New Star Wars Prequel Is Officially Bringing Back Andor's Luthen & Kleya

Published Mar 10, 2026, 7:26 PM EDT

Now, io9 has revealed that both Luthen and Kleya have returned to the franchise via Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: Edge of the Abyss by Rebecca Roanhorse, an upcoming novel that is set a year before the events of Andor season 1. It is a sequel to Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed, which follows Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera shortly after the rise of the Empire and as the first seeds of rebellion begin to grow.

Luthen, Mon, Bail, Saw, a young Leia Organa, and former Separatist leader Anto Kreegyr can all be seen on the cover. While she is not on the cover, Kleya is confirmed to be in the novel as well, as is Mon's husband, Perrin Fertha, and Nisus Osar, a member of the Ministry of Enlightenment who orchestrates anti-Ghorman propaganda in Andor season 2. Check out the cover and the book's official synopsis below:

In this thrilling sequel to The Mask of Fear, set one year before season one of Andor, truth becomes a weapon of the Empire.

Over a decade into the Empire’s reign, life under Imperial rule has become routine. The days of the Republic have long passed into memory—if they are remembered at all.

Within the Senate, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa face dwindling influence, for there is no difference between the will of the Emperor and the direction of his Empire. Bail increasingly shifts his focus to support clandestine resistance efforts, knowing a successful fight against the Empire will come from beyond the halls of power. Meanwhile, Mon Mothma sees one chance to take a stand when she makes a horrifying discovery about the lengths the regime will go to weaponize truth and loyalty. The Empire’s newest target: the next generation raised under the Emperor’s ever deepening shadow, including Mon and Bail’s daughters.

Across the galaxy, disparate rebel factions are rendered outcasts, branded criminals, and pitted against each other. On Ghorman, an idealistic student group seeks to make meaningful change, unaware of the ISB agent who seeks to sabotage them from the inside. Leaders like Saw Gerrera and Anto Kreegyr squabble and bargain to survive one more day against the crush of Imperial might. Trust is rare and betrayal quick. A distracted, disorganized resistance is one that is easy to snuff out. There are few heroes…and no alliances.

When one of Gerrera’s partisans is captured by the Empire, time is running out for senators, outcasts, spies, and all those that desire a better tomorrow. What the prisoner knows could help the Empire eradicate any whisper of resistance, end any rebellion before it can truly begin—and ensure that the Empire’s truth is all the galaxy will ever know.

Due to The Mask of Fear taking place so soon after Order 66, the fall of the Republic, and the rise of the Empire in the Star Wars timeline, Mon, Bail, and Saw have only just begun to figure out how to navigate the new galaxy and begin effectively fighting back against the tyrannical regime. Between the time jump and with Luthen and Kleya now in the picture, the revolution will be more organized in Edge of the Abyss, although it is still years away from the Rebel Alliance officially being formed and setting up their base on Yavin IV.

Based on the synopsis and the confirmed characters from Andor, Edge of the Abyss can reveal how Luthen and Mon first met and began secretly collaborating, along with more of the history between Luthen and Saw, Bail's distaste for Luthen, and all the thankless but essential work Kleya is doing behind the scenes. The inclusion of Kreegyr will likely make it more tragic for Saw to sacrifice his life in Andor season 1. For the younger generation, there will seemingly be exploration of how Leia resists the Empire's propaganda while Mon and Perrin's daughter, Leida, is more susceptible to it, and as the idealistic Ghorman students unknowingly move closer to the destruction of their entire society and planet.

The Mask of Fear received overwhelmingly positive reviews and was widely praised for being a perfect companion story to Andor. Edge of the Abyss will be even more closely tied to the Disney+ show, especially with the return of Luthen and Kleya. After this, there will be one more book in the Reign of the Empire novel trilogy, which will be written by Fran Wilde and is slated for a 2027 release.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: Edge of the Abyss releases on September 15, 2026 and can be preordered.