Warning! SPOILERS for Andor episode 6Episode 6 of Andor has solidified Cassian becoming a grimmer version of Han Solo. Both characters share a lot in common, but their outlook on life tends to vastly differ from one another. Both come from impoverished beginnings and are down on their luck more often than not, but Han tends to find joy in grim situations. Meanwhile, Cassian seems to have already accepted his defeat when it comes to the Empire. Though he hates his lot in life, he’s content just to just keep his head down and survive.
The characters are similar in that they walk the thin line between stepping on the Empire’s toes and staying in their own lane. Initially, Cassian isn’t interested in stealing credits from the Empire since it sounds like too dangerous a mission. After Cassian lets the Imperial officer go in episode 3, he seriously considers just being dropped off by Luthen Rael to take his chances on the run. Similarly, once Han Solo is paid for saving Leia, he doesn’t want to help Luke and the Rebels face the might of the Death Star. Getting killed by the Empire gets in the way of him enjoying his earnings—a sentiment he and Cassian share.
Both Han Solo & Cassian Andor Served On Mimban
It’s possible that both characters have so much in common because of their common origin. Both Solo and Cassian fought for the Empire during the chaotic battle of Mimban. While Solo was forced to be an infantryman in the trenches, Cassian came to Mimban as a cook. Solo saw firsthand how ugly the battlefield could be, whereas Cassian likely only saw the aftereffects of the soldiers coming back from the battle. However, both of them saw enough to realize how scary Star Wars' Empire is. Both survived the battle by running away from it.
Both Han Solo & Cassian Andor ed The Rebellion For Credits
After escaping the travesty of Mimban, both of the characters leave their lives in the Empire behind them. The only thing left for them is to take whatever jobs come their way in order to stay above poverty. Credits are all that solve their problems, and when the Rebellion offers to pay them a large sum, they can’t refuse. Solo’s first “mission” for the Rebellion is rescuing Princess Leia, who Luke promises will pay him handsomely. But despite only caring about the money, Solo’s actions help Leia get back to leading the Rebellion in the destruction of the first Death Star. Likewise, Cassian’s first mission for the Rebellion is the Aldhani heist where he helps steal almost 80 million credits directly from the Empire—the profits of which will fund the origin of the Rebellion in Star Wars.
It’s also ironic that both characters seem to be chasing a loved one at the beginning of their stories. In Solo: A Star Wars Story, Solo desperately tries to get enough money to safely return to Corellia in order to liberate his childhood sweetheart, Qi’ra. The job he takes with Tobias Beckett is only a means to get back to her. Likewise, at the beginning of Andor, Cassian is searching for his long-lost sister. The only reason he chooses to take Luthen Rael’s job is to set himself up to find any information on his sister that he can.
Andor Episode 6 Parallels "Han Shot First"
In Andor episode 6, Cassian shoots his fellow conspirator Skeen when Skeen suggests that they take the credits they stole and run off with them. Why Andor shoots Skeen is no mystery; Nemik’s sacrifice couldn’t go to waste, and adding the Rebellion to the list of organizations he’s swindled would not be a wise move. Had Skeen been left to continue scheming, he could easily have killed both Vel and Cassian in order to take the credits for himself (despite not being able to fly the ship). Cassian’s intuition and foresight warn him before Skeen gets this far, and Skeen has a blaster hole in his chest before he even finishes laying out his plan.
There are two scenes in Star Wars where Han pulls a similar stunt to Cassian, the most famous of which is his discussion with Greedo. Han can tell that Greedo has no intention of making him pay up to Jabba; Greedo intends to kill him and collect on his bounty himself. Before he can make a move, Han shoots Greedo first. The second scene which mirrors Cassian and Skeen happens at the end of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Han takes out his mentor, Tobias Beckett before Beckett pulls a gun on him.
Despite having a similar intuition for when a conversation is turning south, Han and Cassian shoot first for different reasons. Han shoots Greedo and Beckett because he has no other choice and because they intended to kill him. In a way, he shoots in self-defense. Cassian, on the other hand, shoots Skeen in order to save Vel from being stranded. In the brief moments before taking the shot, Cassian can be seen with a disgusted look on his face as Skeen spills the details of his treachery. It’s clear that Andor hates Skeen, and that the audience is meant to as well.
Both Cassian & Han Will Become Part Of A Two-Man Team (K2 and Chewie)
Finally, both characters have a hulking, comical sidekick. Han Solo meets Chewbacca during his time on Mimban, and they become an inseparable duo from then on. Similarly, Andor meets K-2SO at some point between Andor and how Han Solo met Chewbacca in Star Wars Legends. Likewise, K-2SO is an Imperial droid who was captured and reprogrammed by the Rebellion.
With all their similarities in situation and upbringing, it’s surprising that they turned out so different. Han Solo has the remarkable ability of having fun and cracking jokes in the direst of situations, such as shouting “yahoo” while fighting Imperials. Meanwhile, Cassian curses at his lot in life whenever things turn sour for him. Cassian’s journey as a Rebel is only beginning in Andor, and there may be more references to his Solo-like character in future episodes.
New episodes of Andor release on Wednesdays on Disney+.
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