Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 1 of Andor.One of the most refreshing things about Andor is that it seems like it's the first Star Wars series that isn’t tied to the Jedi and the Skywalker saga. Although The Mandalorian started off as a western on the outskirts of the galaxy, untouched by the events of the core storyline, it ultimately tied into familiar characters like Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Star Wars fans wouldn’t be blamed for feeling like the universe was only getting smaller.
Thankfully, Andor creator Tony Gilroy has indicated that he’s not interested in doing unnecessary fan service. Although we will see familiar characters like Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), Gilroy says they are there for the purpose of the story. Andor is a spy thriller set in the Star Wars universe, and the change of pace helps differentiate it among the other ongoing projects that Disney+ has lined up.
Although Andor comes from the perspective of a self-described “non-superfan,” there are still some references and callbacks that eagle-eyed fans may have picked up on. Here are some of the hidden details in Andor you may have missed.
"5 B.B.Y."
The opening of the pilot episode features an interesting title card, which notes the year as “5 B.B.Y.” It’s the first time in any of the Disney+ shows that the year is specifically called out. In the Star Wars universe, events are tracked based on their relation to the original film from 1977. “B.B.Y.” means “Before Battle of Yavin,” so this means Andor begins five years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (and by association, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).
Cassian Uses A WTK-85A
When Cassian leaves Morlana One, he escapes on a WTK-85A transport in order to avoid detection. He is ultimately tracked down by Syril Karn (Kyle Soller). This transport first appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens; it is the ship that leaves a young Rey in her nightmare sequence. It later appears in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Cassian's Stuffed Bantha
Although Andor feels like the first Star Wars show that doesn’t feel the need to go back to Tatooine, we did get one reminder of the creatures from the desert planet. When Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw) walks through a young Cassian’s (referred to as “Kassa”) childhood room, there’s a brief shot of a stuffed Bantha toy. It’s actually not the first time we see a plush Bantha in the Star Wars universe; Chewbacca’s (Peter Mayhew) son Lumpy has a nearly identical toy in The Star Wars Holiday Special.
Republic Gunships
The flashbacks to Kassa’s childhood on Kenari take place right before the Clone Wars. Maarva ultimately decides to take Kassa with her when she realizes that Republic forces are incoming, and that he may be in danger. We see a few LAAT (Low Altitude Assault Transports) flying towards their location. These transport vessels were first seen during the Battle of Geonosis in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, and are frequently featured in The Clone Wars.
Reference to Wobani
In the first episode, Timm Karlo (James McArdle) asks Cassian and Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) if they are “bidding on the Wobani run.” Cassian actually does end up visiting the planet, but it’s not for many years later. He rescues Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) from a Wobani prison in Rogue One.
"Caf" and Star Wars Drinks
Star Wars has its own version of drinks, such as the “blue milk” and “jawa juice.” We get a look at something slightly more familiar in the second episode when Bix asks for a cup of “caf.” This is the Star Wars universe’s equivalent of coffee. Although the term was first coined by Peter M. Schweighofer in 1996 in the short story “Hasty Exit,” it was brought into the modern canon in 2014 with John Jackson Miller’s novel A New Dawn.
Reference to Fest
Cassian has to hide the fact that he’s from Kenari to conceal his identity, so he pretends that he is actually from a planet called “Fest.” The official sourcebook for Rogue One mentions that Fest was a regional base for the Rebel Alliance, but the planet has also appeared in many Legends stories. The planet contains an Imperial base in the 1995 video game Star Wars: Dark Forces.
Bryar Pistol
When Cassian and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) are pinned down by Pre-Mor officers in “Reckoning,” Cassian brandishes a K-16 Bryar Pistol to defend himself. This is another callback to early Star Wars games; players could use these weapons in many of the Dark Forces adventures. It was brought back into the modern canon thanks to the reboot of Star Wars: Battlefront.
Separatist Insignia
When a young Kassa explores the crashed spacecraft on Kenari, there are a few indications that the crew were officers from the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The insignia of the Separatists can be seen on an officer’s uniform. Maarva mentions that Kassa’s companions killed a Republic officer, so perhaps she is keeping secrets from her young companion.
