Andor is Cassian’s story, but Senator Mon Mothma always manages to steal the spotlight. Genevieve O’Reilly’s character isn’t just a captivating figure because of her sleek flying car, fabulous fashion choices, and integral role in establishing the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It’s the tension that pulses through her beautiful but cold Coruscant household that has us all engrossed.
We learn more about Mon and her Chandrilan upbringing in Andor Episode 10, including what cultural norms Mon can tolerate and which she’d rather leave in the past. In the process, the show could confirm a salacious fan theory that redefines one of its most important characters.
Who is Perrin Fertha?
Mon Mothma’s husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie), is resentful of his wife. He and Mon were betrothed when they were teenagers, as is the Chandrilan way. Maybe this arranged union used to be a loving one, but it certainly isn’t now. Perrin, an extrovert with an affinity for the finer things in life, loves a good dinner party but has no interest in his wife’s politics.
Instead, Perrin thinks that life with Mon is “boring and sad,” and seems to only have his own interests at heart. He has a wonderful relationship with his daughter, Leida, but he and his wife have a strained one. Mon has also suggested that she doesn’t trust her husband, which may be foreshadowing a betrayal.
Who is Tay Kolma?
The warmth and chemistry Mon Mothma lacks with Perrin is instead abundant with “old friend” Tay Kolma (Ben Miles). We’re told that Tay is a banker, and that Mon has known him since they were children. Mon needs Tay’s assistance because she can no longer pull funds from her family accounts without drawing too much attention to herself.
She also asks Tay to be a chairman for a Chandrilan charitable outreach program she’s creating, which is implied to be a Rebel money laundering scheme. Tay is curious, but Mon refuses to give away too many details, a reluctance that doesn’t damage their mutual respect and admiration. Mon’s conversations with Tay also imply that, in Chandrilan culture, rocking the boat with heterodox opinions is disproved of.
Notably, Leida Mothma (Bronte Carmichael), Mon and Perrin’s daughter, seems suspicious of her mother’s bond with Tay, snidely calling him an “old boyfriend.”
Who is Leida Mothma?
It’s safe to say that 13-year-old Leida and her mother have a tense relationship that goes beyond the trite mother-daughter tropes typically played out on-screen. Leida is a subversion of the rebellious teen stereotype, often siding with her father and apparently believing that the Empire is worthy of support and regressive Chandrilan traditions should remain intact.
Mon’s anti-war sentiments and democratic fervor have limited reach in the Imperial Senate, but even the smallest resistance to Palpatine has attracted spies to her household. Leida seems ignorant of her mother’s rebellious tendencies, if not contemptuous of them.
It remains to be seen how Leida will take the news that she’s being forced into an arranged marriage with Chandrilan oligarch Davo Sculdun’s son. Such is the “Chandrilan way,” so she may not be as outraged by the notion as her mother is, especially if it’s pitched as a storybook romance rather than a political convenience for Mon.
Who is Vel Sartha?
The leader of the Aldhani heist, Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay), has a surprising connection with Mon Mothma. She’s Mon’s cousin, or at least that’s what they claim, and she’s close enough that Leida calls her “Aunt Vel.”
According to her fellow Rebels, Vel abandoned much of her privilege and responsibilities to aid the burgeoning movement. Still, she plays the role of a spoiled Chandrilan noble while she’s on Coruscant.
The Inverse Analysis — Vel’s visit provides interesting takeaways about Chandrilan customs. For one, Mon gives Vel a knowing look when Perrin teases her about finding a husband. Vel looks uncomfortable, implying that Chandrilians are expected to marry young and that same-sex relationships are frowned upon or even banned.
We’ve only begun learning about Chandrila, but a fan theory might provide more context about “the Chandrilan way.” What if Vel is actually the daughter of Mon and Tay Kolma? If Mon had an inappropriate relationship either before or outside of her marriage to Perrin, she would be pressured to keep it under wraps and maintain her family’s social standing. In Legends canon, Mon has a son named Jobin who joins the Rebellion. Perhaps he was reworked to be Vel? Again, this is only a theory, but Mon and Tay do seem to have chemistry.
We still don’t know much about Chandrila. But given that Mon Mothma is a major player in Star Wars, and that Chandrila is the birthplace of Kylo Ren, and that we’ve just been introduced to Chandrila goodfella Davo Sculdun, we’re sure that more about this mysterious planet will be unveiled in future Andor episodes.
Andor is streaming on Disney+.
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