Warning! This article contains spoilers for Andor season 1.Andor season 1 has featured a lot of Empire iconography from Star Wars past, from TIE Fighters to ISB agents, yet one iconic Star Wars group has been missing thus far: Stormtroopers. So far in Andor, the focus on the Empire has rested on a different side to what Star Wars usually employs, by giving attention to the higher-ups behind the scenes of the Empire's forces. This includes the likes of Syril Karn, played by Kyle Soller, a deputy inspector for Pre-Mor Authority, a corporate company that works for the Empire and is in charge of a specific trade sector.
For the bulk of Andor episodes 1-3, Pre-Mor were the show’s antagonists, with Syril Karn often being the face of this in opposition to Cassian. Andor episodes 4 and 5 though, have begun delving deeper into Imperial politics and introduced the likes of the Imperial Security Bureau to the series. This brought characters such as Dedra Meero and Major Partagaz into the fold as other villains that will likely be antagonists going forward for Andor, Mon Mothma, and Luthen.
However, despite these villainous presences, one major part of the Star Wars villain roster has been missing: Stormtroopers. Through Andor episodes 1-5, there has not been a single Stormtrooper visible on screen. The reason for this may seem contradictory, given the many jokes aimed at Stormtrooper's incompetence by Star Wars audiences over the years. Despite this, Stormtroopers are viewed as the Empire's most elite soldiers (in-universe at least), only being used when most needed and for the biggest threats. This tracks with previous appearances, given they have only really appeared in vital situations such as major battles or alongside Sith/Jedi. As Andor has been more grounded in tone and is not yet necessarily showing events worthy of the Stormtrooper's attention, it makes sense they have not appeared, and instead, the likes of Pre-Mor's security or the ISB are the focus.
Will Stormtroopers Appear In Andor?
That is not to say though, that Andor will never feature Stormtroopers. Given how the show is promised to lead directly into the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, it is extremely likely that Stormtroopers will eventually show up. After all, the official trailer released for the show features Stormtroopers in droves, as well as Star Wars' elite Death Troopers. As Andor season 1 begins building in momentum and the characters further draw the Empire's attention, it is likely that Stormtroopers will be sent out to further secure these areas of the galaxy for the Empire.
Given how the show is portraying the very beginning of the Rebel Alliance, it makes sense to make the Stormtroopers a more viable threat that are only employed to deal with bigger dangers to the Empire. With the show promising to show bigger battles in the early stage of the Rebellion's formation, Stormtroopers are perfect as front-line soldiers fighting these battles. Regardless, it is clear that Stormtroopers will appear in Andor at some point in the near future, furthering their in-universe reputation as the Empire's most elite forces.
New episodes of Andor release on Wednesdays on Disney+.
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