The Y-Wing and T-47 In The Shipyard
During Cassian’s escape, we can see a few familiar starships. Among the ships he passes by to get to the transport is a Y-Wing; these ships first appeared in A New Hope during the Battle of Yavin, but The Clone Wars revealed that they were originally created by the Galactic Republic to serve as bombers. We can also spot a T-16 Skyhopper, the smaller ship that is a childhood favorite of Luke’s. In A New Hope, Luke mentions that he used to “bullseye womprats in my T-16” during his youth.
Z-47 Speeder Bikes
Cassian and Luthen escape from the Pre-Mor officers on a Z-47 Speeder Bike. These speeders first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi; Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher) have to pilot the bikes in order to chase down fleeing Imperial Scouts. Similar to the Y-Wings, it’s explained in the Star Wars canon that they were originally created during the Clone Wars era. Clones use these speeders in the Republic Commando games.
The Battle of Mimban
After jumping to hyperspace with Rae in Episode 4, “Aldhani,” Cassian discusses his experiences fighting in the Battle of Mimban. The planet Mimban was first introduced in Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, an Expanded Universe novel written by Alan Dean Foster in 1978. The planet Mimban itself later appears in Solo: A Star Wars Story during the sequence where a young Han (Alden Ehrenreich) is fighting in the trenches.
Kyber Crystals
Mimban isn’t the only Splinters of the Mind’s Eye connection in “Aldhani.” Rael offers Cassian a kyber crystal necklace as payment for involvement in the heist. Kyber crystals were first introduced in the same 1978 book, but they’re also what powers lightsabers. Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) wears a similar kyber crystal necklace given to her by her father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen), in Rogue One.
The Rakatan Invaders
When discussing the necklace, Rael mentions that it "celebrates the uprising against the Rakatan invaders." The Rakatan alien species are part of the lore of the Knights of the Old Republic video game series. The ancient amphibious race created a powerful “Infinite Empire,” and vanquished other species in events that take place 30,000 years before the Skywalker saga.
Luthen Rael’s Gallery
When Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) meets with Luthen Rael in his gallery, you can spot many Easter eggs. Among the items in his shop are the armor worn by Starkiller in The Force Unleashed games, a Twi'lek kalikori, Plo Koon’s breathing mask, a tablet of the World Between Worlds from Star Wars Rebels, multiple holocrons, and even Indiana Jones’ bullwhip.
Scarif
During the Imperial Security Bureau meeting, a member of the council mentions a setpack on the Imperial project on Scarif. In Rogue One, Scarif is the site of the research facility that houses the Death Star plans. It’s where Cassian meets his fate when the surface is destroyed by the superweapon’s laser.
Arvala-Six
During the same ISB meeting, Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser) mentions another disturbance on Arvala-Six. Although Arvala-Six hasn’t yet been seen in the Star Wars universe, Arvala-Seven is where Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) discovers Grogu in the first season of The Mandalorian.
Blue Milk
When Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) has an awkward encounter with his mother, Eedy (Kathryn Hunter), he can be seen eating a bowl of cereal with blue milk. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) drinks a similar blue liquid in Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope with his family on the Lars Homestead. “Blue milk” has been a recurring joke within the Star Wars franchise; you can even try some for yourself if you stop by the Galaxy’s Edge resort in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Lieda Mothma
“The Axe Forgets” marks the first appearance of Mon Mothma’s daughter, Lieda (Bronte Carmichael). Lieda is lifted from the older Star Wars Legends universe. Her name was first given in 1993 in the Dark Empire Sourcebook, which explained that she served with her mother in the New Republic after the Battle of Endor.
Other Planets
During Dedra Meero’s (Denise Gough) meeting about the planets suspected of rebel activities, several familiar locations are name-dropped. She mentions Jakku (the desert world from The Force Awakens), Hosnian Prime (a planet destroyed by Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens), Kessell (the mining world from Solo: A Star Wars Story), and Fondor (an Expanded Universe planet first mentioned in the 1979 novel Han Solo at Stars' End).
A Surprising 'Indiana Jones' Connection
Luthen Rael has managed to collect a plethora of artifacts in his shop. Among the new items glanced in “The Axe Forgets” are a Jedi and Sith holocron, as well as the Sankara Stones from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Krayt Head
Cassian identifies the tattoos written in the Star Wars language Aurebesh that Arvel Skeen has. Although the name “Krayt Head” is revealed to be an Imperial base, Krayt dragons are monstrous creatures that reside on Tatooine. Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) emulates the sound of a Krayt dragon to scare the Tusken Raiders in A New Hope, and Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) fights one in the season 2 premiere of The Mandalorian.
