The drought is over. The skies have opened up and sent bountiful rain in answer to our prayers. By the skies, of course, I mean Lucasfilm and Disney, and by rain, I mean a proper, official trailer for “Andor” season 2. Today is a good day.
More a teaser than a narrative trailer, the 90-second montage features a range of action set pieces, tons of character appearances, a Wachowski-esque dance party, numerous disguises for the eponymous Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and big appearances from “Rogue One” characters like K-2SO, Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), and of course, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). There are plenty of teases and a lot of explosions, suggesting that this season’s 12 episodes may be even more action-packed than season 1.
In the interest of fandom and wild speculation, let’s go through some of the more curious moments in the trailer and see what they may tell us about “Andor” Season 2.
1. Is that Kylo Ren’s TIE fighter?
One scene shown in a few different fragmented moments in the “Andor” season 2 trailer involves an advanced TIE fighter model being hijacked in an imperial hanger. Whoever’s in the cockpit quickly begins eviscerating the nearby squad of stormtroopers with the ships laser cannons. For more casual fans, the closest visual comparison is probably the ship Kylo Ren flies in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which is called the TIE Silencer. The long, angled wings and beefier cockpit are both design elements shared between the two. It also looks similar to Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced.
In reality, this is more likely the first onscreen canonical appearance of the TIE Avenger, a model most famous for its role in the old EU video game “Star Wars: TIE Fighter.” The look is basically the same, and it would make sense, as the Avenger was conceived as a far more dangerous TIE variant with added features like deflector shields and a hyperdrive. That would make it a valuable target for Cassian or some other rebel agent to steal, just as the characters in “Star Wars Rebels” spend numerous episodes trying to dismantle the TIE Defender project.
2. What happened at Saw Gerrera’s base?
One of the longest uninterrupted shots in the new “Andor” trailer shows a handful of X-wings and another larger ship taking off from what appears to be Saw Gerrera’s hidden rebel base from “Andor” season 1. The X-wings in particular appear to bear the paint schemes seen in those earlier episodes. In the shot, you can also see a dead body lying in the entryway of the base. So what’s going on here?
The first natural assumption would be that the base was raided, but the ships seem to be taking off unperturbed. There are no stormtroopers in sight. It’s also possible, then, that Saw himself is the man responsible for the dead body. He doesn’t take kindly to double agents, spies, or traitors of any sort, and we could be seeing the aftermath here of a tense rebel-on-rebel encounter.
3. The party scene is likely Mon Mothma’s daughter’s wedding on Chandrila
Amidst all of the explosions, firefights, and hyperspace jumps, the “Andor” Season 2 trailer keeps cutting back to a colorful party being attended by Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly). And while this scene might appear to be a cheerier moment than what’s seen in the other shots, it’s likely similarly sinister.
At the end of “Andor” Season 1, Mon Mothma is forced into an impossible position. An imperial audit would reveal her use of family funds to arm the rebellion, so at the behest of old friend and fellow Chandrilan Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), she enlists the aid of Davo Sculdun (Richard Dillane) a banker of the more criminal variety. In exchange for helping Mon hide her financial details from the Empire, he requests that he be allowed to bring his teenage son to meet her daughter, Leida (Bronte Carmichael). The implication is the Chandrilan custom of arranged marriage, which Mon rejects at first. However, by the end of the season it’s clear that she’s gone along with the proposition.
This party is likely either Leida’s wedding or some other event tied to her engagement. It wouldn’t be proper for a senator like Mon to take part in such a boisterous ceremony for just any reason, but if it’s part of longstanding Chandrilan traditions, that would explain it.
4. Brasso and Bix are hiding out on a farm
We don’t get much of a look at the survivors from Ferrix in the “Andor” Season 2 trailer, but Bix (Adria Arjona) and Brasso (Bronte Carmichael) pop up very briefly. They both seem to be hiding out on a planet or moon with arable farming. One possibility is Frezno, the moon where the Aldhani heist crew sought medical help for their fallen comrade Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther) in season 1. Like the location glimpsed in this trailer, Doctor Quadpaw’s operating theater on Frezno was surrounded by crops. Bix and Brasso may have fled there after the massacre on Ferrix.
Wherever they are, it seems that the Empire has found them. The trailer shows Brasso struggling to escape a squad of stormtroopers, and we also see Cassian flying low over the farmland and firing a missile from his ship at an Imperial transport. Hopefully, everyone makes it out alive again, but given how Andor has worked in the past, I wouldn’t be so sure.
5. Who are those guys in stormtrooper armor with no helmets?
One brief shot in the “Andor” season 2 trailer shows a squad of what look like stormtroopers without helmets, advancing down a corridor with weapons drawn. Who are these supposedly imperial commandos? Their armor, while very similar to that of a normal stormtrooper, is different and more specialized. It’s probable that these are field agents of the Imperial Security Bureau, or ISB, where Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) works.
“Andor” season 1 mostly shows the office arm of the ISB, but it has more active, militaristic wings, as seen in other “Star Wars” stories like “Rebels.” The armor on the season 2 trailer commandos is a bit different from what ISB field operatives have worn in the past, but “Rebels” is an animated show, so some cosmetic differences would be understandable.
6. Syril Karn is in an Imperial facility, but without an Imperial uniform
The one shot we see of king incel and premium sad boy Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) in the “Andor” season 2 trailer shows him running out of what appears to be an Imperial building. He’s always wanted to work for the Empire with the big boy fascists, and after saving Dedra in the season 1 finale, he might be getting his wish.
What’s interesting, though, is that Syril seems to be wearing the same kind of municipal uniform of drab suit and space tie that he wears in Season 1, rather than an actual Imperial uniform. So what’s he actually doing in this facility? Working as a consultant, maybe, or just in for an interview?
7. Cassian is on Coruscant, but why?
“Andor” season 2 will cover a four-year span leading all the way up to the start of “Rogue One.” As such, it’s going to show Cassian in a lot of different situations, and we get a pretty good look at his various disguises in the trailer. One of the main places we see him in the footage looks like Coruscant, but what could he be doing there so close to the center of Imperial power?
There could be a million answers, but it’s worth noting that Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) already have their own networks of operatives set up on the planet. Cassian being there suggests something bigger is going on, and it might have to do with Mon Mothma herself.
In “Star Wars Rebels” season 3, Mon gives a fiery speech during an Imperial Senate session, calling the Emperor a dictator. She then flees with the help of rebel agents (notably without her family). One shot in the trailer seems to show Orson Krennic speaking with Mon, suggesting that he’s onto her. Could Cassian be part of the plot to get her off of Coruscant and safely into rebel protection? It seems likely.
“Andor” season 2 premieres on Disney+ on April 22.
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