Warning! SPOILERS for Andor episode 9.Andor episode 9, "Nobody's Listening!," further hints at theories that Thrawn and Palpatine could both make appearances in the show. Although these cameos would be logical, given Andor's slot in the Star Wars timeline, the inclusion of such pivotal villains would work better in other media. While the majority of Andor episode 9 takes place in the Imperial prison on Narkina 5, it features insightful glimpses into the machinations of the Empire. These overarching schemes are undoubtedly being devised by Emperor Palpatine, with several direct references to the Emperor in Andor episode 7. One of these references comes from Colonel Yularen, a known collaborator with Thrawn.
Andor has yet to fully explore the array of Cassian Andor's activity on the planet Aldhani that tightens the Empire's galaxy-wide grip of oppression. Andor accomplishes this wide-sweeping Imperial portrayal without the presence of tacked-on cameos and familiar characters, aspects which have been especially prevalent in other Star Wars media. Thrawn and Palpatine featuring in Andor are plausible possibilities from a timeline perspective, but their inclusion would contradict Andor's effective approach to conveying the atrocities of the Empire.
Andor's Empire Story Works Better Without Thrawn Or Palpatine Appearing
Andor already does an excellent job of portraying the Empire's extensive tyrannical influence, without the need for characters like Vader, Thrawn, or the Emperor. This growing reign is mostly captured through the lens of Dedra Meero and Syril Karn. Meero's initial sympathetic nature has given way to a sinister, power-hungry rise to prominence in the ISB. Similarly, Karn claws his way through the industrial ranks of Coruscant. By focusing on the perspective of these two characters, Andor rightfully depicts the Empire's true terror.
Andor's focus on characters like Meero and Karn allows for a more relevant image of Imperial tyranny to emerge. Andor provides intricate details about the lives of both figures, and their characters are written so adeptly that audiences could even find themselves taking their side. Meero and Karn both fully believe they have the moral high ground, which makes their descension into villainous actions that much more impactful. After all, audiences will be aware of Thrawn and Palpatine's villainous nature the second they appear on-screen. Fleshing out realistic characters with relevant stories that function as minor cogs in the Empire's massive machine makes for a much more compelling story.
Thrawn Should Still Have A Major Future In Star Wars - Just Not In Andor
Although he has yet to appear in a live-action Star Wars project, Grand iral Thrawn is one of the singular most iconic Star Wars villains of all time. Introducing Thrawn in a show that has already established the importance of the collective might of the Empire would be an extreme contradiction. Andor is about the inception of the Rebellion and centers on the early efforts of the Empire to combat the revolution from the ground up. The mature focus on multidimensional characters, as opposed to those that are overtly villainous, has been one of the show's greatest strengths. The Emperor's looming presence is continually felt throughout the galaxy already, while Thrawn's story can be perfected in Ahsoka's show. The Grand iral's debut in live-action Star Wars is inevitable, but reserving his inclusion for a different story feels right up Andor's alley.
New episodes of Andor release on Wednesdays on Disney+.