What’s going on with Mon Mothma’s daughter in Star Wars: Andor? The latest (and best) Star Wars series has done an incredible job of fleshing out the galaxy established by the Star Wars movies, while adding new characters into the mix. By the end of Andor episode 12, we are still left wondering what exactly is Leida Mothma up to.
The young daughter of the Star Wars character Mon Mothma is stubborn and rebellious, just like her mother, but she doesn’t realise quite how alike they actually are. While her mother secretly works to develop the Rebellion and fight back against the Galactic Empire, Leida is doing what all teenagers do – the exact opposite of what she’s told.
Let’s dive into what’s going on with Mon Mothma’s daughter and think about what might unfold for the whole family in Andor season 2. Warning, spoilers ahead.
What is Leida chanting in Andor episode 11?
As the division between Mon and her daughter grows, we see Leida dive deeper into Chandrilan traditions. Leida asks an elder to come and teach her and her friends a special chant relating to the Chandrilan ritual of arranged marriage.
The chant goes: “Yielding in acceptance, safe in the braid of the old ways. True and steady, and braided in trust. The old ways hold us, safe in the knot, in the binding, the old ways teach us. Bound against the wind, to ride the shore. Tethered in permanence.”
Essentially, it’s all about devoting yourself to the one who is chosen for you to spend the rest of your life with and trusting the Chandrilan tradition to lead you on your path in marriage.
It’s a pretty disturbing Star Wars scene, to see such a young girl becoming indoctrinated by archaic and harmful traditions. Then again, is it any different to the way the Jedi and the Sith lure young people into their way of thinking?
Is Leida Mothma getting married?
Yes, it certainly looks that way in the Andor finale. To help fix her financial situation, Mon Mothma appears to have entered an agreement with the galactic loan shark Davo Sculder that will see her daughter married to his son.
Mon Mothma is sacrificing everything to ensure the Rebellion stops Emperor Palpatine, even risking losing her daughter forever. It’s a decision not taken lightly, and a moment that allows Genevieve O’Reilly to put in one of the best performances of the entire Andor cast.
While this arranged marriage will solve Mon Mothma’s problems in the short-term, the fact she is now bound to a shady character like Davo Sculder can surely only lead to more issues down the line in the sci-fi series.
We’ll just have to wait to see how much of an impact this has on the family when the TV series returns for season 2. Until then, learn more about Andor with our guides to characters like Cassian Andor, Dedra Meero, Syril Karn, and Luthen Rael. Or dive into our list of the best Star Wars droids.