Lucasfilm has re-canonized a beloved element from a non-canon Star Wars video game by bringing back a major weapon in a hit Disney+ series. Andor, the prequel series to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, pushed Cassian Andor to the forefront before his eventual sacrifice on the big screen. As a Rebel operative and saboteur, Andor relies on a plethora of weapons to get the job done, such as scavenged blasters and explosives, before eventually settling on his signature sidearm that becomes central to his identity: a blaster pistol.
Lucasfilm, via The Art of Andor, confirmed that Cassian Andor's blaster pistol is inspired by the Bryar pistol from Star Wars: Dark Forces, a 1995 video game that is no longer canon and part of the Legends continuity. In the game, it serves as Kyle Katarn's trusty weapon.
It later appeared in canon as the K-16 Bryar pistol in Star Wars Battlefront. By elevating a weapon from a decanonized video game into a central piece of one of Star Wars' most critically acclaimed live-action stories, Lucasfilm is quietly reshaping the boundaries of canon.
It's a clear demonstration that strong designs and notable concepts from the old Expanded Universe (EU) are never truly off-limits, and they can return when they serve a great story.
In The Art of Andor, prop master Martyn Doust shared details of how the non-canon blaster was incorporated in the world of Andor, noting that they wanted something distinctive like Han Solo's DL-44 but more concealable. They eventually landed on the "chunky," rotating-barrel Bryar look from Battlefront's K-16:
"A member of my team came to me with the Bryar pistol, which I whink was from ['Star Wars: Dark Forces'], one of the Star Wars games. It had this really chunky front end. I was like, ‘I love it, but I don’t understand why it’s there.’ I was thinking, ‘Right, well, the reason why is the revolving front barrel… Once it’s used a lot, it heats up and then it’s going to jam. And so, flick of the wrist, the push of a button, and the whole barrel revolves and puts a new, cool barrel in its place.’ I spoke to the prop-making team, and because of the technology that we’ve got now, the facilities they have now, within forty-eight hours, I was holdng a prototype in my hand."
This move not only gives Cassian a distinctive, practical weapon that fits his resourceful spy persona; it also builds a subtle bridge between two Rebel operatives who both played pivotal roles in the fight against the Empire.
Lucasfilm Keeps Bringing Legends Elements Back into Star Wars Canon
Maul: Shadow Lord - Devon Izara
Maul: Shadow Lord introduced Devon Izara, a Twi'lek Force-sensitive Padawan who survived the fall of the Jedi Order, only to be targeted, manipulated, and ultimately apprenticed by Maul as he works toward regaining his power and building his criminal empire to combat the Empire.
Devon's look and role as a Force wielder echoes a similar red-skinned Twi'lek from Legends continuity: Darth Talon. In the Expanded Universe, Darth Talon is a dangerous Sith assassin from the Star Wars: Legacy comics who served as a deadly enforcer under a powerful Sith Lord (at one point, George Lucas envisioned her as Maul's apprentice).
While Devon has yet to fully embrace the Dark Side, many noted that she already embodied the spirit and look of Darth Talon, signaling Lucasfilm's intent to bring the legendary Sith into canon projects.
Andor Season 2 - The Ghorman Massacre
Andor Season 2's Ghorman Massacre was an element from the Legends continuity that was adapted into canon.
The Ghorman Massacre originated in the old EU, where Imperial officer Wilhuff Tarkin brutally landed his starship on peaceful protesters on the planet Ghorman, crushing hundreds. It was portrayed as a crucial spark that helped push figures like Bail Organa and Mon Mothma toward open rebellion.
Andor Season 2 expanded this dark chapter, depicting the canon version of the massacre by showing the Empire's oppression and calculated brutality designed to crush citizens and seize the planet's resources. In the same way the EU portrayed this crucial event, this canon interpretation became essential to understanding how the Rebellion was truly born.
Eyes Like Stars - Galactic Starcruiser
Lucasfilm also canonized the real-world closure of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser attraction through the 2026 novel, Eyes Like Stars. Disney's Galactic Starcruiser opened in 2022 with great fanfare but closed permanently in September 2023 after just 18 months due to high costs and lower-than-expected attendance.
Rather than ignoring the attraction's failure, Lucasfilm wove its closure directly into Star Wars. In Eyes Like Stars, characters openly reference the Chandrila Star Line and explain that the luxury cruise line has fallen on hard times. This reference offers an in-universe justification fr why the glamorous Halcyon voyages are no longer running.
Dark Droids - HK-47
In June 2023, Lucasfilm brought back HK-47, one of the most beloved characters from the Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) era, into active Star Wars storytelling through Star Wars: Dark Droids. HK-47 originated in 2003's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as the Jedi-hunting assassin droid built by Darth Revan.
While the Darth Revan-era timeline remains within the confines of Legends continuity, HK-47's return to canon storytelling continued the droid's legacy and kept his spirit alive.
HK-47's reintroduction (and incorporation into other droids) opens the door for future appearances in future on-screen stories, even without fully committing the entire KOTOR timeline to canon.
BONUS: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew - Fuzzball
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew canonized Fuzzball, a beloved creature from Michael Jackson's 1986 musical short film, Captain EO. This film was also produced by George Lucas, and it played at Disney theme parks for years.
By featuring a member of his species in Skeleton Crew, Lucasfilm officially brought back the character and relegated it to the main Star Wars galaxy, marking the first time that this Captain EO element has become fully part of canon.
It is also quite fitting that Fuzzball appeared in a project aimed at younger audiences filled with wonder, making it the perfect place for a whimsical creature like him to appear without clashing with other corners of the saga.
