#it's economy of storytelling babyyyy

[goddamnelsa]

i’ve always been a slight defender of useless cameos in star wars media, specifically movie characters showing up in the TV shows, because i always figured like hey, it’s star wars, it’s fun, and it’s a little fun to see those two randos show up in a show or other movie, wheeee, whatever

but Melshi in Andor is how you do a fucking film cameo/callback. Melshi, a once-named ground soldier in the Battle of Scarif. Melshi, who has like two scenes before he dies like everyone else. And they put him on Narkina 5 with Cassian, and it’s brilliant.

Melshi doesn’t need a backstory! He’s a side character! I think the only reason I knew his name is because I read the novelization and have watched Rogue One a gajillion times. And you don’t need to know who he is for his mini-arc to work in Andor, but if you do, it adds some dimension to him and to Cassian!! Like Cassian escaped prison with this dude and then went back and recruited him for the Rebellion??? (maybe, who knows, we’ll hopefully find out in s2) The few scenes they have together in Rogue One indicate that they know each other, they’ve worked together on missions before, which makes sense in the context of the film with what we know of Cassian, that he’s been in the Rebellion for awhile and presumably so has Melshi. But having them be in prison together, and break out together*, their familiarity with each other makes so much sense, and that Melshi is willing to go on this suicide mission to help Cassian and the rest of the Rogues. Of course, Melshi will risk it all because he already did with Cassian once and it paid off.

And Melshi has a reason to be in this story. He is part of the prison break, he’s part of Cassian’s group. They don’t give him special treatment in the story, there’s no slow mo shot to him when they say his name, he’s just there. And if you know, you know, and if you don’t, it’s still a great fucking storyline and it ties us back to Rogue One without being obnoxious about it.**

that’s how you do a fucking film callback

* a break out that is yet another spark in getting people to fight back against the Empire!!! god this fucking SHOW I’M YELLING

**saw’s couple of scenes also did this, but i just assume all rebellion era stuff will have saw in it, and forest whitaker is putting his whole self into that role, you go forest