Warning! Contains SPOILERS for Andor episode 5.Andor episode 5 contained an easily missed but impactful reference to one of Star Wars Rebels’ key story arcs. Andor episode 5 sees Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the rest of the Rebel cell on Aldhani make their final preparations for the mission to steal the payroll from the Imperial base. Though the group is fraught with tension, they’re currently unaware that someone in the Imperial Security Bureau is becoming increasingly suspicious of the seemingly random acts of Rebel activity across the galaxy. Dedra Meero, the ISB agent in question, could spell trouble for Cassian, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) throughout the rest of Andor season 1, but her suspicions also closely link the Rebel cell on Aldhani with the Rebel cell from Lothal featured in Star Wars Rebels.

Andor season 1 is set in 5BBY, the same as season 1 of Star Wars Rebels. The timeline similarities for both shows do not end there, though – both Andor season 2 and seasons 2 - 4 of Star Wars Rebels have and will depict the story of the Rebellion between 4BBY and the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Though the execution of both shows is very different, on the surface, they are telling the same tale: the story of the fledgling Rebellion being born all across the galaxy. Andor’s narrative may be grittier than that of Star Wars Rebels, but both are equally important in understanding how Star Wars' Rebellion operated in its early days and how the Empire tried to squash it before it could truly thrive.

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In Andor episode 5, ISB supervisor Dedra Meero explains her qualms about the Rebel activity across the galaxy. As her officer states, the Rebel cells’ activities are “too random to be random,” right after he mentions Rebel activity on Kessel. Interestingly enough, Star Wars Rebels’ premiere story arc, “A Spark of Rebellion”, details the Ghost Crew’s mission to save enslaved Wookiees on Kessel. It is Ezra Bridger’s first mission with the group and the first time he sees Kanan Jarrus reveal himself as Jedi. The Kessel mission is the starting point for the countless adventures the Ghost Crew embarks upon over the course of four seasons of Star Wars Rebels. The reference to Kessel in Andor episode 5 is no coincidence and acts as a reminder that everything in Star Wars is linked, and nothing more so than the Rebellion uprising that takes down the Empire.

cassian andor star wars rebels ezra bridger

Andor and Star Wars Rebels operating on the same Star Wars timeline is a great way to show the development of the Rebellion in its early days. Though each series gets to tell a self-contained narrative, they provide the audience with a deeper understanding of the sacrifices and choices that need to be made to succeed in so difficult a mission as destroying Emperor Palpatine's rule. Both shows prove that one act of defiance, one small group, can make a difference and that dozens, hundreds, or thousands of small acts of defiance can in turn be enough to topple an oppressive regime.

Both shows also approach this narrative from totally different angles – Cassian Andor is a lone wolf and distrusting of others, but will slowly learn to see the value in putting his faith in people, a character development that ultimately leads to victory in Rogue One. Star Wars Rebels shows the importance of finding a family and a group you can rely on, and that with those you trust by your side, anything is possible. Each Star Wars show depicts both sides of the Rebellion: the individuals and groups that make up an army.

Star Wars Rebels and Andor may not have a proper crossover any time soon, as the galaxy is vast and the Rebellion is currently still scattered in 5BBY. The ISB's reference to the Ghost Crew’s mission on Kessel certainly proves that Star Wars has never been as interconnected as it is now, however. Given this connection, future episodes of Andor are sure to provide even more references to the greater Rebel Alliance.

New episodes of Andor release on Wednesdays on Disney+.

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