Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1-5 of Andor.Much of Andor takes place on the luscious planet of Aldhani, an entirely new addition to Star Wars lore, where we see our rebels in Episodes 4 and 5. After agreeing to take on the job Luthen (Stellan Skargard) had come to offer Cassian (Diego Luna), the two land on the planet of Aldhani to join the band of rebels Cassian is supposed to help with the mission. This is where the rebels had been preparing for the heist, living on rocks and shit as Vel (Faye Marsay), the intimidating woman who is leading the group of rebels, puts it. She is, of course, not thrilled to let a paid thief in on the mission, what with everyone having their own rebellion, no matter how questionable in essence. Thanks to Luthen vouching for Cassian, however, Vel agrees to take him on board, telling the other rebels that he’s been part of the cause all along.
Given the nature of the mission and the fact that the Empire seems to have eyes almost everywhere, the rebels had to find a place that would allow them confidentiality as well as an open space to prepare for the heist. Aldhani, while still heavily guarded, as almost every planet in the galaxy, is relatively safe, allowing the rebels to make preparations for the mission. The heist involves stealing from an Imperial garrison - a mission so dependent on chance (the Eye of Aldhani, for instance) and calculative precision that, should something go remotely against the plan, the entire band would be at the mercy of the Empire.
What Is Aldhani?
Located in the galaxy, Aldhani is one of the many planets featured in Star Wars. The timeline Andor follows is that of the Imperial Era, and this is where Cassian, future rebel spy, joins hands with the rebel infiltration team that plans on robbing the Imperial base there. So detached is Aldhani from the world of science and technology that it makes for a serene, picturesque, almost primitive image. Full of grasslands, hills, and wide open spaces, Aldhani becomes the hub of the band of rebels needed as a sort of headquarters.
Unfortunately for Cassian, the rebels don’t seem to be very keen on letting Cassian in on the mission, thanks to his impenetrable past and highly suspicious motivations. It’s only when Arvel (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) makes Cassian blurt out the truth about why he’s part of the rebellion that the tension between the thief and the rest of the team starts to melt. They may disapprove of Cassian’s motivations, but they understand where he is coming from. Skeen even opens up to Cassian about his painful past and his motivation behind the rebellion as a sort of apology, which Cassian accepts as being close enough to one.
Related: ‘Andor’: How the Empire Maintains Its Reign of Terror by Employing the Divide & Rule Policy
What Is the History of the Planet Aldhani?
The empire has had a long history of driving people out of their homes or even exterminating entire populations to maintain their control over the galaxy. Aldhani is a fitting example of the fascist government’s tyranny and the way it sustains its control over the world. By 5BBY, the planet had been occupied by the Empire for almost a decade, if not more. The group of troops stationed on the planet protected the quarterly payroll of the surrounding Imperial sector. The Tie Fighter patrols, overseen daily along the valleys of Aldhani, forced the native Dhanis to retreat to the far corners of the planet, preventing them from living a normal life and gathering for events like the Eye of Aldhani.
When Cassian asks Luthen what exactly is Aldhani, the latter, in perhaps a resigned manner, gives a rather ambiguous answer, saying it all depends. After Vel gives Cassian a quick rundown of the planet, it becomes clear to both Cassian and viewers that Aldhani is home to a number of beautiful phenomenons, including the Eye of Aldhani, and also an example of the Empire’s barbaric control tactics.
Before the Empire took over the planet, the northern part of the planet was home to at least 40,000 native settlements, all of whom were forced to retreat elsewhere – a heartless tactic that benefits only the Empire and its self-serving motivations. It remains to be seen whether Aldhani is connected to something larger at play, given that it is here that the Rebel Group runs its operations for the grand robbery – something that automatically gives unparalleled significance to the planet.
What Is the Eye of Aldhani?
As infiltrating the imperial base and stealing the quarterly payroll from the garrison posted there is no easy feat, the rebels seem to depend heavily on chance and precision of timing. The Eye of Aldhani, a celestial event that takes place once every three years, is the rebels’ best shot at distracting the troops and sneaking into the Imperial base. Resembling a blanket of meteor showers occurring all at once, the Eye of Aldhani is a recurrent band of crystallized noctilucent micro densities. When the planet passes through the belt, these densities heat up and explode, revealing the Eye of the Universe. The Eye of Aldhani used to be something to look forward to and witness together for the Aldhani people before the Empire turned them out of their homes for their own selfish reasons. It is sad that such a beautiful and breathtaking phenomenon is no longer celebrated on the planet by its natives, thanks to the barbarity of the Empire and its cruel fascist tactics to maintain absolute control over the galaxy.
How is Aldhani Special in the Star Wars Universe?
Free from the invasion of technology, Aldhani is a beautiful grassy planet full of rolling hills, mountains, alps, and running brooks. After about a decade of the Imperial takeover, the native Aldhani people were forced from the highlands to an Enterprise Zone in the lowlands. The Enterprise Zone was not at all what the nature-loving Dhanis were used to, with its factories and new Imperial housing. The beautiful hills of Aldhani were then only home to shepherds and mystics, giving a sad, haunting feeling to the entire planet. Viewers will have to wait to see if there is more to the new addition to the Star Wars lore, as there likely will be, given its importance in Andor.
