Top 10 Things You Missed in Andor Season 1

“Rogue One” showed a much grittier side to war in the Star Wars universe, as did “Solo”. “Andor” has continued to explore a galaxy that’s more grounded and nuanced than what came before. It’s fitting then that there’s a wartime connection between “Solo” and “Andor”. After getting kicked out of the Imperial Academy, Han Solo fought for the Empire on the swamp planet Mimban against the Mimbanese Liberation Army. There, he faced the horrors of war but also met and liberated Chewie. It turns out, Cassian was there as well, also on the side of the Empire. Maybe they crossed paths. It’s a small galaxy, after all.

Fun fact: in “A New Hope”, the banthas were portrayed by an Asian elephant named Mardji in an elaborate costume. Her trunk would sometimes pop out on set. While banthas are native to Tatooine, they’re also bred elsewhere in the galaxy, and apparently, children are quite fond of them. There are actually a few mentions of bantha toys in non-canon media. The first and foremost such plushie belongs to Lumpy in “The Star Wars Holiday Special”. When Cassian’s adoptive mother Maarva walks into his room, there’s a similar bantha toy sitting by his bed. We’re still going to insist though that the Holiday Special is NOT canon …

“Andor” has featured several familiar ships, such as the TUG-b13, or ‘quadjumper’, which first appeared in “The Force Awakens”. You can also glimpse a WTK-85A like the one Rey’s parents stole and flew away in; the Republic Gunships introduced in “Attack of the Clones”; the TIE Reapers from “Rogue One”; and more. Perhaps the most notable though is the Cantwell-Class Arrestor Cruiser, whose tractor beams almost capture Luthen. It was originally designed for “A New Hope”, based on World War II aircraft carriers, but first showcased in an Imperial recruitment film in “Solo”, as well as a deleted scene. It’s a striking design that we’re glad we finally got to see fully realized.

After Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the Star Wars Expanded Universe was rebranded as Legends, and considered non-canon. However, more and more material from Legends has been re-canonized. The planet Belsavis, for example, was introduced in a 1995 novel and featured in the game “Star Wars: The Old Republic”, before appearing on a canon map in 2016, and receiving a brief mention in “Andor”. Tunqstoid steel’ was also first introduced in a novel. In a similar vein, Mon Mothma’s daughter Leida originated in 1993’s Dark Empire Sourcebook. It was spelled differently, with the I before the E, but the basic continuity is there. In this sense, Leida is a living Legend!

Speaking of the Expanded Universe, a lot of lore from Star Wars video games has also been integrated into the Disney-era canon. One of the deepest-cut references in “Andor” comes when Luthen gives Cassian a kyber crystal pendant that commemorates a revolt against “Rakatan invaders”. The Rakatans debuted in the 2003 RPG “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic”. After a plague and civil war, the collapse of their Infinite Empire, which had been based on conquest and enslavement, led to the formation of the Galactic Republic, twenty-five thousand years before the main Star Wars era. While the species had been mentioned in a canon magazine and sourcebook, this is the first reference in a TV or film. That pendant must be really old.

There are several return players in “Andor”, such as Cassian himself, Mon Mothma, and Saw Gerrera. However, there are also a few that casual fans might have missed. Cassian’s fellow prisoner Ruescott Melshi will go on to become a sergeant in the Rebel Alliance in “Rogue One”. Admiral Wulff Yularen served with the Republic in “The Clone Wars” film and series, but has joined the Imperial Security Bureau by the time he appears in “Star Wars Rebels” and “Andor”. He’s still with the Empire in “A New Hope”. Interestingly, “Andor” also features a Keredian credited as Dewi Pamular who looks a LOT like Partisan fighter Cycyed Ock in “Rogue One”, down to the distinct cyber-optic wire.

We mentioned video game references, and there’s a lot more to come! We have fond memories of “Star Wars: Dark Forces” and its sequels, and “Andor” includes a few nods. The series name-drops the planet ‘Fest’, the location of an Imperial base that Kyle Katern infiltrates in “Dark Forces”. Even more notably, Cassian’s chunky MW-20 Bryar pistol is based on the K-16 model that was Kyle Katarn’s signature sidearm, and included in “Star Wars Battlefront”. Cassian seems to use the same pistol that his adoptive father Clem once did. There’s something undeniably badass about the blaster that makes it a welcome addition to Cassian’s character.

We're pretty sure we know what Indiana would think of Luthen's antique shop. "It belongs in a museum!" We could do a Top 10 just based on Luthen's collection. One of the most intriguing objects is a very familiar bullship frozen in carbonite. In another scene, you can see the Sankara Stones from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. Since this is a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, does that mean these objects made their way to Earth thousands of years later? The Easter eggs go both ways, by the way; there are several Star Wars references in the “Indiana Jones” films, such as hieroglyphs that show R2-D2 and C-3PO in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

THX-1138 Vibes

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Luthen’s shop is Easter egg heaven! Eagle-eyed viewers would have glimpsed a kalikori - a Twi'lek family heirloom; stone tablets with symbols associated with the World Between Worlds; a Jedi Temple guard mask; a breathing mask that looks like Plo Koon’s; Jedi and Sith holocrons; and Padme’s headdress. How did that get there?! Most prominent in Luthen’s collection however is a suit of Sith Stalker armor, such as worn by Darth Vader’s secret apprentice Starkiller in the 2008 game “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed”. While Starkiller might never make it into canon, this was a glorious nod for longtime fans.