The star and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed Disney+ series has been changed for good thanks to Cassian Andor.
Star Wars changed everything for Diego Luna.
“It's probably one of the biggest surprises in my life, what saying yes to Rogue One brought to me,” Luna tells StarWars.com. “I had no expectations. And every time I talk about the character or the project, I still feel I'm talking about something that is very personal.”
Now reflecting on the journey that encapsulates roughly a decade of his life, the star of Andor, with all episodes now streaming on Disney+, looks back on the end of the acclaimed series, the most important missions for Cassian Andor, and how Andor led viewers and the Rebellion back to the film that started it all.
Spoiler warning: This article discusses story details and plot points from key Season 2 episodes of Andor.
Collision Course
The final two story arcs of the second season follow the creation of the Rebel Alliance as Star Wars fans have known it for almost fifty years. Not only does the third arc showcase the fraught path the Mon Mothma we first met in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi took to become a fugitive rebel leader, but just as importantly, the two main characters of the series finally share the screen for the first time since Rogue One. Mon Mothma might not know Cassian Andor yet, but her life depends on him — and ultimately, so does the Rebel Alliance itself.
“For the building of the Rebellion, this mission is crucial,” Luna says. “Things change in that moment. You understand why Cassian is given the mission of Rogue One; it's because she knows he's capable. In that escape, she witnessed what Cassian can do and how reliable he can be.”
After years of fighting against the Empire separately, worlds collide inside the storied Senate building on Coruscant immediately after Mon gives one final, incendiary speech. They get a glimpse of the methods they each use to rebel — Mothma’s stirring words reach Andor even as he focuses on the mission, and his unflinching decisions during the rescue give her a firsthand look at the real-world sacrifices that must be made for the Rebellion to succeed.
Luna appreciated the collaboration with Mon Mothma actor Genevieve O’Reilly in more ways than one.
“I've been working with Genevieve in this show for so long without having the opportunity to interact,” he says. “I admire her. She's a great friend and we had the opportunity to play this really cool scene of getting out of there. And for me, to be in the Senate, to be part of that story that it's always been far from where Cassian has been, it was fun.
“I think everyone knows what Mon Mothma means to the story, but now we understand the character,” Luna continues. “Genevieve is so subtle, so smart about every decision she makes. She doesn't waste an opportunity as an actor. She's always bringing something new, something different, something special. She never stops… but she also gives herself the chance to enjoy the process.”
“The Most Important Mission”
But Mon Mothma’s rescue is just one of a few of Cassian’s missions that end up as a determining factor in the fate of the galaxy. One of the most vital begins during a seemingly uneventful evening that sees Cassian, K-2SO, and Ruescott Melshi enjoying a rare moment to relax.
“They're just playing [a game] and getting drunk on a day that apparently isn’t going to bring anything,” says Luna. “And, suddenly, the most important mission happens. That episode means so much because you know what's about to happen. That's the beauty of the storytelling in the show, that things have that weight because we know Rogue One.”
The final episodes in Andor Season 2 answer some key questions that lead directly into the 2016 film. How did the Rebellion first learn the importance of the name Galen Erso? And how could they trust the first intelligence about the existence of a secret Imperial superweapon? It all hinges on Kleya Marki, who helped guide Cassian on his path to Rebel hero.
Luna praises both the character and the actress, Elizabeth Dulau, who plays her.
“Bringing [Kleya] and having that piece of information in Yavin is crucial,” he says. “I think she reminds you what's behind the big success of a rebellion, the life of people like her. Those broken lives mean so much. I think [Elizabeth] portrayed that fantastically, that complexity, what it means to deliver something without knowing if it's falling into the right hands.”
The End and the Beginning of Rogue One
Andor is a story of the people who give everything to make a rebellion happen, says Luna. And while Cassian will never know how the fight ends, nor even about the child he’ll never get to meet, the audience does — and they’ll be changed by it.
“I don't think you'll think about Cassian [the same way] ever again,” he says, “not just because of what he's capable of in the film, but because of what he's capable of leaving behind. What he’s not going to have. I think it's powerful and it's very strong. It's a beautiful way of reminding you what's behind change: people that probably wanted to have a family, people that probably just wanted to be happy next to those they love. And I think it reminds us how lucky we are if we’re capable of having that in our lives.”
As Cassian leaves for his mission on Kafrene and directly into the events of Rogue One in the final moments of Andor, Luna recommends following him into the film one more time.
“If you like Rogue One, you're going to realize there's so much you didn't know,” he says. “And so many things are going to be seen from a different perspective after watching Andor…It’s about understanding the complexity, the amount of love, loss, commitment, and passion behind change.”
Diego Luna is Cassian Andor in Andor, now streaming on Disney+.