“By The Hand”
The other tattoo that Cassian identifies reads “by the hand.” While this is not given any context, it’s possible that it is a reference to the “Emperor’s Hands” from the Expanded Universe. The Emperor’s Hands were a group of spies and assassins that reported directly to Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Among their most notable members was Mara Jade, who ultimately becomes Luke’s wife in the Star Wars Legends universe.
A Former Stormtrooper
The Aldhani rebel Taramyn Barcona (Gershwyn Eustache Jr.) is revealed to be a former Imperial Stormtrooper who defected from the Empire. After the end of the Clone Wars, the Empire began cycling out former clone troopers and replacing them with new recruits. This process was explored in the first season of Disney+’s The Bad Batch.
A Return To The Senate
Andor returns to the halls of the Imperial Senate when Mon Mothma gives another impassioned speech about the Ghorman crisis. The pods that the Senators ride in are new, as many were destroyed during the battle between Yoda (Frank Oz) and Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
Dr. Quadpaw
“The Eye” introduces a new character, Dr. Quadpaw (Aidan Cook), who attempts to provide critical assistance to Nemik (Alex Lawther) after his injuries. Although Quadpaw’s species hasn’t been identified, he bears a slight resemblance to The Force Awakens’ Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o). Quadpaw’s cybernetic enhancements are similar to the ones worn by Lobot (John Hollis) in Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back.
“Echo”
Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) uses the call sign “Echo.” The Rebel Alliance eventually names their stronghold “Echo Base” in The Empire Strikes Back. However, Echo is also the name of a fan-favorite clone trooper in The Bad Batch. Echo survived the first season of the series, so perhaps he found himself in league with the early Rebel leaders at one point.
“Devaron Blue”
A customer in Rael’s shop asks for an item in “Devaron Blue.” The Devaronians are a species of aliens that first appeared in the Star Wars franchise during the Mos Eisley Cantina scene in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) and Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) visit Deveron to save Jedi Master Bolla Ropal (Dee Bradley Baker) in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode “Cargo of Doom.”
The Sith Stalker Armor
Among the new items in Rael’s shop in “The Eye” is a suit of Sith Stalker armor. This armor and helmet were used by Galen Marek/Starkiller (Sam Witwer) in the non-canon video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed- Ultimate Sith Edition.
The HoloNews
There are several references to the Star Wars universe’s premiere journalistic outlet, the HoloNews. According to John Jackson Miller’s canon novel A New Dawn, the Empire controls the HoloNews directly and uses it as a source of propaganda.
Admiral Yularen
During the ISB security meeting, the older Imperial officer speaking is none other than Colonel Yularen (Malcolm Sinclair). Wullf Yularen was a background Imperial officer in A New Hope, but he had a more prominent role in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and series. Tom Kane voiced a version of the character that became a close friend and ally to Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter).
Fertha’s Robes
During Mon Mothma’s party, Fertha appears to be wearing some brown robes that look somewhat like the ones worn by the Jedi. However, this is a fairly common outfit in the Star Wars universe, which would explain why Obi-Wan Kenobi was able to wear them on Tatooine without his identity being detected.
Ord Mantell
The ISB meeting mentions Ord Mantell, a Mid-Rim planet that was first brought up by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. The heroic former Clone Force 99 members lead a mission to Ord Mantell in the first season of The Bad Batch.
Probe Droids
During Cassian’s escape from the Imperial Shoretroopers, we see that there is an increased security state and the monitoring of civilians. It’s also where we get a glimpse of the Imperial probe droids, which first debuted on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back.
Stormtroopers and Clone Troopers
Stormtroopers finally pop up on Andor, but we also see some flashbacks to the “Phase II” Clone Trooper armor. This doesn’t give an exact timeline indication, as this armor was adopted during the middle of the Clone Wars and remained for a brief time after the Empire rose to power.
Separatist Propaganda
Mothma mentions to Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) that she has been considered a “Separatist” because of her anti-Imperialist views. This would seemingly suggest that the Empire has installed propaganda techniques that compare rebel units to the Confederacy of Independent Systems from the Clone Wars.
