When Does Andor Take Place? Complete Star Wars Timeline Guide

Star Wars fans diving into Disney Plus often find themselves asking: when does Andor take place in the sprawling galactic timeline? It’s a fair question. With decades of movies, animated series, and now streaming shows, placing any new Star Wars story can feel like solving a puzzle. Understanding how fans discuss Star Wars online and decode all the franchise terminology adds another layer to the challenge.

The good news? Andor’s placement in the timeline isn’t complicated once someone knows where to look. This series tells the origin story of Cassian Andor, the rebel spy audiences first met in Rogue One. And everything about its timeline connects directly to that film and the original trilogy that started it all.

The Quick Answer: When Andor Takes Place in the Star Wars Timeline

For anyone in a hurry, here’s the straightforward answer. Andor takes place during what Star Wars fans call the “BBY era” – specifically between 5 BBY and 0 BBY. That means the entire series unfolds in the five years leading up to A New Hope, the original 1977 Star Wars film.

Season 1: 5 BBY (5 Years Before A New Hope)

Season 1 of Andor takes place entirely in 5 BBY. The story spans roughly one year of in-universe time, following Cassian as he transforms from a small-time thief into someone willing to fight the Empire. During this period, the Rebellion barely exists. It’s more like scattered pockets of resistance than any organized military force.

The season unfolds through four distinct three-episode arcs. Each arc tells its own complete story while building toward the larger narrative. Viewers watch Cassian stumble into the resistance almost by accident, then slowly commit to the cause as the Empire’s cruelty becomes impossible to ignore.

Season 2: 4 BBY to 0 BBY (Leading Directly Into Rogue One)

Season 2 takes a different approach to time. Instead of covering one year, it spans four years in just 12 episodes. Each three-episode arc jumps forward approximately one year:

• Episodes 1-3: Late 4 BBY, continuing from where Season 1 ended
• Episodes 4-6: 3 BBY, showing the Rebellion’s growth
• Episodes 7-9: 2 BBY, as tensions escalate galaxy-wide
• Episodes 10-12: 1 BBY, leading directly into Rogue One’s opening

This structure means viewers experience time jumps between arcs. Each leap forward shows how both Cassian and the Rebellion have evolved. By the final episodes, audiences see the fully-formed spy and soldier who appears in Rogue One.

What Does BBY Mean? Understanding Star Wars Dating

Before going deeper into Andor’s timeline, it helps to understand how Star Wars measures time. The franchise uses a dating system centered on one pivotal event.

BBY = Before the Battle of Yavin

BBY stands for “Before the Battle of Yavin.” This battle appears at the climax of A New Hope, when Luke Skywalker destroys the first Death Star. It’s the moment everything changes for the galaxy, which is why the Star Wars universe treats it as Year Zero.

ABY = After the Battle of Yavin

Events happening after the Death Star’s destruction get measured in ABY – “After the Battle of Yavin.” The Empire Strikes Back takes place in 3 ABY. Return of the Jedi happens in 4 ABY. The Mandalorian, for comparison, takes place around 9 ABY.

Why the Battle of Yavin Is Year Zero

This dating system originated from Star Wars roleplaying games in the 1990s. The writers needed a consistent way to track when different events happened. They chose the Battle of Yavin because it’s the first major victory for the Rebellion – the moment hope truly enters the galaxy.

Andor Season 1 Timeline Breakdown

Understanding exactly when Season 1 unfolds helps viewers appreciate what’s happening in the larger galaxy during Cassian’s journey.

When Season 1 Starts: Early 5 BBY

The first episode opens with Cassian on the rainy corporate world of Morlana One. He’s searching for his long-lost sister, a quest that accidentally puts him in the Empire’s crosshairs. This is early 5 BBY – five full years before anyone will steal Death Star plans or blow up space stations.

The Four 3-Episode Story Arcs

Season 1 tells four connected stories across its 12 episodes. The Ferrix arc introduces Cassian’s home and the people he loves. The Aldhani arc shows his first real mission for the Rebellion. The Narkina Five prison arc strips him of everything. The finale brings him back to fight.

