A crucial character from Rogue One is name-dropped in the Andor Season 2 finale: Tivik, but he never appears, and there’s a simple (and sad) reason why.
The Star Wars series takes place across the five years before Rogue One, with Season 2’s final three episodes set days before Cassian’s fateful trip to the Ring of Kafrene, which sets the film’s events in motion.
In the finale, Cassian ends up at odds with Bail Organa, General Draven, and the other members of Alliance Command after he passes on some enormous intelligence: according to Kleya, the Empire is building a superweapon.
Nobody believes him (well, except Mon Mothma), nor can anyone trust the testimony of Kleya or Luthen. Later, Draven tells Cassian that he needs to travel to Kafrene to meet Tivik – which is a direct nod to Rogue One. Spoilers to follow…
Who is Tivik?
Tivik is an informant for the Rebel Alliance. He initially hid himself among Saw Gerrera’s men in Jedha, becoming a “useful” source of information for Cassian.
However, because Gerrera is considered to be a controversial figure by the Alliance (some brand him a terrorist), it’s clear that Draven is a bit wary about Tivik. “Do you trust him?” he asks Cassian, who replies: “I try to.”
Why Tivik couldn’t appear in Andor
Tivik couldn’t appear in the Andor finale because there’s no reason for him to be anywhere else apart from Kafrene. Plus, Cassian’s meeting with Tivik in Rogue One is shocking and tragic, and it’d undercut the impact of that scene.
In the film, Tivik is incredibly anxious when Cassian shows up. “He has always been the nervous sort, but this time he was terrified,” Cassian says… after they’ve met.
Basically, it doesn’t go well for Tivik. He tells Cassian about Bodhi Rock, an Imperial cargo pilot who’s defected… who’s been talking to people about the Empire’s new weapon, a so-called “planet killer” designed by Galen Erso.
“It’s all falling apart. Saw is right, there’s spies everywhere,” he says, before they’re confronted by two Stormtroopers. Cassian shoots them, and Tivik starts to panic; he’s injured, so he knows he won’t be able to escape. Cassian tells him to relax, before shooting him in the back, killing him.
Tivik paid the ultimate price, but his death was a kindness. If he’d been arrested, he would have been interrogated by the Empire – and as we saw earlier in Andor with Dr Gorst’s torture techniques, he’d probably rather be dead.
He was terrified in his final moments, but by telling Cassian about the Death Star and corroborating what Luthen and Kleya heard, he secured galaxy’s future.
The Devil’s Plan fans clap back at Kim Ha-rin hate after Season 2 elimination