KX Security Droids
Cassian is nearly choked to death by a KX-series security droid. While these droids were among the Empire’s most lethal enforcers, we know Cassian ultimately reprograms and befriend K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) before Rogue One.
Belsavis
One of the planets mentioned as a potential Imperial prison is “Belsavis,” a name that might be familiar to fans of the Legends universe. In the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG, Belsavis was an icy world that the Galactic Republic used to imprison Sith Lords.
Saw Gerrera
"Narkina 5" marks the first appearance by Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera in Andor. Although Whitaker first played the role in Rogue One, the character originated in a Season 5 storyline of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Saw and his allies Melshi and Two-Tubes from Rogue One form a maverick group of rebels who choose not to associate with the Rebel Alliance. Saw even disparages Luthen’s allies as “Separatists.”
Andy Serkis
One of the more surprising cameos in Andor thus far was an appearance by Andy Serkis as Kino Loy, a veteran prisoner of Narkina 5 who introduces Cassian to his new life. This isn’t Serkis’ first appearance in the Star Wars saga, as he provided the voice and motion-capture performance for Supreme Leader Snoke in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Tunqstoid Steel
It’s mentioned that many of the surfaces in the Narkina 5 Imperial prison, including the floors, are made of Tungstoid Steel, a powerful metal that is almost impervious to penetration. Tungstoid Steel is first mentioned in the Legend novel Fate of the Jedi: Abyss, where it’s revealed to be one of the few substances that can resist the Force.
THX-1138
The prison on Narkina 5 has many striking visual parallels to George Lucas’ first feature film, THX-1138. Based on a student film he shot when he was studying at the University of Southern California, THX-1138 explores a totalitarian future where police enforce a policy of not expressing emotion. The stark white prison, shock staff, and nihilistic visuals in “Narkina 5” are a nice homage to the saga’s creator.
Mon Mothma's Arranged Marriage
During her husband Perrin Fertha’s party, Mon Mothma reveals that the two were in an arranged traditional marriage in the custom of her homeworld. This does explain why she’s married to someone who doesn’t seem to share any of her political views. Mothma also indicates that she was elected at the age of 16. Young women being placed in positions of power isn’t rare in the Star Wars universe; Padme becomes Queen of Naboo at 14 in The Phantom Menace, and Leia is elected to the Imperial Senate when she is 18.
Imperial Torture
Episode 9, “Nobody’s Listening!” features a grueling torture sequence where Meero straps Bix to a chair and demands answers about Cassian. Although this sort of torture headset is a first in the Star Wars universe, it bears some similarities to the torture unit that interrogates Leia (Carrie Fisher) in A New Hope and the chair Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is strapped to in The Force Awakens.
Ulaf
In addition to beloved fan favorites like Andy Serkis, Andor also features some quintessential character actors who have been cutting their teeth within the industry for decades. Christopher Fairbank, who plays Ulaf, has dozens of film and television credits to his name, including brief roles in Batman, The Fifth Element, Aliens 3, Guardians of the Galaxy, and the last two Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Galactic Banks
Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) is given the sensitive role of moving Chandrilan funds around in order to aid Mothma in her resistance efforts. The Empire has essentially taken control of the Galactic economy; in the sixth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Republic takes over the Banking Clan’s operation on Scipio after the death of the new chairman Rush Clovis (Robin Atkin Downes).
Jondara
It’s briefly mentioned that there was a Separatist meeting on the planet Jondara, which is perhaps a reference to the planet Jondara from the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. Jondara is a black market trade center that houses smugglers and bounty hunters.
Kafrene
Another planet that is name-dropped is Kafrene, a world that will play an important role in Cassian’s future. Cassian meets with a Rebel Alliance spy in the “Ring of Kafrene” during his introductory scene in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
An Imperial Logo-Shaped Prison
As Cassian and his fellow inmates at make their escape from the Narkina 5 prison, there’s an overhead shot of the prison from above. The prison is shaped with the six-sided logo of the Empire.
Luthen’s Cloak
It’s critical that during Luthen’s conversation with Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), he’s cloaked in a dark robe that looks somewhat similar to the garbs of the Sith Lords. This suggests that Luthen is willing to commit acts of evil in order to bring the Galactic Empire to its knees.
