The terror of the Empire.
The seeds of rebellion.
The "Andor" trailer has something for every "Star Wars" fan.
Considering that "Andor" is set before the events of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,"
it was likely we would spot some familiar faces of those who perished in the film.
After all, one of them literally has his name as the show's title.
But besides the show casting a spotlight on Cassian Andor's road to rebellion, a critical
figure in the fight against the Empire is Saw Gerrera, who returns, once again played
by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker.
The one time guardian of Jyn Erso is shown here in talks with Luther, potentially on
Jedha long before it was destroyed.
He's displaying his more direct approach to handling the Empire with a new ally.
Let's call it war, even.
The question worth asking is how much he'll be in the new series.
In "Rogue One," Gerrera captures Cassian while with Jyn, right before Jedha is destroyed.
However, when the two briefly meet, Gerrera refrains from attacking the rebel, who rushes
Jyn to safety.
"Save the dream!"
With this in mind, could this prequel to the prequel show Gerrera have a passing encounter
with Andor, but not enough to mess up the already galaxy-sized continuity of the "Star
Wars" universe?
Might we also see Gerrera carrying fewer battle scars than in "Rogue One" where he was becoming
more machine than man?
Everything is connected in the "Star Wars" universe, so it was no surprise to get an
homage of sorts to "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" in the second "Andor" trailer.
At one point, we see what looks like a young Andor climbing into the mysterious Imperial
ship that has landed on his planet.
The entrance to the vessel is a long, dark corridor which makes Andor look relatively
small and insignificant by comparison.
"Rogue One" fans might have recognized this perspective on a young character, as it's
similar to one from the 2016 film.
When a young Jyn Erso hides from Orson Krennic in the film's opening scene, she's likewise
shown in a tunnel, at a distance.
Just after her mother is killed and her father is taken captive by the Empire, Jyn hides
in an underground shelter.
Saw Gerrera finds her, and we see the same perspective of looking down a long shaft toward
our future hero.
Considering that "Andor" is a direct spin-off of "Rogue One," there are likely to be more
homages to the film.
A "Star Wars" television series about a fomenting rebellion would not be complete without an
Imperial antagonist.
Although there is very little known about the Imperial officer that actor Denise Gough
will be playing, the trailer makes clear that she is integral in the Empire's early attempts
at quashing the Rebellion.
Considering that "Andor" takes place before the events of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,"
the Rebellion is not yet strong enough to even contemplate launching large-scale attacks
on the Empire.
The trailer for "Andor" has several shots featuring Gough's character, so it's safe
to assume that she will be an imposing foil for Cassian Andor.
The first scene shows her flanked by two intimidating Imperial Death Troopers, while the next sees
her walking in a sterile-looking hallway while a voiceover explains that someone caught in her net.
Another moment has her lording over a holographic map.
She then asks,
"Are you a fish, or are you a thief?"
Gough's character, who is rigid and orderly, looks to be the opposite of Andor, a cunning
trickster who is always thinking on his feet.
It will be interesting to see how this as-yet unknown character fits in the greater lore
of the "Star Wars" universe.
At one point in the trailer, there are a few shots of ruined ships being ripped to shreds
in some kind of junkyard.
Smaller ships and workers cut into them, presumably to salvage these destroyed ships' parts.
This imagery will look awfully familiar to anyone who's played "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen
Order," which kicks off with troubled padawan Cal Kestis hiding out as a worker on the junk
planet, Bracca.
He's just one of the thousands working on the planet to dismantle republic-era ships,
fighters, and droids to make some money.
In the Andor trailer, Cassian is surrounded by scrappers and junk, implying that he might
be on Bracca, or a planet like it, as part of a mission against the Empire.
This doesn't necessarily mean we'll get a direct link to "Fallen Order," even though
fans of the game would probably love to see one.
But it's worth noting that the new series takes place in a similar time frame to "Fallen Order."
It remains to be seen if this is just something similar to the game, or an actual location from it.
The "Andor" trailer also features a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance from an incomparable fan-favorite
"Star Wars" icon: Benthic Two Tubes!
The alien who briefly appears in "Solo" and "Rogue One" is back for more shady shenanigans
in the new series.
In the new trailer, Benthic stands guard in a canyon setting, with a black and gray X-Wing
in the background.
In case it wasn't clear, Two Tubes gets his name because of his breathing apparatus.
Tognaths don't normally breathe oxygen, so he needs it for oxygen atmospheres.
The mercenary is a skilled fighter, and he first shows up chronologically in "Solo,"
working alongside Enfys Nest and the Cloud Riders.
"We're not marauders.
We're allies."
Benthic later joins Saw Gerrera and his extremist group, the Partisans, because he wants to
actively fight the Empire.
He appears in "Rogue One" on the planet Jedha.
But why doesn't Benthic join the Rebel Alliance?
Well, Mon Mothma's organization didn't approve of Gerrera's violent tactics, so they're not
welcome in the central rebellion.
Hopefully, the mercenary will get to do more in "Andor" than he did in "Solo" and "Rogue One."
"Andor" hits Disney+ September 21, 2022.