Andor’s new trailer has raised suspicions that Star Wars will bring back Palpatine’s predecessor. Finis Valorum, played by Terrence Stamp, was the Chancellor of the Republic, who held this post before Palpatine. Thanks in part to Palpatine’s plan, Valorum was deposed from his post, giving Palpatine the opportunity he needed to seize power.
In the Star Wars franchise, Finis Valorum had a fairly short role, which was interrupted by the machinations of Palpatine, who few people knew was actually Darth Sidious. Valorum’s first and only live appearance was his debut appearance in Star Wars: Episode I — The Hidden Menace. His time as chancellor came to an end when Padme (as Queen Amidala) became disillusioned with the way he handled important political issues. When Valorum was subsequently stripped of his title, Palpatine won the election to choose his successor. Since he was considered an incompetent and weak government official, this move effectively ended his political career.
Although Valorum’s loss of power apparently made him irrelevant in any Star Wars stories set after The Hidden Menace, there are now rumors about his potential appearance in Andor. These discussions were triggered by the appearance of a mysterious character at the 1:53 mark in the new trailer for Andor. An unknown person dressed as a diplomat was seen saying: “What are you really doing.” Some compared this character to Valorum, although the actor is clearly not Terrence Stamp. Although Andor can remake him, he is listed in the captions as Tai Colma, which indicates that he is someone new. This makes sense given that Valorum must be significantly older if he is still alive in Andor, which happens many years after the prequels.
What happened to Finis Valorum after Palpatine replaced him?
It is worth noting that Finis Valorum did not disappear completely after the “Hidden Threat”. He returned—albeit briefly—in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, when Yoda paid him a visit to discuss what happened to Saifo-Diaz, a Jedi who went missing when Valorum was in power. It turned out that during the Clone Wars, Valorum lived in retirement on his estate on Coruscant. What happened to him after that, however, is unclear. His peaceful life may have been interrupted when the Empire rebelled, but his fate has not yet been decided.
It seems that Finis Valorum will not be in Andor, and perhaps he will not appear in any other Star Wars films or shows. However, the appearance in the future should not be excluded. After all, his time as Chancellor of the Republic may have provided him with strong political ties that could have survived his downfall. If so, he could use them to help the enemies of Palpatine and the Empire. If so, his character has storytelling potential that could justify his return at some point in the future.
