Andor’s character change kept the series separate from Mandoverse ties

Concept art for The Art of Star Wars: Andor reveals that Dedra Meero’s assistant, Avril Heert, was originally envisioned as a Chiss — the blue-skinned, red-eyed species most associated with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Introducing another Chiss would have created a direct link to Ahsoka, where Thrawn serves as the principal villain.

The Imperial Security Bureau in Andor reflects the Empire’s predominantly human makeup, and the expanded universe depicts the Emperor as prioritizing his own species. Placing a Chiss in a meaningful ISB role, even as a low-ranking assistant, would have raised questions about why an exception was made.

Tony Gilroy intentionally aimed for Andor to function as a focused prequel to Rogue One rather than rely on cross-series tie-ins. Keeping Avril human fits that goal: aside from a brief Bail Organa appearance played by a different actor, the series avoided legacy-heavy cameos and maintained its own identity.

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