The latest Star Wars streaming series, Andor, is exploring the early days of the Rebellion through the eyes of the ground-level spies doing their dirty work in the fight against the Empire. Whereas previous Star Wars media has offered a black-and-white portrait of the conflict with noble Rebels and cartoonishly evil Imperials, Andor is digging into the moral gray areas on both sides of the war.
Some Rebels, like Leia Organa and Cassian Andor, are more committed to the cause than others, like the self-serving Han Solo and the reluctant Mon Mothma.
10 Han Solo
When Ben Kenobi recruited him for a job in Mos Eisley Cantina, Han Solo was introduced as a self-serving scoundrel who only took the job for an easy paycheck. Throughout the movie, he warms to Luke and Leia and gets onboard the Rebels’ cause. This culminates in Han’s triumphant return during the Death Star trench run to shoot down the TIE fighters chasing Luke.
But even after joining the Rebellion and earning a medal for his bravery, Han was still more interested in paying off his debts to gangsters than taking down the Empire.
9 Cassian Andor
The first season of Andor has explored Cassian Andor’s origin story. When he was first introduced in Rogue One, Cassian was one of the most diehard Rebels in the Star Wars universe. But he wasn’t always committed to the Rebels’ cause; his first Rebel mission was just a mercenary-for-hire job for a lucrative paycheck.
As Cassian has been harassed by Imperial officers and locked in an Imperial prison, he’s gotten closer and closer to turning on the Empire and joining the Rebels’ fight.
8 Ahsoka Tano
After leaving the Jedi Order, going out on her own, and becoming a rogue badass, Ahsoka Tano worked for the Rebellion as a secret agent under the covert codename “Fulcrum.” Ahsoka and the Ghost crew achieved some of the Rebels’ greatest victories together.
Ahsoka might not have been the most loyal servant of the Rebellion, but she did put her life on the line in service of bringing down the Empire that her former master helped to get off the ground.
7 Mon Mothma
In the original trilogy, Mon Mothma was depicted as the de facto leader of the Rebel Alliance. But Andor takes place long before that, exploring her early work for the Rebellion while still holding political office in the Senate under Imperial rule.
From expressing her concerns to Luthen Rael to telling her cousin, diehard Rebel operative Vel Sartha, to be “a spoilt rich girl” for a while, it’s clear that Mon Mothma isn’t sure if the Rebels are doing the right thing.
6 Luke Skywalker
Even before Ben Kenobi whisked him away on an intergalactic adventure, Luke Skywalker dreamed of fighting for the Rebellion. He desperately wanted to leave his aunt and uncle’s moisture farm behind so he could fly X-wings and blow up Imperial ships.
Luke secured the Rebels’ first major victory over the Empire – the destruction of the Death Star – and stuck with the cause to the very end, even after learning his father was in charge and being offered a management position.
5 Admiral Ackbar
Admiral Ackbar is primarily known for uttering three iconic words – “It’s a trap!” – during the Rebels’ final battle against the Empire. But it was clear from his brief appearance in Return of the Jedi that he was one of the most dedicated Rebels in the galaxy.
Ackbar led the Rebel fleet into their last stand against the Empire with the destruction of the second Death Star. Even when it was clear that they were lured into a trap, Ackbar refused to stand down.
4 Luthen Rael
Cassian Andor is first brought into the fold of the Rebellion when Luthen Rael shows up to save him from advancing Imperial detectives. Rael runs an antique store full of Easter eggs and puts on a friendly facade so that no one suspects him of working with the Rebellion.
Like Mon Mothma, Rael has a career on Coruscant to keep up appearances. But unlike Mothma, Rael’s cover purely exists to create the illusion that he’s not helping the Rebels – he’s all in on their cause.
3 Captain Rex
Captain Rex used to be one of the Republic’s most trusted clones, but he switched sides just in time. Rex removed his inhibitor chip before the Great Jedi Purge, allowing him to ignore Order 66 when it was executed by Palpatine.
Instead of wiping out the Jedi, Rex joined the Rebel Alliance and stuck with them to the end of their bitter struggle against the Empire. He was even retconned to have fought in the Battle of Endor.
2 Leia Organa
With her cushy palace and royal title on Alderaan, Leia Organa was doing much better than the average citizen when the galaxy was taken over by the Empire. But it just goes to show the strength of her convictions that she left that pampered life behind to lead the Rebels in their battle against the Empire.
Leia might not go down to the frontlines of every battle (although she does go down to Endor to help destroy the shield generator), but she’s the strong leader that the Rebellion needed.
1 Saw Gerrera
Saw Gerrera is so dedicated to the Rebels’ cause that even some of his fellow Rebels think he might be taking it a little too far. Of the many Rebel faction leaders in a galaxy far, far away, Gerrera is by far the most radical extremist. In Gerrera’s eyes, the ends justify the means – a philosophy that he has used to excuse heinous war crimes.
Gerrera feels that the Empire’s campaign of fearmongering is so effective that he can make them appear weak by leading a Rebel faction that strikes even more fear into the galaxy.