Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episodes 1-7 of Andor.

It may seem hyperbolic to say that a Star Wars character changed your life, but that’s exactly what happened when Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) was introduced in Rogue One. Some people may look to Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) as a source of hope, while others might take refuge in the idea of reclaimed identity in Rey (Daisy Ridley), but in Cassian Andor I found the inspiration to raise my voice, and an angry fist, against the systems designed to oppress, and the Andor spin-off series is reigniting that spark of rebellion as it explores the complexity of a broken society.

Rogue One was an unexpected wake-up call delivered at a boiling point in American politics—and frankly around the world. Up until that point, I was living my life like Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), and I had the privilege to keep my head down and stifle my voice because I look like her too. I wasn’t expected to fight back or share my thoughts on anything because the systems in place benefited people who look like me. And unfortunately, I was fine with that. I didn’t want to rock the boat. I didn’t want to toe the line or risk that someone I was told to respect might think less of me because I disagreed with them. But that willful silence came to a screeching halt when I sat down in the theaters on December 16, 2016, and realized that Star Wars was talking to me.

Andor is unique in its portrayal of Cassian’s life before he becomes the motivated rebel we first meet in Rogue One. Even with the odds stacked against him—his origins, his parental figures, and his record—he lives in complacency because he views the rebellion as someone else’s problem. In “Announcement,” we learn that rebellious spirit led to his father Clem’s (Gary Beadle) tragic death, even though he was nothing more than a bystander to others’ actions. Again, standing on the sidelines of the rebellion is what gets Cassian arrested on Niamos: he isn’t speaking out against the Empire, and even still he gets penalized for the crimes of others. Because the Empire is designed to oppress, whether you raise your voice or keep your head down. If the outcomes are the same, why go down without a righteous fight? Like Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) said to Cassian in an earlier episode: “Wouldn't you rather give it all at once to something real than carve off useless pieces till there's nothing left?” The Empire and the real-world governmental bodies it represents will continue to take from us, to chip away at unalienable rights, so why not give everything to fight back?

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Image via Disney+

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Tony Gilroy’s series strikes at the heart of why Cassian Andor is one of the most profound characters that the franchise has ever delivered. He is representative of the people who try to do the “right” thing—those that keep their heads down, jump when they’re told to jump, and try to focus on living their lives for themselves. While we’re still on the cusp of seeing the driving forces behind what transforms him from this Cassian into the man willing to face certain death on Scarif, it’s clear that Andor intends to deliver a profound story steeped in real-world implications. Sometimes it takes fiction holding a mirror to the world to force audiences to realize their roles in the systems we should rebel against.

As much as the world needs Nemiks (Alex Lawther) who use their words to spark rebellions in the hearts of the masses, the world needs more Cassian Andors too. They need the people who stand on the bylines until they’re dragged into the firefight. Because that type of rebellion is something so intrinsically true-to-life. People resist, until they become the resistance. It’s easy to keep to yourself when the fight is miles away, but it’s harder to ignore when it’s knocking at your door.

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Image via Disney+

I hope that Andor continues to be blatant with its messaging—that it will continue to drive home the point that you cannot truly escape the rebellion, but you can choose what side of it you stand on. Will you keep the peace and remain silent, or will you let the image that people hold of you die as you fulfill your true potential? Positioning Cassian as the reluctant hero makes him more accessible to its audience because few people wake up ready to stare down the face of fascism. Star Wars is at its best when it explores the harsh realities of the world that George Lucas created—one filled with bad guys and good guys, and the morally gray figures that many of us recognize in ourselves. The series interacts with the Star Wars galaxy in a way that no other series before it ever has, and it pointedly explores the political and personal rebellions that can’t be ignored.

Andor elevates the stakes of Rogue One by reinforcing how important characters like Cassian Andor are. Cassian forces us to examine how we assume that the responsibility to rebel will fall into the laps of others and instead makes us see the potential within ourselves to make changes with ripples that extend far beyond our insular existences. When I spoke with Luna at Star Wars Celebration, I got to share how Rogue One inspired political action in my life. I look forward to seeing more people discover that they have the power to make changes in the world as Andor continues to explore the impact that a single rebellious voice can make.