Andor Season 2: What Happened To Saw Gerrera’s Lungs? Rhydonium Immunity Explained

Andor Season 2’s Saw Gerrera, the radical Rebel leader first introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has long been one of the franchise’s most tragic figures. By the time of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, he relies on a pressurized suit and oxygen mask to survive, but as Andor streams, fans want to know the reason behind his damaged lungs and what this rhydonium immunity is.

Andor Season 2 explains Saw Gerrera’s lung damage and Rhydonium immunity

In Andor Season 2, Saw Gerrera’s rebel faction, the Partisans, enlists Wilmon Paak — a tech expert from Ferrix — to help them extract rhydonium safely. The substance is so volatile that even a small leak can burn a person’s lungs from the inside out. Yet, Saw doesn’t just work with rhydonium — he breathes it in deliberately, treating the toxic gas like a drug.

When Wilmon questions his reckless behavior, Saw recalls his past on Onderon. He remembers being enslaved in a brutal work camp. A rhydonium leak once poisoned the air, killing most of the prisoners. However, Saw embraced the pain, even calling the fumes his “sister.” It is a twisted replacement for his real sister, Steela, who died during the Clone Wars. This traumatic experience left him physically and mentally scarred, explaining both his immunity to rhydonium’s immediate effects and his eventual reliance on mechanical lungs.

By the time of Rogue One, Saw’s body has been ravaged by years of rhydonium exposure. His mechanical lungs and oxygen mask aren’t just tools — they’re necessities for survival. Andor Season 2 makes it clear that his addiction isn’t just physical — it’s psychological. The rhydonium numbs his pain, fuels his rage, and drives his ruthless tactics against the Empire.

Andor Season 2 reveals how Saw Gerrera’s extremism and suffering shaped his character. These experiences turned him into the Rebellion’s most ruthless operative.