4

In the first three episodes of Andor the planet Kenari is shown in retrospective scenes as being wild, uninhabited, and destroyed with huge, empty, destroyed mines. And in the show, it is described, that an Imperial mining disaster destroyed the planet. But the retrospective scenes take place before the Empire is formed. How should I interpret these two situations?

  • Do people refer to the Galactic Republic as Empire, as part of propaganda?
  • Is the planet in retrospective scenes already destroyed, but still before some "disaster"?
  • Is this a mistake by writers? (not likely, since in the retrospective, the Republic is mentioned...)
Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

It seems that the real disaster was a later event. Lucasfilm's Lore Advisor Pablo Hidalgo, while not speaking on behalf of the showrunners, says this:

I think the disaster that finally closes up shop happened afterwards if it’s attributed to the Empire.

https://twitter.com/pabl0hidalgo/status/1573780067125075969

The starwars.com Episode Guide for Episode 2 says that as of the flashback, Kenari has "ruins" from "massive mining operations", but not that it's uninhabitable:

Screenshot of Kassa overlooking a mining pit

In the past, a young Cassian Andor -- or Kassa -- and his tribe traverse the wilderness of Kenari, surveying the ruins of a world with deep scars from massive mining operations.

(source: https://www.starwars.com/series/andor/andor-season-1-episode-2-episode-guide, Story Gallery image 1)

This is corroborated by the Episode Guide for Episode 3:

The flashbacks in this episode occur during the later years of the Republic, prior to the start of the Clone Wars, with Maarva and Clem worrying about an incoming Republic frigate interrupting their salvage operation. The dead crewers aboard the transport corsair wear uniforms with a symbol closely related to the eventual Separatist Alliance. Travel to Kenari will later be restricted by the Empire due to environmental disaster.

(source: https://www.starwars.com/series/andor/andor-season-1-episode-3-episode-guide, Trivia Gallery image 1, emphasis added)

Improve this answer
3
  • 2
    Of note is the Kenari natives are entirely children and teenagers. Suggesting that these are the children of the adults during the mining disaster who grew up on the planet and were better able to adapt to the toxicity. The only human crash survivor we saw was wearing a respirator. And everyone had turned yellow. Any laws established by the Republic that the Empire just grandfathered in by 5 BBY would just be called Imperial Law.
    – Digital Jedi
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 3:20
  • @DigitalJedi That's true, though Maarva and Clem seem to have been fine without respirators, and the desk guy doesn't just mention Imperial law, he says it was "abandoned after [an] Imperial mining disaster". Agreed that the presentation of facts is confusing either way, but there are eight episodes left this season so there might be more Kenari to come.
    – Milo P
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 16:44
  • 1
    At the start of that flashback, B2EMO states that no toxicity is detected, and Maara and Clem remove their respirators. Maarva says that "Whatever it was must have burned off." That seems to suggest that there was something toxic, at least, on the crashed transport. I'm wondering if it's just a cover story all around, across governments. Or one of many things Palpatine covered up.
    – Digital Jedi
    Commented Oct 5, 2022 at 11:22

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.