Each arc covers days or weeks of story time, not months. The entire season spans roughly one year, with time passing between arcs rather than during them.

What’s Happening in the Galaxy During This Time

During 5 BBY, the Empire controls everything. The Clone Wars ended nearly two decades ago. The Jedi are extinct or in hiding. Emperor Palpatine’s grip on power seems absolute and eternal.

The Rebellion doesn’t really exist yet – not as the organized force seen in the original trilogy. What exists are scattered resistance cells, disconnected and suspicious of each other. Andor shows these cells starting to find each other, starting to believe coordinated resistance might actually work.

Andor Season 2 Timeline: Four Years in 12 Episodes

Season 2’s ambitious structure compresses four years of story into one season. Here’s how it breaks down.

Episodes 1-3: Late 4 BBY

The season picks up where Season 1 ended. Cassian has committed to the cause. These episodes show him taking on his first missions as a true rebel operative, no longer an accidental participant but a deliberate fighter.

Episodes 4-6: 3 BBY

A year has passed. The Rebellion has grown, and so has Cassian’s reputation within it. These episodes explore how sustained resistance changes a person – how years of fighting, losing friends, and making impossible choices shape someone into a different kind of soldier.

Episodes 7-9: 2 BBY

Another year forward. The stakes grow higher as the Empire responds to the growing threat. Viewers see the galaxy-wide conflict taking shape, with more worlds joining the fight and the Empire cracking down harder in response.

Episodes 10-12: 1 BBY (Directly Into Rogue One)

The final arc brings audiences to the doorstep of Rogue One. These episodes complete Cassian’s transformation into the hardened spy audiences know from the film. The season ends with the Rebellion poised to attempt the most important mission in its history – stealing the Death Star plans.

How Andor Connects to Rogue One and A New Hope

Andor exists as a direct prequel to Rogue One. Understanding this connection enriches both stories.

The Direct Rogue One Connection

Rogue One takes place in 0 BBY – the same year as A New Hope. The film ends literally minutes before A New Hope begins, with Princess Leia receiving the stolen Death Star plans just as Darth Vader’s forces board her ship.

Andor’s final episodes in Season 2 lead directly into Rogue One’s opening. Viewers will see how Cassian becomes the man willing to do anything for the cause, including the morally questionable acts that define his character in the film.

Cassian Andor’s Journey From Andor to Rogue One

In Rogue One, Cassian appears as a cold, effective intelligence officer who has “done terrible things” for the Rebellion. Andor shows audiences exactly what terrible things he means. The series tracks his moral descent and the cost of sustained resistance, making Rogue One’s character much more tragic and complete.

The Death Star Plans Timeline

The Death Star hangs over everything in Andor, even when it’s not visible. Construction began years before the series starts. By the end of Andor Season 2, it’s nearly operational. Rogue One depicts the desperate mission to steal its weakness – the exhaust port flaw that Luke will exploit in A New Hope.

Where Andor Fits With Other Star Wars Shows and Movies

Disney Plus hosts numerous Star Wars series. Here’s how Andor relates to the others. For viewers who enjoy following complete episode guides for complex series, understanding these timeline connections helps make sense of the larger franchise.

Andor vs Star Wars Rebels (Same Time Period)

Andor and the animated series Star Wars Rebels occur simultaneously. Rebels runs from 5 BBY to 0 BBY – the exact same timeframe as Andor. But the shows feel completely different.

Rebels follows a specific crew of heroes, including Jedi survivors, on adventures that feel more traditionally “Star Wars.” Andor strips away the mysticism entirely. No Jedi appear. No lightsabers ignite. The Force barely gets mentioned. This makes Andor feel grounded and gritty compared to Rebels’ more fantastical tone.

After Obi-Wan Kenobi, Before Rogue One

The Obi-Wan Kenobi series takes place in 9 BBY – about four years before Andor Season 1 begins. So anyone watching chronologically would see Obi-Wan’s story first, then Andor, then Rogue One, then A New Hope.

