The Star Wars universe boasts an encyclopedia of gadgets, tools, and machines. One tool of particular importance has made a frequent and very important appearance in Andor’s prison story arc. It is a tool many uses; from performing prison ordered labor, to helping break out of that prison. So, what is a hydrospanner in the Star Wars universe? We have the answer.
Star Wars Hydrospanner, Explained
The hydrospanner is a multi-purpose drill/socket wrench almost ubiquitous across the galaxy. It is used to loosen and tighten nuts, bolts, and various fasteners, and is a staple in any repair shop, engineering bay, or maintenance center worth patronizing.
The tool is referenced across multiple canon and non-canon Star Wars stories. In Star Wars: The Emperor Strikes Back, while frantically making repairs to the millennium falcon, Han Solo yells at Chewbaca to bring him a hydrospanner to fix the sparking mess below.
More recently, in Andor, it is the one of the main tools used by the inmates on Narkina 5. The bolts and fasteners on the mysterious equipment are cranked tight with the help of hydrospanners with various adapters and inserts. But far from being just another tool in a drawer, Andor gives the versatile instrument another use as the linchpin to the prison break.
As part of the plan to escape, Cassian breaks a water main in the lavatory using the hydrospanner as a prying device. The tool does its duty on the pipes and is then used as a literal wrench in the gears as Cassian thrusts it into the elevator mechanism to halt its descent. The escape goes to plan, thanks to the massive help of this unsuspecting hero in tool form.
That’s everything you need to know about what is a hydrospanner. Find more answers to your Andor and Star Wars questions below and with related content like when Andor takes place, what the eye of Aldhani is, and the fate of Cassian Andor in Rogue One.
Image Source: Disney and Lucasfilm
