Andor’s Creator Explains Cassian’s Unexpected Romance with Jyn Erso

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In a recent discussion, Tony Gilroy – the mind behind Disney+’s popular Andor series featuring Diego Luna’s character Cassian Andor from Rogue One – defended Cassian’s romantic involvement with Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso in the 2016 prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope, despite his previous relationship with Adria Arjona’s character Bix Caleen being revealed later. The developing love story between Cassian and Bix is a significant subplot across the critically-acclaimed Star Wars series, culminating in Bix leaving Andor to focus on the Rebellion.

During a recent interview, Tony Gilroy acknowledged fan questions about Cassian Andor’s potential romantic feelings for Jyn Erso in the upcoming film “Rogue One,” which could seem sudden given his close bond with Bix Caleen. The departure of Bix in “Andor” Season 2 was a pivotal moment, as it was likely that if she had stayed, Cassian (played by Diego Luna) would have abandoned the rebellion cause, and they wouldn’t have been able to carry out their mission of overthrowing the Empire, as hinted at in the finale of “Andor” Season 2.

Gilroy explained his reasoning behind Cassian leaping from Bix to Jyn, stating that he believes their relationship was not in conflict under the given circumstances. He acknowledged that by the time they set out on the Rogue One mission, Bix had been absent for a year. In such desperate times, he rhetorically asked Vulture, “Who wouldn’t you grab onto at the end?

Given my extensive involvement with ‘Rogue’, I find it plausible under the given circumstances. Bix has been absent for a year, and considering it’s a fraternity house, one can only speculate about her whereabouts. She left him, and honestly, they seem like engaging individuals. I’d be hard-pressed to not want to hold their hands in such situations. It could develop into something more intriguing and captivating, which I find appealing. However, I might change my mind when I eventually watch it.

He admitted that he hasn’t rewatched the movie “Rogue One”, so there might be some errors in his thoughts about it, but he is not convinced of this.

I haven’t re-watched Rogue One yet. Many others have, but I’ve hesitated to do so. A while back, when I was doing the dishes, it happened to be playing on TV, and I watched for about 15 minutes. It seemed great! However, everyone around me has already seen it, and watching made me realize that everything in it is indeed cool.

Addressing the enthusiastic viewers directly, the mastermind behind Andor expressed his admiration for the significant effort and dedication you all put into understanding the Star Wars lore. However, he clarified that this investment doesn’t serve as a guiding principle for him while creating the show.

On the flip side, there are many individuals and extensive fan-fiction libraries who view this as one of the all-time great love stories. However, it’s non-canonical material. Despite the significant time they’ve invested in it, I feel a sense of unease about contradicting their views, but it shouldn’t influence my work when constructing the show.

In the series Andor, Bix and Andor’s relationship developed gradually, eventually leading them both to join the Rebellion. However, when Cassian’s dedication to the cause faltered around halfway through Season 2, Bix decided to move on, searching for a new home in the universe and vowing to reunite with Andor once the struggle against the Empire had ended.

The two would not meet again in the future, as Andor perished during the Rebels’ assault on Scarif, having successfully sent the Death Star plans to the Alliance Fleet stationed above. (Referencing a recent modification in the movie “Rogue One” following the conclusion of the series “Andor”)

In a fresh, conversational manner: “Andor Season 2 has just wrapped up on Disney+. The series followed Diego Luna’s character Cassian Andor from the start, all the way to his role in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It explored Cassian’s roots within the Rebel alliance, introducing new characters like Bix Kaleen (Adria Arjona) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), as well as familiar faces such as Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly).

Why Cassian’s Jyn Erso Romance Makes Sense After Andor

Although a significant portion of the story in Andor focused on Cassian’s deep devotion to Bix Caleen, his romantic connection with Jyn Erso in Rogue One remains consistent within the Star Wars universe narrative.

According to Bix’s farewell speech in Season 2, Episode 9 of Andor, it is clear she understands that her departure from Andor means ending their relationship for the sake of the Rebellion and likely anticipates Cassian might find someone else. Indeed, this turned out to be Jyn Erso when Cassian formed a team to steal the Death Star plans from the Imperial base on Scarif.

They didn’t seem to have a relationship or romantic connection with each other until quite some time had passed since Bix departed from Yavin, and this was only evident when they were seated on the beach, seemingly accepting their impending doom together as the movie came to an end.

As Gilroy said, who wouldn’t want company at the end of the world?

It appears that in the final scenes of “Rogue One,” a poignant moment unfolds between Jyn and Cassian. As death approaches, they find solace in each other’s embrace, choosing to leave together rather than face the end alone. Their thoughts are filled with those they are leaving behind.

In that instant, I couldn’t help but notice a striking resemblance between Cassian and Bix in Jyn, both being valiant figures of the Rebellion, deeply committed to their cause. It seemed as though they were each tearing their lives apart for this very same reason.

As I gazed upon the ominous death ray in the distance, holding dear Jyn close, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Not just because I had aided Jyn in her quest to deal a powerful blow against the Empire, but also because we were fulfilling Bix’s dreams along the way.

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2025-05-26 17:04