The Broader Star Wars Timeline Context

Most other Disney Plus shows take place decades after Andor. The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka all occur around 9 ABY – a full 14 years after Andor’s events and five years after Return of the Jedi. Watching those shows requires different timeline knowledge entirely.

Why the Andor Timeline Matters for Understanding the Story

The specific placement of Andor in the Star Wars timeline isn’t just trivia. It fundamentally shapes what kind of story the show tells.

The Empire Is at Its Strongest

During 5 BBY through 0 BBY, the Galactic Empire has no serious challengers. Palpatine has ruled for nearly 20 years. The Imperial military controls countless worlds. Resistance seems not just dangerous but genuinely hopeless.

This context makes every small act of rebellion feel meaningful. When characters risk everything for minor victories, audiences understand why – because in this era, minor victories are all that seem possible.

The Rebellion Doesn’t Exist Yet (It’s Being Built)

Andor shows the Rebellion’s construction in real time. The organized force that attacks the Death Star in A New Hope didn’t spring from nowhere. It was built by people like Cassian, Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and countless unnamed others who risked everything.

The show answers a question the original trilogy never explored: how does a rebellion actually begin? How do terrified, isolated people find each other and decide to fight together?

Why This Makes Andor Different From Other Star Wars Stories

Most Star Wars stories feature heroes with extraordinary abilities – Jedi, Force-sensitive chosen ones, legendary pilots. Andor focuses on ordinary people. No one in the show has special powers. They survive through intelligence, luck, and sacrifice.

This grounded approach makes the stakes feel realer. When characters die in Andor, there’s no mystical comeback, no Force ghost consolation. Death means death. Loss means loss. The timeline’s darkness forces this mature storytelling.

What to Watch Before and After Andor

New viewers often wonder about optimal viewing order. Here’s guidance based on different starting points. Much like finding an anime filler guide for long-running series, knowing what to prioritize makes the experience smoother.

Best Viewing Order for First-Time Viewers

Someone completely new to Star Wars can actually start with Andor. The show explains enough context that prior knowledge isn’t strictly necessary. However, watching A New Hope first adds emotional weight to everything. Knowing where the story eventually leads – Luke, the Death Star’s destruction, the Rebellion’s survival – makes Andor’s desperate early days more poignant.

If You’ve Already Seen the Original Trilogy

Viewers familiar with the original trilogy can watch Andor immediately and appreciate how it enriches those films. Then watch Rogue One (or rewatch it) to see Cassian’s story conclude. The connection between the shows becomes incredibly powerful with this knowledge.

Building the Complete Rebellion Story

For those wanting the full picture of how the Rebellion formed and fought, adding Star Wars Rebels to the viewing list provides a complementary perspective. Rebels shows different characters during the same era, creating a richer understanding of galaxy-wide resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Andor set before or after Rogue One?

Andor is set before Rogue One. The series spans from 5 BBY to 0 BBY, ending right where Rogue One begins.

How many years does Andor cover in total?

Andor covers five years of story time across both seasons. Season 1 covers one year (5 BBY). Season 2 covers four years (4 BBY through 0 BBY).

Do I need to watch other Star Wars content before Andor?

Not strictly, but watching A New Hope and Rogue One first enhances the experience significantly. Knowing what the characters are fighting toward makes their sacrifices more meaningful.

Is Andor connected to The Mandalorian?

Both are Star Wars Disney Plus shows, but they’re set in completely different eras. The Mandalorian takes place about 14 years after Andor’s events, following the fall of the Empire.

The Bigger Picture

Understanding when Andor takes place transforms casual viewing into something deeper. The show isn’t just entertainment – it’s a piece of a larger narrative puzzle that spans decades of storytelling.

For fans exploring Star Wars through Disney Plus, Andor represents one of the most critically acclaimed entries in the franchise. Its timeline placement during the darkest days of the Empire gives it a unique weight and realism that other entries don’t quite match.

Whether someone’s a lifelong Star Wars devotee or discovering the galaxy far, far away for the first time, knowing Andor’s place in the 5 BBY to 0 BBY window makes every moment on screen richer. The countdown to A New Hope has never felt more urgent or more human.

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