The thing is, Cassian being the messenger isn’t just about the Death Star plans. That’s a part of it, sure, but Cassian had been a messenger long before leaving Yavin. Think about the most critical blows dealt against the Empire in the show, the Ferrix uprising, the prison break, Nemik’s manifesto being leaked to the public. In all of these instances, Cassian is never the one on the front lines leading the charge, hell the only reason he ends up on the Aldhani heist is because Luthen wanted disposable backup. No, every time Cass changes things, he does it by raising the alarm, by being the catalyst. He’s a messenger, and the message he carries to everyone he meets is that this isn’t right. Ferrix stands together against the Empire because Maarva loves Cassian and her community, and they were loved by them in return. Kino’s speech inspires the prisoners to keep fighting because of Cassian’s urging. Nemik’s words reach far across the galaxy because he trusted them to Cassian. He cares so deeply that the people around him can’t seem to do anything but start caring themselves. He fights so loudly that the Empire can’t ignore the noise. The show bears his name not because this is a rebellion he built, but because without his warnings, it wouldn’t have survived. He’s the messenger, from the day he left Kenari to the day he died.
