Andor Finale Ending Explained: Cassian Joins the Rebellion

Andor Season 1 comes to an end with an explosive finale and sets up a strong ground for a smashing second season. With the show already being renewed, it’s a good idea to talk about the eventful finale that sets up Season 2.

Andor has been winning hearts since the first episode, with fans calling it the best Star Wars series to date. It is hard to disagree, considering the brilliant writing and screenplay. The resolution to the Narkina 5 and Aldhani arcs was beautifully made, with lots to speculate about.

Here’s everything that went on in the Andor Season 1 finale and all you can expect in the future. So, if you’ve not watched it yet, beware of spoilers!

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SPOILERS AHEAD! This page contains spoilers from Andor.

1. The Rebellion on Ferrix

Ferrix as a planet has evolved a lot throughout Andor Season 1. In the beginning, Ferrix was introduced as the Corporate Zone of the galaxy which allowed a certain degree of freedom. However, a single incident urged the Empire to grow increasingly autocratic and the freedom was short-lived.

Andor Finale Ending Explained: Cassian Joins the Rebellion
Maarva and Cassian

The rebellion actually begins quite subtly, with the bells summoning everyone for Maarva Andor’s funeral starting to ring before the time specified by the Empire. This act of rebellion becomes even more significant because of Maarva’s last message. When she understands she is dying, she issues a last call to arms.

The interesting bit is that the rebellion isn’t a planned event, but it happens quite spontaneously. It begins with Wilmon throwing a bomb at the Empire. The rebellion will be a big issue for Dedra Meero’s career, as she is in charge of overseeing Maarva’s funeral.

Meero has hopes of imprisoning Cassian, but it doesn’t work. Though the rebellion is swiftly destroyed, it nevertheless delivers an important message of protest.

Another twist is Dedra Meero being rescued by Syril Karn. Season 2 will most likely focus on Syril and Dedra’s growing relationship. Dedra seems genuinely indebted to Syril for saving her and there seems to be a hint of a brewing romance. If you’ve been rooting for a Syril-Dedra pairing, this might be your chance to see them together!

2. What happens to Cassian and Luthen?

After successfully avoiding Maarva’s funeral, where Dedra Meero hoped to catch him, Andor seeks out the Rebel leader Luthen Rael. He offers him two choices: to either kill him or take him in.

By the end of Season 1, Cassian understands that he is a threat to Luthen’s cause against the Empire. He also understands the need to rise against the autocratic Empire. Maarva’s last message and the Rebel Manifesto that Karis Nemik gave him earlier in the season convince him to rise up against the Empire.

Andor does not want to be an obstacle and sabotage the Rebel Alliance. He asks Luthen to either kill him or include him in the alliance and recruit him. The rest is of course, history.

As we know, Luthen decides to recruit him. Andor Season 1 ends with Cassian Andor finally joining the Rebel Alliance. This sets up his journey for Season 2, where we will see him prepare to become a leader.

Andor Finale Ending Explained: Cassian Joins the Rebellion
Luthen Rael

While we all know Andor’s fate in Rogue One, Luthen Rael does not appear in the film. My best guess is that Luthen will die in Season 2 and Andor will outlive his boss. This is the reason why Luthen never appears in Rogue One. He will most likely be captured by the Empire and executed.

Andor, on the other hand, will go on to sacrifice his life for the sake of the rebellion. If you’ve watched Rogue One, you know what I am talking about. But just to reiterate, Andor steals the Death Star plans and finds the vital secret about the deadly weapon–the thermal exhaust port.

Season 2 will see how Andor reaches that level. It will follow his journey leading to the events of Rogue One.

3. Mon Mothma’s Marriage Pact

The Andor season finale sees Mon Mothma entering into an interesting marriage pact involving her own daughter. She joins hand with Davo Sculdun. Sculdun decides to support her in return for her daughter, Leida, being introduced to his son. In other words, Leida enters a marriage alliance with Sculdun’s son.

Mon Mothma sacrifices her own daughter for the sake of the rebellion, which shows why neither her husband nor her daughter supported her during the Galactic Civil War.

4. Andor Post-Credit Scene: The Death Star

The Andor season finale post-credit scene gives a glimpse of the Empire’s planet-killing, ever-destructive weapon, the Death Star. We understand that the prisoners in Narkina-5 have all along been unknowingly working to construct the Death Star, and it’s almost complete.

Andor Finale Ending Explained: Cassian Joins the Rebellion
Death Star

All that is left is the installation of the super laser, and the Death Star will be ready. The Death Star’s glimpse in the post-credit scene proves that it is going to play an integral part in Season 2. As we know, Cassian Andor eventually goes on to stop the Death Star.

Unlike other Star Wars spinoff shows, Andor has generally steered clear of fan service. But the small glimpse of the Death Star will surely stir the Star Wars fan in you.

5. Andor’s Ending as a Critique of Fascism

Andor Season 1 offers a completely new look at the rebellion, and the ending does justice in explaining the nature of the rebellion.

The subtle display of rebellion at Maarva’s funeral, the clever use of stormtroopers, and the way Narkina-5’s prisoners are used in the creation of the Empire’s deadliest weapon are examples of the same.

In the first few episodes, we do not see any stormtroopers, which shows how the people of the galaxy are still ignorant about the autocratic nature of the Empire. It also shows a degree of nonchalance on their part as the Empire’s fascism wasn’t affecting them directly.

But the season finale sees the streets of Ferrix filled with stormtroopers. They are used as symbols of the fascist regime as they open fire on civilians to suppress their rebellion.

Andor Finale Ending Explained: Cassian Joins the Rebellion
Cassian Andor

Andor is a stellar depiction of the true nature of fascism and its ability to keep itself hidden until it is finally ready. Fascist ideals develop quite subtly and it is hard to see the threat in its developing stages. If we see this in the context of the politics of the real world, it makes even more sense.

Similarly, in Andor, the people of the galaxy and Cassian Andor himself do not realize the dangers of the Empire during the events of Season 1. They only understand the Empire’s fascist tendencies when they finally strike. The building of the Death Star while the prisoners contributing to it have no idea about it is yet another example of how cold and subtly fascism creeps into our lives.

Andor is an important show not just in terms of television and popular culture, but it is also an important depiction of 21st-century politics and the deadly nature of authoritarianism.

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About Andor

Andor is an American television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is a prequel to the Star Wars film Rogue One (2016), following the character Cassian Andor five years before the events of the film.

Set five years before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor will see Cassian in his formative years as he becomes the charismatic Rebel and espionage master.

Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Stellan Skarsgaard, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, and others star in the show. The series premiered on Disney+ on September 21, 2022, with the first three episodes.

Epic Dope Staff

Epic Dope Staff

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