Along with the highly anticipated Season 2 of Andor, actor Ben Mendelsohn has confirmed that he will be in the show as Imperial Director Orson Krennic.
Fans remember Krennic from Rogue One for his biting wit and as the manipulative director of the program that led to the Death Star.
Having Mendelsohn play Krennic in Andor will help complete the cycle of events that lead us back to the beginning of the Rebellion.
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Mendelsohn and Krennic
As reported in late June, Ben Mendelsohn will reprise his role as Orson Krennic and likely appear toward the end of Season 2.
Mendelsohn will be coming back alongside actors like Stellan Skarsgård and Forest Whitaker to bring audiences to the brink of Rogue One.
Mendelsohn is thus expected to complete a timeline of 5 years that precedes the 2016 movie.
While the plot centers on Cassian Andor developing into a Captain of the Rebel Alliance, Krennic is the pivotal villain who served as the director of the weapons research that produced the Death Star.
As we saw in Rogue One, Krennic manipulated the scientist Galen Erso into helping forge this planet-destroying weapon.
Like other characters in Andor, Krennic is motivated by self-interest and imperial rivalry, especially with Grand Moff Tarkin.
An accomplished actor, Mendelsohn has been in movies like The Dark Knight Rises but perhaps became best known for playing the main villain in Rogue One.
Kathleen Kennedy, President of LucasFilm, stated how Mendelsohn has an “unsettling” and “childlike quality which makes you feel he could easily start laughing” that made him an ideal villain to juxtapose next to Vader.
Krennic, Mendelsohn, and Star Wars Fans
Director Krennic was central to Rogue One’s story of forcing Galen Erso to work on the Death Star project and triggering Galen’s daughter, Jyn Erso, to side with the Rebels.
Fans tend to think that Mendelsohn did a superb job with this role.
As this forum expresses, the subtle evilness of the character comes through brilliantly along with a biting sarcasm to define this villain. His quest to rise in the ranks of the Empire is unmistakable.
Krennic’s encounter with Darth Vader is one of the many highlights of his performance.
Here we see the character’s fear and intimidation of Vader mixed with his intense ambition. Krennic ultimately places concern for his career over his life.
In the scene when Krennic has tracked down Galen Erso, we see a greater range of this villain’s personality and his determination to see that the Death Star gets completed.
These character attributes will boost an already strong Andor.
Other fan discussions agree about Mendelsohn’s reprisal of the role in Andor. Many fans think this is great news and that he is incredible in this role.
Others hope to learn more about his imperial-scientific background, while at least one post points out that the only downside is that we get closer to the point of Rogue One, which means Andor will be over.
Mendelsohn Makes the Difference
The return of Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic will undoubtedly bolster Season 2 of Andor. Having this character will also complete the timeline of events that leads to the full-scale rebellion and the launch of the Death Star.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.