Summary
Saw Gerrerahas become one ofStar Wars’most iconic and darkly captivating characters in the interim period between the prequel and original trilogies. While he came to notoriety during the period known as theDark Times, Saw Gerrera’s origins became as early as the Clone Wars. While called many different names throughout his career, Saw Gerreras had always been the living embodiment of rebellion, no matter the cost.
A creation of George Lucas who first had the character in mind for his canceled live-action television seriesStar Wars: Underworld, Saw Gerrera eventually made his way into the canon first through animation withThe Clone Wars. However, Gerrerra has since made several appearances in several different projects and mediums, though most notably in live-action.To that end, here’s Saw Gerrera’s fullStar Warshistory and origins explained, and where he’s expected to show up next.
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Saw Gerrera First Appeared In Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Fighting To Free Onderon From The Separatists
Having made his very first appearance inThe Clone Warsseason 5,Saw Gerrera was a primary freedom fighter on the planet Onderon alongside his sister Steela, seeking to liberate their homeworld from the Separatists after their king was deposed and replaced by a ruler friendly with the CIS. Unable to enter the conflict directly, the Republic instead sent Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Captain Rex to help train the freedom fighters in the best forms of combat against the Separatists' droid armies. While the campaign was ultimately successful, it did result in Steela’s tragic death.
In this dynamicClone Warsarc that served as his very first story in theStar Warscanon, Saw Gerrera was voiced by actor Andrew Kishino. Kishino would later return to voiceGerrera in the spin-off seriesStar Wars: The Bad Batch, set in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars after the Empire replaced the Republic, resulting in Onderon’s continued oppression.As such, the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign is when Saw’s legacy truly began in theStar Warscanon.
Forest Whitaker Plays Saw Gerrera In Live-Action
Leader of the Partisans
Despite his dynamicClone Warsorigins, Saw Gerrera is much better known for his later live-action appearance in2016’sRogue One: A Star WarsStory.Played by legendary actor Forrest Whitaker,Rogue Onesees Saw at the end of his long career, the paranoid leader of the resistance group known as the Partisanswho are often identified as terrorists due to their aggressive and brutal tactics. Even the Rebel Alliance came to view Saw and his forces as extremists, resulting in Saw eventually cutting ties with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma.
That being said,Saw Gerera’s extremism was the direct result of his refusal to give up “The Dream”: a free galaxy and the end of Imperial oppression, no matter what had to be done, or who needed to be sacrificed along the way to get it. As seen inRogue One, Saw ultimately lost his life due to the Death Star’s single-reactor test on the holy world of Jedha, just before the events ofA New Hope.However,Saw Gerrera would make several moreStar Warsappearancesbetween hisClone Warsorigins and the events just before his death inRogue One.
All Of Saw Gerrera’s Other Star Wars Appearances Explained
Movies, Shows, Books, Comics, and Games
BeyondRogue One, Clone Wars, andBad Batch,Saw Gerrera has made several other appearances in theStar Warscanon during the Dark Times. Forest Whitaker went on to voice Gerrera with a return to animation inStar Wars Rebels. Making guest appearances alongside the crew ofThe Ghost, the Spectres had to contend with Gerrera’s darker tactics and extremism just before the events ofRogue One.Whitaker also voiced Saw in EA’sJedi: Fallen Order, with the Jedi survivor Cal Kestis joining the Partisans' efforts on Kashyyyk.Cal Kestis went on to work with Saw on other missions as well.
Gerrera has also been featured in several canonical books, most notably James Luceno’sRogue Oneprequel novelCatalystand Beth Revis’Rebel Rising, and canonical comics from Marvel about Jyn Erso whom Saw raised and trained (before ultimately abandoning her). Gerrera’s posthumous legacy was also revealed in comics such 2015’sStar Warsfrom Marvel and theBattlefront IInovelInferno Squad,revealing the fates of the surviving Partisans, having renamed themselves The Dreamers.
Saw Gerrera’s most recent appearance was in animation withThe Bad Batchseason 2 in 2023. However,Gerrera’s most recent live-action appearance was in 2022’sAndor,Star Wars’dynamicRogue Oneprequel series. Still played by Forest Whitaker,Saw Gerrera displayed little interest in Luthen Rael’s proposals to unify with other cells, claiming that all others were lost, not having what it takes to make “The Dream” a reality. That said,Andor’sfirst season notably takes place before Saw canonically ends up (temporarily) joining forces with Mothma and Organa, something that was most likely motivated by Luthen.
Saw Gerrera’s Star Wars Future Explained
Returning For Andor Season 2
Having recently been confirmed by Forest Whitaker himself,Saw Gerrera will be making a return appearance inAndorseason 2. As the series is expected to lead up right to the events ofRogue One,it will be fascinating to see how Luthen ends up convincing Saw to join with others, as well as what Gerrera might specifically do that leads to his falling out with the Rebel Alliance. At any rate, it truly is impressive to see all that Saw Gerrera has done betweenThe Clone WarsandA New Hope, as well everything he was willing to do for a freeStar Warsgalaxy.
Andorseason 2 is expected to being streaming on Disney+ sometime in 2025.
Andor
Cast
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
