Here's How Mon Mothma Will Figure Into The Plot Of Andor

The upcoming Disney + series "Andor" will give "Star Wars" fans yet another peek into life within its ever-sprawling fictional universe. Fans of the multi-format universe are likely quite aware that the series will focus on the titular Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), whom we will follow five years before the events of the film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." The show will cover his transformation from self-interested criminal to a vital member of the Rebel Alliance's battle against the Empire — part of a team who help deliver the schematics of the Death Star to Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), which allows the Rebellion to figure out the superweapon's weakness and bring about its destruction. 

Since anyone who has watched "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" knows that Cassian's story will end tragically, seeing his evolution into a figure of hope for the Rebels stands to be quite an experience. However, he won't be the only iconic "Star Wars" character that we finally get a closer look at. Also important to the storyline, evidently, will be former Republic senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), co-founder of the Rebellion, who will appear in "Andor" as well. 

Mon Mothma was described by SyFy in 2019 as "the most important character in Star Wars," yet fans of this sprawling universe still know frustratingly little about her at this time. With the advent of "Andor," thankfully, it appears that this will change. Here's how she figures into the show and what fans will learn about her in the new series.

Per a profile published by Vanity Fair, "Andor" won't just be Cassian's story. It will also finally shed light on Mon Mothma, who has remained an intriguing but often highly mysterious minor character in the "Star Wars" world. Via "Andor" showrunner Tony Gilroy, who is quoted in the Vanity Fair piece, Mon Mothma will in fact be the program's second central figure. 

Gilroy explains, "["Andor"] is a huge, orchestral, Dickensian ensemble cast, with Diego at the middle of it, and Genevieve at the middle of another part of it. They intersect. I'm not going to get into how they intersect. They do have an intersection — but they do not meet. They will not meet until the second half." 

So, fans will get to know the former senator from a closer view, and see how she comes to recruit Andor into the Rebel Alliance. When the show begins, she's on Coruscant and trying to deal with the political upheaval caused by the Empire, but has begun quietly supporting the revolt.

Fans of the films already know that Mon Mothma and Andor have a close working relationship. In "Rogue One," they are shown working in tandem. Mothma's history on film predates "Rogue One," though, as she was introduced all the way back in "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" where she helps brief a group of Rebellion pilots about the Death Star's weaknesses. She also appears in "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" as one of Padme Amidala's (Natalie Portman) colleagues in the Galactic Senate, and figures into the animated series "Rebels" and "The Clone Wars." 

The series will debut in the late summer of 2022 on Disney+, though no exact date has yet been named.