We've been hearing for a while now that Alan Tudyk's K-2SO won't be part of Andor, and that's left fans scratching their heads. After all, the droid has become a beloved fan-favourite and was a highlight in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Cassian's loyal, and somewhat quirky, companion.
Of course, it's since been revealed that the show's first season will be set five years before the events of the movie, so there's plenty of time to introduce the former Imperial droid when the show returns for a second season. That will cover the next four years of Cassian's life, and Head Writer Tony Gilroy addressed K-2SO's absence from the first twelve episodes at the TCA press tour.
Explaining that there are "multiple reasons" for his absence in this specific adventure, Gilroy went on to say that the massive Imperial droid is a "difficult piece of luggage."
"From a storytelling point of view, there are multiple reasons. I would say, 'Wait and see,'" he teased (via The Hollywood Reporter). "It’s a story we are eager to tell. It’s difficult to carry an Imperial droid around with you and not draw all kinds of attention. It’s a difficult piece of luggage."
"When we do it, we’ll do it in a spectacular fashion as opposed to presenting it and ignoring it, or presenting it or hiding it, or the bad versions we would have been forced to do," Gilroy continued. "We’re starting him so far away from the person who would know how to - or be motivated to - reprogram an Imperial droid."
It doesn't sound like K-2SO will be shoehorned into Andor for the sake of it, and that's a good thing. With season two set to devote three episodes to each of those subsequent four years before Rogue One, there should be plenty of time to reveal how they met and to explore their relationship.
Andor explores a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved.
It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
The first three episodes of the show premiere on Disney+ on September 21.