What Star Wars Shows to Watch Before Andor Season 2

Nivedita Dubey
April 12, 2025

Summary:

Watch Andor Season 1 and key Rebels episodes for core plot connections.
Clone Wars and Bad Batch offer deeper context on Saw Gerrera and the rebellion’s early days.
All shows are on Disney+ ahead of Andor Season 2’s April 22, 2025 premiere.

**Which Shows Are Most Important to Watch Before Andor Season 2?**

To fully understand Cassian Andor’s transformation into a Rebel spy, several Star Wars series offer critical background. These shows highlight the formation of the Rebel Alliance, development of Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera, and the escalating fight against the Empire.

Andor Season 1 (Disney+, 2022): This is the core narrative foundation for Season 2. It tracks Cassian’s evolution from a self-serving scavenger to an unwitting rebel agent. It also introduces key figures like Luthen Rael, Mon Mothma, and Dedra Meero, all of whom continue into Season 2. The show sets up major themes like Imperial oppression and rebellion from the ground up. Most notably, Cassian’s involvement in constructing the Death Star—without his knowledge—is a crucial Season 1 reveal.
Star Wars Rebels (Disney+, 2014–2018): Set in the same era as Andor, this animated series shows how scattered insurgent cells gradually unify. Mon Mothma’s political shift and Saw Gerrera’s extreme methods play pivotal roles. Certain episodes specifically align with events expected in Season 2.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Disney+, 2008–2020): This long-running series provides the origin story of Saw Gerrera, showing his early resistance work during the Clone Wars. His radicalization begins here.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+, 2021–2024): Overlapping the early Imperial era, it portrays the aftermath of Order 66. Saw Gerrera briefly appears, reinforcing his continuous rebellion since the Empire’s formation.

**What Are the Most Relevant Rebels Episodes for Andor Season 2?**

While all of Star Wars Rebels explores the broader rebellion, specific episodes directly connect with Andor’s second season:

“Secret Cargo” (Season 3, Episode 14): Mon Mothma publicly denounces the Empire following the Ghorman Massacre, a moment hinted to be shown in Season 2. Her bold move unites various rebel factions for the first time.
“Ghosts of Geonosis” (Season 3, Episodes 12–13): Introduces Saw Gerrera’s hardline tactics. His distrust of central leadership contrasts with Mon Mothma’s approach—a dynamic likely explored in Season 2.
“In the Name of the Rebellion” (Season 4, Episodes 3–4): Further explores the ideological divide between Saw and Mon Mothma. These episodes underline why Saw’s extremism makes him both a valuable and volatile rebel ally.

These episodes provide essential political and tactical context as the Rebel Alliance begins formal coordination—a likely Season 2 focus.

**Why Is Saw Gerrera So Central to Andor Season 2’s Storyline?**

Saw Gerrera serves as a link between early resistance and full-scale rebellion, and Andor Season 2 is expected to explore his rift with other rebel leaders. To understand Saw’s uncompromising tactics and distrust of centralized power, two animated series provide necessary backstory:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Onderon Arc (Season 5, Episodes 2–5): Saw and his sister Steela lead a grassroots uprising against Separatists on Onderon. These episodes reveal Saw’s earliest experiences with guerrilla warfare, laying the foundation for his future radicalism.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – “Aftermath” (Season 1, Episode 1): A brief but important cameo by Saw Gerrera shows him resisting the Empire’s newly formed regime. It emphasizes that Saw has been fighting since day one.

These episodes explain why Saw refuses compromise and sees the Empire’s destruction as the only path forward—a view that clashes with leaders like Mon Mothma and Luthen Rael.

**Is It Necessary to Rewatch Andor Season 1 Before Season 2?**

Yes. Andor Season 1 is not just a prologue—it’s the narrative and thematic core of the series. It establishes:

Cassian’s personal loss, exile, and reluctant involvement in the rebellion.
The rise of rebel cells, like the Ferrix resistance and Luthen’s network.
Mon Mothma’s dangerous double life as a Senator and funder of rebel activity.
The prison arc at Narkina 5, revealing Cassian’s unwitting role in constructing the Death Star.

Season 2 picks up shortly after these events and spans the four-year period leading directly into Rogue One. Rewatching Season 1 ensures key plot and character moments are fresh—especially as K-2SO, Orson Krennic, and Director Tivik are expected to appear.

**How Do These Shows Fit Into the Andor Season 2 Timeline?**

Andor Season 2 covers BBY 5 to BBY 1 (Before the Battle of Yavin), leading into Rogue One. Here’s how the shows align:

The Bad Batch (BBY 19 to BBY 18): Context for Saw’s anti-Empire stance post-Order 66.
The Clone Wars (BBY 22): Saw’s origin during the fall of the Republic.
Andor Season 1 (BBY 5): Direct lead-in to Season 2.
Rebels (BBY 5 to BBY 1): Runs parallel to Season 2, including Ghorman, Saw vs. Mon Mothma, and early Rebel fleet coordination.

**What About Rogue One and Other Canon Films?**

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Disney+, 2016) is essential viewing after Season 2. It depicts Cassian’s final mission and the culmination of the Rebellion’s first major victory—the Death Star plans theft.

Also worth a quick revisit: