By George & Josh Bate
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Andor – Season 2, Episodes 1-3
While there’s plenty of emotion and drama to take in from the first three episodes of Andor Season 2, there are also tons of interesting easter eggs and hidden details that deepen the story and connect to the broader Star Wars universe. Here are all the easter eggs and hidden details in Andor Season 2 episodes 1-3.
A full-scale, practical ship was built for the TIE Avenger that Cassian steals in Episode 1. This is unusual for TIE Fighters in Star Wars productions, which usually don’t have the full, real set of an exterior and interior like the TIE Avenger in Andor.
The TIE Avenger was inspired by Kylo Ren’s TIE Whisper from The Rise of Skywalker. The TIE Avenger first appeared in the 1994 LucasArts game TIE Fighter. In Legends, Grand Admiral Thrawn contributed to the creation of the TIE Avenger.
The password used by Cassian and the Imperial defector Niya at the beginning of episode 1 is “Kafrene.” The Ring of Kafrene is where Cassian’s story in Rogue One begins.
Cassian tells Niya at the beginning of the episode, “You’re coming home to yourself.” In Rogue One, Cassian tells Jyn, “Welcome home.”
Some of the troopers that pursue Cassian are Range Troopers. This kind of trooper first appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The ships that case Cassian from the Imperial testing base are TIE Advanced prototypes. These ships first appeared in the Star Wars Rebels Season 1 episode “Empire Day.”
The planet that Bix, Brasso, Wilmon, and B2 hide out on is Mina-Rau, a new Star Wars planet. Based on promotional footage, some fans speculated that this location was actually Lothal, Ezra Bridger’s home in Star Wars Rebels.
To create the agriculture on Mina-Rau, the Andor team actually planted an ancient rye grain in a vast field in Oxfordshire. After the SAG-AFTRA strike began in summer 2023, the production team had to halt shooting and harvest the crop, placing it in sheets of polystyrene so that the outdoor locations could be reconstructed later on at Pinewood’s 007 Stage.
Bix can be seen working on a vaporator on Mina-Rau, the same kind that were on the Lars’ farm on Tatooine.
The Mothma estate was inspired by historic Japanese stone castles and minimalist, nature-infused architecture from Scandinavia.
Mon Mothma’s aide is named Erskin Semaj. Semaj first appeared in the Star Wars Rebels episode “Secret Cargo.”
For the second time, Andor makes reference to the Rakatan Invasion (after Luthen mentioned it in Andor Season 1 episode 4). In Legends, the Rakata were the first to develop hyperspace technology and created the Infinite Empire. The Rakata were eventually overthrown by the Jedi. In Andor Season 2, the stolen temple figure that Luthen Rael presents for Davo Sculdun was stoken during the Rakatan Invasion. Dialogue confirms that the invasion took place 25,000 years beforehand, which coincides with the founding of the Jedi Order.
The food and eating utensils of Ledia Mothma’s wedding are similar to those seen at Galaxy’s Edge.
The Imperial cruiser on Mina-Rau is a modified version of the Gozanti cruiser digital model created for The Mandalorian Season 2 Chapter 11: The Heiress.
The view outside Krennic’s secret meeting is actually a hand-painted backdrop with some digital touch-ups by ILM.
During Krennic’s meeting, the Imperials speak about Ghorman, a planet of great importance to the Empire and Star Wars canon. The Ghorman Massacre is a pivotal event in Star Wars history that sees Mon Mothma finally take a public stand against Palpatine. The Ghorman Massacre will be depicted later this season.
The Empire’s “Ministry of Enlightenment” shares a name with Nazi Germany’s “Ministry of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment.”
Krennic says that Palpatine is seeking “stable, unlimited power.” Of course, Palpatine makes the triumphant declaration of “unlimited power” in Revenge of the Sith as he kills Mace Windu.
In Bix and others’ new home, a drawing of Maarva Andor hangs on the wall.
The planet Cassian is taken captive on is Yavin 4. This is revealed at the end of episode 2 as the structures that first appeared in A New Hope and were later seen in Rogue One become evident. Eventually, Yavin 4 becomes the home to the Rebel Alliance.
Kleya’s radio in Luthen’s gallery was inspired by a telephone operator’s switchboard.
Leida Mothma’s wedding dress took costume designer Michael Wilkinson and his team six months to construct. It includes dozens of pattern pieces sewn together, with hand-beading and hand-finishing.
The wedding dance is a remix of Season 1’s “Niamos!” track. This sequence was among the last shot for Andor Season 2 in January 2024.
