Why Do I Love Cassian Andor?

I said in my post yesterday about Han Solo that the main reason I love Han is that he needs to be loved.  This is also true for why I love Cassian Andor (Diego Luna).  In fact, I think he needs to be loved even MORE than Han Solo does.  I mean, Han has Chewie for a best friend, so he's not alone in the world.  But Cassian?  He's got nobody.  Well, except saucy droid K-2SO.  And yes, droids can be good friends in the Star Wars world, but... Cassian is still very much alone.

Oh, he's got co-workers.  He's part of the Rebel Alliance.  He has fellow spies, and he's got a cause he's working for, but emotionally, he's alone.

Very alone.

And I think he's miserable.  He has dedicated his life to fighting the Galactic Empire, sacrificing everything to the effort: his own self-respect, his own moral compass, his own needs and desires and comfort and happiness.  Cassian Andor has laid everything about himself down at the feet of the cause.  He's dedicated, he's determined, he's an incredibly effective spy and warrior... and he's miserable.

When we first meet him, Cassian has to kill an informant to keep him from getting captured and spilling information to Imperial troops.  Then he rescues Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) just so he can use her to get to her father, and then carry out his orders to kill her father.  Cassian is ruthless, that's for sure.  And he doesn't appear to like himself better for what he's had to become.  But he considers the Rebel Alliance to be worth more than himself.  He's been fighting for the cause since he was six years old.  It's all he knows.  It's all he has in his life to care about.  

Well, aside from his snarky robot, K-2SO.  But you can only care about a robot in a limited way.  And they can't really care about you, not like a person can.  Don't get me wrong -- I love K-2 and think he's one of the best robot sidekicks ever.  But it's not the same.

And then... Jyn.  She befriends him, sorta.  He befriends her, sorta.  She's as friendless and ruthless and lonely as he is.  And, by the end of their story, they've both found someone who will care about them, and that they can care about.  They've made a connection with someone human, someone to fight for.  Not just a faceless cause, not just a monetary reward or their own survival, but a friend.

Sooooooooooooo... this was another rambly post.  But yeah, I love Cassian because he's broken and miserable and wonderful.  Mmmmmmmm, so much salty goodness there to love!

This has been my second post for the Everything Star Wars Blogathon hosted by I'm Charles Baker Harris (And I Can Read) and Coffee, Classics, and Craziness.  Come back tomorrow for one more post, this time about why I love Din Djarin!