Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Andor.In a galaxy far, far away that keeps expanding in no particular chronological order, it can be hard to keep up with the setting of new content. Especially when the world has its own way of measuring time, which isn't easily translated to the real world. But Disney is always sure to release the necessary information. Andor centers on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a character familiar to fans after his appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Just a recognizable character can help to place the series into the overall timeline, but in this case, it is not the only thing.
In the opening scene of this new addition to the Star Wars universe, a title card appears to tell the audience it is the year 5 BBY. Of course, understanding what that means is another matter entirely — but it's easy to see how things fall into the Star Wars timeline once you learn the system.
What Is BBY?
In order to understand the date, it is important to know the meaning of the BBY abbreviation. It stands for "before the Battle of Yavin." Dates in the Star Wars universe are measured in relation to this event. So every date will be followed by either BBY or ABY (after the Battle of Yavin). This is the center of the timeline for two reasons. One: it was a defining moment for the world of Star Wars. And two: all fans are aware of it, whether they realize it or not.
The Battle of Yavin takes place during the original Star Wars film, Star Wars: A New Hope. It is sometimes called by the more descriptive name the Battle of the Death Star. The battle ends in victory for the rebels when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) destroys the Death Star. The name Yavin comes from the location of the battle which occurred in a system of the same name. The Rebel base where the heroes took off from was on a moon called Yavin 4, so there are many reasons why Yavin would be the chosen name.
Andor takes place five years before these events, which gives the general timeframe between the original trilogy and the prequels. Honestly, even just that much is a significant help. But these days, plenty of Star Wars content takes place in that time, so when is Andor in relation to that?
When Does 'Andor' Take Place Relative to 'Rogue One'?
Obviously, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the most directly related to the new show, as they share a leading man. The events of Rogue One take place in 0 BBY, so Andor begins five years before Cassian's first introduction to the universe. Cassian has a lot to do before he becomes the passionate rebel from Rogue One and this series is set to show that journey. With a Season 2 already confirmed, as well as that post-credit scene that indicates the construction of the Death Star taking place, it is unclear how much more time the next season of Andor will cover, but it will be within the five-year window before Rogue One.
Notably, 5 BBY is also the last time Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) sees Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) before the fateful events of Rogue One. Their relationship sets Rogue One into motion, uniting Jyn and Cassian. Saw Gerrera is featured in several episodes of Andor as an ally of Stellan Skarsgård's Luthen Rael (even though their philosophies differ in regard to the burgeoning rebellion), but don't expect Jyn to appear with him as they have fallen out by this time — which is also documented in the canonical novel Star Wars: Rebel Rising by Beth Revis.
When Do the Other Major Events of Star Wars Take Place?
If you're looking at Andor's relevance to other recent shows, it is important to realize that Obi-Wan Kenobi, the last Star Wars series released on Disney+, is four years before Andor, in the year 9 BBY, and follows Ewan McGregor's character through the galaxy on a rescue mission. Though it is unlikely for the two series to eventually connect at some point, as Kenobi must stay isolated, it does show how powerful the Empire is in the years surrounding Andor.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is another Star Wars story floating within this timeframe. The year is somewhat ambiguous, but judging by Han Solo's (Alden Ehrenreich) age, Solo should be around 10 BBY, slightly more removed from Andor than Obi-Wan Kenobi but still fairly close. Again, neither the events nor the characters are likely to overlap, but it provides context for the larger world of Andor and the environment Cassian has grown up in.
Andor does run concurrently with the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Somewhere in the far reaches of the galaxy, the young thief, Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray), is joining the crew of the ghost at the same time Cassian joins the rebellion. This connection also serves to help understand where the rebellion is at the time of Andor. As seen in Star Wars: Rebels, the rebellion is in its infancy. 14 years after the rise of the Empire, the rebels are still learning to work together and become an organized movement, but they are progressing. Though they are small, they are not far away from a time when they will pose a viable threat to the Empire. Andor has given more history to the beginning of the rebellion and will continue to do so in Season 2, and this means more familiar faces. Like Saw Gerrera, Galactic Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) appears in the series.
When Are Cassian Andor's Flashbacks Set?
The first three episodes of Andor include flashbacks to Cassian's childhood. The date is not given directly, but given what is known about Cassian, it isn't difficult to guess the timeframe. Cassian is supposed to be 26 in Rogue One, making him 21 in Andor. Based on the appearance of young Cassian, or Kassa (Antonio Viña), he is about 11, meaning the flashbacks take place 10 years before the main series. This puts the flashbacks in roughly 15 BBY, though Cassian's age may have been changed for the series, as the details given in Rogue One do not seem to line up entirely.
With only one season released to date, it is entirely possible that Andor creator Tony Gilroy may reveal more about Cassian's backstory in the series. Until then, fans will just have to wait for another season to drop. Season 1 of Andor is currently available to stream on Disney+, with Season 2 set to premiere at a date yet to be announced.