Whether you’re introducing a new alien species or even a new planet, there are only so many “firsts” you can introduce in Star Wars. For Star Wars: Acolyte, it was a whip lightsaber. For the Star Wars Holiday Special, it was the traditional Wookiee celebration of Life Day.
Now, after our time with The Art of Andor, we know the particularly quirky “first” that the gritty spy-thriller introduced during its run from 2022 to 2025 — and it’s not something you’ll expect.
When designing Andor, the production team prioritized making most props by hand rather than relying on visual effects. This was especially true for everyday items in the Star Wars universe, like noodle boxes, candy, and even cereal. However, even with all these carefully crafted props, no one predicted that Andor would be the series to offer viewers their first-ever glimpse of a working toilet in a galaxy far, far away.
Cast your mind back to 2022, when showrunner Tony Gilroy’s first season of Andor was streaming on Disney Plus. Episode eight, titled “Narkina-5,” followed Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) relaxing on the beach planet Niamos, shortly after the successful Aldhani heist. Set in a lush hotel, the episode treats us to a long shot of Cassian before the camera pans out for a clearer look at the bathroom he’s in. It’s there we get a glimpse of the throne we never knew we needed: a steel-looking sink, shower, and toilet combo.
“We had to keep the integrity of Star Wars, and what that stands for, but also tell a story and give each planet character, which was incredibly challenging, but also very exciting,” Rebecca Alleway, Andor’s set decorator, says in the companion book.
Now, before everyone gets defensive: toilets have certainly been mentioned in Star Wars, whether in a novel such as Reign of the Empire: Mask of Fear or in passing dialogue. There have even been glimpses of a vac-tube, which is basically a toilet, in The Mandalorian and the video game, Star Wars: Outlaws.
But a real toilet that’s in the average working Joe’s home? That hadn’t yet been introduced in Star Wars until Andor‘s first season. Don’t feel bad if you missed it, though: that was all part of Alleway’s vision.
“It was a sort of shower bathroom, and I designed the toilet, but it’s so discreet that you wouldn’t even know it was a toilet.”
As far as firsts go, Andor being the show to first introduce toilets isn’t the most glamorous. But for Star Wars fans who love to brag about their knowledge of George Lucas’ franchise, this bit of trivia will be sure to prove a hit.
