In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment of the new special look at Andor season two, we see a glimpse of Mon Mothma walking with a dignified-looking Tarsunt – and I’m guessing he’s someone we’ve already seen before.
Though not confirmed, it looks an awful lot like Lanever Villecham. I’m guessing it’s the same guy, and that means he’ll play a pretty significant role in the Star Wars universe years later. Specifically, as the final chancellor of the New Republic.
Shortly after the Rebel victory over the Empire at the Battle of Endor (taking place years after Andor), the New Republic was organized, with Mon Mothma serving as the first chancellor. She governed for many years, and she managed to see through the war to the end, build a brand new government, help a war-torn galaxy heal, and keep rival factions in the New Republic Senate (mostly) at peace. But at some point she was forced to step down as chancellor due to illness, which created a power vacuum. She was succeeded by others in the position, but they were nowhere near as effective as she had been at keeping the unity. Eventually it was suggested that a new office, the First Senator, replace it – but after the scandal of Leia Organa’s parentage was revealed to the galaxy that proposal fizzled out.
By the time of the sequel trilogy, the New Republic was still led by a chancellor, with Lanever Villecham having been elected in 32 ABY – two years before The Force Awakens. The New Republic Senate, which rotated home worlds as a sign of unity to the galaxy, was located on Hosnian Prime, and Villecham was present on the planet when it was destroyed by the First Order. We get a brief glimpse of him watching the First Order attack approach in The Force Awakens, his only on-screen appearance to-date in Star Wars. Villecham had not taken too seriously the threat of the First Order despite Leia’s pleadings, and it cost him his life.
Assuming it’s him seen in the Andor special look, it means we’re going to get a look at the first and last New Republic chancellors together. Villecham was a senator from Tarsunt in the New Republic Senate, so it’s entirely possible that he was a Senator from the planet in the Imperial Senate as well, as we know that Mothma and her allies recruited some former senators to their cause when re-building the Senate shortly after Endor. I think that would be a pretty fun nod if he’s included, and would make his fate all the more tragic.
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