Disney’s takeover of the Star Wars franchise has been polarizing and divisive, to say the least. But one of the few things fans and critics agree Disney got right was Andor. The miniseries isn’t the typical action-packed sci-fi epic Star Wars is known for. Instead, it gives us a grounded, realistic look into the formation of the Rebel Alliance and the cruelty of the Empire.
Before Andor returns for its second (and final) season on April 22, here are five key events from Season 1 to brush up on:
1. Recruiting a Rebel
Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) isn’t a hero when we first meet him. He’s a survivalist looking for his long-lost sister in a brothel on Morlana One. Unfortunately, that mission gets derailed after an altercation with two Pre-Mor security officers on Morlana One ends with Cassian killing them. He escapes back to Ferrix, where he tries to cover his tracks while attempting to sell an Imperial Starpath unit to a mysterious buyer.
The incident on Morlana One puts Cassian on the radar of Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), a mid-level security officer desperate to prove himself. Despite his superior’s warnings, Syril launches a manhunt for Cassian on Ferrix—one that ends in disaster when the mystery buyer/Rebel recruiter, Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), helps Cassian escape.
2. The Aldhani Heist
Luthen sees potential in Cassian (now using the alias Clem) and convinces him to join a small Rebel cell led by Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay). The mission? Infiltrate an Imperial garrison on Aldhani and steal the payroll to fund the Rebellion. It’s risky, but Cassian agrees for the hefty payout. In the days leading up to the heist, He integrates himself within Vel’s crew—which includes Vel’s right-hand man Taramyn (Gershwyn Eustache Jr), the idealist Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther), the abrasive Arvel Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and the no-nonsense Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu).
The heist is a success, but it comes at a cost. Taramyn and Nemik are fatally wounded. Skeen betrays the group, revealing he was only using the Rebellion for his own self-interest. A disillusioned Cassian kills him on the spot and takes his payment, making it clear he wants nothing to do with the Rebel Alliance. He does, however, reluctantly take Nemik’s manifesto since it was his dying wish—and it proves to be very influential to Cassian later in the series.
3. The Empire Strikes Back
The Aldhani heist shakes the Empire to its core. Emperor Palpatine authorizes sweeping crackdowns, and the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) tightens its grip. Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), a calculating and ambitious ISB officer, seizes the opportunity to rise through the ranks, using Cassian’s involvement to track down Rebel activity.
Luthen’s assistant, Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau), orders Vel to kill Cassian to prevent him from turning Luthen over to the Empire. Meanwhile, Syril—disgraced and jobless—becomes obsessed with finding Cassian, convinced he’s meant for something greater.
On Coruscant, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) secretly funnels credits to the Rebellion while navigating her double life as a member of the Imperial Senate. The walls start to close in once the Empire takes a closer look at her bank accounts. As she struggles to explain away missing credits, she’s forced to make a brutal choice—arrange a betrothal between her daughter, Leida (Bronte Carmichael), and the son of a shady Chandrilan banker to secure funds.
4. Narkina 5: A Prison Like No Other
After the Aldhani heist, Cassian tries to lay low on Niamos, only to be arrested for crimes he didn’t commit. He’s sent to the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex—a brutal Imperial factory prison placed in the middle of a lake. It’s where prisoners are forced to build parts for an unknown mechanism (later revealed to be components for the Death Star). Under the watchful eye of floor manager Kino Loy (Andy Serkis), Cassian learns how the prison operates in all its brutality.
At first, Kino enforces the rules to ensure nothing jeopardizes his release. But then Kino and Cassian learn that Narkina 5 has been shuffling prisoners to different levels instead of releasing them. Realizing they’ll never be freed, Kino helps Cassian orchestrate a massive prison break. Once the prisoners overwhelm the guards and make their way to freedom, Kino makes a heartbreaking confession: “I can’t swim.” In one of the most gut-wrenching moments of Andor, Kino is forced to stay behind and watch everyone else escape into the lake.
5. A Funeral, a Riot, and an Important Choice
Back on Ferrix, Cassian’s adoptive mother, Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw), feels inspired to take part in the nascent rebellion even as her health deteriorates. She dies while Cassian is in prison—something he doesn’t learn about until after he escapes. As Cassian returns to Ferrix, both the Rebels and the ISB are already there, waiting for him. It’s then that he finally reads Nemik’s manifesto:
“The day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance, will have flooded the banks of the Empire’s authority, and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this: Try.”
During Maarva’s funeral procession, chaos erupts when B2EMO projects a pre-recorded speech where she urges the people of Ferrix to make a stand: “Fight the Empire!”
As the Imperials struggle to contain the riot, Cassian rescues his friend/ex, Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona), from captivity. While Bix and the rest of Cassian’s friends escape Ferrix, he decides to stay behind. He tracks Luthen down and offers the Rebel leader a choice: “Kill me or take me in.” Luthen only smiles in response as Cassian finally answers the call.
