--- description: The new Disney+ 'Rogue One' spin-off 'Andor' is refreshingly devoid of Easter eggs. It's a tactic the whole franchise could use more of. title: Why 'Andor' Is Devoid of Star Wars Easter Eggs image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0a52a788c6fca689/698a35c0cabb1d35b6e50ae4/PGM-FF-000886.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Television](/tag/television/) ## Television Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Why _Andor_ Has So Few Easter Eggs—And Why That's a Good Thing by [James Grebey](/author/james-grebey/) ## James Grebey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Grebey is a contributor for TIME. Sep 23, 2022 6:13 PM CUT  Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm's new Disney+ series 'Andor' Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm's new Disney+ series 'Andor'Lucasfilm Ltd. by [James Grebey](/author/james-grebey/) ## James Grebey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Grebey is a contributor for TIME. Sep 23, 2022 6:13 PM CUT In the first three episodes of _Andor_—and presumably for the rest of the new [Disney+ series](https://time.com/6209662/new-on-disney-plus-september-2022/ "undefined")—those loyal to the [Empire](https://time.com/5717734/mandalorian-star-wars-timeline/ "undefined") will do their best to hunt down [Diego Luna’s](https://time.com/4621972/diego-luna-fan-story-rogue-one-diversity/ "undefined") titular Rebel spy. They will have a hard time, though, because [Cassian Andor](https://time.com/4604797/rogue-one-star-wars-force-jedi-religion/ "undefined") is good at what he does. [_Star Wars_](https://time.com/5748961/cutest-star-wars-characters/ "undefined") fans might likewise be on a mission to hunt down any Easter eggs or sneaky references in _Andor_. They too will have a hard time because _Andor_ is, at least through its opening episodes, remarkably devoid of them. Most _Star Wars_ shows on Disney+ are packed with obscure references to the animated _Clone Wars_ or Rebels series, deep-cut lore from the original trilogy or the prequels, or allusions to the mountains of Star Wars content that’s no longer canonical ever since Disney took ownership of the franchise. But _Andor_, a prequel to the 2016 spin-off movie _Rogue One: A Star Wars Story_ (which itself was a prequel to the original _Star Wars_ film, [_A New Hope_](https://time.com/4936666/star-wars-actors-almost-cast-leonardo-dicaprio/ "undefined")), doesn’t have much in the way of sneaky, winky connections to the wider _Star Wars_ universe. That’s by design, according to Tony Gilroy, who created the series and had a heavy hand in making _Rogue One_. That’s not to say that there are absolutely no Easter eggs in the first couple of episodes—there is a smattering, though they’re so subtle and natural that they might not even count, depending on what your definition of the term is. Regardless, the dearth of Easter eggs in _Andor_ is the best thing that could have happened to _Star Wars_, even if some die-hard fans might not realize it while they search for hidden secrets in vain. **Read more:** [_The 50 Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2022_](https://time.com/6125571/most-anticipated-tv-shows-2022/ "undefined") ## **_Andor_** **’s creator wanted to avoid fan service** _Andor_, not unlike the [_Obi-Wan Kenobi_ ](https://time.com/6174970/obi-wan-kenobi-fits-star-wars-timeline/ "undefined")limited series from earlier this summer, goes back in the _Star Wars_ timeline to tell a story about a character whose ultimate fate viewers already know. Cassian Andor, played by Luna, did not survive the events of 2016’s [_Rogue One_](https://time.com/4594017/rogue-one-star-wars-timeline/ "undefined"), which saw him give his life stealing crucial Death Star plans. However, unlike _Obi-Wan_, which was most notable for bringing Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen back to reprise their roles for the first time since 2005’s _Revenge of the Sith_, there’s nothing about _Andor_ that will inherently delight fans of the prequels, or the cartoons, or any of the other _Star Wars_ movies, really. “We didn’t want to do anything that was fan service,” Gilroy told IGN prior to the premiere. “We never wanted to have anything… the mandate in the very beginning was that it would be as absolutely non-cynical as it could possibly be, that the show would just be real and honest.” In other words, _Andor_, while admittedly an origin story that will, by the end of its two planned seasons, lead up to the events of _Rogue One_, aims to exist on its own merits. That means avoiding peppering the screen with obscure distracting references or Easter eggs that could leave an episode feeling more like a Force-sensitive _Where’s Waldo_ than an actually engrossing story. ## **There are a few Easter eggs in Andor, but they’re organic**  Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) in 'Andor' Des Willie—Lucasfilm Ltd. Granted, _Andor_ does not exist in a total vacuum. It is part of the _Star Wars_ franchise after all, and takes place in the same galaxy far, far away. Recognizable characters will appear and you might even catch some familiar proper nouns, by Gilroy’s own admission. “We will be introducing people along the way,” Gilroy said, acknowledging that, for instance, Forest Whitaker’s anti-Imperial extremist character from _Rogue One_, Saw Gerrera, will make