5) Cassian Andor (Diego Luna)
Cassian Andor is essentially the male lead in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and has an important narrative arc all his own. He’s a Rebel leader – respected by his superiors as a soldier who can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s also the character through which we are reminded that there are no innocents in battle, as all sides are ultimately called upon to do things that are objectively terrible, regardless of the cause. Fans of the franchise will see echoes of the more amplified internal conflicts that raged within Anakin, Luke, and Ben – all of whom entered this realm of questionable morality, and were drawn to either the Dark Side or the Light, as a result.
Cassian has no dealings with The Force, however, and operates entirely for the benefit of the Rebel Alliance. He hints at a pained backstory of his own, as he yells at Jyn that he’s been fighting this battle since the age of six. It’s his relationship with Jyn that most illustrates the progression of his character – as he begins the film angry, resentful, and suspicious of her, and ends the film as her greatest ally. He is, at first, torn between his loyalty to the Alliance, and his responsibility to her as a teammate. They embark on their mission to find her father with polar opposite objectives – unbeknownst to her – but must find common ground when that mission goes terribly wrong.
In the field, they complement each other well. He has vast experience of military strategy and battle, and she has vast experience of surviving and rebelling. She pushes him to try harder and be less cautious, while he provides her with the kind of reliable, loyal support and back-up she’s rarely known before. He’s a notably dark character, however – very much weighed down by the guilt and knowledge of his past actions.
