During the production of the first season of Andor, Tony Gilroy’s creative process behind Andor’s finale took shape in a unique way. While working in Scotland with Diego Luna and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Gilroy initially planned a sweeping five-season arc for Cassian Andor’s journey, but the demands and reality of the production led to a notable change in direction for the hit Star Wars series.
Early Ambitions and Production Challenges
Gilroy, Luna, and Kennedy met at a small hotel during filming to discuss Cassian Andor’s story, which was meant to span five seasons and chronicle the main character’s transformation from thief to key Rebel figure. However, the immense workload and high costs made them reevaluate their ability to deliver such an extensive series. As Gilroy bluntly put it,
“We just faced each other and said, ‘What the f—?’”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. Physically, the team recognized it wasn’t feasible. Critics had praised the show so highly that expectations were raised, but Gilroy noted,
“It was just impossible. The amount of work that went into these two seasons is…You couldn’t do five,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
Changing Course: A New Structure for the Series
Facing the limitations, Gilroy proposed a major shift for the show’s structure. The second season would condense Cassian’s four remaining years into a single season, with each three-episode block advancing the timeline by a year. This format would allow Andor’s story to rush towards the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with heightened momentum.
“We came back to them and said, ‘Hey, we’ll do a second season where we do all four years in one season,’”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. The studio backed the plan,
“And they were like, ‘OK, we’ll go for that.’”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
Innovative Writing Approach and Studio Approval
Gilroy revealed that the toughest challenge was persuading the studio that this approach could work without relying on heavy-handed storytelling.
“Without doing all the corny exposition that would normally be attendant with that,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. To prove his point, Gilroy created a proof of concept for the structure, outlining the introduction and conclusion of each time-jumping story arc himself.
“I wrote the top and the tail of each block to set the frame for each year. And I took that into the writers’ room so nobody could tell me that it wouldn’t work. And then we filled in from there,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
This innovative approach inspired the entire production.
“It’s very exciting as a writer,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. The cast and crew felt energized, though there was constant anticipation of possible setbacks.
“And it’s exciting for the actors, too. We kept waiting for it to fail, going, ‘There must be something that’s going to bite us here.’ We kept waiting for a bugaboo that never appeared,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
End of the Series and Future Possibilities
With Andor now complete, Gilroy acknowledged the likelihood of the story continuing in other formats, such as comic books or games. He expressed satisfaction in his stewardship of Cassian’s tale, but he’s ready to step back from the franchise.
“I paid rigorous attention to the canon that I’m supposed to pay attention to. I’ve ignored the canon that I’m allowed to ignore,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. He also confirmed,
“I don’t own the IP, so they can do what they want,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
Reflections on the Story and Final Scenes
When asked if the second season matched his original vision, Gilroy reflected on how the creative process involved constant evolution.
“You spend so much time constructing and tearing down in your imagination. It’s just such a constant process,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. Some scenes, such as a pivotal confrontation involving Denise Gough’s Imperial officer and Stellan Skarsgård’s Rebel character, as well as Cassian’s encounter with a Force healer, remained unchanged. Others went through many iterations before reaching their final form.
The finale included a moment with a main character gazing into the distance—an image Gilroy had envisioned from the start.
“I wanted to be able to not feel like a sadist with what I was doing with these characters and have some hope,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator. He emphasized the importance of genuine optimism in the ending, stating,
“Legit hope. Not cheesy T-shirt hope, but real hope,”
—Tony Gilroy, Creator.
Significance of Gilroy’s Creative Choices
Tony Gilroy’s creative process behind Andor’s finale highlights not only the challenges of large-scale television storytelling but also the bold decisions that define unforgettable series. The willingness to condense four transformative years into a single season ensures the show remains focused and impactful, with every creative choice aimed at delivering authentic emotion and lasting hope for characters like Cassian Andor. As the Star Wars universe expands in new directions, Gilroy’s approach may influence how other franchise stories unfold in the future.
