I just found out Andor Season 2 was supposed to feature this veteran Star Wars character (& I’m glad it didn’t happen)

In an interview with ScreenRant, the creator of the critically acclaimed show Andor Season 2 Tony Gilroy, explained that there was serious consideration given to including Leia Organa in the second and final season. He emphasised how including the character would have made sense chronologically. Leia was a prominent player during the Rebellion, which is also the time Andor takes place—just before Rogue One. She famously appears in Rogue One’s ending scene, receiving the Death Star plans from Cassian and Jyn and saying they brought “hope”—a moment depicted as crucial.

To be honest, it wouldn’t have been that surprising if she had appeared in the show, but now I think I’m glad it didn’t happen. Read on to know why.

Disclaimer: The below article is the author's opinion; the reader's discretion is advisable.

Here is what Andor 2 creator said about Leia's appearance in the show

In the interview, Gilroy was brainstorming storylines connected to the intense political activity in the Galactic Senate. Leia’s home planet’s party scene in Andor Season 2 would have made it easier for her to appear in the show.

"This is in the really soggy beginning, trying to figure out what to do because trying to figure out, I was trying to make that Investiture Week I idea. I was trying to get the most out of that investiture week and those parties, and we have Alden's party now… and we're making a thing out of it. And we were trying to find out on the timeline where she would be in the Senate."

As mentioned, Leia was a prominent part of the Rebellion, and a possible scene could have featured her with Mon Mothma, the leader of the Rebellion. But these brainstorms never transformed into action.

"There were some nutrients for a scene between her and Mothma that if she was going there at 16 and Mothma had gone to the Senate when she was 16, there was some basic cool things for a scene, but it never got past that, and it never went to the casting stage, or it never got more real than that."

So, although the storyline provided several gateways to introduce Leia, the makers ultimately chose not to pursue them.

Why didn't Leia appear in Andor Season 2?

I think Leia would have been more of a distraction in Andor Season 2. Even Gilroy admits in the interview that her appearance might have shifted focus from the main story. The writers were trying to build tension around the Senate and the Rebellion through new or lesser-used characters like Mon Mothma, and a Leia cameo could have overshadowed that. I’m glad it never reached the casting stage or found its place in the script.

Moreover, at this point in the timeline, Leia would be about 16 years old, and including her would have also raised logistical questions. The character’s introduction would have been nothing but fan service. The characters who appeared in the show added to the plot without hijacking it—such as Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, both Rebellion leaders. Indeed, they fit organically into the story Andor was telling.

Therefore, the show didn’t need Leia’s dramatic cameo, and Andor made a deliberate choice to avoid such flashy moments that serve the story less.

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The show has been called one of the best Star Wars stories ever—not for relying on nostalgia bait, but for its intelligent, politically complex, and emotionally mature storytelling.

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