Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera is known for his extreme tactics and unwavering dedication to the cause of galactic freedom, no matter the cost.
Saw Gerrera is a creation of George Lucaswho originally had the character in mind for their cancelled TV series Star Wars: Underworld. However, Gerrera made his first appearance in animation with The Clone Wars. Since then, he has appeared in several projects and media, particularly notable in live action.
First appearances in The Clone Wars
Saw Gerrera debuted in the fifth season of The Clone Warswhere, alongside her sister Steela, she led the fight to liberate Onderon from the Separatists. Unable to intervene directly, the Republic sent Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Captain Rex to train the freedom fighters. Although the campaign was successful, it resulted in Steela’s tragic death.
In this dynamic story of The Clone WarsSaw Gerrera was played by the actor Andrea Kishinowho returned to voice the character in the spin-off series The bad lotset in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, when the Empire replaced the Republic, perpetuating the oppression of Onderon. It is in this dark age of the Empire that Saw’s legacy truly began to be forged in the Star Wars canon.
The leader of the partisans
Although its origin in Clone Wars is dynamic, Saw Gerrera is best known for his appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016. Starring the legendary actor The Forest WhitakerRogue One shows Saw at the end of his long career as the paranoid leader of the resistance group known as The Partisanswho are often identified as terrorists due to their aggressive and brutal tactics. Even the Rebel Alliance came to view Saw and his forces as extremists, resulting in Saw cutting ties with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma.
Saw’s extremism was a direct result of his refusal to abandon “The Dream”: a free galaxy and an end to Imperial oppression, no matter the cost or who had to be sacrificed along the way. In Rogue OneSaw loses his life while testing the Death Star’s sole reactor on the sacred world of Jedha, shortly before the events of A new hope. However, Gerrera made several other appearances in the Star Wars canon including his origins in Clone Wars and the events shortly before his death Rogue One.
Appearances in the Star Wars Universe
Beyond Rogue One, The Clone Wars And The bad lotSaw Gerrera has appeared in many other instances of Star Wars canon over the years. Dark times. Forest Whitaker returned to animation to voice Gerrera Star Wars Rebelsmaking appearances alongside the Ghost crew. Whitaker also voiced Saw Jedi: Fallen Order from EA, with Jedi survivor Cal Kestis joining the partisans’ efforts on Kashyyyk.
Additionally, Gerrera has appeared in several canon books, most notably the prequel novel Rogue One by James Luceno, CatalystIt’s inside Rebel on the Rise by Beth Revis, as well as in the canonical Marvel comics about Jyn Erso, whom Saw raised and trained (before abandoning her). Her posthumous legacy has also been revealed in comics such as Star Wars since 2015 and the novel Battlefront II: Inferno Squadwhich reveals the fate of the surviving partisans, who renamed themselves Dreamers.
I saw Gerrera’s future in Star Wars
Saw’s most recent appearance was in animation with the second season of The bad lot in 2023. However, his most recent live-action appearance occurred Andorthe dynamic prequel series of Rogue One of Star Wars in 2022. Performed again by The Forest WhitakerSaw Gerrera showed little interest in Luthen Rael’s proposals to unify with other cells, claiming that everyone else was lost and did not have what it took to make “The Dream” a reality.
Saw Gerrera will return in season 2 of Andoras confirmed by Forest Whitaker himself. As the series gets closer to the events of Rogue Oneit will be fascinating to see how Luthen convinces Saw to join the others, as well as what Gerrera might do specifically to bring about his break with the Rebel Alliance. Either way, it’s impressive to see everything Saw Gerrera has done in the meantime. The Clone Wars And A new hopeas well as everything he was willing to do for a galaxy without Star Wars.