Andor makes an impactful change to the Rebellion’s origin in the Star Wars universe. The upcoming Disney+ series will focus on the formation of the rebellion in its 12-episode run through the eyes of Cassian Andor. Events shown in the final Andor trailer suggest that the creation of the Rebellion will be portrayed differently than before, altering the Star Wars canon.
The formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, more commonly known as the Rebel Alliance, has been well-documented across Star Wars media, particularly in Star Wars Rebels, assorted canon novels, and sourcebooks for Star Wars-based role-playing games. Although Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and independent rebel cells began fighting the Empire in secret immediately after its formation, the Rebellion officially came into existence when Mon Mothma resigned from the Imperial Senate and broadcast a speech calling for the galaxy to rise up in rebellion against Palpatine and his Empire. Upon receiving her speech, the various rebel cells combined to form the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
The final Andor trailer features conversations between Luthen Rael, played by Stellan Skarsgård, and Cassian Andor, Saw Gerrera, and Mon Mothma. Although Luthen is a new character introduced in Andor, his central presence in Andor trailers makes it seem that he will play a driving force in the formation of the Rebellion. Making Skarsgård’s character the impetus behind the unified Rebellion likely won’t retcon existing lore, but it will greatly shift the general scheme of events leading to the Galactic Civil War.
How Andor Changes What's Known About The Rebel Alliance's Origin
Luthen’s role in the Andor trailers suggests that he will thread together three main elements of the Rebellion. His conversations in the trailer appear to show him bringing together spy networks represented by Andor, fighting forces represented by Gerrera, and the Rebellion’s leadership represented by Mon Mothma. His aggressive stance towards fighting the Empire—in comparison to Mothma’s concern about the suffering a large-scale rebellion will create—also positions him to have a greater motivation to bring the Alliance together than she does. While Mon Mothma’s speech may officially create the Rebellion, Andor seems ready to show Luthen laying the groundwork for rebel cells to unite by recruiting individuals and opening lines of communication between different groups. Mon Mothma is a key figure in the Rebellion, but the Andor trailers suggest that Luthen may hold more responsibility for its creation.
Luthen’s introduction likely won’t retcon the existing history of the Rebellion, but it will cast that history in a new light. Instead of spontaneously coalescing after Mothma’s speech, Andor seems to be showing a more involved process of discussion between cells leading up to their official unification. Luthen appears to be forging the links that will become the Rebel Alliance.
The first 3 episodes of Andor will air September 21st on Disney+.