Cassian Andor didn’t become a hero overnight. His slow transformation from survivor to martyr is precisely why Andor is the most compelling entry in the Star Wars canon to date. But with its moody tone and grounded politics, even hardcore fans might ask: Where does Andor fall in the Star Wars timeline? The answer is all about BBY.
BBY, or Before the Battle of Yavin, refers to the moment Luke Skywalker destroys the Death Star in A New Hope—the ultimate “zero point” of Star Wars chronology. Think of it as the galactic BC/AD. Events in the galaxy are dated either BBY or ABY (After the Battle of Yavin). Andor’s story unfolds in the years leading up to that seismic event.
Season 1 of Andor begins in 5 BBY, when the Empire tightens its grip and rebellion is still whispered in the shadows. The season spans a year and ends as Cassian embraces the rebel cause. Season 2 picks up in 4 BBY and takes us to 1 BBY, setting the stage for the events of Rogue One and, ultimately, A New Hope.
Mapping Andor’s place in the timeline from BBY 5 to BBY 1
In terms of where Andor lands, it shares space with Star Wars: Rebels (also set between 5 BBY and 1 BBY), giving us multiple perspectives on the same brewing revolution. Unlike the Force-wielding protagonists of other series, Andor grounds us in the street-level stakes of the galaxy. Season 2’s first episodes (set in BBY 4) immediately situate us in the thick of Imperial oppression, setting Cassian on a course that leads directly into Rogue One.
The show’s flashbacks from Season 1 go back even further. On Kenari, Cassian witnesses the violence of a Republic masquerading as peacekeepers—a hint that the seeds of rebellion were sown far earlier than BBY 5. Reddit discussions speculate these scenes occur just before the Clone Wars, during the earliest tensions between the Republic and Separatists. The fear Maarva and Clem express? It’s rooted in firsthand knowledge of Republic brutality—likely the result of covert operations and cover-ups around mining disasters and biohazards.
And yes, there’s a reason Cassian and Jyn appear older than their “official” ages in Rogue One—the timeline demanded it, but the performances carry the emotional weight to match. As Reddit user Dear-Yellow-5479 noted, “Luna did a very good job of acting much younger than he is—especially when Cassian is being very naive (almost childish) in episode 7.”
Why BBY matters as the key to Star Wars’ future
Understanding BBY isn’t just about placing a show on a chart—it’s about grasping how Star Wars interlocks. The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew? All ABY stories. Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Rebels? Prequel-era bridges. Andor especially is essential—showing that rebellion wasn’t born in idealism, but in grief, disillusionment, and sacrifice.
This deeper timeline gives Star Wars a new texture. Andor’s tightrope walk between surviving and resisting fills in the missing emotional beats before the Rebellion “officially” begins. And with Season 2 marking the final countdown to Rogue One, every BBY year counts.
The first three episodes of Andor Season 2 were released on April 22, 2025, and are streaming on Disney+. The series is set to release three episodes the next there Tuesdays until the season’s planned 12 episodes are completed.
MORE: Andor Season 2, Episodes 1-3 Review: “This Makes It Worth It”
