Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Andor season 2!One surprising scene in the Skywalker family tree (although he eventually marries into that family, of course).
Han proved to be valiant and essential to the Rebellion even without those connections to the Force or to some massive lineage in the galaxy, though. That didn't necessarily require an explanation, as there are plenty of skills Star Wars characters bring to the table beyond the Force, but Star Wars has seemingly provided one nonetheless. Specifically, Andor season 2, episode 7, "Messenger," has just revealed a brand-new role in the Force, and it fits Han Solo perfectly.
Andor Season 2 Introduces A New Role In The Force
Cassian Isn't Force-Sensitive, But He Has A Fascinating Role To Play With The Force
In the episode "Messenger," Bix Caleen takes Cassian Andor—rather begrudgingly—to see a Force healer to address an injury he doesn't seem to be properly healing from. Cassian is very clearly not all that thrilled with the idea, in part because he believes the woman's Force-sensitivity to be a hoax. (He even goes so far as to call her a "kook" after they see her.)
Yet, the Force healer provides fascinating insight not only into the Force but also into Cassian's role in it specifically. She tells Bix that she immediately sensed something in Cassian and that there is something unique and important about him. She goes on to explain that he is "a messenger," giving the episode its name, and that there are very few people like Cassian who are "gathering as they go." With this conversation, Star Wars has introduced a brand-new role in the Force: Gatherers.
I Think Han Solo Was A Gatherer Too
Han May Have Resisted ing The Rebel Cause At First... But So Did Cassian
Gatherers aren't Force-sensitive, but they play a role in the Force, helping to draw people together—and I think that perfectly describes Han Solo. It's true that Han wasn't immediately interested in ing the Rebel cause. In fact, when Luke Skywalker first sought his help, Han was just about as begrudging as Cassian was to see the Force healer. It's clear early on in A New Hope that Han was primarily, if not solely, interested in the money, and he had long focused on taking care of himself.
Gatherers aren't Force-sensitive, but they play a role in the Force, helping to draw people together—and I think that perfectly describes Han Solo.
Yet, that changed over time. As the Skywalker Saga went on, Han Solo played a key role in drawing others together and uniting them for this cause. No, he wasn't a Jedi like Luke or even an influential figure with political connections like Leia, but he became absolutely essential to the Rebellion with these traits. It's worth noting, too, that in Andor season 1, Cassian isn't initially motivated by a desire to the rebel efforts; that comes with time, as it did with Han.
Star Wars Retcons The Rebel Alliance's Origin In The Best Way: Andor Episode 9 Ending Explained
The ending of Andor season 2, episode 9 adds some wrinkles to the story of Star Wars’ Rebel Alliance, providing an extremely smart retcon.
Is A Gatherer Always Destined To Be A Wanderer?
Cassian And Han Have Similar Natures, Even If They Have Distinct Personalities
Han and Cassian share another interesting link in Star Wars as well: neither character stays in one place for very long at all. In Han's case, this is largely because he is a smuggler, and he is therefore always on the move for jobs. For Cassian, this has much more to do with his role in the fight against the Empire in season 2, but even in season 1, it's clear that he was often off on his own. This raises the interesting question: Does being a Gatherer inevitably mean being a wanderer?
Does being a Gatherer inevitably mean being a wanderer?
This would make a fair bit of sense. Sure, there are countless characters in Star Wars movies and TV shows who are more nomadic than anything else, particularly those who work as bounty hunters. Yet, for Han and Cassian, it's more than that.
Try as they might to be loners, Cassian and Han end up forming bonds wherever they go, which is how Han develops a life-long friendship with Chewbacca and how both Han and Cassian become so pivotal to the Rebellion. It's easy to imagine that this is more than coincidence—that it is rather their role, which is tied up in the will of the Force. Although Han Solo of course hasn't been confirmed to be a Gatherer, given this concept was just introduced in Andor season 2, I'm convinced he is one all the same.
New episodes of Andor season 2 release weekly on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.
Release Date |
Episode Drop |
|---|---|
April 22, 2025 |
Andor season 2, episodes 1-3 |
April 29, 2025 |
Andor season 2, episodes 4-6 |
May 6, 2025 |
Andor season 2, episodes 7-9 |
May 13, 2025 |
Andor season 2, episodes 10-12 |
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