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The era of rebellion in the galaxy far, far away has never been so popular. Since Star Wars: Rebels began airing in 2014, Lucasfilm has consistently found new avenues to explore in the 19 years between Revenge of the Sith and A new hope. come on the heels of Obi Wan Kenobiwhich presented the seeds of revolution against the Empire, Star Wars: Andor seeks to continue this trend.
six years later Rogue One: A Star Wars Story graced the big screen, fans will finally get to see a prequel story about one of the film’s main protagonists: Cassian Andor. Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote A thugis back to serve as writer, director and showrunner for the series.
Not only does the show look like developing the history of the refugees of Andor, but it seems to tell a grander story about the origin of the Rebel Alliance as a whole and the Empire’s iron grip on the galaxy. As audiences have seen pieces of this story in rebelsit was mainly from the point of view of a rebel pocket. Andoron the other hand, seems to delve into the key pieces that bring the Alliance together.
In addition to ending with disappointing news, AndorThe official trailer for has wowed viewers with jaw-dropping visuals and new locations. On top of that, it offered an intriguing look at the show’s main characters, one of whom could be the source of a potential continuity issue.
I saw Gerrera all through Star Wars
Among the new and familiar faces of the Star Wars: Andor trailer was a rebellious extremist, Saw Gerrera, played by Forest Whitaker. The general public was introduced to this character in A thugbut hardcore fans had already seen this insurgent in season 5 of The Clone Wars.
In this four-episode arc, set in 20 BBY (before the Battle of Yavin), Saw and his band of rebels sought to defeat the Separatist forces on their home planet of Onderon. With the guidance of the Jedi and the Republic, they succeeded in restoring Onderon’s freedom. This came at a cost, however, as Saw tragically lost his sister during the fight.
The next time the character appeared was in 2016 A thug, which occurs at 0 BBY. Fans learned that Gerrera once fought with the Alliance, but eventually broke with the group because they didn’t share his militant views.
In the film, Saw has a mechanical leg and has difficulty breathing due to his damaged lungs. His disheveled appearance and fractured mind illustrate the toll his persistent battles took on him. Since the film’s release, Lucasfilm has elaborated on Gerrera’s activities during those 20 years between The Clone Wars and A thug.
The freedom fighter has made cameos in projects like Jedi: Fallen Order and The bad lot, where his rebellious efforts remain constant. But his biggest role, and one closely related to Andorwas in rebels.
Gerrera first appeared in the Season 3 two-part mid-season premiere anime series, “Ghosts of Geonosis.” These episodes take place in 2 BBY (about two years before A thug). At this point, Saw is still a member of the Alliance, though his radical tendencies are still evident.
The visual representation of Saw in these episodes is very similar to his appearance in A thugopening flashback sequence. He possesses a cleaner look, with a bald head and less shaggy beard. In addition, he has each of his limbs and does not need any help to breathe. Because of this, he is able to take in more of the action with a sharp mind.
Gerrera plays a final role in rebels‘ Season 4 two-episode arc titled ‘In the Name of the Rebellion’, which occurs in 1 BBY. Just a year after “Ghosts of Geonosis”, Saw officially broke with the Alliance, calling the rebellion weak and indecisive.
Here, its depiction more closely resembles its appearance in A thug. His dark gray hair and beard have grown in, but he still hasn’t lost his leg and isn’t wearing a breathing apparatus.
Additionally, the burden of war and the threat of Imperial spies haunt Gerrera in A thug. Consequently, he is no longer as mentally fit as he once was during the events of rebels. But why is all this important?
Will be Andor A conflict with star wars rebels Cannon?
Season 1 of Andor is set 5 BBY, meaning it occurs two years before Saw Gerrera first appears in star wars rebels Season 3 and five years before A thug. So, chronologically, Gerrera’s physical characteristics should resemble his design in season 3 of rebels, where it is much more neglected. However, the extremely brief image of Saw in the Andor official trailer more closely resembles its cinematic portrayal and design in rebels Season 4.
From the trailer, it’s unclear whether or not Insurgent is limping on a mechanical leg. Therefore, it is not fair to speculate on the subject. Still, one worry that might arise in some sects of the fandom is how Saw Gerrera will be characterized in Andor and whether it matches the current canon established in other projects.
Tony Gilroy, who has classified as not being a “fan-fan” from Star Warsrecently talked about canon challenges and how Andor manages the tradition. Gilroy is well aware of the variety of canons that exist in the franchise, and he noted how the team worked with Pablo Hidalgo, Star Wars Lore Advisor.
Additionally, Gilroy remarked that the series does not reverse canon, but rather offers fans a new perspective on the characters. Conversely, it also has stated that there may be cases where, “What you know, what you’ve been told, what’s on Wookieepedia…is really wrong.”
In the past, Lucasfilm has recontextualized certain events in Star Wars history. Sometimes it’s for story purposes; other times it’s for convenience.
Andor could be another case of recontextualization. With how closely Gilroy is tied to A thugas well as his determination to tell a unique Star Wars story, what fans know of Saw Gerrera during this time could be deconstructed.
Gilroy may add some details about the character’s relationship to the Rebellion that were previously unknown. He can also modify the existing canon established by rebels to connect it more with A thug.
If the goal is to align with current canon, Saw Gerrera should be snappier than it was in A thug. He won’t just be an intimidating presence to face. Instead, he would be in combat with his comrades and lead on the battlefield.
Also, it shouldn’t be as radical as it is in season 4 of rebels Where A thug. However, his penchant for extremism can still be explored in how he comes into conflict with other rebels and their values.
And let’s be clear: Andor still has a great chance of not breaking the barrel and even connecting it at a deeper level. In star wars rebels, Captain Rex recounts how Saw created his own rebel cell before joining the Alliance. This could be exactly what happens in the Andor trailer, as Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael might be looking to recruit Saw’s band for a greater cause.
Still, fans of these beloved franchises tend to get frustrated when things don’t line up in-universe or certain projects get retconned. Some will completely reject projects that they feel don’t make sense in the overall canon.
But Star Wars was never really about canon. Continuity was not a building block of this universe. George Lucas was inspired by mythology, traditions, legends and heroes.
With mythology come different beliefs and interpretations. After all, it’s a big galaxy. So not only do the creators of these Star Wars stories have different perspectives on the franchise, but the world itself is filled with contrasting points of view.
Over the past two years, Dave Filoni has made a point of embracing the differences between visual media and continuing the trend of nonlinear storytelling in Star Wars. It paves the way for more creative possibilities. That being said, Lucasfilm will continue its efforts to preserve the overall Star Wars lore.
Not enough footage has been seen of Saw Gerrera in Andor to determine whether or not there will be a disconnect between this show and star wars rebels. But the pertinent question remains – will Gerrera’s presence in the series make sense in the Star Wars timeline, or will it serve more as a prequel to A thug?
Find out when Andor begins streaming September 21 with a three-episode premiere on Disney+.