Andor season 2 takes place during the four years leading to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and A New Hope, opening the door to legacy characters from the franchise making an appearance.
While the Disney+ series doesn't feature any Jedi or Sith, Senator Bail Organa returned in this week's sixth episode. However, Revenge of the Sith and Obi-Wan Kenobi star Jimmy Smits had been replaced by Benjamin Bratt due to scheduling issues.
Talking to StarWars.com about taking over the role of Princess Leia's father, Bratt said, "I’ve always known Jimmy to be an incredibly talented actor. He possesses elegance, a natural grace, a goodness really, an earnestness that this particular character requires."
Now, he's excited to take a deeper dive into how Organa went from being a Senator to one of the architects of the Rebellion. "We learn that he’s a brilliant strategist and capable of bringing some heat to the degree that it’s needed," the actor teased. "That’s what excited me and drew me to playing the character."
"I find the show’s writing to be very spare and yet it’s incredibly elaborate. It says exactly what you need to say to get the essence, the truth of the scene conveyed on the page," Bratt continued. "Even with the foregone conclusion that tragedy awaits our heroes, it keeps you hopeful. Tony’s story reminds you almost every episode that the human spirit cannot be extinguished."
"That’s the essence of good storytelling. We as a species have survived for millennia living on the stories we tell about ourselves. At the end of the day, if the human story is not moving you, then we’re not doing our job," he concluded.
Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy recently confirmed that Smits had to be replaced due to scheduling issues, and credited Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy for coming up with the idea of casting Bratt.
Organa died on Alderaan when the Death Star destroyed the planet in A New Hope, so it's hard to think of any future projects where we'll see the character. If he does return, then Lucasfilm now has two actors to choose from.
The second season of Andor takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound.
Andor sets the clock back five years from the events of Rogue One to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from a disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.
An official look at Bratt's version of Senator Bail Organa can be seen below.