For Star Wars fans, 2022 is expected to be a year long remembered. In addition to Star Wars Celebration and Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans are also expecting A Droid Story, Season 2 of The Bad Batch, Season 3 of The Mandalorian, and a new live-action Star Wars show in Andor. While Andor is anticipated to follow Obi-Wan Kenobi, strangely enough, it's also one of the projects audiences have heard the least about.
What fans do know is that Andor is expected to be a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that's set five years before the events of the film. The show also stars Diego Luna as he reprises his role as the Rebel spy, Cassian Andor.
Apart from a few interviews and leaked set photos, little else has been revealed or discussed as Lucasfilm appears to be approaching this spy thriller as Cassian approaches Rebel intel. But now, a new rumor suggests just who else audiences may see in this secretive series.
Palpatine's Royal Guards to Appear in Andor?
According to a new rumor from Bespin Bulletin, the Imperial Royal Guards will be making an appearance in Andor, Lucasfilm's upcoming Rogue One spin-off series for Disney+.
While the Royal Guards are often attributed to Emperor Palpatine, it's more likely that these formidable, crimson-colored sentries will appear in a scene involving the Imperial Senate and accompanying Mas Amedda, the former Vice-Chair of the Galactic Senate, who's also rumored to appear in the series.
Mas Amedda is a blue-skinned Chagrian politician who appeared in all three of the prequel trilogy films. During the time period in which Andor is set, Mas Amedda will be serving as Grand Vizier of the Emperor.
It's worth noting that this is far from the first time the Royal Guard has accompanied someone other than Palpatine. In addition to guarding Amedda in the comics, the Royal Guard also appeared in Rogue One alongside Darth Vader.
What the Royal Guard & Imperial Senate Could Mean for Andor
If Lucasfilm intends to bring back Emperor Palpatine (again) between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor, the live-action series that makes the most sense is definitely Kenobi's considering the Sith Lord was integral to the division between Anakin and his Master.
Therefore, it makes sense for Lucasfilm to utilize Mas Amedda in place of the Emperor for Andor. And, not only is having him flanked by the Royal Guard in line with the comics, but it's also the perfect visual cue for Palpatine's presence and influence.
Now, if this rumor proves to be true, the fact that the show intends to explore the Imperial Senate is a fascinating one. Similar to how Rogue One came about from a line in A New Hope, the Imperial Senate was first mentioned in the original 1977 film by Princess Leia when she claims to be "a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan."
Later on in the film, Grand Moff Tarkin informs those on the Death Star and the audience that "the Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern" due to the Emperor having "dissolved the council permanently."
Since Andor is set five years before A New Hope, it sounds like Star Wars may finally see this political institution, under the thumb of Palpatine, in live-action and possibly Princess Leia herself? It would certainly be an interesting aspect to explore in conjunction with Andor's missions.
Hopefully, fans will learn more about Andor and how the show intends to show the different facets of the Empire at Star Wars Celebration in May.
Andor is expected to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2022.
