Andor Just Revealed the Origins of an Important Rogue One Line

This article contains spoilers for Andor season 2 episodes 7-9.

“Rebellions are built on hope” is one of the most important and one of the most iconic lines from Rogue One. It’s a reminder that hope is one of the strongest tools the rebels have against the Empire, even when they feel like the odds are stacked against them. Now, thanks to Andor season 2, this line has even more meaning.

In Rogue One, Cassian (Diego Luna) is the first one to say this line to Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) while they’re looking for Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) on Jedha. He’s explaining to her the plan saying that he hopes dropping Jyn’s name will get them a meeting with Saw. Jyn looks at him with disbelief, simply saying “hope?” as if she was expecting a more concrete plan. Cassian simply shrugs at her with a look that says ‘trust me’ as he casually replies “Yeah. Rebellions are built on hope.”

Later on in the film, Jyn repeats that phrase in an effort to convince the Rebel council to let them go after the Death Star plans on Scarif. Senator Palmo (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) tells Jyn “You’re asking us to invade an Imperial installation based on nothing but hope.” To which Jyn replies “Rebellions are built on hope.” But even that isn’t enough to gain the full support of the council. It is enough, however, to rally a small squad of rebel soldiers to join Jyn, Cassian, Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen), and Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) on a rogue mission to Scarif.

In the second season of Andor, set in the years before Rogue One Cassian becomes somewhat involved with the Ghorman Front, a rebel cell on the planet Ghorman fighting against growing Imperial occupation. He first visits the planet in 3 BBY to see if the Ghorman Front is worth Luthen investing in. While there, he meets a young bellhop named Thela (Stefan Crepon) at his hotel who is a survivor of the Tarkin Massacre.

Even though Cassian and the Ghorman Front don’t see eye-to-eye initially, Cassian returns to Ghorman a year later to try and kill Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) who has had an increased presence on the planet. He reunites with the bellhop, who is now part of the Ghorman front, and the two exchange words in passing. After reassuring Cassian that his presence on the planet is still under wraps, Thela tells him “Rebellions are built on hope” right before the Empire starts their attack on the Ghor.

After what Cassian experiences and witnesses on Ghorman this day, it’s no surprise that this line sticks with him and influences him going forward. He and Thela may not have shared more than a few words between each other over the last couple of years, but they shared a desire to fight. The young man is lost in the Ghorman Massacre after sacrificing himself to take out some Stormtroopers and save others, but his sacrifice lives on in survivors like Cassian.

It feels important that this line, one that has served as inspiration for so many in Star Wars and the real world as well, came from a regular, everyday person. Cassian didn’t hear this line from a rebel leader like Mon Mothma or Bail Organa trying to inspire the masses, he heard it from someone like him. Someone on the ground and in the trenches, so to speak, giving their life to fight for a better galaxy. This line reminds us that holding on to hope in the face of insurmountable odds isn’t foolish, it’s an unbelievably brave thing to do. Even though Thela, Cassian, and Jyn all end up losing their lives in this fight, they never lose hope that their sacrifice today will eventually bring a brighter tomorrow.

Andor season 2 episodes 1-9 are available to stream on Disney+ now. The final three episodes premiere on May 13.