Andor Season 2 debuts on Disney+ tonight, taking us back to a grand tale unfolding in a distant galaxy a long time ago. Before delving into the events of the new season, it’s worth noting that the story picks up a year after the dramatic Season 1 finale. The specific timeframe referenced is labeled as “BBY 4,” a designation that may leave viewers wondering about its significance. Where exactly does Andor Season 2 fit within the Star Wars timeline, and what does “BBY 4” signify?
Andor is situated at the peak of the Galactic Empire’s rule, the malevolent authoritarian regime established by Emperor Palpatine (portrayed by Ian McDiarmid) in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. In George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy, the narrative follows the extraordinary journey of Luke Skywalker (portrayed by Mark Hamill), the influential Princess Leia (portrayed by Carrie Fisher), and the fearless pilot and smuggler Han Solo (portrayed by Harrison Ford) as they join forces to bring down this oppressive empire.
However, dismantling an oppressive empire requires more than just a handful of heroes. The initial convergence of Han, Luke, and Leia occurs because the princess entrusts the crucial Death Star plans to Tatooine. A turn of fate leads farm boy Luke to stumble upon her cry for assistance, triggering a chain of events as significant as his pivotal shot at the Death Star. The origins of Princess Leia’s possession of these vital plans are explored in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, where Rebel spy Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna) spearheads a daring mission to secure the plans, ultimately sacrificing his own life in the mission’s success.
Andor gives us Cassian Andor’s full story, from childhood on a Lord of the Flies-esque planet of savage children to his time in the Imperial prison system. The first season ends with him on the run, but committing to the greater cause. What will Season 2 reveal about this enigmatic hero? More over, when is Andor Season 2 supposed to be set? What does “BBY” mean?
Here’s everything you need to know about how and why Andor Season 2 Episodes 1-3 are set “BBY 4″…
Andor Season 2 takes place in the four years leading up to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The first three episodes of Andor Season 2, streaming now on Disney+, specifically take place four years before the original Star Wars film.
Star Wars fans will remember the original film ends with Luke Skywalker successfully blowing up the Death Star during the Battle of Yavin. Placing Andor Season 2 during “BBY 4” means it takes place four years before the Battle of Yavin. BBY = Before the Battle of Yavin. ABY = After the Battle of Yavin.
The Battle of Yavin is considered the major event in universe around which all of Star Wars storytelling revolves around. (Yes, this means that Luke Skywalker’s miraculous Death Star shot is given the same cultural weight as the birth of Christ in our world. Luke is Space Jesus.)
In the weeks ahead, new episodes of Andor will open with title cards letting us know when each weekly batch of three episodes is set in the Star Wars galaxy. BBY 3 would be three years before A New Hope, BBY 2 would be two years prior, and BBY 1 means in the run up to the Death Star’s original destruction.
Andor Season 2 takes place four years before the original Star Wars movie.
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