Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy and star Diego Luna delve into the romance between Bix and Cᴀssian, exploring the powerful Star Wars romance and its impact on a popular Jyn-Cᴀssian theory from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The romantic history between Bix and Cᴀssian was clear through Andor season 1, but their romance became a major part of season 2’s powerful story – one of the most impactful and well-written love stories in Star Wars. For Rogue One fans, though, it came at a cost.

Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna have both addressed the romance with Collider, with Gilroy recognizing that this has implications for Jyn and Cᴀssian. As he explained, a romantic subplot was cut from Rogue One – and he’s glad of it.

“I knew very well what had happened with Jyn and Cᴀssian in Rogue One and what had happened in the elevator. I knew that scene very, very well. I probably went back and looked at that. I was pleased to see that my memory of it was of all the other takes and other things, and I was really pleased to see how we’d edited that, that it was really ambiguous about what it was…”

This led Gilroy onto Andor and the reality that Cᴀssian and Bix’s relationship from season 2 altered the perception of Cᴀssian and Jyn. In Gilroy’s mind, though, any hints about Cᴀssian and Jyn’s relationship do not dampen the connection the former shared with Bix. Gilroy describes Cᴀssian and Bix as “Sєxually liberated,” stating that both have had their share of partners over the years. This does not change the strength of their connection, but it certainly explains why both Cᴀssian and Bix have been shown as separate as much as they are together. According to Gilroy: “they have a very healthy idea of what the different calibrations of love are.”

According To Diego Luna, Bix Is The Love Of Cᴀssian’s Life

“There Is No Him Without Her”

Diego Luna built on the same point while speaking to Collider in a separate interview, stressing the sheer scale of their relationship.

“For me, that relationship is everything. It’s beyond what — at my age — I can call love. This is the first friend, the love of his life, the first kiss, the first person who was there when he did something wrong. She’s his home, his country. It is as vast and as rich as possible. That relationship is everything for him. It’s the last thing that connects him with the past. She is basically the only stamp of who he is. There’s no one else, you know, there’s no one else.”

Luna recalled the beautiful Ferrixian hand dance in Andor episode 4. “I think that dance says it really nicely. Obviously, if he ever has an opportunity to think for a second about himself, she will be part of that thought. Because there is no him without her.”

Cᴀssian & Jyn’s Romance May Be Popular, But It’s Not Canon

Gilroy Never Saw It As Something To Adhere To When Making Andor

All of the discourse that has ensued surrounding Cᴀssian’s romantic relationships in Andor and Rogue One has caused Gilroy to address them as well. Interestingly, Gilroy has shown remorse over his decision to create Cᴀssian and Bix’s relationship in Andor, but not for storytelling reasons. Gilroy stated “I have to do what I have to do,” as he is well aware Cᴀssian and Bix’s connection was what was best for Andor as a show. Where the apologetic nature comes into things is the non-canon nature of Cᴀssian and Jyn, despite how much time and effort fans have placed into their relationship:

“I felt bad for the people who had invested so much time in the fan fiction and stuff like that. The people who really had gone deep on it. It’s not considered canon, and it’s not something I have to pay attention to, legally, within the order, but people worked hard on that stuff, and it meant a lot to them. You don’t want to trample on somebody’s flower garden, you know I’m sure there’s somebody who will never get over that. I apologize. I really do.”

As Gilroy proves, Jyn and Cᴀssian are not considered a canon relationship. Bix and Cᴀssian are, causing Gilroy’s apology to those who were invested in the former.

Our Take On Andor’s Relationships

Relationships Are Not So Black And White

Concerning where I stand on Andor‘s relationships and how they impact Rogue One, and vice versa, I think Gilroy has the right idea. Cᴀssian being in love with Bix and having his connection with her does not become lesser because he sought comfort from Jyn in the final moments of Rogue One. Even on my latest Rogue One rewatch, after Andor season 2, I felt the emotional undercurrent between Jyn and Cᴀssian. This could be perceived as romantic, but it could also be companionship or even a Sєxual/physical connection.

This comes an entire year after Bix leaves Cᴀssian, so it is not out of the realm of possibility for the latter to feel any of these things for Jyn. If so, this does not mean he has forgotten Bix or that he does not love her. Relationships are not as black-and-white as this, and Gilroy’s comments about Cᴀssian and Bix being “Sєxually liberated” point to that. Overall, I appreciate how complex a web of relationships Gilroy has created via Andor, as it only continues the exploration of typical Star Wars aspects with maturity and intricacy that the show is so excellent at.