What Is Rhydo or Rhydonium in Andor Season 2?

Many Star Wars fans want to know more rhydo, which is short for rhydonium, in Andor Season 2. This substance is a valuable resource that is actually mentioned several times throughout the franchise, and it’s important enough that the rebel Saw Gerrera wants engineer Wilmon to help them extract it. Here’s an explanation of what rhydonium is and why it’s important in Andor and the Star Wars series at large.

Why is rhydonium important in Star Wars?

Rhydonium, or rhydo, is a type of space fuel that is known for its volatile and explosive properties in Star Wars. Its fumes are also toxic to humans, causing skin to blister upon contact and mental degradation after inhalation.

While we don’t see rhydonium explode in episodes four through six in Andor Season 2, the training that Wilmon gives to Pluti shows how quickly things can go wrong. One misstep during extraction and it’s very possible that everyone can die. Just closing the pipe too quickly can set off a spark that can cause an explosion.

In the second season of The Mandalorian, Din and Mayfeld disguise themselves as troops who are transporting rhydonium and couldn’t drive too quickly as that would could agitate the fuel to create an explosion. After being chased by pirates, Mayfeld blows up the fuel to make it explode anyway. Rhydonium also appears in Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic.

As for its fumes, we see Wilmon wear a ventilation mask to protect himself from them, while Saw has apparently built up a tolerance and doesn’t wear any protection. Instead of being frightened by its toxic properties, Saw says the irritation is actually his skin coming alive and that, like a sister, he loves rhydo as much as it loves him back. He admits that this sounds insane, but he relates rhydo to the rebellion itself, calling it “the thing that explodes when there’s too much friction in the air.” Saw then describes the rhydo, opining how “how badly she wants to explode,” which gives a hint on how he plans to use the fuel in later episodes.