Padme’s Headdress
When Luthen is in his shop and is approached by Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau), he appears to be cleaning a Naboo headdress. This is the same costume that Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) wears when she goes undercover on her home planet in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.
The Prison Uniforms
A sign of rebellion? The prison uniforms that Cassian and his fellow inmates wear during their escape are white and orange, the same colors that would later distinguish the Rebel officers in the original trilogy.
Ruescott Melshi
It appears that the only two prisoners that were able to escape were Cassian and Ruescott Melshi (Duncan Pow). Melshi later appears as Cassian’s ally in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Prison Break!
While this is the first live-action prison break we’ve seen in the franchise, Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) went undercover during a prison uprising on Coruscant in the fourth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The Quadjumper
In The Force Awakens, Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) try to escape from First Order troopers by jumping in a Quadjumper on Jakku. Cassian notices a Quadjumper, but notes that it’s an “older model” of transport.
The Parallels of the Beach
It makes sense that Cassian firmly makes his decision to join the rebel cause on a beach; this is where we know his story will end in Rogue One. The scene also parallels Luke’s (Mark Hamill) gaze into the binary sunset in A New Hope.
Cycyed Ock and the Keredians
Cassian is captured by two Keredians, a relatively new species of Star Wars aliens that first appeared in the video game Force Arena. One of these two aliens is Cycyed Ock, who also appears in Rogue One.
Tusken Cycler
The weapon wielded by Saw Gerrera’s (Forest Whitaker) chief lieutenant Benthic (Aidan Cook) is one that Star Wars fans might recognize; these are the staffs that the Tusken Raiders have used since the original film. They also recently appeared in The Book of Boba Fett.
Ice Cream Suits
The resistance group on Ferrix wears signature orange jumpsuits, the same model worn by the infamous “Ice Cream guy” in The Empire Strikes Back.
TIE Reapers and TIE Bombers
During Luthen’s escape from the Imperials, he’s pursued by TIE Bombers, a model that first appeared in Return of the Jedi. During Cassian’s escape, you can briefly spot some of the enigmatic TIE Reapers, which first appeared in Rogue One.
2505
The number on Luthen’s screen is a classic Star Wars deep cut; “2505” refers to the original film’s release date on May 25, 1977.
Cantwell-Class Arrestor Cruiser
The Imperial cruiser that pursues Luthen’s ship was based on the same model that appeared in the Imperial recruitment video in Solo: A Star Wars Story. According to The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story, it was based on some of the original designs for A New Hope that were dug out of Lucasfilm's archives.
More Artifacts in Luthen’s Shop
Another visit to Luthen’s artifact shop means many more Easter eggs! You can spot one of the Gungan shields from The Phantom Menace, a Jedi Temple guard mask from Rebels, and a Wookiee battle shield from Revenge of the Sith.
Canto Bight
During her conversation with her husband about his gambling issues, Mon Mothma mentions the planet Canto Bight. This is the same corrupted world that Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) visit in The Last Jedi.
Death Troopers
The black-armored stormtroopers that appeared in Rogue One flank Dedra during her mission to Ferrix. These specialized soldiers work exclusively for high-ranking Imperial officers; the name originally comes from the Legends novel Death Troopers, a Star Wars horror novel inspired by Alien and The Shining.
Cloaking Devices
Upon his escape from Ferrix, Luthen mentions that his ship has full cloaking device capabilities. As we know from The Empire Strikes Back, small vessels rarely have cloaking device capabilities. However, Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) and Admiral Yularen (Tom Kane) develop a stealthy smaller vessel with a cloaking device in The Clone Wars episode “Cat and Mouse.”
Revolutionary Movements
The screening of Maarva’s holographic message during her funeral is a callback to another episode of The Clone Wars; Saw Gerrera used holographic messages to inspire revolutionaries on Onderon.
The Death Star's Construction
The Season 1 finale's post-credit scene confirms a popular fan theory that suggested that the prisoners on Narkina 5 were building a segment of the Empire's superweapon known as the Death Star. We know that the construction of the Death Star began during the events of Revenge of the Sith, so it will be interesting to see if Cassian learns anything else about the ultimate weapon before his mission in Rogue One.