Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Andor season 2Thanks to the final episodes of Anakin Skywalker replacement. In the primary Skywalker saga, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, caught between the opposing sides of the Force, who ultimately brought balance to the galaxy. Despite being more grounded and operating on a less cosmic level, Cassian Andor has achieved something similar when looking at the full context of his Star Wars journey.

As seen across both seasons of Andor, Cassian Andor's journey from being a common thief to a captain of the Rebel Alliance is quite impressive. However, the final episodes of Andor season 2 give Cassian a clear destiny for his future with some key obstacles, drawing parallels to the journey of Anakin Skywalker himself. Here's how Cassian Andor has effectively been turned into an Anakin replacement (from a certain point of view).

Cassian Is The Rebellion's "Chosen One"

Identified As a Fated "Messenger"

In Andor episode 7, Cassian Andor and Bix Caleen encounter a Force healer based on Yavin who's providing aid to soldiers of the Rebel Alliance. While Cassian didn't believe in her gifts, this Force healer was able to sense Andor before she saw him, and knew exactly where his unhealed blaster wound was located. Cassian leaves still unconvinced, though Bix and the healer continue speaking about Andor.

Remarkably, the healer shares with Bix that she could sense Andor's unique significance in the Force. Identifying him as a "messenger", the healer's words serve as undeniable foreshadowing of Cassian's Rogue One fate, giving his life to deliver the Death Star plans to the Alliance. Albeit on a much smaller scale, this s the idea that Cassian can be considered the Rebellion's "Chosen One", fated and destined to give the Alliance a fighting chance to destroy the Death Star, the true beginning of the Galactic Civil War.

Like Anakin, Cassian Is Torn Between Two Attachments

Choosing Between Bix and The Cause

In Anakin Skywalker's case, the Chosen One was torn between his commitment to the Jedi Order and the life he had for Pé Amidala, who eventually became his secret wife. This struggle between his duty as a Jedi and attachment to the one he loved became Anakin's core struggle. As such, this ultimately led to Anakin's corruption to the dark side as Darth Vader when his fears of losing Pé motivated the Jedi Knight to seek power beyond the light side of the Force and the Jedi Order.

In a similar vein, Cassian Andor was torn between his attachment to Bix Caleen and his commitment to the Rebel Alliance. Andor had been a capable soldier fighting for the cause, much like Anakin Skywalker had been during the Clone Wars. However, the final episodes of Andor season 2 saw Cassian ready to give it all up, abandoning his duties and commitments to the Alliance to be with Bix and keep her safe.

That being said, the key difference for Cassian is that both he and Bix ultimately come to realize that conflicting attachments couldn't be sustained. While Cassian would've chosen Bix, she ends up choosing the Rebellion for him. Knowing how important he'd become to the Alliance, Bix left Andor while he was still sleeping, promising to come back to him once the Empire was defeated. As such, it does make the events of Rogue One even more tragic than they already were, especially considering Andor's season 2's ending.

Cassian Must Decide Which Side Of The Force He Aligns With

It's Not Just About Jedi and Sith

Notably, balance in the Force isn't just about the conflict between the Sith Lords and Jedi. As confirmed by Lucasfilm's Dave Filoni, every being in the Star Wars galaxy has a role to play when it comes to achieving balance:

"The dark side of the Force is manifested in our greed, desire for power, and fears. And the light side of the Force is propagated by selfless action, by living in balance, by overcoming our fears. The Force naturally exists in balance; that balance is thrown out when someone chooses to give in to their fears and then spirals out of control making selfish choice after selfish choice. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.

Anakin believes he is trying to save his wife, he is afraid to lose her, he chooses to act out of his fears and try to control the situation. That moment of choice, how we act and react is so important. The choice between dark and light is often subtle and not limited to the Jedi and Sith. Everyone struggles with the balance between light and dark. The Mandalorian has a choice: do his job, find the Child and hand him over to the Empire, or take this lost child in and protect it, become it's guardian. It is a critical choice and one that greatly impacts both their lives."

Filoni uses Anakin's fear of losing Pé and Din Djarin's choice to protect Grogu as prime examples. However, Cassian Andor embodies this idea just as well. Having been recruited to the Rebel cause by Luthen Rael, Cassian is shown in Andor and Rogue One similarly using Rael's darker methods and cold tactics, "using the tools of the enemy to defeat them," as Rael says in his iconic Andor season 1 monologue. However, Rogue One sees Cassian gradually choosing a different path that's more of the light, actively choosing hope, and being more trusting. After all, "Rebellions are built on hope" (Andor).

Like Anakin, Cassian Fulfilled His Destiny Through His Death

Sacrificing Himself on Scarif

After spending just over two decades as a Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader is redeemed back to the light as Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi. Thanks to his son, who refused to stop believing there was still good in Vader, Anakin was brought back to life when Vader decides to save Luke from Emperor Palpatine, throwing the Sith ruler down a reactor shaft, and thus restoring balance for years to come in the Star Wars timeline. However, Anakin/Vader bringing balance to the Force was his final act, fulfilling his ultimate destiny just before his death in Return of the Jedi.

Likewise, Cassian Andor also fulfilled his destiny with his death. Ensuring that the Death Star plans were sent to the Alliance fleet in orbit above Scarif, Cassian also sacrificed himself in a final act that gave the Alliance the opportunity they needed to turn their resistance into a legitimate opposition to the Empire. After all, the Rebels' victory at the Battle of Yavin was the definitive conflict that started the Galactic Civil War in the original trilogy, and it was only possible thanks to Cassian and his team of Rebels.

Despite operating in vastly different circles of the Star Wars galaxy, Anakin and Cassian were both mavericks who often broke the rules and protocols if it meant doing the right thing. They were also torn between their respective attachments, while also having key foretold destinies in the Star Wars timeline. All things considered, it's pretty fun to see all the parallels that make Cassian Andor an effective Anakin Skywalker replacement for the Rebellion (from a certain point of view).

All episodes of Andor seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+.