Why The Planet Ghorman Is So Important On Andor

For casual "Star Wars" fans, "Andor" is a refreshingly new take on the galaxy far, far away, a show that blends the iconic science-fiction space opera's aesthetic with a dark espionage vibe. But "Andor" also has plenty of Easter eggs for the diehards, too. Some of these are just fun little nods to events in the "Star Wars" timeline, like when Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) mentions the planet Utapau. Others potentially foreshadow big plot developments, like the inclusion of Separatist Confederacy member Anto Kreegyr. 

Ghorman definitely falls into the latter category. If you've been listening closely, or if you've watched with the subtitles on, you might have noticed a few mentions of the planet. It's not just a random "Star Wars" locale tossed in for some flavor. It's the site of a major event in the "Star Wars" chronology. 

"Andor" takes place five years before the Battle of Yavin, when Luke Skywalker destroyed the first Death Star. While "Andor" will chart the story of how Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) decided to join the Rebel Alliance and steal the Dearth Star plans in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," it will also explore how the Rebel Alliance came together out of dozens of smaller groups. Ghorman plays a major role in those events. It's also never been depicted before onscreen.

In addition to Cassian, another major character on "Andor" is the Imperial Senator from Chandrila and secret rebel leader Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly). Mon Mothma is trying to foment a rebellion right under the nose of the Imperial Senate on Coruscant. She's always keeping an eye on uprisings throughout the galaxy in the hope of recruiting more allies–like the one in Ghorman. 

So far, "Andor" has mentioned Ghorman three times. Each one vaguely references political unrest happening there. In Episode 4, "Aldhani," Mon Mothma tells her husband Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie) that the Imperial Senate has voted to cut off supplies to the planet, although she doesn't specify why. In Episode 6, "The Eye," she introduces a bill to send aid to the Ghormans, but is rebuffed. In Episode 8, "Narkina 5," Saw Gerrera (Forrest Whitaker) mentions the existence of a group called the Ghorman Front. Most likely that's the name of a rebel group on Ghorman, much like the one Saw himself joined on his own home planet of Onderon.

There's a reason why "Andor" keeps mentioning this planet, and it's because Ghorman is where the Rebel Alliance really starts.

Warning: likely spoilers ahead.

Ghorman was the site of the Ghorman Massacre. In 2 BBY (three years after "Andor" begins, and shortly before "Rogue One" begins), Ghorman was home to a peaceful protest movement against Imperial taxation. When Wilhuff Tarkin (aka Grand Moff Tarkin from "Rogue One"), then an Imperial captain, tried to land his cruiser on the planet, hundreds of Ghormans blocked the landing pad. With Emperor Palpatine's approval, Tarkin landed on the protesters, crushing hundreds of them (per Star Wars Fandom). The Ghorman Massacre led directly to the creation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. After the massacre, Mon Mothma denounced Emperor Palpatine as a murderous despot, formally starting the Rebel Alliance (per Star Wars Fandom).

The Ghorman Massacre has never directly been depicted in a "Star Wars" movie or TV show before. It was first mentioned all the way back in 1990 when it was described in detail in the "Rebel Alliance Sourcebook," a manual for a roleplaying game from West End Games. That would normally place it within the Legends timeline, which Disney discarded when it purchased Lucasfilm. However, an episode of "Star Wars: Rebels" mentions the massacre and covers Mon Mothma's escape from the Empire. That brings the Ghorman Massacre into the new canon, making it fair game for "Andor." 

Since "Andor" keeps mentioning Ghorman, it's likely the massacre will appear on the show, probably during Season 2. That leaves one question: are we going to get another CGI Tarkin like in "Rogue One," or will they just recast him?