of plot, but then the story should remain solely focused on its protagonist.
Andor has the potential to be an incredible show that adds more depth to the classic conflict of the Rebels versus the Empire. If the show stays committed to following the exploits of Cassian, and not fall into the trap of exploring legacy characters, then it can really flourish. While many fans want to see cameos from their favorite characters, it’s important to focus on the story the show is telling and enjoy that, instead of hoping for old characters to be shoehorned in.
Andor is expected to release in 2022 on Disney+.
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