ROGUE ONE hits differently after watching Andor – a must-see

Two weeks ago, Andor came to an end, and not long after, the first of the Star Wars spin-offs – Rogue One – began to gain popularity on Disney+. No surprise there – after all, nine years after its release, it has become a direct sequel to the series and a conclusion to the story of its titular hero. And wow, do these two productions fit together beautifully.

I liked Rogue One from the very first viewing, and even without Andor, I considered it the best Star Wars film made after Disney acquired the franchise.

But now, since it has become a bridge between Andor and A New Hope, it watches even better and in a whole new light. Andor turned out brilliantly – it’s undoubtedly my favorite series in the Star Wars universe, one that would still be excellent even if it didn’t belong to that universe. As a thriller, a spy series, a war drama. No other cinematic or TV production in the Star Wars world has ever shown in such detail just how grueling, dangerous, and painful the Rebellion’s efforts were – and that its members weren’t pristine heroes, but desperate individuals willing to do whatever it took. At the same time, it provided a fascinating glimpse into the structures of the Empire and into the “street-level” side of Star Wars. Apartments, shops, offices, workplaces – it’s amazing how much Andor did for worldbuilding.

Rogue One had always been a grittier, more grounded part of Star Wars, less fantastical than the main saga films. More somber and darker. In Andor, Tony Gilroy took this even further and, along the way, created new, excellent characters (crucial for later events!) – with my personal favorite being Luthen.

The final episodes of Andor foreshadow upcoming events, shedding new light not only on Rogue One but also on A New Hope. Here we get to see how the Rebellion learns about the Death Star and what happens just days before Luke Skywalker gets his hands on R2-D2 and C-3PO. Thanks to this, the moment Luke destroys the Empire’s station in the finale of A New Hope is even more satisfying.

Let’s go back to Rogue One, where the very first scene with Andor continues directly from the end of the series. At the end of Andor, Cassian sets off to meet his informant, and that interaction is exactly what we see in Rogue One. Nine years ago, we didn’t yet know how determined this character was to learn more, what the name Galen Erso meant to him, or why it was so important for the Rebellion to capture Jyn. Today, with that knowledge, Rogue One immediately draws you in even more and feels more dramatic from the very start.

Some characters are now viewed entirely differently. We look at Mon Mothma with real admiration, remembering her incredible speech in the Senate. And Krennic? We associate him with devising genocide plans for the planet Ghorman, which makes him an even stronger villain. We also understand Andor himself much better – like when, on the planet Jedha, he feels uneasy seeing stormtroopers in the crowd. There’s no doubt he’s reminded of what he saw on Ghorman. Or when he tells Jyn how much he’s sacrificed.

His death feels far more tragic now. He’s no longer “just” the film’s main character who dies at the end, but the protagonist of a long story about fighting the Empire – one whose actions we’ve followed over many hours. And who, at the moment of his death, is probably thinking of the last message about his beloved Bix. About how they’ll reunite after the fight against the Empire ends. Had things gone differently, they’d probably have started a happy family with a child – but Andor died not knowing he had a child. How could you not feel heartbroken?

Continuity is also helped by the fact that the actors haven’t changed much over nine years and don’t look older in a production that, chronologically, takes place earlier (unlike Better Call Saul, another excellent prequel where this was more noticeable). The exception, of course, is Bail Organa, who is played by two different actors (Jimmy Smits in the film and Benjamin Bratt in the series). But this was such a well-done recast that it doesn’t distract – Bratt did a great job portraying Bail, respecting Smits’ original role.

If you haven’t had the chance yet, do yourself a favor and watch Andor, Rogue One, and finish with A New Hope. Watching those two films now is an entirely new experience – even more emotional and captivating than before. It’s hard to watch the old trilogy now without thinking about what happened in the preceding years and what allowed the Rebellion to succeed. Of course, no one there mentions Andor, Luthen, or Bix – but we know that without them, there may not have been any celebration on Endor in Return of the Jedi.