"What do you know? We don't all have the luxury of deciding when and where we want to care about something. Suddenly the Rebellion is real for you. Some of us live it. I've been in this fight since I was 6 years old. You're not the only one who lost everything. Some of us just decided to do something about it."
n the 2016 film Rogue One, Cassian Andor is introduced as a captain in Rebel Alliance intelligence who is willing to do whatever it takes to complete his mission, even if it means sacrificing the lives of his allies. He shows that the Rebellion is not always morally black and white, and that they are willing to do some questionable things in their fight against the oppression of the Galactic Empire.
Cassian is tasked with finding Galen Erso, an Imperial scientist who is allegedly responsible for the development of a super weapon. To do this, he must extract Bodhi Rook, an Imperial pilot that has been sent by Galen to inform the Rebel Alliance about the weapon. Rook is supposed to meet with Saw Gerrera, a leader of a rebel cell with radical beliefs about how to fight the Empire. Additionally, Gerrera is a longtime friend of Galen Erso and his family.
It is through Jyn Erso, Galen’s daughter, that Cassian is able to meet with Gerrera and rescue Rook. However, the message is destroyed during a test of the weapon, revealed to be the infamous Death Star, against the city of Jedha. Cassian then leads his team to extract Galen from the Empire so that he can testify about the weapon to the leaders of the Rebel Alliance. Cassian is given a secret mission to assassinate Galen, but he ultimately chooses not to do so. However, Galen is killed during an attack raid on the facility from Rebel pilots.
Without the tactical plans of the weapon or Galen himself, the leaders of the Rebel Alliance see this as a lost fight already. Despite a passionate call to action by Jyn Erso, it falls mostly on deaf ears. When all hope seems lost, it is Andor who inspires Jyn and their companions to lead a raid on the Imperial facility on Scarif to steal the Death Star plans and deliver them to the Rebel Alliance. The mission is successful, but not without the sacrifice of everyone who participated in the raid. Andor and his friends' sacrifice ensures the eventual defeat of the Empire and the destruction of the Death Star.
Cassian’s backstory was explored in the television show Andor, and more is planned to be revealed in its second season leading up to his introduction in Rogue One. Cassian’s story is one of someone who is constantly tested, yet ultimately stands up to the growing power of the Empire and inspires many to do the same, leaving a long lasting legacy.
We have had many characters in the Star Wars universe that are clearly either good or bad, but Cassian brings a new layer of complexity as his goals are ultimately altruistic. The choices that he makes to achieve those goals can be considered gray or even dark. Everything he does is with intention, passion, and purpose to weaken the enemy and to never give them an advantage.
These books will offer opportunities to explore Cassian’s story in greater detail and gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating character.
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