Warning: this article contains spoilers for episode seven of Andor, “Announcement.”
Andor episode seven, titled “Announcement,” sets the stage for the second half of this season and allows us to catch up with our remaining cast. In reaction to the Aldhani heist, the Empire clamps down on its subjects. Mon Mothma and Luthen continue to discreetly move their pieces across the board, ever wary of Imperial surveillance. Syril finally gets a job! Cassian tries to reconnect with those closest to him on Ferrix and ultimately gets caught up with the Empire yet again.
The broad scope of the episode means that there are plenty of fun connections to find. Here are some that we caught
1) Colonel Yularen strikes back
Towards the beginning of the episode, an important sounding ISB agent is giving directives to the roundtable of officers that we’ve become familiar with lately. Upon revealing the mustachioed face of the speaker, some fans might have connected the dots—but a closer inspection of the subtitles confirms that this is indeed Colonel Wullf Yularen.
Yularen was a key officer in the Clone Wars, guiding Republic military strategy. Upon the Republic’s reorganization into the Empire, he remained tenacious in his pursuit of authority and became a close advisor to Palpatine himself, rooting out sedition within the Imperial Senate. Speaking of the big bad Emperor, this episode marks the first time that the character is mentioned by name in Andor.
2) Syril’s new Chiss coworker?
Syril Karn finally gets back on his feet, scoring a job at the Bureau of Standards thanks to a family connection. As he receives a tour from his new manager, we get our first in-depth look at Coruscant’s expansive corporate sector. The massive chamber made up of several levels is lined with cubicles, with employees silently working away. You may notice that one employee looks a bit more distinct than the rest. At 11:24, you can spot a blue skinned humanoid with raven black hair, wearing some sort of glowing spectacles. They’re a bit out of focus, so it’s difficult to be certain—but this background character could be our first on-screen Chiss.
The Chiss species is uncommon in the galactic core, so this is a more likely to be a Pantoran (unfortunately the character is too blurry to spot their trademark yellow tattoos). However, Grand Admiral Thrawn, certainly the most notable Chiss in Star Wars, is soon to make his live-action debut in Ahsoka. It would be neat if this extra was a cosmetic test for the species, placed in a noticeable position for sharp-eyed fans.
3) A fine addition to Luthen’s collection
Episode four took us inside Luthen’s gallery for the first time, treating us to a buffet of easter eggs. Now, episode seven shows us that the curator/rebel really knows how keep his stock interesting.
At 10:10, we see that Luthen has acquired the mask of a Jedi temple guard. These masks were worn by Jedi that swore their lives to defend the Coruscant temple. It’s also similar to the mask worn by Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels shortly after he’s blinded in a duel.
4) HoloNet News
As Syril and his mother argue yet again, a news broadcast in the background distracts Syril. He turns his attention towards a small screen that features a HoloNet broadcaster—the first of his kind in live-action Star Wars.
In the galaxy far, far away, many means of transferring data are still analogue. It’s not particularly clear how the HoloNet works, but it often functions more like old school radio or television, transmitted on-air using specific frequencies. In other instances, it’s used via terminals or droids to access data—much like our own internet. Thanks to the expanded material, we know that this technology is widely accessible, but this is the first time we’re seeing it utilized in a mundane household setting on-screen.
5) Andor’s first reference to the Organas
During a masterfully delivered scene between Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma and an old acquaintance of hers, Tar Kolma (played by Ben Miles), Mothma states that there are only three people in that galaxy that know her true intentions in the world of galactic politics.
We know who two of these characters are—Luthen Rael, and his assistant/spy, Kleya. Who could the third be? My guess is none other than Bail Organa, another Imperial senator that we know is heavily involved in the formation of early rebellion. In a deleted scene from Revenge of the Sith, Mon Mothma, Padme Amidala, and Bail Organa discuss the rapid descent of the Republic into tyranny, and what they must do to oppose it. We can’t count the scene as canon, but it does offer insight into the original groundwork for Bail being involved early on.
6) Cassian Andor takes on the clone troopers
In a flashback to Cassian’s younger days, we learn that clone troopers (led by Imperial command) were responsible for quelling resistance on Ferrix. This indicates that this glimpse at the Andor family’s past (and Clem Andor’s fate) takes place shortly after the events of Revenge of the Sith, as the Empire had yet to phase out clones—a process that we learn a bit about in The Bad Batch season one.
In an emotional sequence, we see that Cassian’s first act of rebellion against the Empire was as a mourning teenager, taking up a makeshift weapon against these clone troopers in retribution for his adoptive father’s execution.
7) K-2SO? More like K2S-NO!
Towards the end of the episode, Cassian has an unfortunate run in with a KX-series Imperial security droid and a shoretrooper (the latter of whom was voiced by Sam Witwer, by the way). We were first introduced to this type of droid in Rogue One, with Alan Tudyk portraying our beloved K-2SO. The droid model has since appeared in Jedi: Fallen Order and The Book of Boba Fett.
Yes, this is the same type of droid as K2—and perhaps this very unit will be reprogrammed and become the sardonic droid we love—but at the moment, this seems to just be a fun bit of foreshadowing.
8) Translated Aurebesh reveals a force sensitive named… Keith?
A special thanks to @keldorjedii on Twitter for translating the Aurebesh in this episode before I was able to get around to it. Amongst Imperial public announcements and adverts for snacks, one translation stuck out to me.
An Imperial judicial sentencing during the court sequence on Niamos names a Keith Seymour. His crimes include assaulting an Imperial officer, and suspected Force sensitivity. His sentence is a whopping 25 years of Imperial imprisonment. This ill-fated Force sensitive borrows his name from one of the concept artists on the show. Production departments often like to sneak in coworkers names as a sly way of introducing themselves into Star Wars canon. Congrats on joining the GFFA, Keith!
That’s all I’ve got for this week’s episode. Bookmark Dork Side of the Force and check back often for more Andor news, opinions, and breakdowns. May the Force be with you!