For years — decades, even — Star Wars has been defined as “The Skywalker Saga.” Most of its stories are obsessed with, and practically inextricable from, the Skywalker family. Even projects that start out self-contained are eventually derailed by their presence, most glaringly with The Mandalorian.
That’s what makes something like Andor such a refreshing addition to the canon. As nice as it might have been to get a cameo from Princess Leia or a mention of Padmé Amidala’s influence on the Rebel Alliance, Andor exists completely in its own lane. It runs parallel to the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, and directly sets up some iconic events within the saga — but it centers on characters that have nothing to do with the Skywalkers themselves. Those characters have since become more beloved and way more important to the franchise than anyone could have imagined. Diego Luna’s eponymous protagonist is now a fan favorite; more than that, he might have just surpassed the Skywalkers as the most important character in the saga.