an appearance in _Andor_. However, Saw Gerrera is a major player in the early stages of the Rebellion in the time period when Andor is set. If an Easter egg is typically a fun little bonus bit of information that rewards those who are in the know enough to notice and understand it, Saw Gerrera is a much more organic, load-bearing aspect of the Star Wars world. As Gilroy put it, “There will be some other people. But when we bring them, we bring them because we need them and because there’s really some protein there, there’s something for them to really do.” What few “Easter eggs” there are to be found in the first three episodes of _Andor_, which all dropped earlier this week, are much more akin to natural bits of worldbuilding than shout-outs to the fandom. (Members of the press were sent the fourth episode, too, and without spoiling anything about what happens in Episode 4, the relative lack of fandom-pleasing Easter eggs continues.) In Episode 3, Cassian and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) escape on a 74-Z speeder bike, which fans will remember from the high-speed chase on the Forest Moon of Endor in _Return of the Jedi._ Is that an Easter egg, though, or does it just make sense that a widespread and established mode of ground transportation might appear again, here? Same goes with the Y-Wing that can be spotted in the shipyard where Cassian gets his rides. It’s recognizable, sure, but it feels less like a reward for eagle-eyed fans and more a natural occurrence of having an expansive franchise where there are a lot of different types of spaceships. It would almost be weirder if _every_ ship in _Andor_ was brand-new. There are a few planets that, while not nearly as famous among fans as Tatooine or Coruscant, are nonetheless pre-established parts of the _Star Wars Universe._ Timm Karlo (James McArdle), the new boyfriend of Cassian’s ex and ally Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona), mentions Wobani, a planet that makes a brief appearance in _Rogue One_ when Cassian springs Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) from an Imperial prison. While Cassian’s true home planet Kenari made its debut in this show, the planet he claims to be from as part of his cover story, Fest, has appeared before. The planet made its debut as a level in the 1995 video game _Star Wars: Dark Forces_ and has since been folded into the mainstream _Star Wars_ canon. Due to its origins, Fest is probably the thing in _Andor_’s first three episodes that feels the most like a true Easter egg, but even then, it’s not distracting. Cassian needs to (pretend to) be from somewhere. Why not Fest? Finally, Bix asks for a cup of “Caf” when she wakes up. This is only an Easter egg because it is very funny to hear a real person say, out loud, the name of “Coffee” in the Star Wars Universe. Canonically, coffee is called “Caf” in Star Wars, the same way that the jazz-like music genre is officially called “Jizz.” Can’t blame _Andor_ for being consistent. ## **The relative lack of Easter Eggs helps make** **_Andor_** **exciting—and it’s what Star Wars needs**  Sergeant Mosk (Alex Ferns), Chief Inspector Hyne (Rupert Vansittart) and Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) Lucasfilm Ltd. Finding Easter eggs is fun! It’s nice to get a little rush and feel the thrill of the hunt, it feels good to have your fandom rewarded, and it can be exciting to speculate on whether an Easter egg could be heralding something much bigger, like the return of a forgotten character or a possible spin-off. However, constant vigilance can distract from one’s enjoyment of a story. Moreover, an endless barrage of references to other, seemingly _more_ exciting things can have the side effect of making the very thing you’re watching seem like an afterthought. Why care about Cassian Andor’s story if there’s a stealthy reference to \[insert obscure Jedi character here\]? In the grand scheme of _Star Wars_, Cassian Andor is not that important a character. He’s not a main character like Obi-Wan, he’s not a longtime fan-favorite like Boba Fett, and he’s not a beloved character from the cartoons like Ahsoka Tano, who will be getting her own live-action series. Cassian is the secondary lead of a spin-off movie. And yet, _Andor_ is a fresh-feeling, exciting tale. A large part of that goes to Gilroy’s writing and direction, talented actors, and the fact that much of the show was filmed on location instead of in front of Disney’s high-tech LED screens. The lack of Easter eggs and fan service is a huge part of _Andor_’s early critical success, too. While so many recent _Star Wars_ titles have been about expanding the universe or promoting cartoon characters to live-action, _Andor_ is so far only really concerned with, well, _Andor_. It’s a level of confidence that the franchise as a whole could benefit from adopting, rather than getting distracted with tantalizing Easter eggs. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6216136/andor-easter-eggs/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6216136/andor-easter-eggs/"},"headline":"Why Andor Has So Few Easter Eggs—And Why That's a Good Thing","datePublished":"2022-09-23T18:13:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:53:53.188Z","description":"The new Disney+ 'Rogue One' spin-off 'Andor' is refreshingly devoid of Easter eggs. 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